Monthly Calendar
of Events

MONTHLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS: NOVEMBER 2022

REMINDER: AT HOME IN DARIEN ANNUAL LUNCHEON
Our Annual Luncheon is taking place Thursday, November 3rd from 11:30am to 1:00pm, at the Darien Community Association, 274 Middlesex Road. Please call us at 203-655-2227 to check availability, if you have not registered already. 
All Darien residents 60 years of age and older are invited to join us for our Annual Luncheon, co-sponsored by the Darien Community Association, featuring author and humorist Allia Zobel Nolan. Ms. Zobel Nolan will be speaking about her book Laugh Out Loud: 40 Women Humorists Celebrate Then and Now…Before We Forget. Published in 2018 by Nolan, in collaboration with the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop at the University of Dayton, the book features nostalgic, humorous coming-of-age essays from  Zobel Nolan and 40 funny women in the U.S. and Canada. Registration is required. Space is limited. 

DRESS REHEARSAL, THE TEMPEST
Wednesday, November 16th, 7:00pm, Darien High School, 80 High School Lane
Seniors can attend this dress rehearsal performance free of charge and enjoy free transportation to and from the High School for the performance. At Home In Darien has arranged for transportation at approximately 6:30pm using volunteer drivers. Seniors can be conveniently picked up at their homes and returned home safely after the show. Please call At Home In Darien at 203-655-2227 to reserve your seat and to arrange transportation to and from the show.

AT HOME IN DARIEN ANNUAL MEETING
Tuesday, December 6th, 11:00am at the Darien Library Community Room, 1441 Post Rd.
You are invited to join the At Home In Darien Board of Directors for refreshments and a special meeting, featuring a panel discussion you won’t want to miss. To reserve your spot, call 203-655-2227 or email [email protected].

COVID-19 VACCINES AND BOOSTER SHOTS
The CDC guidance on what it means to be “up to date” with Covid vaccines can be found by clicking here. Please click here for locations where vaccines and booster shots are being offered. Appointments can be scheduled on-line through VAMS. Call At Home In Darien at 203-655-2227 if you need a ride to a vaccination.

HALF PRICE TAXI VOUCHERS FOR SALE
Darien seniors and people with disabilities are able to purchase taxi vouchers from At Home In Darien for 50% off the cost for taxi rides for whenever you want to go. Call us at 203-655-2227 for more information.

AMAZONSMILE
At Home In Darien is registered with AmazonSmile. You can support us by shopping online at Amazon, and adding us as an AmazonSmile PartnerWith no fees and no extra cost to you, AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to your designated charitable organization. Click here to register for AmazonSmile – it is simple and easy to do. If you shop using the Amazon app on your device, simply follow the instructions below to select “At Home In Darien” as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app.
How it works:
1. Open the Amazon app on your device
2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programs & Features
3. Select “At HOME IN DARIEN INC” as your charity
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app

HOLIDAY CLOSING
We will be closed:
Friday, November 11th in honor of Veteran’s Day
Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th for Thanksgiving

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS, DATES, AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
PLEASE CONFIRM WITH THE ORGANIZATION PRIOR TO THE EVENT

DARIEN HEALTH DEPARTMENT FLU CLINICS – BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Tuesday, November 1st, 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Town Hall Room 119
Tuesday, November 8th (Election Day), 3:00pm to 7:00pm, Town Hall Room 119
The vaccines are available by appointment ONLY.  To schedule online, visit www.darienct.gov/flu.

Seniors may book an appointment by calling the Mather Center at 203-656-7490.
The Darien Health Department is pleased to announce that seasonal flu vaccine will once again be offered to the public. A preservative free vaccine is available to anyone over three years of age. The high dose vaccine is available for those over 65 years of age. The cost is $40, payable by check or cash (exact amount only). ConnectiCare insurance and traditional Medicare Part B ONLY are accepted. Medicare Advantage Plans are not accepted. Resident Darien seniors needing a ride may call At Home In Darien at 203-655-2227.

DARIEN FARMERS MARKET
Open on Wednesdays through November 23rd from 10:00am to 3:00pm at Goodwives Shopping Center, Darien.
Vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, meat, poultry, bread and baked goods are offered for sale by CT farms, like Grazy Brothers (Oxford), Newgate (Windsor), Ox Hollow (Roxbury), Riverbank (Roxbury), Smith’s Acres (Niantic), Woodland (South Glastonbury), Whistle Stop Bakery (Ridgefield) and Wave Hill Bread (Norwalk). Resident Darien seniors needing a ride may call At Home In Darien at 203-655-2227.

