Learning about active aging

Sonoma Valley Hospital and Vintage House will continue the “Active Aging: Live Your Best Life Now” series this fall.

The lectures provide insight and information on how to get the most out of your senior years.

The talks are open to the community without charge and will be held in Stone Hall at Vintage House, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on four consecutive Thursdays, Sept. 21 and 28, and Oct. 5 and 12.

Light refreshments will be provided. Vintage House is located at 264 First St. E. RSVP to Vintage House at 996-0311, or info@vintagehouse.org. Topics and speakers include:

• Sept. 21: “Sitting On A Secret.” Many experiencing colon or rectal health issues are often reluctant to bring it up with their physician. Sabrina Kidd, , will discuss common colon and rectal problems people face as they age and do so with candor, sensitivity and a touch of humor.

• Sept. 28: “Four Scientific Ways to Become Happier!” Patricia Brooks will discuss some amazing new findings from recent neuroscience research about how to increase our happiness index, focusing on four simple rituals that neuroscientists claim will change our brain activity and boost our sense of well-being.

• Oct. 5: “Shaking Up Your Exercise Routine” is the topic of the talk by Marek Grzybowski. We know it’s critical to exercise regularly as we age, but Marek discusses why it’s also important to add variety to your routine, and provides ideas on ways to accomplish this.

• Oct. 12: “A Look Inside Our Emergency Department.” In this special session, two emergency medicine physicians discuss what to expect when you visit the Emergency Room. The speakers are Robbie Cohen, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Sonoma Valley Hospital who has many years’ experience in emergency medicine, and Cynthia Lawder, MD, the medical director of the hospital’s Emergency Department.

They will discuss what typically happens when a patient visits the ED, including the protocols the medical team follows when presented with serious symptoms, such as for stroke or cardiac arrest. There will be ample time for audience questions.