During the COVID-19 crisis, the Pasadena Senior Center offers many free online activities via Zoom for adults 50 and older until mandates for isolation and social distancing have been lifted.
Members and non-members of the Pasadena Senior Center are welcome to participate in all events. Residency in Pasadena is not required. Please note Zoom activities require online registration in advance. Everyone who registers for Zoom events will receive email instructions for joining the activities online.
Eating Healthy on a Budget – Thursday, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. Eating healthy does not have to cost a lot of money. Learn how to stretch your dollars at grocery stores and restaurants, how to avoid food waste at home, why the idea that healthy equals expensive is a myth and more. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Weekly Lectures or call 626-795-4331. Presented by City of Hope.
Author Talk: “Two Summers” by Tim Albert – Thursday, Dec. 3, at 10:30 a.m. Tim Albert, author of “Two Summers: Nixon and Trump by Greyhound Bus,” will join us from London to discuss his book filled with observations and memories from two road trips across the U.S., 50 years apart. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331.
Cultural Thursday: Meet Bob Lipson – Thursday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. Over the years, everyone has enjoyed the piano playing of Bob Lipson, co-host of the Great American Songwriters series. Get to know him better, enjoy some of his favorite songs and learn what his musical influences have been. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331.
Chair Yoga – Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 10 a.m. Improve your balance, strength, flexibility and confidence through gentle yoga exercises while sitting in a chair or standing and using a chair for support. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Online Classes, then Chair Yoga or call 626-795-4331. Presented by Kathy Eastwood RN.
What You Should Know About Good Nutrition – Thursday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. Good nutrition is the key to good mental and physical health. The kinds of foods and amounts of foods people eat affect the way they feel and how their bodies work. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Weekly Lectures or call 626-795-4331. Presented by Dr. Renee M. Poole.
Cultural Thursday: Great American Composers, Holiday Edition – Thursday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. Pianist Bob Lipson and singer/presenter Don Snyder will lead participants on an interactive musical event featuring holiday and seasonal favorites such as “The Christmas Song,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, “Let It Snow,” “Sleigh Ride” and many more. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331.
Internet Security and Safety – Friday, Dec. 11, at noon. Security and safety on the Internet is a high priority for computer issues. Learn about the personal technology that is all around everyone as they use their Macintosh and Windows-based computers, smart phones, tables, eReaders and other internet-connected devices. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Weekly Lectures or call 626-795-4331. Presented by Ken “The Tech Daddy” Gruberman.
Diabetes Support Group – Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. Join this support group to share your stories and experiences with diabetes and learn how to cope with diabetes. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Services to Homebound Seniors, then Diabetes Support Group or call 626-795-4331. Presented by Kathy Eastwood RN. The Diabetes Support Group meets the second Wednesday of every month.
1950s Trivia Fun – Thursday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m. Do you remember the ‘50s? Join a lively discussion as participants travel back in time while answering trivia questions to test their memories. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331. Presented by Aetna.
Cultural Thursdays: Meet Don Snyder – Thursday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. Don Snyder, co-host, singer and presenter at the Great American Composers series, will perform some of his favorite songs from musical theater and the Great American Songbook, interspersed with stories from his long and fascinating career. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331.
Social Hour Special Edition: Holiday Cheer on Christmas Day – Friday, Dec. 25, from 1 to 2 p.m. Participants will share lighthearted holiday stories, request Christmas and winter songs from musician Steve Ormond and dance silly dances if they so desire. To register for this Zoom event, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Online Events or call 626-795-4331.
In addition to online classes and other activities, members and non-members are encouraged to visit the Pasadena Senior Center website (www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org) regularly for COVID-19 updates and other timely information, a weekly blog, monthly magazine, ongoing activities throughout the year and more.
Arthritis Exercise Classes – Ongoing, anytime. Six fitness routines designed to help maintain mobility include range of motion, balance, weight-bearing exercises, stretching and low-intensity aerobics. Be ready with a set of one-pound weights and wear comfortable clothing and sneakers. Some exercises are done while sitting in chairs and others while standing. To access the classes, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Online Classes, then Arthritis Exercise Classes.
Elder Abuse Support – This resource is available to people 65 and older and their families who seek assistance with elder abuse issues. Services include crisis intervention, counseling, response, case management, financial counseling, legal services, access to medical care and personal advocacy. All services are free and confidential. For more information call Aurora Duran, victim service coordinator for Foothill Family, at 626-993-3000.
Feeling Challenged by Technology and Need Help with Zoom? – Through a collaboration with Pasadena Public Library, get solutions to technology issues, learn how to use Zoom and much more. Email ask@cityofpasadena.net/libanswers.com, call 626-744-4066, option 6 (leave a message and your call will be returned) or live chat Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at www.cityofpasadena.net/library/live-chat.
Food Distribution Program – Ongoing First Friday of every month from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Low-income adults 60 and older receive one box of food and couples receive two. Proof of income and California ID are required for first-time recipients. Boxes are heavy, so bring a pull-behind personal cart to the parking lot between the Pasadena Senior Center and the Metro Gold Line station. Masks and social distancing are required. To enroll in the program or for more information, call 626-685-6732.
LA Opera: Music to Remember – Ongoing Tuesdays at 11 a.m. A variety of classical singers perform each week. To register for these Zoom events, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Events, Clubs and Lectures, then Webinar Events or call 626-795-4331.
Home Tea Program – If you are in isolation and would like to receive the free gift of tea and an inspirational card once a month to lift your spirits, call 626-685-6732.
Medicare Counseling – Ongoing through Dec. 7. The need for HICAP Medicare Services remains as strong as ever. This year the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period began on Oct. 15 and will end on Dec. 7. Since in-person counseling is not possible during the pandemic, the Center for Health Care Rights (CHCR) has adapted its volunteer counseling program to remote appointments by telephone or via Zoom. To make an appointment, call Sandy Risdon at CHCR at 800-824-0780, ext. 3006. For more information, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Services to Homebound Seniors.
Meditation – Ongoing, anytime. Relax, breathe and make the most of 20 audio recordings that provide guided meditation during these challenging times when so many older adults feel isolated, lonely, anxious and depressed. To access the recordings, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Online Classes, then Meditation.
Social Hour – Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Each week a different topic or question guides a discussion for anyone who misses socializing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social hours are moderated by Annie Laskey, Pasadena Senior Center’s director of special events. Share your experiences related to each topic or question, which have ranged from movies and TV to photography to seasonal recipes. To register for these Zoom events or for more information, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Social Hour or call 626-795-4331.
Telephone Reassurance – Pasadena Senior Center volunteers call older adults in isolation who have signed up for this important program that provides caring connections to help them make it through isolation and loneliness. To be added to the list, call 626-685-6732.
Weekly Blog – Written by Events Director Annie Laskey, the blog consistently includes creative and inspiring ideas for staying safe, sane and engaged during isolation. It can be accessed from the Pasadena Senior Center homepage (www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org) and clicking on Blog.
For more information about online activities and other programs and services of the Pasadena Senior Center during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call (626) 795-4331.
The center, at 85 E. Holly St., is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit organization. Doors are open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for social services and other critical assistance to older adults in need. Masks are required inside the building, and social distancing is maintained.
