Updated Spring 2006

Exercising the Body:
The Bay Area has many groups that can help aging bodies get in better shape. If you'd like to walk, run or hike with people aged 50 and older, you can join a group organized by Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness. A non-profit organization founded in 1979, Fifty-Plus has several walking and running groups in the Bay Area. The group also runs a six-week "Fifty-Plus Fitness Challenge Camp" on the Stanford University campus. For information, see www.50plus.org.

For women aged 40 and older, Kaiser Permanente offers fitness classes that combine cardiovascular, endurance, strength and flexibility training. Classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Kaisercise (2139 O'Farrell Street at Divisadero in San Francisco) from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. A three-week series of workouts costs $54 for Kaiser members and $87 for non-members. For information, call (415) 844-3450.

The University of San Francisco's Koret Health and Recreation Center offers exercise programs and activities geared for older adults, including tai chi, water aerobics and yoga. Discounted passes are available to people aged 55 and older. The Koret Center, located at the corner of Turk and Parker streets in San Francisco, is open to the general public. For information, see www.usfca.edu/koret/general.html.

The City of Berkeley's Public Health Department has a new program for people aged 50 and above called Active Choices. The program, which is free for Berkeley residents, includes one-on-one exercise counseling and planning to help individuals find exercises that are enjoyable and will help them meet their health goals. For information contact program director Justine Kaplan at jkaplan@ci.berkeley.ca.us.

UC Berkeley's Department of Recreational Sports offers a variety of fitness classes geared for people aged 50 and older. The 50+ Fitness program is co-sponsored by CalFIT and the UC Berkeley Retirement Center. Classes in strength training, yoga, tai chi and other exercise activities are held at the Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area. For information, see can be found http://calbears.berkeley.edu/calfit/fitclasses.asp#a.

Following are some more ideas for people who want to get or stay in shape:

  • The Health & Healing Center at the California Pacific Medical Center offers classes in yoga, Tai Chi and other practices. For information, see www.myhealthandhealing.org or call (415) 600-HEAL.
  • Every day of the week, San Francisco City Guides offers free guided walks that explore the history and architecture of various city neighborhoods. Walks usually last 1.5 to 2 hours. For information, see www.sfcityguides.org or call (415) 557-4266.
  • Greenbelt Alliance organizes day hikes to peaks, parks and other destinations around the Bay Area. For information, see www.greenbelt.org or call (415) 255-3233.
  • If you enjoy kayaking on the Bay, or you'd like to learn how, Sea Trek of Sausalito is a great resource. For information, see www.seatrekkayak.com or call (415) 488-1000.
  • Have you ever wanted to sail? Sailing Education Adventures is a non-profit organization, based at Fort Mason Center, that offers affordable sailing instruction and related educational and social activities. For information, see www.sailsea.org or call (415) 775-8779.
  • PresidioRX invites runners of all ages and abilities to join the group's bi-weekly runs in San Francisco's Presidio. For information, see www.woohoo.org/presidiorx.

Do you like to dance? How would you like to learn some new steps, or perhaps just dust off some moves you already know? The Bay Area has many venues that offer dance lessons, including many with discounted rates for older people. Here are some options:

  • The Metronome Ballroom at 1830 17th Street (at DeHaro) offers classes in waltz, tango, swing, salsa and other dance. For information, see www.metronomeballroom.com or call (415) 252-9000.
  • Free Lindy Hop dance lessons for beginners every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on JFK Drive (at 9th Ave.) in Golden Gate Park. Dancing runs from 11 to 1:30 p.m. For information, see www.lindyinthepark.com. Lindy aficionados should also see www.lindylist.com.
  • The Rhythm and Motion Dance Center at 1133 Mission St. (between 7th and 8th) offers classes in a variety of Latin and African dance. For information, see www.rhythmandmotion.com or call (415) 621-0643.
  • The Dance Mission Theatre 3316 24th Street (at Mission) offers classes in everything from ballet and tap to samba and hip-hop dance. For information, see www.dancemission.com or call (415) 826-4441.
  • The Presidio Dance Theatre, located at 1158 Gorgas Street (adjacent to Crissy Field) in the Presidio offers classes in ballet, folk, international dance, as well as aerobics and pilates. For information, see www.ppaf-sf.org or call (415) 561-3958.
  • Ballroom dance lessons for couples are available in San Francisco at Let's Dance, held at the Commodore Sloat School Auditorium (Ocean Avenue at Junipero Serra Blvd. For information, call (415) 661-2746.
  • San Francisco has an Arthur Murray studio in the Sunset District. For information, see www.arthurmurraysf.com or call (415) 682-2700.
  • In Palo Alto, ballroom dance lessons are available Wednesday and Saturday evenings at the YWCA, 4161 Alma Street. For information, call (650) 856-6969.
  • In the East Bay, the Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville offers group and private lessons in swing, tango and other dances. For information, see www.allegroballroom.com or call (510) 655-2888.

