Click here to download the latest edition of the CHV News.

NOTE: The CHV News is a little late this month, because we are recovering from the Gala! Not the dancing and sleuthing, but production of the graphics and materials that add so much to the evening. June should be back on schedule, and then expect a combined July-August issue as we enjoy the summer.

• Do You Have an Affinity for a Group? May 23 is your chance to learn about CHV affinity groups: talk to group leaders, consider joining, and discuss the potential for starting new groups or leading a currently established group. See page 1.

• Salon Event Seats Available! Through the end of today 5/5, go to https://bidpal.net/chvgala to purchase tickets. After that the Salon events with available seats will be listed on the CHV Calendar on Helpful Village.
  
• May 16 is National LGBT Elders Day. LGBT Elders Day was created in 2016 to recognize and thank LGBT elders who have fought for the LGBT community. See page 9.
  

On May 2nd, DC Villages released a press release on the role Villages place in combating social isolation. Social isolation, declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, can be one of the hardest parts of growing older, which is which is why having a Village in your community is so important. Village members aren’t the only one to benefit. Research has shown that volunteering provides many health benefits, such as improving physical and mental health, providing a sense of purpose, and nurturing new and existing relationships. Dr. Murthy just released the first-ever report on loneliness and isolation in the United States, highlighting the health risks that come from a loss of social connection.

View the full press release by going to: https://capitolhillvillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DCV-Press-Release-Combatting-Social-Isolation.pdf

Surgeon General Dr. Murthy’s priorities webpage: https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/index.html

View Surgeon General Dr. Murthy’s about the social isolation advisory:

In February of 2023, CHV surveyed DC LGBT residents 50 years and older to learn more about the experiences, challenges, and concerns of LGBT older adults as it relates to aging and CCRCs. On April 26th we shared the official survey results brief, which summarizes the survey results, their implications, and the CCRC project goals.

Read the survey brief by going to: https://capitolhillvillage.org/programs-advocacy/pride/

Click here to download the latest edition of the CHV News.

• We’re just days away from the annual CHV Gala on April 28—mysterious characters, amateur sleuths, and Clues everywhere, along with smooth jazz, food from Well Dunn, and good wine.  We’ve got all the details including how to buy tickets, and how to get ready for the on-line auction, which opens April 15. Tickets are on sale now at https://one.bidpal.net/chvgala/ticketing. See pages 1 and 5-7.
  
• Being afraid of falling can be just as bad as falling itself if it means that people limit their activities.  The DC Department of Aging and Community Living’s new program, A Matter of Balance, is designed to reduce fall factors and the fear of falling. See page 1.
  
• Transportation is the top service requested by that CHV members, and we have suggestions for how best to make those requests.  And we also need more volunteer drivers! See page 14.
  
• CHV is kicking off new activities this month: “Conversation and Connection for Women” and Happy Hours, and we’re assessing interest in accessing resources for solo-aging members. See page 15.
  
• We explore the idea of “Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities,” and consider if they might be attractive for CHV members. See page 16.

Click here to download the latest edition of the CHV News.

• Get a preview of the fun and games you can expect in A Night of Mystery at the 2023 CHV Gala; there’s an early look at the on-line auction items and the Salon Dinner lineup. Tickets go on sale March 1 at https://one.bidpal.net/chvgala/ticketing. See page 1.
  
• The CHV Memoirs group was the impetus for the telling of Bill Matuszeski and Mary Procter’s adventures making Chicken-man: XIV: The Movie. See page 11.
  
• Pope Barrow pushed the envelope in an adventurous life, which he describes in his new aptly-named book, I Should Have been More Careful. See page 12.
  
• The Purls Affinity Group was awash in yarn and quilting materials in helping clean a member’s home; they are organizing it and facilitating charitable donations, See page 13.

Click here to download the latest edition of the CHV News.

• Get out your thinking caps and magnifying glasses and join other Villagers who will be searching for clues at the 2023 CHV Gala on April 28—it will be A Night of Mystery!
  
• CHV’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan is on the street, chock full of proposed objectives and activities, following from a set of 10 core values and 8 strategic goals.
  
• If you’ve ever encountered uneven or broken sidewalks on Capitol Hill (who hasn’t?), we’ve got advice for reporting them with an assist from Councilmembers Charles Allen and Vincent Gray.
  
• They never go away—those scammers who want to separate you from your money.  We have alerts for more ways they can prey on people as well as suggestions for protecting yourself.

Capitol Hill Village is beginning a project focused on LGBT inclusion among long-term care communities in the DC area, starting with CCRCs. CCRC is the abbreviation for Continuing Care Retirement Community, the definition from AARP is “a long-term care option for older people who want to stay in the same place through different phases of the aging process.”

We are kicking off this project with an anonymous survey of DC LGBT residents 60 and older. Our goal is to learn more about the experiences, challenges, and concerns of LGBT+ older adults as it relates to aging and Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Anyone who completes the survey will be entered in a raffle for a $25 gift card!

The survey will be accessible at https://capitolhillvillage.org/programs-advocacy/pride/ from February 1st to 22nd! If you prefer to complete the survey via phone, contact Sophia Ross at sross@capitolhillvillage.org or call 202-543-1778 x204.

Click here to download the latest CHV News.

• ‘Tis the season! If you’d like to bake holiday cookies to share with members, please see page 16 and register here. We also need volunteers to package and deliver the goodies.
  The CHV Holiday Open House is on December 20 at the Hill Center. Please register here and drop by to enjoy music, wine, good cheer, and camaraderie. See page 16 and page 22 for details.

• Feeling lonely is not unusual during holiday periods, and as Carole King might say, ‘you’ve got a friend’ at CHV. We also give you some tips for coping. See pages 1 &2.
  
• DC Parks and Recreation is updating and renovating parks in the Capitol Hill area, and, of course, the CHV Advocacy Team is all over it—making recommendations for specific senior-related items. See pages 1 & 5.
  
• Executive Director Judy Berman is thinking about the future, and wants to make 2023 the year of Emergency Preparedness at CHV better prepare us for whatever emergency hits—whether it’s a pandemic or snowstorm or anything else. See page 3.
  
• It’s not too late for end-of-year charitable giving, and Angela Beckham has all the information you need if you want to make a contribution to CHV. See page 8.

Interested in sponsoring CHV for a month? To find out more, contact Judy Berman for details: jberman@capitolhillvillage.org.

Click here to download the latest CHV News.

• It’s open enrollment for Medicare, a good time to review your plans. CHV has information you can use. See pages 1 & 2.
  
• CHV has lots of opportunities for volunteering: it’s holiday time and we will be delivering Thanksgiving dinners and holiday cookies; folks always need tech help; Village Connections is seeking people to “connect” one-on-one with members; and the annual Gala is getting underway. See pages 4, 10, 11 and the back cover.
  
• Executive Director Judy Berman continues her campaign to fight ageism with gratitude for the things she has and knows—helped by reading, calling out evidence of ageism, and spending time with amazing older people. See page 3.
  
• Norm Metzger’s “literary lapses” have led him to some more interesting reading choices, which he shares with readers. See page 8.

Interested in sponsoring CHV for a month? To find out more, contact Judy Berman for details: jberman@capitolhillvillage.org.

Capitol Hill Village is seeking an LGBTQ programs intern for 2023. Applications must be sent in by December 30th. For the full internship description and how to apply please go to the job openings section of our website: https://capitolhillvillage.org/about/staff/current-openings/