Life Planning   

This course is designed for anyone with little or no knowledge of maintaining and repairing a home. Class members will learn how water, gas, and electricity come into a home and how to shut them off, how to change the filter in a furnace and clean the coils on a refrigerator, and why they should. We’ll talk about paint, how to replace a light switch or plug, fix a stuck door, what is a good set of tools, and what you should watch for outside the home such as clogged gutters, water leaks, siding damage, invasive vegetation, and more. We’ll talk about the advantages and disadvantages of buying through big box stores vs. independent merchants and how to choose a contractor if needed. Above all, we will talk about what the class members want to know about maintenance and repairs to the building that keeps them safe and comfortable. You will learn to take care of your home, so your home can take care of you!

NOTE: Each term of this previously taught course is different, as there are new issues brought to class. If you have taken the class before, you will likely gain knowledge in something not previously discussed or that you didn’t quite understand the first time. There is no class on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The stress of caregiving is a major concern for someone whose loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This course will provide an overview of the issues, the impact of the diagnosis, and the resources available to the caregiver. We will discuss coping strategies for the patient and caregiver. We introduce specific issues typically discussed between the caregiver, loved one, lawyer, and financial planner. These may include advanced directives, end-of-life choices and their ethical issues, changes to a will or trust, and strategies for dealing with medical expenses. Classes will consist of lectures using PowerPoint slides. Zoom will allow for electronic interaction. The PowerPoint will be sent to the students after each class.

We know we should have an up-to-date Advance Directive so that loved ones will know what healthcare we want if serious illness leaves us unable to make our own decisions. Still, you may not have one or yours may be outdated. This course will enable you to complete the revised 2021 OR AD to capture what will be important to you in the future. We’ll focus on selecting and preparing your all-important Health Care Representative and defining your wishes for prolonged care in nuanced cases of dementia and chronic disease, as well as for future end-of-life care. You’ll be able to complete the form and create addenda that may expand its value to you and your loved ones. Besides your engagement in class, you will need to devote time between our meetings to clarify your thinking and talk with your HCR. Are you ready to take advantage of this guidance to finally complete your AD? Your loved ones will be grateful! 

NOTE: If you have a valid, legally executed AD that accurately reflects your wishes, you do not need to complete the 2021 version. If your current AD needs to be updated, you must use the revised 2021 form to do that. Your choice and preparation of a health care rep will be your first and most important work in developing your AD. Prepare for class by thinking about who you’d like to have speak for you. There are two in-person sections of this course offered. 

We know we should have an up-to-date Advance Directive so that loved ones will know what healthcare we want if serious illness leaves us unable to make our own decisions. Still, you may not have one or yours may be outdated. This course will enable you to complete the revised 2021 OR AD to capture what will be important to you in the future. We’ll focus on selecting and preparing your all-important Health Care Representative and defining your wishes for prolonged care in nuanced cases of dementia and chronic disease, as well as for future end-of-life care. You’ll be able to complete the form and create addenda that may expand its value to you and your loved ones. Besides your engagement in class, you will need to devote time between our meetings to clarify your thinking and talk with your HCR. Are you ready to take advantage of this guidance to finally complete your AD? Your loved ones will be grateful! 

NOTE: If you have a valid, legally executed AD that accurately reflects your wishes, you do not need to complete the 2021 version. If your current AD needs to be updated, you must use the revised 2021 form to do that. Your choice and preparation of a health care rep will be your first and most important work in developing your AD. Prepare for class by thinking about who you’d like to have speak for you. There are two in-person sections of this course offered. 

Take your stock studies to the next level! Evaluate high-quality growth stocks selling at a fair price using the BetterInvesting online SSG Plus tools. Find companies to study that meet these criteria, learn company research collection shortcuts, find essential information in 10Ks and 10Qs, and skip the boilerplate. Students will present a stock to class “partners” using trend analysis, company life-cycle analysis, revenue analysis, and business modeling. We recommend acquiring BI membership at the SSG Plus level: https://bit.ly/BImember. This class is part lecture, part activity workshop, with outside reading and tools practice. A free PDF copy of “Stock Selection Guide (SSG) and Portfolio Management Magic,” by Mike Torbenson, is provided. We strongly recommend you complete the Intro to the SSG video series on the BI website OR the 24 Fall “DIY class for Beginners” before Session 3. This class is essential for the next class in the series: "DIY Stock Portfolio Management."

NOTE: Maximum benefits will be achieved by attending all eight sessions. Equities are for educational purposes only; no recommendations will be made. We do not present alternate investment strategies. No penny stocks, ADRs, ETFs, index funds, bonds, mutual funds, financial advisors, cryptocurrencies, or foreign stocks will be discussed. Newer Windows or Mac OS is necessary. No iPads.

This course will explore healthy preparation for end-of-life planning. Each of the sessions will be led by an expert on the different aspects of end-of-life preparation and palliative and hospice care. This course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) importance of end-of-life planning and communicating with those important in your life; 2) importance of caregiver health, support, and use of resources during this difficult time. There will be a tour of Celia’s House in Medford during this 90-minute session; and 3) discussing hospice, palliative, and home care and the use of these services during this period of life. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. The students should be prepared to share their experiences. This is the first of two courses on the subject of end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students should be open to sharing their experiences, concerns, and worries about the subject.  