BITS AND PIECES, AN EXHIBIT OF 18TH, 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY QUILTS
Exhibit is open Tuesdays and Thursdays through November 23rd, from 11am to 4pm at the Museum of Darien, 45 Old King’s Highway. Admission is $5.
Thursday, November 3rd at 7:00pm: Quilt and Quilt Makers Lecturefeaturing Sue Reich, quilt historian and author.  Ticket cost is $20 for members, $30 non-members. Purchase tickets at museumofdarien.org 
Sunday, November 6th at 4:00pm: Stonewalls of Connecticut Lecturefeaturing Sylvia Reiss. Free admission.
Featured at the exhibit are the Rail Fence Quilt, the Trowbridge Crazy Quilt and the Wholecloth Quilt, sewn in 1790. The Rail Fence Quilt is made of the colorful silks and satins used in the linings of hats from the Norwalk Hat Factory. Dated and signed in 1884, the Trowbridge Crazy Quilt features details that include the 1783 Washington Headquarters, Five Mile River and a Garfield campaign ribbon. It was found in 1950 in the Long Neck Point Road residence of Emily Nash Trowbridge of Darien. The very rare Wholecloth Quilt, made with green wool, was hand pieced and hand quilted to create a medallion pattern, and used a 34 inch loom to weave the green top.

MEDICARE CHOICES COUNSELING, BY APPOINTMENT ON TUESDAYS
Tuesdays, November 1st through December 6th from 10:00am to 2:00pm.  Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to schedule an appointment.  
Between now and December 6th you can evaluate your current plan, review other plan options for cost-savings and make changes. Darien residents, who have previously gone to Human Services, may make appointments with Ali Ramsteck, Director or Cynthia Hall, Assistant Director of Human Services by calling 203-656-7328. If you are new to Choices Counseling, you may make an appointment with Oliver Smith, (see above hours), an experienced Medicare Choices Counselor, Southwestern CT Area Agency on Aging, who will provide weekly office hours at Mather Center by appointment.
 
PLEASURE THROUGH PLANTS GARDEN CLUB OF DARIEN
Tuesday, November 1st at 10:30am. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
The Garden Club of Darien brings their Pleasure through Plants program to the Mather Center. Participants will create a one-of-a-kind project with all materials supplied. Space is limited, pre-registration required. Darien Members have priority.

WAVENY LIFECARE NETWORK BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEALTH SCREENING  
Tuesday, November 1st from 11:00am to 12:00pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
A registered nurse from Waveny Lifecare Network will be at Darien Senior Programs to provide blood pressure and health screenings.

ART GOTTLIEB PRESENTS: THANKSGIVING AT PLYMOUTH PLANTATION
Tuesday, November 1st at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register.
Art will present a remembrance of the early customs and celebrations of Thanksgiving in the New World as experienced by those who arrived off Cape Cod in the Mayflower in 1620.

WAVENY LIFECARE NETWORK PRESENTS: RISK ASSESSMENT FOR FALLS 
Wednesday, November 2nd at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
What is your risk of falling? An unexpected fall may result in injury and interruption of plans. Doctor of Physical Therapy Wendy Boller, Waveny LifeCare Network, will assess your risk of falling and also give you simple tools to prevent an unexpected fall. Participants should wear comfortable, stretchy clothes and sneakers or similar style shoes.

MARY CHILDS: THE BOND KING
Wednesday, November 2nd at  7:00pm at the Darien Library, Community Room.  To register click here.
Darien Library welcomes Mary Childs, to discuss her new book, The Bond King. Mary will be in conversation with Bryant Urstadt. The host of NPR’s Planet Money, Childs will discuss her deeply-investigated story of how one visionary, dogged investor changed American finance forever.

TECH HELP THURSDAY AT MATHER CENTER BY APPOINTMENT
Thursday, November 3rd from 10:00am to 11:00am. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register for a spot. 
Mary-Beth Mason, Knowledge & Learning Services Librarian, Darien Public Library will be at Darien Senior Programs to help members use their cell phone, tablet, or computer. Questions may include computer basics, internet and email, using a tablet or smart phone, and many more.

