Past Programs

Missed a speaker? Fear not! For each of our programs, we offer a summary taken by our Secretary, along with copies of the slides and handouts in PDF format.

(Most of these links go our Club’s Box file sharing site in PDF format, which you can read online or download and print at home.)

Where e-mail addresses are blocked out, just click on it to reveal.

2026 Programs:

March 22, 2026 – Many Options! – Care Homes (no more than 10 residents) as well as large Independent/ Assisted Living Centers – Presentation by Jim Humphrey, from Encore Senior Resources. This firm is a member of the Southern Arizona Placement and Referral Alliance (SoAPRA), a chapter of the National Placement and Referral Alliance (NPRA), which is dedicated to stated “Best Practices” and a “Code of Ethics,” promoting professionalism, education, and advocacy for seniors and families navigating care options. He acts as a “broker” of sorts, helping to match the specific needs of individual seniors looking for a “continuing care” option, which can range from purely Independent Living, through to Assisted Living and Memory Care.

Jim fielded many questions from the audience that they wanted answers to, so his presentation revealed answers to some things we hadn’t heard before! See Meeting Notes below for more details. One question on a lot of our minds is “What does being ‘ready’ to move into a facility look like?” After providing a helpful list of questions to ask yourself, Jim said, “Better to go 1 year too early than 1 day too late.”

While he explained the option of Care Homes (10 residents) he also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of both those and large facilities. His services are free; he receives a commission for placements from the senior facilities themselves, but his goal is always to make sure he matches people and places most effectively, bringing to bear his wide knowledge of local senior living options. He may be contacted at in**@*******************es.com or telephone (520) 955-7296 in Oro Valley. Note that Jim gave our presentation on the recommendation / referral from of our originally scheduled speaker, who was unavailable after a schedule change. Another professional member of NPRA, the Southern Arizona Placement Agency, is represented by Tess Mew (520) 345-0297. Note that both of these placement services can also help refer you to useful legitimate and local resources, to help with financial assistance, legal concerns, or other services relating to moving someone from home to a care community. You can find additional NPRA placement agent members here.

Note that services from a licensed member of a local NPRA, like professionals Jim and Tess are much preferable to strictly online entities such as the “A Place for Mom” website which will unfairly automatically make you a so-called “client” just by asking a question on their website, and their website knows nothing that you can’t look up yourself! So, the NPRA  has a “Don’t Represent Me” form which allows clients (or their families) to formally indicate that they do not wish to be represented by a particular senior living placement service, agency, or agent. This form could be relevant in situations where a family has contacted multiple agencies for assistance and wants to clarify which agency they have chosen to work with. It might also be used if a family decides to discontinue services with an agency.

Clients and Families may wish to use the Arizona Public Health Licensing website to read the official reports of the AZ Health Department inspections of each facility and any complaints which might have been filed. This is much like a licensing check for any public contractor.

Jim indicated he is available for questions, and with him, you will not be automatically added as a client unless and until you actually request services in writing.

February 22, 2026 – 2 PM – Decluttering Discussion – YOUR TURN!
We had a great discussion at this meeting, reviewing and fine-tuning what we’ve been learning about the challenges of Decluttering. See notes for January 25 meeting below and our new Decluttering Resources section on our website!

January 25, 2026 – Caryl Thornton – Decluttering can be a journey from just regularly tidying up to needing a major downsizing for an upcoming move. Are you looking for a little spark to get started, or perhaps a big shift in how you feel about keeping your “collections”? Maybe you’re ready to face the courage to part with family antiques that your kids aren’t interested in? Our Guest Speaker was Carol Thornton, who offered us a wide smorgasbord of tips and ideas for Decluttering:

Resources on Decluttering on our Box.com Site, including the following:

2025 Programs:

November 23, 2025 – 2 PM – Activity Center / Hohokam Room
“Medicare 101” with Rob Young, author of OV Style Magazine, Medicare columnist.  He will give an overview and answer your questions.  There are upcoming changes to Traditional Medicare that impact Arizona directly.  Some pre-authorizations will be going through review using artificial intelligence (AI) after the first of the year. 

October 26, 2025 – “You’re in Charge… Be Ready When It Matters,” presented by Deena Harris & Karen Washabau. Is all your paperwork located in the same place and easy to find by your family in case of accident or emergency? Will your loved ones have access to the information they need like passwords, bank accounts, real estate documents, physical property documents, and your last wishes? Deena has an Orange Notebook; Karen has a Purple Notebook, that they designed themselves. Similar “emergency binders” or “When I Die” or “When I’m Gone” binders are available commercially. How will you keep your lists of important items and share with your loved ones?

