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Weekly Bulletin Aging Well Takes a Village: Everyone Belongs |
| Office Phone: (202) 935-6060 | Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm | Email: [email protected] |
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Understanding and Talking about Falls In my experience, many people who have had a fall tend to minimize the incident or keep it to themselves. However, ignoring a recent fall can lead to future falls and increased risk of injury. This week we will focus on what a fall is and the importance of talking about them. What is a fall? This may sound like a silly question, but falls can look different depending on the situation. A widely accepted definition of a fall is, "an unplanned descent to the floor with or without injury". Most of us think of falls as a dramatic incident like tumbling down the stairs, or falls that result in an injury or the inability to get up without assistance. However, some falls are less distinguishable. Incidents like sliding to the ground, or being assisted by someone to help you safely reach the floor or other surface, are also examples of falls. Oftentimes these falls do not result in injury, but they do indicate the risk for future falls and should be addressed with your healthcare provider. Sometimes hazards on the ground can prompt a fall. A common refrain I've heard in this circumstance is, "That wasn't a real fall because I tripped over something". Even when there is a clear cause for a fall, it is important to acknowledge it. There may be simple solutions such as removing throw rugs or strength and balance training to prevent future falls or injury. Talking about Falls Let's face it, it isn't comfortable to admit that we aren't as strong or sharp as we used to be. Yet pretending that nothing has changed is not in anyone's best interest. Be honest with yourself and others so you can take charge of the situation. There are many ways to prevent falls. Taking these steps can be empowering and improve your quality of life. A fear of falling is very common. After just one fall, 70% of people express this fear. Anxiety around future falls can keep you from enjoying life, and could actually increase your risk for future falls. Conquer your fear by acknowledging it, following your healthcare provider's recommendations, and staying active. Talk to others about how you are feeling. It's likely that you are not alone. NNV's weekly Coping with Uncertainty group offers a supportive space for members to discuss their fear of falls with peers and is facilitated by social worker Rob Bamberger. Finally, be sure to talk to your support system about any recent falls and/or your fear of falls. In most cases, the people closest to you can be your greatest ally in prevention. The National Council on Aging offers five easy ways to talk to your family and friends about falls. Be well, |
Snow removal available to people with disabilities (any age) or older adults (60+) DC residents with physical limitations who are not able to independently remove snow and ice from their property can request volunteer snow removal from ServeDC via DC's 311 system. To request this volunteer service, Call 311 and request Residential Snow Removal or Visit https://311.dc.gov/, click "Public Safety", then choose "Residential Snow Removal (ServeDC)", and click "Request this Service." Want to get more involved? Visit our website to learn more: Do you enjoy our weekly email? Forward it to a friend! |
From New York Times - 3 Policy Moves Likely to Change Health Care for Older People.
"Two regulatory rollbacks, along with a new A.I. experiment in Medicare, raise some worrisome questions."
Let us know if you read something related to aging that you think we should share by emailing a link to [email protected].
Next week at NNV
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2 pm Yoga with Mayu - (Zoom) |
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11 am Virtual Speaker Series - The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906: Antisemitism and the Battle over Christianity in the Public Schools with speaker Scott D. Seligman (Zoom) 1 pm Coping with Uncertainty (Zoom) |
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Wednesday, January 28th
Speaker: Scott D. Seligman
When: 11 am - 12 pm
Where: Zoom
Details and registration: https://nwnv.helpfulvillage.com/events/4970
Today’s battles over Christianity in U.S. public schools have deep roots. In the nineteenth century it was an intramural struggle between Protestants and later-arriving Catholics. But at Christmastime in 1905, when Frank Harding, the Presbyterian principal of a Brooklyn elementary school, urged his Jewish students to be more like Jesus, the Jewish community entered the fray in a big way. It was just the trigger Orthodox Jewish activist Albert Lucas had been waiting for. Fresh from battling Christian settlement houses intent on converting Jewish children, Lucas accused the public schools of illegal proselytizing and called for Harding’s ouster.
After the Board of Education let Harding off in 1906 with a slap on the wrist and declined to clarify the rules governing religion in schools, New York’s Jews staged a boycott of school Christmas pageants in protest. The board’s concession to exclude sectarian hymns and religious compositions generated enormous antisemitic public backlash. Jews were accused of waging war on Christmas and of being less than true Americans.
