Nov 9-11, 2005 (Wednesday-Friday)
This is a retreat for men and women who are older, who are going to be old, or who have family or professional connections with older people. We will develop skills and strategies for insuring happy, productive later years and use discussion, handouts, art, theatre, writing, and other creative techniques to reach into ourselves and challenge each other to keep growing and developing.
Together, we will explore and learn how to deal with ageism, how to express our sexuality, how to be heard on political issues, how to house ourselves economically and creatively, how to find new friends, how to interact with grown “descendants,” how to fill each day with inexpensive, enjoyable, creative, and stimulating activities, how to deal with psychological matters and bereavement, and how to expand spiritually.
This workshop starts with dinner at 6:00 on Wednesday and goes through lunch on Friday, the same length as our weekend programs, so the cost is the same. Cost reductions are available for those on a limited income — please ask. “Ruth is wise, witty, and a little wicked. Kick up your heels; dance into old age.”
Ruth Harriet Jacobs has vast experience leading workshops. Sociologist, gerontologist, poet, playwright, fiction and non‑fiction writer, professor, pioneer, and counselor, she is former chairperson of the Sociology Department at Clark University, a researcher at Wellesley College Centers for Women, and visiting professor at Regis and other colleges. She also wears buttons like “Youth is a gift of nature. Aging is a work of art.” At 80, her mission is to inspire others to explore the many fulfilling endeavors open to older men and women. Courageous, compassionate, and clear-headed, Jacobs has made a career articulating the frustrations of senior citizens while giving them the tools to create a satisfying life. Seven of Dr. Jacobs’ nine books are on mid‑life and aging issues, including Successful Aging Wisdom from an Outrageous Gerontologist; Older Women Surviving and Thriving, and the bestseller Be an Outrageous Older Woman: A RASP—Remarkable Aging Smart Person. We welcome this long‑standing friend of Rowe back again.