  • Presentation Notes by Linda Wickline – In these notes, Linda reports on our monthly meeting and summarizes key points and checklists that Deena and Karen provided. (PDF)
  • Presentation Slides on “Be Ready When it Matters” (PDF)

September 28, 2025 – “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence for Beginners” presented by Wayne Widener. This very practical program introduces ways to use AI in daily life. Wayne keeps it simple and practical – you’ll learn how Artificial Intelligence platforms are remarkably easy to use. Once you discover their capabilities, they will become an indispensable part of your daily routine! To learn more about how to use any of the AI platforms available, use any of the AI sites and enter the prompt: “Teach me about how to use you in a 10-minute read.”


August 24, 2025 – “There is Hope in Hospice” by Terri Isaacs
This program discussed what Hospice is, how it is different from Palliative Care, dispelled myths about it, and provided guidance for how to research options and different Hospice Care Providers.  Hospice is a feature of Original Medicare  (under Part A Hospital Insurance).  It does vary from state to state and under Advantage Plans.  There are non-profit and for-profit versions.  Also, at home and in facility care options. The presenter provides guidance and paperwork requirements we should research and have in place beforehand to achieve our best understanding and use of Hospice care and services should the need arises. The presenter Terri Isaacs is a former resident of Sun City and is currently working in the Hospice field.  She holds her DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice and NP-C Nurse Practitioner Certified. 


April 27, 2025 – “Ins and Outs of Homeowners Insurance and Fire Hazards”
This program revealed how Homeowners insurance is currently an ever-changing landscape. You cannot just keep doing “business as usual.” Literally, the wildfire situation nationwide is impacting insurance businesses and practices. Wildfires leading to urban fires near and far are increasing the cost of insurance for nearly everyone, whether you are in a wildfire prone area or not. Some insurers are refusing to renew insurance for homes located near fire-prone wildlands – including some homes in Sun City Oro Valley! There are actions you can take to lower your risks and therefore costs or find an insurer. Learn some ideas for steps you can take to help yourself. These may include changes to your physical property both inside and outside.


April 23, 2025 – Community Forum with the Golder Ranch Fire Department -sponsored by the SCOV Government Affairs Committee. Although the Staying in Charge Club did not sponsor this event; you may be interested in these relevant handouts:

  • Firewise USA Program Toolkit (PDF) – Comprehensive booklet on how homeowners, neighbors, and homeowner’s associations can band together to promote fire safety.
  • Fire Prevention and Safety – See our collection of documents from Arizona and national resources to help us all be more “fire wise.”


March 23, 2025 – “Physical Relocation and Legal Paperwork“
This month’s dual presentation was from “Heart Strings Transitions” and “Helping Seniors One Step at a Time”. Heart Strings Transitions is a transition specialist and coordinator.  Covering relocation aspects such as sorting and downsizing, obtaining professional, licensed and insured movers. 
The second presentation was for those of us that have been procrastinating about doing our legal homework, presented by a licensed AZ attorney who will help you with your paperwork at your home . 

February 23, 2025 – “Dog Gone It”
If you are blind you trust your life and give your heart to your service dog. Judi Peterson and her beloved Tulah live in Sun City. Judy leads SCOV’s Support Group for the Visually Impaired. A master storyteller, she will be speaking in the Activity Center, in the Navajo Room on Sunday, February 23. Come hear about Tulah’s care, training and her incredible abilities. Hear how she loves escalators, only barks if she feels Judi is being threatened and how she’s a regular, playful dog when not working.  Judi will tell you the best way to approach a person with a service dog and how, if you or someone you love becomes blind can obtain a service dog for free. Visual impairment is estimated to threaten occur in about 23 percent of those over 65. Bring your questions, this will be a very interactive event.

  • Presentation Notes – Synopsis of the presentation by Judi Peterson by Linda Wickline (PDF)

January 26, 2025 – “Preparing for Emergencies in Sun City”
Presentation by Julie Abston, Certified FEMA Community Emergency Response Team and on the new SCOV Emergency Response Committee. SCOV so far has no disaster or community emergency plans in place. It is up to each household to be prepared. Julie discussed steps we should take to meet our life-saving and life-sustaining needs, if some emergency or disaster strikes our area. Find out more about sheltering in place and evacuation routes. Learn what should be in emergency kits for your family, pets, and car. Be Safe, be prepared!

