H.E.L.P. is on the way!

Do you have elderly parents, relatives, or friends that need assistance with planning for their future? Are you a “sandwich generation” Boomer seeking to help parents with their life needs? The Torrance Public Library is pleased to be hosting a series of life planning classes that will be provided by H.E.L.P. H.E.L.P. is a non-profit agency dedicated to empowering seniors, their families and caregivers to make wise choices. H.E.L.P. offers education and counseling programs focusing on elder care, law, finances, and consumer protection.

Beginning Wednesday August 4, 2010 and continuing on successive Wednesdays through September 15, 2010, individuals may attend classes on a variety of essential topics. Each two-hour session will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Class Dates and Topics:

August 4                Staying in Charge of Your Health Care and
                                 Finances

August 11             Wills, Probate, and Probate-Avoiders

August 18             Trusts and Taxes

August 25             Elder Care and Residential Choices

September 1        Long Term Care Insurance: Pros and Cons

September 8        Medi-Cal for Nursing Home Care

September 15      Safe and Independent at Home

All classes will be held in the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library Community Meeting Room.  Classes are free; however, there is a suggested donation of $10.00 per person per class.  To reserve a spot, please call 310-533-1996.

Exploritas: Learning Adventures

Having attended an orientation to Elderhostel travel programs fairly recently, as well as picking up their literature at our own LINK Travel Fair and Expo, I was surprised to receive an attractive magazine style catalog in the mail this week entitled Exploritas.  The publication had “inaugural edition” stamped across the front of the issue and it took me a few minutes to realize that the catalog was produced by Elderhostel and that the well known organization had changed its program name!

Elderhostel, a nonprofit travel and educational organization that arranges guided and individual tours for seniors in both the United States and overseas has been around since 1975.  Typically, their age requirement for participation is 55 or older.  However, with the number of active Boomers reaching retirement age and having different perceptions about their needs and abilities, it’s obvious that calling the organization “Elderhostel” might affect the number of individuals signing up for their offerings. The new Exploritas programs will be opening enrollment to all adults 21 years of age and older. 

As President Jim Moses so eloquently states on the Exploritas website, ” Our mission is to empower adults to explore the world’s places, peoples, cultures and ideas, and in so doing to discover more about themselves. A fellowship of learning and the joy of discovery are the hallmarks of the Exploritas experience.”  Exploritas, is a word created by brand consultants to combine “explore” and “veritas,” which is Latin for truth. The organization’s leaders hope the new name will evoke the idea of “exploring the world and your mind, and searching for truth,” Moses said in an article appearing in the Wall Street Journal.

The educational focus and content of Exploritas programs is what differentiates them from commercial travel tours. Exploritas programs offer educational experiences in all their infinite varieties, answering the what’s, the why’s and the how-to’s.   They’ve made connections with educators and other local “insiders” all around the world and they make an effort to show the world’s landmarks, natural wonders and myriad cultures in a way that enhances the experience and gives the traveler a deeper appreciation  for the lands and peoples they are visiting.

Start talking among your friends and acquaintences and, if you are a Boomer, you will probably find someone who has taken a trip through the Elderhostel program. I know several people who have and they highly recommend the experience. Don’t be put off by the new name, it’s a great way to travel and make new friends. In fact, one of the new positive changes is that the website is now offering a social networking section where participants in the programs can connect and stay in touch with people they have traveled with.

Check out the Exploritas website and browse through the thousands of adventure and travel opportunities listed. And if you sign up for a trip, please post a comment and let us know about your experience.

Can You Say…? Learning a New Language

On a recent trip to Spain, I needed to call upon the Spanish I learned many moons ago to help me get around.  My little Berlitz phrasebook saved the day many times, especially when I needed to explain that I was a vegetarian – “Soy vegetariana. No como carne, pollo, o pescado.”  Listening to Michel Thomas and his unconventional, highly effective teaching style en route to Granada was also very helpful (and entertaining!).

At hundreds of dollars a pop, the very reputable and popular Rosetta Stone software is probably a stretch for most during these difficult economic times.  Visit the Library and stock up on free resources instead.  The Torrance Public Library is an excellent place to learn new languages, whether you are motivated by an upcoming trip or just want to flex your brain muscles in a different way.

• Check out a book to learn a language or get acquainted with the destination of your choice – we have dictionaries, grammar books, phrasebooks, travel books, and more!
• Check out a book in the language you are trying to learn. We currently carry books in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, Farsi, Urdu, Spanish, French, Russian, and German.
• Check out a magazine in the language you are trying to learn. Branch libraries allow their foreign language magazines to circulate. Periodicals include Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Spanish language titles.
• Check out an instructional CD to listen to in your car or while you work out.
• Use our new Mango Languages database. Mango is an online language-learning system teaching actual conversation skills for all the languages mentioned above plus Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, Greek, and English as a Second Language for Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Polish speakers.
• Find a conversation partner and have a conversation in one of our study rooms.
• Use our computers to browse the many free resources online.

If you do better working with an instructor, you may also want to look into language classes offered through Torrance Adult School.  The current catalog lists classes to learn Italian and Spanish.  You may also check neighboring cities’ adult education catalogs (e.g. South Bay Adult School) as well.  Priority is often given to residents, but if there is still space available non-residents are usually allowed to enroll for a small additional fee.

If you are aware of any other local language learning resources and/or you are interested in starting and/or participating in a language club, please leave a comment and let us hear from you.

 - rs