PlaneTree Health Library

Health Lectures

You can receive notice of these free events by sending a request to receive our occasional e-Newsletter.

2010 Summer Health Lectures

Brain power as we age: Good News!
Tues. June 22^nd

Heart Health & What You Eat
Sat. June 26 ^th & Sat. July 24^th

Fitness for the Rest of Us
Wed. July 7^th & Sat. July 17^th

Healing imagery from an expert
Wed. July 7^th

Intimacy, Sex, Vitality: What we need to know in later years
Tues. July 13^th & Thurs. July 15^th

2010 Spring Health Lectures

Intimacy, Sex, Vitality
Wed. March 17^th

Aromatherapy and your Health
Tues. April 6^th

Heart Healthy Cooking
Sat. April 10^th

Fitness for the Rest of Us
Wed. April 14^th

Some of our Previous Lectures

Beverly Breakey returns to San Jose to talk about her new book, Blessings of Love: wisdom for new parents and her popular classic, Choose Life. The "Blessings of Love" presentation will be 10:15-11:30 in the children's section. Babies and children are welcome. In the afternoon at 2:30, Beverly will be in the community room to present "Living consciously and in health during difficult times." Beverly has presented a variety of health talks at PlaneTree through the years. She offers inspiration and guidance in a unique manner that is appreciated by many. Her books will be available for sale and signing after both talks. (These programs are sponsored in part by a grant to the Center from the Health Trust.) Sat. June 20, Joyce Ellington Branch Library etc)

Aging in Place: keeping your home and yourself safe will include useful information from experts on how to prevent falls, make your home more senior-friendly, and what devices are available to make daily tasks easier to accomplish. Wed. June 24, 10:30am - 12, Morgan Hill Library, 660 West Main Ave., Morgan Hill 95037

Prema Rao, PhD, presents "Auyrvedic Medicine: Ancient Wisdom for Your Health Today." Learn about the fundamentals of this traditional Indian therapeutic approach and how this "science of life" philosophy can improve your mind / body / spirit. Tues. June 9, 7-8:30pm Milpitas Library, 160 North Main St., Milpitas 95035

Bone Health Basics for Everyone: Live Long with Strong Bones!Shelley Powers, an educator and speaker for the local chapter of American Bone Health, will discuss bone development and loss; detection and treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis; and how you can use nutrition and physical activity to keep your bones healthy. Fracture risk assessments will be available for attendees between 45 and 85 years old who have not been treated for bone loss. (This programming is sponsored in part by a grant to the Center from the Health Trust.) Sat. May 16; 2-4 p.m. Joyce Ellington Library 491 E. Empire St., San Jose 95112

Get Your Brain Going! Start with your Feet!Physical activity is great for your brain—don’t let painful feet be a barrier to "brain fitness." Learn health secrets for happy feet from podiatrist Leslie Oldenbrook, DPM, and receive a free foot health screening. Dr. Oldenbrook's presentation will cover, among other topics: anatomy fact & fiction, common conditions and treatments, best footwear choices, and how to keep your best feet forward. (This programming is sponsored in part by a Fit for Life grant to SCCL from MetLife.) Thurs, May 21, 12-1:30pm, Saratoga Library, 13650 Saratoga Ave., Saratoga 95070

Saturday, July 26, 2008: Building Better Bones with Safe and Effective Exercise will focus on exercises to stop bone loss and prevent fractures, and even build bone. Sherri Betz, physical therapist and Pilates educator, will encourage participants to join in the fun, if only from one's chair. Betz will be available to sign her second edition of The Osteoporosis Exercise Book. Her four DVDs of exercises for gaining bone strength, reducing low back pain, and healthy pregnancy will also be available for purchase or checkout following her presentation.

Saturday, July 19, 2008: Writing through the Darkness: Easing Your Depression with Paper and Pen, a book by Elizabeth Maynard Schaefer, Ph.D., guides readers in using creative writing exercises to ease symptoms of depression. It is also the title of this practical, supportive talk by the author, a science writer and mental health advocate. Schaefer has led the creative writing program for people with mood disorders at Stanford University since developing the program in 1998.



Saturday, July 12, 2008: Finding Gems amid the Junk: Health Searches on the Internet, a workshop for computer-using seniors, kicks off our summer series. Do you spend hours surfing the web for medical information only to be frustrated with the quality of your search results? Learn about commercial-free, reliable sites, plus techniques for finding and identifying trustworthy health and medical information, with three of PlaneTree's experienced professional librarians. Scheduled for 10 - 12 noon, the class will be held in a computer lab near San José State University. Because participants will be working online, reservations will be limited to the number of available terminals. There will be a $12 fee. Participants should already have basic proficiency in navigating the web. For more information and to make a reservation, please call our co-sponsor, SJSU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at (408) 924-2734.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008: Repeat performance of the excellent workshop on preparing / reviewing your advance directive. Co-sponsored by the h2u program at Good Samaritan Hospital. See below for more details. Please note: this presentation was recorded and the DVD is available to borrow from PlaneTree.

Saturday, February 9, 2008: Karen Storey, Executive Director of the Wellness Community Silicon Valley, will facilitate an interactive workshop to assist you in establashing your priorities and wishes for end-of-life care. Learn facts and fiction about Advance Directives, use the new "Go Wish"tool, and see if your existing Advanced Directive is accurate and up-to-date. This workshop will help you face issues and decisions in order to live well at the end of your life. Free Advance Directive forms will be available . Co-sponsored by h2u Program at Good Samaritan Hospital. Workshop will be held at Good Sam Auditorium, 2425 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, 95124.

Saturday, February 2, 2008: Explore ways of reducing stress and creating more focus on the things that really matter in our lives. The emphasis of this presentation will be on fun and simplicity. Our presenter will be Bruce Draper, R.N., counselor and author of Quality of Life: Workbook and Resource Guide.

Saturday, January 26, 2008: How does an Iowa girl, born in the 1920ʼs, survive flood, the Depression, World War II, marriage, family, divorce and widowhood, and still dance? Juliana Richmond, a Los Gatos resident and author of Dancing Mama, will talk about her eight decades of life with delightful intimacy, humor, and compassion.

Saturday, January 19, 2008: Rusty Hammer, cancer survivor and author of When Cancer Calls . . . Say Yes to Life, and his wife, Pamela, will share how they have advocated for the best care possible, maintained hope, and lived fully as they have fought his cancer since 2003. With others, the Hammers are founding the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Wellness Community Silicon Valley

Saturday, September 22, 2007: This is Not the Life I Ordered:50 ways to keep your head above water when life keeps dragging you down, by Jackie Speier and Jan Yanehiro.

Saturday, July 21, 2007: Beyond the Pet Food Scare: Feeding your Friend with Care and Confidence

Saturday, July 14, 2007: What to Eat When You Don't Feel Like Eating

Upcoming Lectures