HSS PRESENTS: MAXIMIZING BONE HEALTHY NUTRIENTS 
Thursday, November 3rd at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register.
Getting nutrients from food is the best way to receive the health nutrition that your bones need. Alexandra Garfunkel, MS, RDN, CDN, HSS Clinical Nutritionist will present on which calcium and Vitamin D-rich foods you should incorporate in your daily diet.

DEMENTIA EDUCATION SERIES
Thursday, November 3rd at 7:00pm: Cognitive Impairment and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living With Mass General Hospital
Thursday, November 17th at 11:00am: Helpful Caregiver Tips
To register for these Bridges by EPOCH virtual events, click here.

Alicia Seaver, Certified Memory Impairment Specialist with Bridges, facilitates a dementia education and caregiver support group. She is available at the end of the dementia education sessions to answer questions.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
Monday, November 7th at 7:00pm and Tuesday, November 29th at 11:00am. To register for these Bridges by EPOCH virtual events click here
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be an emotional roller coaster ride – one fraught with stress, frustration, guilt and uncertainty. Join other family caregivers and dementia care professionals who understand your challenges and can help make your journey a little bit easier.

HILLWOOD ESTATE, MUSEUM AND GARDENS: THE HOME OF MARJORIE MERRIWEATHER POST
Tuesday, November 8th at 10:00am. To register for this virtual event, click here.
Come visit Hillwood estate, one of many homes owned by Marjorie Merriweather Post. Nestled in the hills of Northwest Washington, D.C., it is an oasis only five miles from downtown Washington. A docent from Hillwood Estate will be your “virtual” guide as you explore this “mansion that became a museum.”

SALUTE TO OUR VETERANS WITH SUZANNE SHERIDAN & BOB COOPER ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, November 9th, Lunch at Noon, ($5.00), Entertainment at 12:30 (Free). Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Suzanne Sheriden, singer, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist performs Salute to Our Veterans. She brings special guest Bob Cooper, keyboard player and vocalist. Together they cover many artists including Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Carole King, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and more!

ATHENS AND THE GREAT TRAGEDIAN PLAYWRIGHTS: EURIPIDES
Wednesday, November 9th at 1:00pm. To register for this virtual event click here.  
This AARP series will discuss how the works of the three great tragic playwrights –Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides reflect the glories and tensions of Athenian society during the remarkable 5th century BCE between the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.

REMINISCE WITH ROSIE
Thursday, November 10th at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Rosie is a favorite pet visitor to Darien Senior Programs. She brings Geri Genovese along and together, they offer wonderful reminiscing topics. There are so many benefits of interaction with pets – mental, emotional, and even physical.

KNITTED TREASURES HOLIDAY SALE
Monday, November 14th to Friday, December 9th. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to set up a time to come into the Center to shop. 
Darien Senior Program’s Knitting and Crocheting group have been extra busy creating works of art and heart. Many of their items are meant to be sent to various community organizations to be given as holiday gifts. Items such as hats, gloves, scarves will be available to purchase. Proceeds benefit Darien Senior Programs activities and supplies.

STORIES FROM THE ATTIC: ELECTION HISTORY – CAST A VOTE FOR THE PAST! 
Monday, November 14th at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Urban Archeologist, Greg Van Antwerp, brings an assortment of campaign memorabilia: paper, pens, pins and more.

DOWNSIZED GOURMET 
Monday, November 14th at 3:00 pm via ZOOM. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register and receive the Zoom link. 
Throw open the cabinets and refrigerator, pull up a chair, and watch the Doyles of Oasis Homecare work their magic creating and cooking with things you have at home. Learn how to solve the problem of how to enjoy cooking on a smaller scale by preparing easy and tasty treats from the comfort of your own home. It is sure to be entertaining!

MONTHLY MEDITATION FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AND EVERYDAY LIVING
Tuesday, November 15th at 11:00am. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register.
Darien’s Monica Keady, registered Yoga Teacher, will help you apply the principles and practices of yogic meditation, Western Psychology, Buddhist teachings, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. This class is for everyone — no prior experience needed! You will leave with renewed energy and tools to practice at home.

DSP BOOK CLUB
Tuesday, November 15th at 1:00 pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Calling all Book Worms! Books are a wonderful way to explore the world around us and share the lives of folks we may never meet. This month’s book is A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende.

STAYING SAFE ONLINE
Tuesday, November 15th from 1:30pm to 2:30pm at the Darien Library, Conference Room. To register for this event, click here
Join computer expert Mike Ingber to learn how to recognize and avoid many of the risks that are lurking online. These risks can infect your computer, steal your personal information, and scam you in many ways. The assorted topics that will be discussed include security software, passwords, updating your software, social engineering, phishing, ransomware, malware, popular scams, recognizing fraudulent emails, avoiding dangerous links, and the importance of backups.