Exercising the Mind:
If you're looking for a way to give your mind a workout, you might consider signing up with one of the seven Bay Area lifelong learning programs that have launched over the past few years thanks to grants from the San Francisco-based Bernard Osher Foundation. San Francisco State, UC Berkeley, UCSF and four other Bay Area universities have launched programs - each is called an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) - that are open to students aged 50 and older. The programs offer a mix of courses, are free of exams, homework and grades, and are affordably priced. Following are links to the OLLI programs, as well as to the University of San Francisco's Fromm Institute, which served as a model for several of the OLLI programs:

In addition to its OLLI program, San Francisco State's College of Extended Learning offers Eldercollege (which gives people aged 50 and above the opportunity to take any regular university course), Sixty-Plus (a program for people aged 60 and above that includes twice monthly lectures) and the Over 60 Degree Program (which enables people aged 60 and above to earn a BA or MA at SFSU without paying regular admission or registration fees). Information is available at www.usfca.edu/fromm.

City College of San Francisco's Older Adults Department offers a range of classes geared for people aged 55 and older. Classes are free, are open for enrollment at any time during the semester and are held at 41 different sites around San Francisco. Classes cover such subjects as art, music, health, exercise and computer literacy. For more information, see www.ccsf.edu/Departments/Older_Adults_Department.

Elderhostel, the world's largest education and travel program for older adults, offers programs in Tiburon, Napa and Burlingame through a local organization called Bay Area Classic Learning. For information and to register, see www.bacl.com. Elderhostel is a non-profit organization that provides educational opportrunities around the world for people aged 55 and over. Opportunities include educational trips, university- and college-based Institutes for Learning in Retirement, and Elderhostel Service Programs that engage teams of hostelers in short-term volunteer projects in the United States and around the world. For information, see www.elderhostel.org.

The Center for Learning in Retirement (CLIR). Developed by UC Berkeley's continuing education branch, CLIR offers classes, social events and other programs for people aged 50 and older at the UC Extension Center campus at 425 Market Street, 8th floor, in San Francisco. For information, see www.clirsf.org or call (415) 543-3965.

Those searching for intellectual stimulation might also consider joining the Commonwealth Club of California, where you can see and hear leading figures in politics, business, science, media, the arts and other public affairs. The non-profit club hosts more than 400 events each year at its locations in San Francisco, San Jose, and the East and North Bay. Discount rates are available for people aged 65 and older. For information, see www.commonwealthclub.org.

Would you like to learn more about important issues facing aging women? If so, you might want to join or attend meetings of the Older Women's League, a national non-profit organization that works to improve the status and quality of life for midlife and older women. OWL's San Francisco chapter holds monthly meetings with experts on financial security, health issues and other relevant topics. The chapter also organizes regular lunches, dinners and other social activities. Other Bay Area chapters are located in San Mateo and Santa Clara. For information, see www.owlsf.org and www.owl-national.org.

Are you looking for a way to improve your computer or Internet skills? A good place to find classes and tutorials is SeniorNet (see www.seniornet.org), a non-profit organization of computer-using adults aged 50 and older. SeniorNet's mission is to provide midlife and older adults with education about, and access to, computer technologies that enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom

In San Francisco, the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center at 3925 Noriega Street (at 46th Ave.) offers computer training classes for older adults. For information, see www.snbc.org or call (415) 759-3690.

The YMCA of San Francisco's senior centers offer a range of social, nutritional, educational and recreational activities geared for older adults. Senior centers are located at the Central, Mission, Richmond District and Stonestown YMCA branches. For information, see www.ymcasf.org/adult.html. Additional programs for older adults, such as trips, adult education, special fitness classes, hiking clubs, language and special interest classes, are available at other YMCA branches in San Francisco and around the Bay Area. For information, contact your local branch.

The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, which offers a broad array of classes and activities for older adults, including day trips, lifelong learning programs, health lectures, a fitness center, intergenerational activities and a variety of social events. In addition, the JJCSF's 55+ Singles group meets monthly for interesting and fun events including museums, plays and dinners. For information, see www.jccsf.org or call (415) 292-1262. The JCCSF is located at 3200 California Street (at Presidio Ave.).