The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906 traces the Christmas celebration dispute to the present day and describes how Jewish organizations of the twenty-first century, persuaded that politics are unlikely ever to permit a victory, seem to have reconciled themselves to the status quo and moved on to other, more winnable issues.
Scott D. Seligman is a national award-winning writer and historian with a special interest in the history of hyphenated Americans. He is a former corporate executive who holds an undergraduate degree in American history from Princeton and a master’s degree from Harvard His first Jewish-themed book, The Great Kosher Meat War of 1902, won gold medals in history in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and Reader Views Literary Awards and was a finalist in the 2020 National Jewish Book Awards. His website is viewable at www.seligmanonline.com He lives in Washington, DC.
- Date change - January 28th, 11 am - The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906: Antisemitism and the Battle over Christianity in the Public Schools with speaker Scott D. Seligman
- February 5th, 11 am - Fraud Trends and How to Protect Yourself with speaker Brian Bressman
- March 10th, 11 am - A Convenient Villain: Charles A. Lindbergh's Remarkable and Controversial Legacy Preparing the U.S. for War with speaker Jonathan D. Reich, MD M Sc Engineering
Visit the archive of Virtual Speaker Series videos here to watch any you might have missed. To learn more, please visit the Virtual Speaker Series page on our website.
- Thursday, February 26th, 11 am - Visit to The Residences at Thomas Circle (more information coming soon)
Visit the archive of Know Your Options videos here to watch any you might have missed. To learn more, please visit the Know Your Options page on our website.
Calendar of Ward 3 events for older adults
Mondays, 10 am - DC Ctr for Aging LGBTQ+ Monday Coffee and Conversation (Zoom-Free sign up required for the link)
Mondays & Thursdays, 4-5 pm - Chair Yoga (Zoom - Click here to join the class)
First Wednesday of each month, 3:30-4:30 - What We're Hearing (Zoom-Free sign up required)
Cleveland Woodley Park Village:
Mondays, 10-10:30 am - Gentle Yoga Stretch (Zoom - Click here to join the class)
First Monday of each month, 11:30 am - Coffee & Conversation Current Events Discussion Group (Dolan, 3518 Connecticut Ave NW)
Wednesdays, 10-10:30 am - Gentle Yoga Stretch (Zoom - Click here to join the class)
Fridays, 10-10:30 am - Gentle Yoga Stretch (Zoom - Click here to join the class)
Saturdays, 9:30-10:30 am - Village Walkers (Cathedral Commons)
Dupont Circle Village:
Mondays, 3:30 pm - Accessible Mat Yoga (Zoom-Free sign up required for the link)
Tuesdays, 10:30 am - Chair Yoga (Zoom-Free sign up required for the link)
Mondays and Thursdays, 9:00 am - Meditation with Patricia Ullman (Zoom-Free sign up required for the link)
Foggy Bottom West End Village:
Wednesdays, 10:45 am - Strength and Stability Yoga (free trial class, $10/class). (St Paul's Church dining room, 2430 K St NW)
Fridays, 11:45 am - Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong ($70 for each six class session). (St Paul's Church atrium, 2430 K St NW)
If you need more information, please call Georgetown Village's office at (202) 999-8988 or email Georgetown Village at [email protected].
More local village events are listed on the DCVC (DC Villages Collective) calendar
and the WAVE (Washington Area Village Exchange) calendar.
More community events are listed on our events calendar.
Using comments and suggestions submitted by the Friends of Bus Transit and the local community, WMATA made some adjustments to the bus schedules. These changes went into effect on December 14, 2025.
Line C83 (Barnaby Woods): Adjustments range from 1 to 5 minutes either earlier or later, to reflect actual running times, and in some cases have the side effect of improving connection times between the C83 and the D70. Note that these are adjustments along the route. Departure times from Friendship Heights will remain as before.
Line C87 (Silver Spring to Mt Pleasant via Tenleytown): Destination change: Students are now served going to and from Mt. Pleasant. This rush/school-hour route will provide more service to Mt. Pleasant, no longer serving Van Ness Station.Line D96 (Bethesda and Glover Park): Adjustments have been made to smooth out the interval between buses.
