| PROGRAM ARCHIVE |
The 2024 Lunch & Learn series features guest experts who provide critical information to seniors wanting to better plan and advocate for themselves as they grow older. Lunch & Learn programs occur on the third Tuesday of each month at noon. Each session is recorded and posted here after the session so that you can revisit them or view them for the first time if you missed them. Interested in what Seacoast Village events are going on now? Check out our events calendar.
2024 Lunch & Learn Programs
6/18/24 Lunch & Learn: Medical Debt: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them (Zoom Recording) Seacoast Village member Nancy Euchner discusses how to better understand your current health insurance coverage and how it works, and how to manage bills and denials after a medical event. She also discusses what to do if you owe money for uncovered services and how to avoid fraud and scams.
Medical Debt: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them (PDF)
5/22/24 Lunch & Learn: The Art of Dying (Zoom Recording) Seacoast Village member Mary Elizabeth McCue discusses five guidelines espoused by Katy Butler, the author of The Art of Dying Well, along with the input of Atul Gawande, Kathleen Dowling Singh, Steven Ostaseski, and others. McCue, MDiv is a doctoral candidate at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School.
4/16/24 Lunch & Learn: The Conversation Project—How to Discuss Your End-of-Life Wishes (Zoom Recording) Patty Webster, MPH, Improvement Advisor & faculty member at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and head of community engagement for The Conversation Project, discusses how people can begin conversations about their wishes for care through the end of life.
The Conversation Project (PDF)
3/19/2024 Lunch & Learn: The Pre-Dead Social Club (Zoom Recording) Laura Cleminson, founder of The Pre-Dead Social Club, shares strategies that her group has created to cultivate multi-generational communities to navigate tender and thought-provoking conversations about death, dying and end-of-life.
Laura Cleminson's TedX Talk Portsmouth About the Pre-Dead Social Club (PDF) Quality+Quantity of Life=Guide for Decisions (PDF)
2/20/2024 Lunch & Learn: Seacoast Village Health Support Resource Team (Zoom recording) Members of the Village’s newly formed Health Support Resource Team make a brief presentation on ways to help members, followed by a Q&A session. The team consists of Village members with professional backgrounds and expertise in the healthcare field. Their focus is to provide support for members with health challenges or in need of help navigating the healthcare system.
2023 Lunch & Learn Programs
11/14/2023 Lunch & Learn: Update on Ways to Maximize Health (Zoom recording) Dr. Karl Singer, a board-certified geriatrician and Medical Director for the Rockingham County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, reviews some of the recent research findings about ways to maximize your health. The discussion focuses on what you can do to minimize the impact of irrational modes of living on your health.
Eight Modifiable Lifestyle Factors Associated With Increased Life Expectancy Among 719,147 U.S. Veterans Abstract of study funded by the VA Office of Research and Development July, 2023
7 Super Secrets of the Super Agers AARP Bulletin, November, 2023
These 8 habits could add up to 24 years to your life, study says By Sandra Lee, CNN website, updated July 24, 2023
These 8 Healthy Habits Could Help You Live Decades Longer, New Research Shows Health website, July 24, 2023
Book: Attia, Peter, MD. (2023) Outlive: The science and art of longevity. Harmony Press.
Guidance on nutrition, exercise, sleep optimization, and stress reduction, providing readers with actionable steps to improve their overall well-being and increase their chances of outliving expectations. Moreover, Attia acknowledges the importance of collaboration between patients and healthcare providers.
10/17/2023 Lunch & Learn: Medicare Changes for 2024 and Navigating Open Enrollment (Zoom recording) Pat Bennet, certified Long-Term Care Counselor with over 30 years in insurance planning, reviews key Medicare 2024 updates and provides tips for reviewing and assessing your healthcare coverage to make sure your needs are covered for the coming year.
Presentation slides (PDF)
9/19/23 Lunch & Learn: Emergency Preparedness (Zoom recording) Ted Hartmann, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Town of New Castle, discusses essentials for planning for medical and weather emergencies at home and ways that the Village can help you get ready and provide support before, during, and after unexpected events.