Older Workers:
A growing number of Americans are continuing to work, or opting to return to work, during the so-called retirement years. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one-quarter of all Americans in the 65-to-74 age group currently hold jobs, compared with just one in six two decades earlier. And a recent study by Putnam Investments found that the number of workers in the 65 to 74 age group is growing three times as fast as the overall work force. By 2012, nearly 20% of the US workforce will be 55 or older, up from 13% in 2000. Following is a selected list of reports and organizations that cover this trend:

Giving Back:
The American Society on Aging has recently launched a civic engagement program (www.asaging.org/civiceng).

The National Council on the Aging's RespectAbility initiative (www.respectability.org) is designed to help community organizations and decision-makers find ways to empower the growing population of older Americans to use their abilities, their experience and their energy to help address community problems through volunteer work and employment.

Civic Ventures (www.civicventures.org) is a national nonprofit organization that works to expand the contributions of older Americans to society, and to help transform the aging of American society into a source of individual and social renewal. Its Journalists' Guide (www.civicventures.org/jguide.cfm) offers a wide range of information and resources related to Baby Boomers and civic engagement.

A 2005 book by Marin County residents Dr. Bob Rosenberg and Guy Lampard, called Giving From Your Heart: A Guide To Volunteering, is a helpful tool that can help people move from thinking about volunteering to connecting with a volunteer opportunity that fits their skills and interests. The book is widely available in bookstores and on Amazon.

If you are looking for opportunities to give back to your community, you might consider joining Experience Corps, a program that helps teach children to read and develop the confidence and skills to succeed in school and in life. Experience Corps members, who are aged 55 and older, serve as tutors and mentors to children in urban public schools in cities across the country, including San Francisco and Oakland. For information, see www.experiencecorps.org.

Retired executives and business owners who want to help small businesses develop and prosper might consider joining the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a non-profit association formed in 1964 by the Small Business Association (SBA). SCORE's volunteer counselors provide free advice and education to tens of thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners around the country each year. In the Bay Area, SCORE has chapter offices in San Francisco (see www.sfscore.com), the East Bay (see www.eastbayscore.org) and Silicon valley (see www.svscore.org). For more information, see www.score.org.

Another place to look for volunteer opportunities is the National Senior Service Corps (NSSC), a network of programs that draw on the experience and skills of people aged 55 and older to meet community challenges. The Senior Corps includes the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Senior Corps Programs operate in communities throughout the United States and offer a variety of options to meet volunteer needs and interests. For information, see www.seniorcorps.org.

In 1964, only 2 percent of Peace Corps volunteers were people over the age of 50. Today, almost 7 percent are over 50 years old. Twenty percent of all senior volunteers are serving as married couples, compared to 7 percent for volunteers under the age of 50. Senior volunteers work in all skill sectors, but most are concentrated in education and business. There are 11 regional recruiting offices around the country. For information, see www.peacecorps.gov.

Civic Ventures provides a wealth of ideas for older people looking for ways to tap their talents and skills in service to their communities. Civic Ventures is a non-profit organization that works to expand the contributions of older Americans to society. For information, see www.civicventures.org.

If you would like to consult with a career counselor who specializes in helping people make midlife changes, one place to look is the Bay Area Career Center (www.bayareacareercenter.com), a San Francisco organization that offers career counseling, workshops and other services. Several of BACC's counselors are experienced in working with midlife and older clients. You might also take a look at Career Insights (www.career-insights.com), a Walnut Creek-based outfit run by veteran career counselor Norm Meshriy.

Romance:
Are you looking for romance? There is a rising number of Internet match-making sites aimed at midlife and older adults. Among the destinations that caught Bay Area Summit's eye are:

Health:
The Institute on Aging (www.gioa.org) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that works to promote health, safety and independence among older adults. Founded in 1975, the IOA's programs serve San Francisco, Marin and the Peninsula, and include on-site adult day services, home care, case management, grief and loss support, psychological services, elder abuse prevention, research and education for families, seniors and professionals in the field of aging.

NIHSeniorHealth (www.NIHSeniorHealth.gov) now offers information about the prevention, detection, and treatment of heart failure, a health condition that affects roughly 5 million older Americans. Designed especially for seniors, NIHSeniorHealth is a joint effort of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), which are part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Have you ever wondered whether the Internet has a free and comprehensive source of information about senior health? The Merck Manual of Geriatrics, available at www.merck.com/mrkshared/mm_geriatrics/search.jsp, is easy to search and navigate.