This course will explore healthy preparation for end-of-life planning. Each of the sessions will be led by an expert on the different aspects of end-of-life preparation and palliative and hospice care. This course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) importance of end-of-life planning and communicating with those important in your life; 2) importance of caregiver health, support, and use of resources during this difficult time. There will be a tour of Celia’s House in Medford during this 90-minute session; and 3) discussing hospice, palliative, and home care and the use of these services during this period of life. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. The students should be prepared to share their experiences. This is the first of two courses on the subject of end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students should be open to sharing their experiences, concerns, and worries about the subject.  

This three-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care. Each of the three hourly sessions will be led by an expert on the different services and support options that are available during this difficult period. The course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) stages of dying and the process individuals and families go through, 2) the role of spiritual and self-care, and 3) bereavement support and the value of recognizing grief. During these sessions, we will also focus on caregiver guilt and identifying ways to enhance caregiver self-care. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. This is the second of two courses on end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students may take Part 1 or Part 2 or both courses.

This three-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care. Each of the three hourly sessions will be led by an expert on the different services and support options that are available during this difficult period. The course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) stages of dying and the process individuals and families go through, 2) the role of spiritual and self-care, and 3) bereavement support and the value of recognizing grief. During these sessions, we will also focus on caregiver guilt and identifying ways to enhance caregiver self-care. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. This is the second of two courses on end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students may take Part 1 or Part 2 or both courses.

This course will be taught in-person and offer a general knowledge of the basics of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, the probate process, and trust administration. In addition, it will touch on guardianships and conservatorships as well as some elder law. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the law, particularly as it might pertain to their individual legal needs, thus greatly increasing their capacity to make wiser decisions for themselves and their families. Participants come with their own unique situation, and they should think honestly about what their goals are and what they would like to accomplish by the end. Understanding the estate planning process is the most effective way to navigate the direction of their legal needs comfortably, completely, and with a deeper understanding of how their goals align with the law. Students do not need to have any prior knowledge of the topic.

NOTE: There are two in-person sections of this course offered, both on Fridays. The first starts the first week of the term; the second starts the third week of February.

This course will be taught in-person and offer a general knowledge of the basics of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, the probate process, and trust administration. In addition, it will touch on guardianships and conservatorships as well as some elder law. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the law, particularly as it might pertain to their individual legal needs, thus greatly increasing their capacity to make wiser decisions for themselves and their families. Participants come with their own unique situation, and they should think honestly about what their goals are and what they would like to accomplish by the end. Understanding the estate planning process is the most effective way to navigate the direction of their legal needs comfortably, completely, and with a deeper understanding of how their goals align with the law. Students do not need to have any prior knowledge of the topic.

NOTE: There are two in-person sections of this course offered, both on Fridays. The first starts the first week of the term; the second starts the third week of February.

Most of us spend half our adult lives going through major life transitions like retirement, marriage, loss of a loved one, divorce, inheritance, career change, empty nest, big health challenges — yet we haven’t been trained in vital skills needed to master (or even manage) these life passages. Change happens quickly, but major life transitions can take years, and the transformation that results from working through them skillfully lasts a lifetime. This course explores how students have handled these significant “life-quakes” in the past and can use them now and in the future as times of reimagining and reinvention. We will explore the four phases of major life transitions both in the research and through personal experience. These challenging passages launch life’s next chapter and hold great potential gifts for “post-traumatic growth” while allowing the opportunity to design the ideal next chapter. Emphasis will be on developing the creative skills to flow through major change.  

NOTE: Suggested but not required reading: “The Way of Transitions” by William Bridges and “Life Is in the Transitions” by Bruce Feiler.

This course will help those affected by the death of a loved one in a relationship navigate the daily struggles of this powerful life phase, and begin to take their own pivotal next steps toward emotional, mental, physical, and financial well-being. Loss is a passage with no timetable, often marked by grief and the challenge of taking on new and perhaps unfamiliar skills and responsibilities. This course is a compassionate exploration of the knowledge and resources to find the support and strength you need, as well as a gentle reminder that you don’t have to go through it alone. This proven process will provide varied tools to help enrich self-understanding while building confidence, skills, and a vital community/professional support team. We will learn from the experiences of others who are at different points in their healing, as well as from experts in life-planning, grief recovery, and personal finance. Participation during class is encouraged yet optional.  

NOTE: There is no class on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Recognizing that most of us have few (if any) opportunities to talk — really talk — about dying, this course may be a remedy. Sensitive conversation will consume most of our time together. The instructor will invite students to suggest topics of interest before the course starts. Discussions will be framed with materials provided before each class meeting. We are likely to examine such topics as: death’s timing, quality of life, meaning and value, getting the care we prefer, aging, dementia, legacy, and our beliefs about death. TED Talks, articles, and books like “Being Mortal” may be used. The instructor’s intent is to prompt us to talk freely and meaningfully about this experience that is part of all our lives. All students will be expected to talk. Those interested in joining in these important, personal discussions need to commit to attend every one of our six meetings so that our conversations can deepen over our time together.

NOTE: Conversations in this in-person course will be deeply personal and confidential. This is best achieved, and the quality and content of discussions built upon, with consistent and reliable attendance. Students who know they will need to miss even one class should not enroll now. This course may be offered again in the future. There is no class on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.