The Pain Connection will present "Characteristics of Chronic Pain" for chronic pain sufferers at its monthly support meeting at the Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Call 301-309-2444.
Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC) will hold its first annual gala reception and kick-off "Building the Future — One Brick at a Time" capital campaign at Avenel Country Club, 10000 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6-9 p.m. A silent auction will include signed sports memorabilia and artwork, accommodations and travel to Cancun, Mexico and other items. CSAAC provides residential, vocational, early intervention, family support and school services for children and adults with autism.
AARP Widowed Persons Service offers support groups for those widowed less than two years. Meetings are held Monday-Friday. All widowed persons are invited to attend education meetings, travel and other AARP-sponsored activities available. Call 301-949-7398.
Alzheimer’s Association caregiver support groups are facilitated by trained group leaders. The meetings are ongoing, free and open to the community. Families meet with other caregivers to share experiences and caregiving tips while developing coping skills. Call 1-866-259-0042 for meeting schedules and locations.
Potomac Seniors gather at Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, during the week for a variety of activities between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The program includes entertainment, health screenings and education, chair exercises, crafts, speakers, counseling, theme parties, monthly mini-trips and intergenerational activities.
* Mondays:
<cal2>10:15-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young. Enhance muscle tone, improve balance and flexibility, free.
* Tuesdays:
<cal2>10-10:30 a.m., coffee and camaraderie;
10:30-11 a.m., chair exercises, follow along with a video;
10:30-11 a.m., blood pressure screening, the second Tuesday of every month, sponsored by Suburban Hospital;
11 a.m.-noon, activities, check the calendar;
11-11:30 a.m., Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program, the third Tuesday of the month;
Noon-12:30 p.m., lunch, bring your own and socialize with other seniors;
12:30-2 p.m., various programs, check the calendar.
* Wednesdays:
<cal2>10-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young, free.
* Fridays:
<cal2>10:15-11:15 a.m., Tai Chi Chaun with C. L. Young, free.
* Tuesday, Nov. 5
11 a.m.-noon., "Diabetes Prevention and Control." Nutritionist Fran Armstrong talks about the close link between diabetes and nutrition. She will review risk factors and strategies for prevention and control of diabetes.
12:30-1:30 p.m. At the regular business meeting, seniors will plan a holiday party and decorations.
* Friday, Nov. 8
9:15 a.m.-3 p.m., mini-trip to National Museum of American History. Master chef Julia Child's kitchen finds a home at the Smithsonian: Child has donated her entire kitchen contents, from the cabinets and restaurant stove to the pot lids and trash can. Fee is $3 for transportation. Lunch is available in the museum's cafeteria.
* Tuesday, Nov. 12
11 a.m.-noon, senior health insurance." Bring questions about Medicare or health issues.
12:30-1:20 p.m., stamp collecting. Why do people collect stamps? How does one become a stamp collector? Ben Kalman, who has been collecting stamps since 1929, will answer these and other questions.
* Tuesday, Nov. 19
11 a.m.-noon, armchair travel. Learn the colorful tale of Bavaria's mad King Ludwig and his romantic storybook castle, Neuschwanstein, as seniors travel to Munich and Bavaria.
12:30-1:30 p.m., holiday centerpiece. Members of the Potomac Home & Garden Club will help seniors to create a beautiful centerpiece for the holidays.
* Tuesday, Nov. 26
11 a.m.-noon, "Musical Morning." One of our favorite pianists, Frank Plummer, will be playing and talking about composer Franz Joseph Hayden.
12:30-2 p.m. "Gobble, Gobble Dinner." Thanksgiving is Thursday. Let's celebrate with our friends at Potomac by bringing in our favorite dishes to share.
Seniors may also use the community center’s weight and exercise room for free between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesdays by registering for a senior pass. Door-to-door transportation is available on Tuesdays through Paratransit.
For more information about senior programs, or to obtain a copy of the newsletter of calendar events, visit http://www.co.mo.md.us/rec/Seniors/ptmsr.html, or call 301-983-4471.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women Counseling and Career Center has relocated offices to 401 N. Washington St., Suite 100, Rockville. Call 240-777-8300.
"Because I Love You" (B.I.L.Y) is dedicated to supporting parents of adolescent and adult children with challenging, destructive or difficult behaviors. The group meets every Thursdays, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the
Bethesda United Methodist Church, Room 209, 8300 Old Georgetown Road,
Bethesda. There is a $1 donation. Call Harriet at 301-530-3597.
Seminars, support groups and classes through Adventist Health Care take place at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, 9901 Medical Center Drive in Rockville, unless noted otherwise. To register and for a complete listing of available classes, call 1-800-542-5096.
* Alcoholics Anonymous/Al-Anon These groups meet every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 202-966-9115.