SHORT CUTS FILM FESTIVAL, DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Wednesday, November 16th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Darien Arts Center Weatherstone Studio, 2 Renshaw Rd, behind Darien Town Hall. The cost is $25. To purchase tickets visit darienarts.org or call (203) 655-8683.
The film festival includes outstanding short, award-winning documentary films, curated from the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. This is a JIB Productions, Inc. event.

COMPUTER BASIC FOR BEGINNERS CLASS
Thursday, November 17th from 10:00am to 11:00am. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register.
This class is for beginners, mouse and keyboard skills not required! Mary-Beth Mason, Knowledge & Learning Services Librarian, Darien Public Library will help students learn basic skills such as browsing the internet safely, opening applications, and setting up email.

CAREGIVERS EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT: IN PERSON
Thursday, November 17th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register.
Led by Beth Paris, Gerontologist and Director of Darien Senior Programs, this group is open to anyone who cares for a family member or a friend with needs, especially related to cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. This group will explore your concerns in a supportive and safe environment.  Beth has over 30 years of experience helping caregivers navigate caregiving.

SOUTHWESTERN CT AGENCY ON AGING: MEDICARE CHOICES LIVE-STREAM
Friday, November 18th at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Lisa Alhabal, SMP Coordinator and CHOICES Counselor will be conducting a Medicare update presentation that will be live streamed from Darien Senior Programs. Lisa will cover the new Medicare information for 2023 as well as the Medicare basics. New to Medicare beneficiaries as well as people that have been on Medicare are encouraged to attend. If you prefer to view the presentation from your home, please call for the Zoom link.

ACRYLIC PAINTING WITH SHERATON HOMECARE
Monday, November 21st at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Sophie Slater, Art Therapist Sheraton Homecare, is back for her monthly art class. This class is for everyone, beginners through advanced. Sophie guides her students through the entire process. All materials supplied, and a $5.00 donation is suggested.

FIGHTING FRAUD WITH AARP: AVOIDING HOLIDAY SCAMS
Tuesday, November 22nd at 11:00am. Listen Live on Facebook.com/AARPCTvekeo.com/AARPConnecticut or by calling 866-641-6908.
AARP Connecticut will host a live, interactive Telephone Town Hall to share ways to help protect yourself and your loved ones from scams this holiday season. Joining the conversation is Amy Nofziger, Director of Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network and Communications Director, Kristen Johnson from the Better Business Bureau serving CT. You will be able to ask questions.

GRATITUDE IS THE ATTITUDE LUNCH SPECIAL
Wednesday, November 23rd during lunch ($5.00) at 12:00pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Beginning Thursday, November 1st DSP will be handing out leaves for all who wish to participate. Participants will use the leaves to compile a brief list of things, people, events, situations, etc. they are grateful for, especially in the last year. During lunch on the 23rd, Beth will share some of the common characteristics of being grateful and discuss ways to make gratefulness a practice in our everyday life.

MOVIE AND TREAT AT MATHER:  HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Tuesday, November 29th at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Home for the Holidays is a 1995 American family, comedy-drama film directed by Jodie Foster. At the end of her rope with her career and teenage daughter, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) reluctantly heads home for her chaotic family Thanksgiving. Much like a real-life visit, things get a little bumpy, but the movie also has its share of fond memorable moments. The film features an ensemble cast, including Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning. Please call to register so DSP is sure to have enough treats.

MARK ALBERTSON PRESENTS: OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND
Wednesday, November 30th at 12:30pm. Call Darien Senior Programs at 203-656-7490 to register. 
Born in 1916 in Japan, Olivia De Havilland was also a British citizen as her father William was a British subject. Olivia de Havilland was one of the most successful and sought-after actresses during the Golden Era of Hollywood, and certainly one of the most beautiful women to ever grace a big screen. Her career saw her in 49 feature films. She was nominated for the Oscar five times and won twice. She died in 2020 at the age of 104.

At Home In Darien
2 Renshaw Road, Darien, CT  06820

Tel:  203.655.2227  Fax: 1.866.224.4210
www.athomeindarien.org

Connecting Seniors to Community

 

Contact At Home In Darien

 

2 Renshaw Road

Darien, CT 06820

203-655-2227
[email protected]