Other excellent sources of information about health and wellness include:

  • UC Berkeley's Wellness Letter. Available by subscription and online at www.wellnessletter.com
  • The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter "Health After 50." Available by subscription and online at www.hopkinsafter50.com
  • Medline Plus, an easy-to-navigate source of information about drugs and medical conditions. Available at http://medlineplus.gov
  • MayoClinic.com, a comprehensive resource for patients weighing treatment options. Available at www.mayoclinic.com
  • DrugDigest.org, allows users to check for potential interactions between the drugs they use, as well as with food and alcohol. Available at www.drugdigest.com
  • The National Institutes of Health is another good source of information at http://health.nih.gov/search.asp/27

Another good place to get information about senior health issues is the Community Health Resource Center in California Pacific Medical Center's 2100 Webster Street building. Directed by geriatric specialist Beth MacLeod, LCSW, the center's Senior Care Program offers consultations (for caregivers and seniors), assessments (including home visits), care coordination, and support groups for caregivers and seniors. For information, see www.cpmc.org/chrc.

UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is a good place to learn about effective treatments for patients that combine both conventional and alternative approaches and address all aspects of health and wellness - biological, psychological, social and spiritual. The center presents free daytime and evening lectures at 1701 Divisadero Street in San Francisco. For information, see www.ucsf.edu/ocim.

Are you feeling depressed, stressed or lonely? The Over 60 program at UCSF offers free individual talk therapy to people aged 60 and older as part of an on-going research study called the COPE-D Project. If you qualify and are willing to answer questions about your health, mood and experiences for the study, you will receive 12 sessions of therapy and a monetary stipend. For information, call the Over 60 Program at (415) 476-7439.

A good place to learn about ways to improve health in areas such as arthritis, osteoporosis, memory loss, diabetes, depression, vision and foot care is Kaiser Permanente's Health Education Center at 4141 Geary Boulevard in San Francisco. Kaiser experts lead workshops on various senior health topics the third Tuesday of each month. For information, call (415) 833-3450.

Do you have questions about how the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement & Modernization Act of 2003 will affect you? Information is available at www.medicare.gov, the official U.S. government site for people with Medicare. For non-English speakers, the Social Security Administration provides information about the new Medicare law in several languages at www.ssa.gov/multilanguage/index.htm.

"Medicare at a Glance," a comprehensive online source of information about Medicare from the Kaiser Family Foundation, is available at www.kff.org/medicare/7067/ataglance.cfm.

Spanish-speaking seniors now have an online source of information about Medicare and the new Rx Drug Benefit. The AARP Segunda Juventud site, which also features news and guidance about drug prices and safety, is available at www.aarpsegundajuventud.org/spanish.

San Francisco's Department of Health operates a website that provides information for people seeking to buy drugs from Canadian pharmacies. The site, at www.sfdph.org/SFRx, lists three pharmacies that have been approved by Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin.

Speaking of city services, San Francisco's Department of Public Health runs a disaster registry for people aged 60 and above and for people with disabilities. The registry is designed to help emergency service providers locate and contact people who are enrolled as possible after a disaster. For information, see www.sanfranciscoems.org or call (415) 355-2632. More information for seniors and other people who are particularly vulnerable in the event of a disaster can be found at www.preparenow.org.

Dead birds carrying the West Nile Virus have been found in San Francisco and other Bay Area counties. San Francisco's Department of Public Health has posted information about the virus on the Internet at www.dph.sf.ca.us/eh/hn/WestNile/index_WestNile.htm. Information is also available at (415) 252-3805.

Finance:
Would you like to learn more about long-term care insurance? The State Health Insurance Assistance Program Useful provides information about long-term care insurance at www.hiicap.state.ny.us/home/link08.htm#links. Another source of information is the National Center on Women and Aging, located at Brandeis University, at www.aoa.gov/naic/longterminsurance.html.

Transportation:
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, has issued a "Senior Mobility Toolkit" that highlights services and programs that improve mobility for older adults. The report can be viewed at www.mtc.ca.gov/publications/oats/Senior_Mobility_Toolkit.pdf

The California Department of Motor Vehicles provides information for older drivers at www.dmv.ca.gov/about/senior/senior_top.htm

Caregiving:
Family Caregiver Alliance is an excellent source of information for family members taking care of an older or ill person at home. The organization's website can be found at www.caregiver.org.

Aging:
"Aging in Stride," a new book that addresses such important aging issues as health, diet, Medicare and driving, is available at www.aginginstride.org. The book will be available in bookstores starting April 30 for $24.95.

A report from AARP called "The State of 50+ in America" is available at http://research.aarp.org/general/fifty_plus_2004.pdf. The report addresses such issues as healthcare and economic security and whether the Boomer generation is better prepared for retirement than it was a decade ago. Additionally, AARP's site at www.aarp.org is a good source of information for midlife and older adults. AARP is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people aged 50 and over.

 
    copyright 2005, Bay Area Summit