* Narcotics Anonymous. This group meets every Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
* Healthy Hearts. Cardiac support program is designed to provide inspiration, motivation and education to patients and caregivers following a heart attack or stroke. Group meets on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Call 301-253-1502.
* Heart-to-Heart. A support group for people with heart disease, and their spouses, meets on the third Thursday of each month at the Cardiovascular Fitness Center (9715 Medical Center Drive, No. 130, Rockville).
A Long Term Care Insurance Seminar, sponsored by the Maryland Cooperative Extension, Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program, will be held on Monday, Oct. 28, from 1-3 p.m. at 18410 Muncaster Road in Derwood. Call 301-590-2819. Visit www.medicarehelp.org.
Ephesians Life Ministries will host an evening presented by the Montgomery County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) on Monday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., at St. Raphael's Church in Rockville. The free 90-minute presentation, "In Our Own Voice: Living with Mental Illness," will feature a video viewing, personal testimony and discussion to show how people can recover from mental illness. Call 301-439-7191.
The Kidney Cars Donation Program is accepting car donations to the National Kidney Foundation. Call 202-244-7900 or 1-800-488-CARS, or visit www.kidneywdc.org.
The Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) offers support groups for families dealing with a variety of health issues. Meetings are held at the Jewish Social Service Agency, 6125 Montrose Road in Rockville. Call Martha Mervis at 301-990-6880, Ext. 316.
* Caring for Others. JSSA, ARC of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Aging and Disabilities Services co-sponsor free monthly seminars for family members caring for children or adults with disabilities.
* New Friends Support and Activities Group offers men and women 65 and older the chance for support after being widowed for more than a year, on the first Monday of the month, from 1-2:30 p.m. Free. Call Mary Levyne at 301 816-2680.
* Support Group for Bereaved Parents is an ongoing group for parents grieving the death of a young or adult child. It convenes monthly on the second Monday of the month, from 7:30-9 p.m. Call Suzanne Adelman at 301 816-2683.
* Family Support Group. Parents and adult family members of children with disabilities or serious medical illnesses meet to share joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, coping mechanisms and strategies for living today and planning for the future. The group will meet on the third Tuesday of every month from 7:30-8:45 p.m. Free. Call Martha Mervis at 301 990-6880, Ext. 316.
* You and Your Aging Parents. Adult children with aging parents discuss issues including communicating about sensitive issues, family responsibilities and the need for time to themselves. Meets monthly at 7:30-9 p.m. Cost is $15 a session. Call Beth Huss at 301 816-2634.
* Social Skills Group for Adults. Class will meet on Thursdays, through Nov. 14, from 7-8:15 p.m. Designed for men and women ages 21 and older. Cost is $200. Call 301-816-2633.
Support meetings and seminars take place at Suburban Hospital, 8600 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. Call 301-896-3939 to register for all group meetings and for a complete listing.
* Gynecological Cancer. Group meets the first and third Mondays of the month from 4-5:30 p.m. in Conference Room 4. Group is designed for patients and survivors of cancer.
* Breast Cancer. Group meets the second Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms 6 and 7. Group is designed for patients, survivors and family members. Guest speakers alternate with informal discussion.
* Caregivers. Group meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Auxiliary House in Bethesda. Practical and emotional support for anyone serving as a caregiver.
* Multiple Sclerosis Caregivers. Group meets the first Thursday of the month from 6:30-9 p.m. in Conference Room 4.
* Eating Disorders. Group meets the second Wednesday of the month from 7-8 p.m. in Conference Room 4.
* Head Injury/Trauma. Group meets the first and third Thursdays of the month from 7-8 p.m. in Conference Rooms 1, 2 and 3. For individuals recovering from head injuries, and their families.
* Prostate Cancer. Group meets the third Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms 6 and 7. Support for patients, family and friends. Guest speakers and informal discussion on alternate days.
Volunteer opportunities exist in the county addressing a wide range of health issues.
* Sexual Assault Victims. Montgomery County is seeking residents interested in helping sexual assault victims and their families. Volunteers provide 24-hour crisis counseling and companion services at hospitals and police stations. Call 240-777-1355.
* Hospice Caring Inc. is seeking volunteers to offer nonmedical support to families facing terminal illness. The job involves providing companionship and respite care, assistance with household errands and tasks, and transportation. Call 240-777-2600.
* Montgomery County Hot Line. The Mental Health Association is recruiting volunteers for the Montgomery County Hot Line, a 24-hour telephone support, suicide-prevention and crisis-intervention service. Volunteers are asked for a minimum of four hours a week for at least one year after training. Call 301-424-0656, Ext. 117, to request an application.
* American Cancer Society. The Road to Recovery Program is looking to recruit and train drivers from Montgomery County. Donate a few weekday hours to transport patients to chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments. Must have own vehicle.
* Licensed estheticians and cosmetologists are needed to teach women cancer patients beauty techniques to restore patients' appearances and self-image. Call 301-933-9350.