More information about the changes to Lines C87, D70, and others can be found on the FoBus wiki page here.
Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii)In January 2025, longtime Northwest Neighbors Village volunteer and wildlife photographer David Jonathan Cohen and his wife Ruth visited eight of the 13 major Galapagos Islands. NNV ran his article about and photos from the trip in its Weekly Bulletin in May 2025. That article led to an invitation to exhibit his photos.
Starting January 8, 2026, the Patuxent National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD, 20708, will host his solo show, "In the Galapagos Islands," through the end of that month. Among the subjects are the only lizard that feeds in the sea; the only flightless cormorant, a bird that dives for fish; and the only penguin that lives north of the Equator.
You're invited to the Saturday, January 24 reception from 2 to 4 pm! Here's the announcement on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website: https://www.fws.gov/event/meet-artist-david-jonathan-cohen
On Sunday, January 25, at 2 pm, join NNV Board member Gretchen Jennings and the Capital City Voices singing with Ballou HS jazz chorus!
At Creative Cauldron in Northern Virginia or by livestream
In person tickets here ♦ Livestream tickets here
SPECIAL PRICING FOR THIS PERFORMANCE: $20 for General Admission
Two for the price of one! A very first at the Cauldron. Levine music's renowned choir, Capital City Voices join forces with Knight And Day - Ballou High School Vocal Ensemble (Audience favorites of the 2025 Vocal Jazz Summit) to bring students and grown ups together though harmony, expression and heart. Directed by award-winning vocalist and educator Alison Crockett, (frequent performer at the Passport Music Festival) and vocalist Barry Moton, the choirs draw on the rich tradition of Black vocal music while embracing contemporary sounds, and the storied repertoires of jazz, soul, and some surprises beyond. As Ella Fitzgerald once said "the only thing better than singing, is more singing".
Once a Month - Sunday Afternoons - 1:30 to 4:30 pm ♦ Palisades Library 2nd Floor, 4901 V St. NW
The group watches a film and follows it with a brief discussion and a short film (if time permits).
- January 25 - No Other Land (Palestine)
- February 22 - The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Malawi)
- March 22 - Horse Boy (USA)
- April 26 - Children of Heaven (Iran)
- May 24 - My Octopus Teacher (South Africa)
- June 14 - White Lies (New Zealand)
Join in and bring a friend!!
Chevy Chase at 250: Beyond the Burgers and Fireworks
January 29 from 7 to 8:15pm on Zoom
Click here to learn more and register
At the 250th anniversary year of our country, Historic Chevy Chase DC challenges us to ask how to advance the promise of our founding.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation's birth, Historic Chevy Chase DC challenges its neighbors to ask what we as a community can do locally to redeem the promises of our nation’s founding document, which recognizes the inborn equality of all persons and their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
This three-part webinar series, which launches on January 29, at 7 pm, will reflect on our local history, century by century, focusing on policies and practices that created the community we have today. Each session will ask for your thoughts on these issues as we look ahead.
The first program tackles the first century of nation building and how it coincides with Chevy Chase DC’s development from the early 1700s to the early 1800s, from the Belt Plantation to the settlement of free Blacks along Broad Branch Road. It will feature presenters Jocelind Julien, a descendant of enslaved persons at Mount Vernon and later free Black landowners on Broad Branch Road; historical anthropologist Mark Auslander will share research on the role of African Americans on both sides of the Revolution; and Carl Lankowski, PhD International Relations, will introduce the panel discussion.
The two additional installments – the second is scheduled for March and the third in June – will draw attention to the re-founding of our republic and its betrayal as we examine the role of Chevy Chase DC in the Civil War, Reconstruction, our suburban expansion under Jim Crow, and displacement of locals who did not fit into the racially exclusive community envisioned by its founder, Francis Newlands.
The final installment, in June, looks at the local response to a modern democracy, with visionary leaders that included local citizen Walter Tobriner, and how the Great Migration – into and out of Washington, DC – affected life within our neighborhood. The webinar will look at redemption efforts targeting the promises of the nation’s Declaration of Independence.
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NNV is a community based non-profit that gives residents the confidence and practical help to grow older at home while staying healthy, engaged, and connected to neighbors and friends.