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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
At 63, Jill Chalsty boarded a ship alone, grieving her husband’s death and battling cancer. What began as a voyage around the world became far more than a trip. In this class, Jill shares the story behind her memoir Packets of Hope, inviting participants to travel alongside her through the ports she visited, the people she met, and the reflections that transformed personal adversity into strength and global impact. Jill demonstrates how one person’s courage can create ripples that span continents. Participants are encouraged to read her memoir, available free at www.packetsofhope.com, before the presentation. Jill Siegal Chalsty has devoted her life to the transformative power of education. As founder of Overcoming Obstacles, the nonprofit she launched in 1992, Jill pioneered life skills instruction that has now reached more than 180 million students worldwide. What began as a mission to help young people navigate life’s challenges has evolved into a global movement for youth empowerment. Following the profound loss of her husband and her own battles with cancer, Jill embarked on a voyage of healing and reflection. That journey inspired her memoir, Packets of Hope, an exploration of resilience, love, and finding meaning through service. She's made her book available for free at www.packetsofhope.com.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Jill Siegal Chalsty
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Dates: 9/14/2026 - 9/14/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: M
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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OFFSITE: County Farm Park, Medford Parking Lot.
The Country Farm parking lot and pedestrian entrance on Medford Road is located near 2201 Medford Road, Ann Arbor.
This secondary entrance is situated just south of Manchester Road and provides direct, convenient access to the Medford Pavillion and Britton Woods
This tour is limited to 15 attendees. A waitlist will be available.
Please let the Elderwise office know if, after registering, you are unable to attend this class.
This gives students on the waitlist an opportunity to join. It also helps the onsite class assistant have an accurate roster.
The therapeutic benefits of immersing oneself in nature are too numerous to name, but relaxation, connection, and refueling are three of the most powerful. The art of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the art of steeping yourself in the atmosphere of the forest, focusing on each of the five senses one at a time. Join naturalist Elle Bogle and mindfulness instructor Julie Woodward for a mindfulness hike through County Farm Park. This will be a slow, quiet walk focusing on communing with nature, and will include pauses for group reflection. Along the way, we will gather beautiful, found objects and experiences which we will then use to create a nature craft. This hike will last approximately 90 minutes, with 30 minutes at the end for creating our nature project. Elle Bogle is a passionate outdoor educator and adventurer who takes pride in connecting people with the beauty of nature. She worked as a naturalist with WCPARC for seven years, and is currently an environmental specialist with the Ann Arbor Public Schools where she has been teaching for nine years, an educator with the Ecology Center, and offers freelance naturalist services through her Wild Wander business. Her specialties include amphibians, reptiles, dragonflies, and mindfulness in nature. Julie Woodward, MA, MSW, RYT-200, is a wellness coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and facilitator of The Work That Reconnects. Through mindfulness hikes and resilience-based programs, she helps people cultivate well-being and deepen their connection with nature. Additional important information will be emailed to class registrants a few days before the hike. IMPORTANT NOTE: This tour is not recommended for people with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and those who have mobility limitations.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Elle Bogle
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Dates: 9/25/2026 - 9/25/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Offsite
Room: Country Farm Park
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
Paws with a Cause is a national nonprofit organization that has been training Assistance Dogs since 1979. The dogs learn special skills to help individuals with physical mobility, seizure response, and hearing. They get their initial training with foster families, then further training with a field representative, then a staff member, before final placement. Some dogs even spend six months in a special program being trained by prison inmates! Join us for a fascinating morning learning about the extensive training process and placement of these highly skilled intelligent dogs. Dogs that don’t quite make the rigid requirements for assisting individuals, have other career paths such as assisting law enforcement with Electronic Storage Detection or Ignitable Liquid Detection. You will also be meeting one of the dogs from the program! Liz Hood has been with Paws with a Cause for 15 years. Starting as a volunteer foster, she went on to join the staff, working as a field representative, and teaching puppy fostering. Liz is a lifelong dog lover. Along with the dog she is currently training, she has two dogs of her own.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Liz Hood
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Dates: 10/6/2026 - 10/6/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Tu
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road
This presentation explores how music impacts the aging brain—supporting memory, mood, connection, and overall quality of life for older adults. We will look at the neuroscience behind music’s effects, basic music therapy interventions that are utilized with older adults, share case studies where music therapy made a difference in individuals, and share practical, accessible ways caregivers, families, and individuals can intentionally use music in everyday settings. The goal is to empower anyone working with seniors, as well as seniors themselves, to use music thoughtfully, even outside of formal music therapy. Rachael Lawrence-Lupton has been a music therapist for 18 years and is the owner of Gentle Care Music Therapy. She specializes in older adults/hospice and has worked in Southeast Michigan, the Chicagoland area, and Southern California during her career. She has overseen many interns and practicum students and is one of the co-chairs for the Association Internship Approval Committee of the American Music Therapy Association. Rachael is the mother of two incredible kids who keep her humble and ready to take on whatever adventures come her way.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Rachel Lawrence-Lupton
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Dates: 10/14/2026 - 10/14/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: 2275 Platt Road
Room: Classroom
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Join us for a step-by-step workout guide on how to move more in your kitchen. Your kitchen gadgets are the only equipment you will need for this low-impact workout. Moving more everyday matters, and since we spend a lot of time in our kitchens waiting for things to warm up, boil, brew, or stew, it is a perfect time to engage in more physical movement. Natural moves such as squats and kitchen sink planks and push-ups, along with Pilates exercises, are the key focus in the effective kitchen workout. Props Needed: kitchen towel, massage or tennis ball, two unopened soup cans. Gwyn Jones has offered personal training sessions, workshops, and classes on Pilates for more than ten years. She is certified in STOTT Pilates and TRX suspension and annually enrolls in continuing Pilates Education.
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Fee: $20.00
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Instructor(s): Gwyn Jones
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Dates: 11/13/2026 - 11/13/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: F
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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