2024 Programs:

Preserving Family Memories – (November, 2024)
Our monthly program explored ways to preserve and share family memories. Karen Washabau suggested ways to gather memorabilia to share and to use as “prompts” when interviewing family members. Special items like photos, ticket stubs, and signatures can be used to make posters to share at family gatherings! Peg Bushong shared different ways you can capture voices and memories using your phone, and other ideas for digital sharing.


Oro Valley’s Sun Shuttle – (October, 2024)
Free transportation you probably don’t know about.
All trips are door to door.  Departure times are scheduled in order to get you to your appointment on time, and includes return trip transportation. All rides are free of charge and are for any purpose, Monday through Friday. Trip requests must be made by 4 P.M. the day before the trip.  
Trips are available: Monday through Friday, 6 A.M. to 8 P.M., available to everyone.
Weekends and Holidays, 9 A.M. to 6 P.M., available to disabled passengers only.

Re-Cap of Summer Tours – (September 2024)
This round-table meeting was a recap of those people who went on the summer tours of Independent/ Assisted/Memory Care facilities around Tucson, and to discuss the pros/cons of each facility. We also introduced Marg Allen, who will be coordinating upcoming tours this year.

Burial Options – (August, 2024)
Harold Wood presented a slide show about Burial Options with an eye to environmental and economically sound choices. Click here for the Handouts on Burial Options. The key to getting the burial you want is to file your advance care directives with the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry: https://azhdr.org

Home Safety – (July, 2024)
Linda Wickline provided a step-by-step look at a home owners rooms and how to determine if changes need to be made to make the home safer. Linda shared her first hand experience making her home safer for her elderly mother. The handout is available: Checklist for Home Safety.

Vistoso Helping Hands – (June, 2024)
Barb McNeil gave a presentation about our local organization, Vistoso Helpful Hands. This is an all-volunteer group of dedicated residents, available to provide temporary help (3 weeks or 12 visits) in a crisis (non-emergency) situation, providing the following: transportation, animal care, care giver relief, errands, handyman and light housekeeping/yardwork, paperwork organization and client call check. Call 520-447-0077 to reach a dispatcher.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities – (May, 2024)
Roni Landsberg gave a presentation on the differences between various kinds of Continuing Care Retirement Communities – Retirement Living (Independent), Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing.  For more on this topic, see Continuing Care Retirement Communities from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, and How Continuing Care Retirement Communities Work from the AARP, and Long-Term Care Facilities: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Other Residential Care from the National Institute on Aging. Before touring such facilities, see the Self-Evaluation Checklist for Continuing Care Retirement Communities by Franklin Templeton Academy (2021).

Firehouse Tour – (April, 2024
Twenty-two club members and guests gathered at the local fire house to meet the crew on duty and tour the facility. Includes photos of the local crew and the fire truck/equipment.

Watch Out for Scams! – (March, 2024)
President Joan Partridge led a discussion of scams aimed at seniors that people have experienced or heard about. Joan and members shared a wide range of scams and ways to prevent them/ The major take-aways were: when in doubt, hang up, close the door, call someone you know and trust, or call the police BEFORE you take any action requested or directed by the scammer.

Safety Services Available from the Golder Ranch Fire District – (February, 2024) – Dan Habinek, Community Information Supervisor, Golder Ranch Fire District presented a highly informative program about the services the GRFD provides, including responding to 911 calls; fire alarms and smoke detectors; fire extinguishers and fire blankets; File of Life; residential lock boxes; and fall prevention. The “File of Life” program is free and Dan presented all attendees with their own.

End of Life Notebooks for your Family – (January, 2024)
Deena Harris and Karen Washabau presented overviews of the “end-of-life” information they each have assembled
for their families. These each provide logistical, financial, medical, and legal information that you will need to have on hand when a family member passes away or even spends time in the hospital. See the sample checklists provided:

Our First Meeting – January, 2024)
We discussed various issues that we all need to address as we age. Do you have a lockbox near your door so the fire department don’t have to destroy your door to get to you? Do you have the File of Life on your refrigerator? Do you have a Living Will?, a Healthcare Power of Attorney?, a Mental Health Care Power of Attorney?, and a Prehospital Medical Care Directive (Do Not Resuscitate)? – – – and are these all filed with the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry: https://azhdr.org so your family and health care providers can find them quickly?
Do you know about local resources to give you help when you need it? Our website can help!

Are you aware of the “cautionary tales” of those who have found the medical profession is not skilled at dealing with people in their final years? To address this latter, our leadership group agreed to read Atul Gawande’s bestselling book Being Mortal. We also compiled a list responding to the question: What Issues Should We Delve Into for Staying in Charge as we age?