Greetings from Senior Services for South Sound’s Activities team. If you have made it to this page on our website, you are undoubtedly curious about our virtual offerings. You have come to the right place. Please check out the links to our new, weekly Senior Virtual café, Virtual Senior Academy, and the upcoming Aging Mastery Program.
Please visit this page often, as additional links to classes/interest groups will be added as we move forward. Also, be sure to check out the external links to some other opportunities, that, while not officially sponsored by Senior Services for South Sound, may strike a chord for you.
We miss seeing your faces, and look forward to the day we will see you back at our Centers. We still don’t know when that will be, but you can find the most recent status update on our home page. Thank you, stay safe, and happy learning!
Have a technology question? Call the National Tech Hotline hosted by Senior Planet: 920-666-1959
Open from 9am – 5pm EDT, Monday – Friday
Visit the Senior Planet website for more information.
Click here for a short Youtube tutorial on how to join a Zoom call.
Virtual Senior Academy – Registration is open!
We are living in extraordinary times. It’s fitting for us to rise to this period in our American story with learning that deepens our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. This Fall, Senior Services is launching a virtual academy of learning to meet the forces of change in our society; preparing ourselves for the year ahead. Class registration will begin on Monday, August 10 at 10:00 am will be held on Zoom.
Click here to explore our online class listings! Click here to view and print our Fall Virtual Senior Academy Catalog.
Virtual Aging Mastery Program 
AMP is a fun, innovative, and person-centered education program that empowers participants to embrace their gift of longevity by spending more time each day doing things that are good for themselves and for others. The program encourages mastery—developing sustainable behaviors across many dimensions that lead to improved health, stronger economic security, enhanced well-being, and increased societal participation. The class size is limited to 20 participants, so early registration is recommended. Once registered, we will out a starter kit to you. The kit includes the text we will be using, called the Aging Mastery Playbook, two DVDS (Tai Chi Easy and Eccentrics Stretch Workouts), along with a deck of Aging Mastery activity cards and a notepad.
Fridays, 10:00 – 10:30 am. Six weeks starting August 7
Class dates (8/7, 8/14, 8/21, 8/28, 8/4, 9/11)
Cost: $10/Members, $20/Non-Members and scholarships are available. Registration ends July 30.
Virtual Speaker Series
Special talks from authors, travelers, legends, historians – all sorts of individuals who wish to impart their knowledge, wisdom and experience about a specific topic. The talks are free and open to the public. Click here to view this month’s speakers.
Wednesdays from 10:00 – 11:15 am on Zoom
Virtual Senior Cafe
Every Monday at 10 am join us and connect with other seniors in a virtual café. This is primarily a social visit, and from time to time may involve a special speaker or topic, trivia, or other activities; driven by interest of the participants. We will meet via Zoom, and the meeting link is https://zoom.us/j/96070512794
Mondays, 10:00 -11:00 am
Additional Resources:
Zumba Gold
For many years, Senior Services has held Zumba Gold, a popular dance fitness program, at the
VirgilClarkson Lacey Senior Center. It is an easy-to-follow, low impact dancing class to Latin music and other world rhythms. Before the pandemic, instructor Diana Yu taught these classes both standing and seated. Now, she is offering them virtually on Zoom and through zumba.dance! Classes are offered 5 days a week.
If you are interested, please contact Diana directly at zumbayu@gmail.com. Classes are free, and donations are accepted to benefit Senior Services of South Sound.
Saturday: Seated Zumba Gold 10 -11 am on Zoom
Chair Yoga with Sharon Hong Maurmann
Sharon Hong Maurmann, who has taught our Senior Center yoga classes since 2014, now teaches chair-based yoga classes on Zoom! Classes are offered on an optional donation basis, with a portion of class fees to benefit South Sound Senior Services and the Thurston County Food Bank. Classes are chair-based, with standing and mat options, as well as the option to stay seated for the entire class. If you are interested, please contact Sharon by email: shmaurmann@gmail.com. She will email the Zoom links weekly, along with a poem to share with the class.
Monday: 11:00 – 12:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 – 11:00 am
(No class Monday 8/24 or Friday 9/11)
July Listening Hour
with Debe Edden, Artistic and Managing Director of the Heartsparkle Players
Sponsored by Window Seat Media in partnership with the Heartsparkle Players
The purpose of the Listening Hour is to share stories with each other in a virtual format. These days when we talk about stories, we are usually talking about a newspaper story, or a literary short story. But here we mean something different—a true story that comes from our own experience. Our stories hold wisdom and sharing them can build resilience in difficult times.
Each Listening Hour session will last for about an hour, and will involve up to 6 participants. Click here to learn more.
How to register:
Choose from the following 4 sessions in July:
- Tuesday, July 14 from 7- 8 pm
- Wednesday, July 15 from 7-8 pm
- Thursday, July 16 from 10 -11 am
- Thursday, July 16 from 2 – 3 pm
You can sign up as an individual or organize a group of up to 6 friends, co-workers, family members to participate together. Click here to sign up.
Disclaimer for Participants
Care for Others – A good story wants to be retold. At the same time, what people share in a Listening Hour, before a specific group and at a specific time, they may not want to share more widely. So we have an ethical responsibility to honor the desire, even if unstated, each participant’s privacy.
Care for Ourselves – We also take on ourselves full responsibility for what we decide to share in the Listening Hour.
By choosing to participate I signify my agreement to both these conditions.
Living Well Thurston Workshops
Learn ways to manage your chronic physical or mental health condition with:
- Action planning
- Medication management,
- Making informed decisions
- Pain & fatigue management
- Working with your health care system
- Future health care planning
- Ways to improve healthy eating and physical activity
Online Workshop Series
Thursdays, August 13 – September 24, 2020
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Workshops held on Zoom with multiple breaks throughout the each session.
Includes a Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions book
Register online at
www.surveymonkey.com/r/LivingWellThurston or Contact Lesley Price: (360) 480-4654 Lesley.Price@co.thurston.wa.us
Registration deadline: August 10, 2020