Happy 2023! We hope you enjoyed the holidays and are comfortably settling into the new year. Although January is traditionally ushered in by brisk temps and biting winds, this year's winter has already hit a balmy 60 degrees! Of course, a true New England winter always teases so our snow shovels are by the door!
Noble's community events calendar is packed, and we look forward to welcoming you to campus for art exhibits, classes, seminars, and other diversions to help you weather the cold, dark days ahead. Please be sure to check out Taconic Learning Center courses that begin at Noble on January 16 and offer everything from the study of WWII heroes to the history of cinema.
Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health has just released the results of a large new study (16 years of data from 62 million people!) that found "time spent in nature may reduce hospitalization risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's." The study's lead author recommends that policymakers “create healthier environments so that people can live a healthier life.” Harvard also pointed to prior research that shows exposure to nature can have a calming effect, and improve memory.
We are grateful to Noble Horizons' founders who were clearly on to something when they sited their new retirement village on 110 acres of woods, streams, ponds, meadows, and breathtaking views!
It's Not Too Late!
Resolve to be a hero in 2023! Every two seconds someone needs blood. Save up to 3 lives on January 10 by making an appointment at Noble's Red Cross Blood Drive. Donors will take home freshly baked cookies, a $5.00 Country Store gift certificate, and a t-shirt that reads: Good Things Happen When You Give! You'll also be automatically entered to win a trip for two to the Super Bowl. Blood is life, pass it on!
Free Lunch and Learn: Retirement on YOUR Terms
On January 20, Noble Horizons invites you to a free lunch (11:30 am) and program (beginning at noon) entitledLongevity and the New Journey of Retirement: How to Take Action Today to Help You Live Retirement on Your Own Terms.
Using the results of a comprehensive study by Edward Jones and Age Wave, the nation's leader on issues related to an aging population, Cailyn Paradise of Edward Jones will explain how to integrate the essential elements of a successful retirement (family, health, purpose, finances) and the five habits retirees adopt to prepare for and enjoy retirement. Registration is necessary.
Discovering Hidden History
Noble Horizons was honored to premier the 2021 documentary Coloring Our Past, made by Salisbury School's Searching for Slavery class in partnership with the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Upper Housatonic Heritage Area. The short film exposed local black and indigenous history that had been hidden for over 200 years.
The class will return to Noble Horizons on January 31 at 7 pm (on Zoom) to present the Power of Placed-Based History, a program that reveals additional local history long hidden from view. The stories begin at the stately Salisbury home of an altruistic country doctor who opened his home to developmentally disabled students; it then moves to his ambitious son who helped develop the malevolent study of eugenics, continues to the landmark US Supreme Court Griswold v. Connecticut decision governing birth control, and finally to the Free Britney movement. Please click here for the Zoom link.
Seeking Understanding
On January 21 at 11 am, meet Dr. Lisanne Norman, The Hotchkiss School's Co-Director of Diversity and Inclusion, who will discuss the growth of diversity and inclusion initiatives throughout the country. Dr. Norman is a graduate of Hotchkiss, Brown University, and Harvard University where she earned her Ph.D.; in addition, she has worked in corporate America, academia, and the tech industry for over 20 years.Don't Miss the Camera Club's Opening Reception
Make plans to attend the Housatonic Camera Club's new exhibit and opening reception on January 20, 5-7 pm. The area's finest photographers will transport you from the gloom of a New England winter to some of the world's most beautiful and sublime settings. Meet and welcome back the photographers who hail from all corners of the tri-state region and are relaunching their annual winter show after the long Covid hiatus. Wines and assorted beverages will be served as will delicious appetizers and hors d'oeuvres.
Ongoing FUN!
Noble's free weekly balance and fall prevention class grows each week for a good reason: it is fun! Join us on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30 am in the Community Room where you'll build strength while enjoying time with new and old friends. Please registerhere.
Upcoming on February 2 at Noon
Millions of aging adults are impacted by some degree of incontinence which can
limit freedom, function, and engagement in outside activities as well as disrupt sleep. This presentation by Noble Horizons therapists will help you learn how to manage this chronic condition through lifestyle tactics, exercise, or therapy techniques to improve bladder control which will build confidence and help maintain functional independence. The program will be preceded by a free light lunch at 11:30 am.