Presentation slides (PDF)
5/16/23 Lunch & Learn: Adapting Your Home for Safety and Easier Living (Zoom recording) Kris Rench, occupational therapist skilled in geriatric care, homecare, management in various settings, and certified senior home safety specialist, discusses how home modifications can enhance safety and prevent falls. He shares tips and strategies for planning ahead and increasing the chances of growing older in your home. The presentation covers common simple and low-cost improvements such as improving lighting and installing additional handrails, as well as more extensive remodels, such as widening doors or improving access.
3/21/23 Lunch & Learn: Senior Driving and Preparing for the Future (Zoom recording) Occupational Therapist and Driver Rehabilitation Specialist, Staci Frazier outlines characteristics of the aging process and age-related changes that can affect driving and describes ways to increase older driver safety.
Helpful links:
My Car Does What? Safety features of most car makes
PA Department of Transportation Older Driver Tips
AAA's Senior Transportation Mobility Planner
2/21/23 Lunch & Learn: Listen Up! ! Learn about OTC Hearing Aids (Zoom recording) Tom Hutchison, retired audiologist, discusses the types of hearing aids, types of hearing losses, issues to consider prior to using amplification, some electro-acoustical features available, and some limitations relative to expectations.
Ancillary Document (PDF) Presentation slides
Helpful links
1/17/23 Planning for the Year(s) Ahead (PDF document)
Related Lunch & Learn Programs:
2022 Lunch & Learn Programs
10/18/22 Lunch & Learn: Preparing for Weather Emergencies (Zoom recording) Vanessa Palange, Community Outreach Coordinator for New Hampshire Homeland Security and Emergency Management, highlights the four steps individuals and families can and should take to prepare for weather emergencies.
Presentation slides (PDF) Ready.NH.gov: Outlines the four emergency preparation steps and provides a variety of resources About the NH enhanced 911 database (PDF) 911 enhanced database form ties information to both your phone and address
9/20/22 Lunch & Learn: Avoiding Financial Scams (Zoom Recording) Ben Wheeler, Vice President of Piscataqua Savings Bank in Portsmouth, NH, presents strategies and tips for avoiding financial scams. The presentation includes definitions and ways to spot IRS scams, grandparent scams, Social Security scams, and tech scams with real life examples of how people were led astray. Ben also discusses better and safe ways to bank. Participants also share their experiences and tips.
6/21/22 Lunch & Learn: Mind Your Brain—Strategies for Preserving Your Cognitive Edge (Zoom Recording) Dr. Karl Singer, board-certified geriatrician and Medical Director for the Rockingham County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, shares the strategies to minimize the development and progression of cognitive decline that he recommends to his patients, and also what he uses himself.
Information about MIND Diet. DASH Diet. Mediterranean Diet
Link to Gresham College which offers a variety of free academic presentations on a variety of topics to the public.
5/18/22 Lunch & Learn: Preventing Falls: Strategies to Keep You on Your Feet (Zoom recording) Katie Michaud, occupational therapist for Cornerstone Visiting Nurses Association, discusses steps that individuals can take to prevent falls and minimize injuries if falls do occur, and includes information about 'A Matter of Balance,' a proven program designed to help people manage concerns about falls and increase physical activity.
Ancillary Document (PDF) Presentation slides
4/19/22 Lunch & Learn: Planning to Get the Help That You Need (Zoom recording) Home care expert Carey Fitzgerald shares information on how to build a home care team for both short-term (after an illness or injury) or for a longer period of time as we choose to age in place. She shares information on the Medicare home care benefit, and how we can tap into skilled services from nurses and therapists when we're at home. She also talks about private duty home care - the scope of the work they do and some tips for choosing the right provider. And finally, she briefly reviews Medicare's hospice benefit, a strategy that many choose when they have decided to opt for more comfort-oriented care.
