Life Planning   

This course will examine Oregon’s legal options for a humane and dignified death at life’s end. The instructor is a physician and a MAID provider and consultant. Viewpoints of students who have moral reservations about MAID will be considered. In two 90-minute classroom sessions, lecture time will be minimized. Active student participation and questions will be encouraged. Vignettes of actual anonymous patients and death situations will be presented. Situations in which requests for MAID were unsuccessful will be mentioned, along with changes to the Oregon Death With Dignity Act to be proposed to the 2025 Legislature. Related topics will include elder suicide, why MAID is not legally a suicide, overlap with hospice care and the right to refuse unwanted treatments. The voluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED) may be discussed. Suggestions on how to find out if your doctor, clinic or health-care facility will support your request for MAID will be offered.  

NOTE:  A wide range of experiences and knowledge among students is anticipated. Reading materials will be offered before each session along with other optional resources.

This DIY BetterInvesting (BI) portfolio discussion/workshop gives students practice managing a portfolio using a structured process. We start with three BI reports, four videos, a five-step process (with multiple sub-steps) and a checklist to conduct portfolio reviews for breakout group portfolios. Each student will bring stock symbols for inclusion in the group portfolios. We will use “Stock Selection Guide (SSG) & Portfolio Management Magic” by Mike Torbenson to learn the process. A link to a free PDF version will be provided in the pre-course email, or you can purchase the print version on Amazon. We also use the book’s collection of spreadsheet-and-form templates in a free Google Drive folder to do advanced tasks. You will learn how to replace low-performing stocks with new stocks. It is essential to have BI SSGPlus membership and to have previously taken two OLLI courses: DIY FUNdamental Stock Analysis Beginner and Beyond Beginner. Basic MS Word/Excel or Google Docs/Sheets skills are helpful. See www.betterinvesting.org. 

NOTE: Maximum benefits will be achieved by attending all eight sessions. Equities (in sample portfolios) 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 advisers, cryptocurrencies or foreign stocks will be discussed. No iPads in this class. Newer Windows or Mac OS versions only, and BI membership at the SSGPlus level and Google Chrome as your primary browser are essential.  

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 you 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 versus independent merchants and how to choose a contractor. Above all, we’ll talk about what class members want to know about maintenance and repairs to the building that keeps them safe and comfortable. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. 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.

Using research-backed strategies, the AARP Smart Driver course has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of accidents, help you become more proficient in the current rules of the road, improve your defensive driving techniques and help with safe vehicle operation amid today’s more demanding driving environment. This course, crafted for drivers age 50 and older, will focus on the vital relationship between the driver, vehicle and road and look at how factors such as aging, medications or alcohol can impact driving. You’ll gain insights into safe driving practices while sharing the road and learn about the latest vehicle safety features and technological advancements. Maybe most important, you’ll identify when it’s no longer safe to drive and how to find alternative travel options. This course may qualify you for a multiyear discount on your auto insurance while helping you confidently maintain your independence and safety on the road.

NOTE: A required materials fee of $20 to $25 (discount for AARP members) includes a comprehensive 120-page participant guide to bolster learning and reinforce key concepts.