3/15/22 Lunch & Learn: Adapting Your Home for Safety and Easier Living (Zoom recording) Presenter Kris Rench discusses how home modifications can enhance safety and prevent falls. He shares tips and strategies for planning ahead and increasing the chances of growing older in your home. The presentation covers common safety improvements ranging from simple and low-cost activities like removing clutter and installing additional handrails to more extensive remodels to widen doors, modify bathrooms or improve access.
2/15/22 Lunch & Learn: Advocating for Yourself in Today’s Stressed Healthcare System (Zoom recording) Nancy Euchner, nurse and elder care consultant and the founder of AgeQuest, a care consulting practice in Portsmouth, discusses ways you can prepare for a medical encounter ahead of time, how to successfully understand and navigate the myriad medical professionals you’ll encounter during your treatment and recovery, and strategies for troubleshooting when things don’t go as planned.
Ancillary Documents (PDF) Presentation sliides Emergency Medical Information form
1/18/22 Lunch & Learn: Maximizing Good Health (Zoom recording) Dr. Singer, a board-certified geriatrician and Medical Director for the Rockingham County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, has a long-standing interest in how we can maximize healthy aging. During this presentation he will share the strategies he recommends to his patients and also what he uses himself.
Click on this link for the Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator created by Dr Tom Perls, the founder and director of the
New England Centenarian Study.
2021 Lunch & Learn Programs
9/7/21 Lunch & Learn: Demystifying Medicare & Medicare Supplements (Zoom recording) Pat Bennet clarifies the components of Medicare and talks about the important role (and the yearly challenge of choosing) Medicare Supplements and Prescription Drug Plans. Open enrollment (the period during which we can review and change our plans) is typically from mid-October through the first week of December. Learn how you can plan now for this important review. Pat is President of Longevity Planning in Portsmouth, NH and a certified long term care counselor with over thirty years of experience in insurance planning.
Ancillary Document (PDF) Medicare 101 Slides from Pat Bennet's presentation
7/6/21 Lunch & Learn: Paying for Care (Zoom recording) As a health care manager, Nancy Euchner has often worked with people who are navigating the healthcare system and are faced with surprises about costs and insurance limitations. In this presentation, she discusses current average costs of care in the Greater Seacoast area, and how to plan ahead and develop strategies to deal with unexpected challenges.
6/8/21 Lunch & Learn: Powers of Attorney-Choosing Wisely (Zoom recording) Attorney Andrea Sennott goes into depth about choosing an agent to make decisions for you in the event that you are unable to make them yourself. She shares insights into how Power of Attorney documents come into play should you become incapacitated and ways you can proactively prepare your agents to represent your wishes.
Ancillary Documents (PDF): Designation of Personal Health Representative Form NH Advance Directive Form
5/4/21 Lunch & Learn: Palliative Care- (Zoom recording) Dr. Sarah Macduffie goes into more depth about the kinds of decisions that you or your loved ones may encounter should you become seriously ill. You will learn more about how the expertise of a palliative care team can help you articulate your wishes and make a plan.
4/6/21 Lunch & Learn: The Conversation Project (Zoom recording) Kate DeBartolo shares the work that the Conversation Project has done nationwide. She suggests ways to feel more comfortable naming trusted individuals to act on our behalf in the event that we can’t make decisions on our own due to serious illness or incapacity. She also gives ideas about how to raise the issue with family members or close friends.
3/2/21 Lunch & Learn: COVID 19 Updates and Outlook (Zoom recording) Karl Singer gives us an update on infection rates, hospitalizations and vaccines. We had also discussed how to navigate vaccine status and testing, and how we are expanding our personal bubbles.
2/2/21 COVID Long Haulers by Eliza Hobson (PDF) This article grew out of a Seacoast Village Project Lunch & Learn session on Long Haulers. (2/21/21)
2020 Lunch & Learn Program
8/31/20 Lunch & Learn: COVID 19 Discussion Panel (Zoom recording) Our panelists Karl Singer, Sam Marwit and Nancy Euchner discuss COVID topics such as sizing up your personal risk, navigating your boundaries with others and how Village services will flex with local conditions. (8/31/20)
Interested in what Seacoast Village events are going on now? Check out our events calendar.