Backyard OASIS - Older Adults Seeking, Inspiring, Serving

Forty years ago, Denise and Karen became friends while working as staff at the School for International Training and the Experiment in international Living in Vermont. Over the years they lost touch...until this summer, when Karen, now a full-time global hiker, texted, "Mind if I drop by?" Here's a short story about youth and work and hiking and curiosity, but mostly about how life goes on and friendships stay strong.

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of Backyard OASIS, host Denise Schwartz has a lovely conversation with Marsha Stone and Norm Hirschfeld about their decision to move from Waltham, MA to Greenfield, MA later in life, despite New England being absolutely chock full of beautiful towns and cities. What should older adults who hope to move later in life look for in a community? Why did Marsha and Norm choose Greenfield as their community? The group touches on how finding like-minded folks, getting involved in city government, and fresh air and gorgeous scenery all came together to make Franklin County their new home. Sometimes a trip to the local food co-op is all you need to determine that some place is the place for you.

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Episode image credit: visitgreenfieldma.com

Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

So humans, let’s face it. We are living in an aging world. For the first time in history, and probably for the rest of human history, people aged 65 and over will outnumber children under the age of 5. By 2030, that total is projected to increase to 1 billion. That means 1 in every 8 of the earth’s inhabitants will be an older adult.

Lots to think about. So, today with Jason’s help, we are going to talk about how we can prepare to live more healthily and happily in our aging world, how we can think critically about it, plan for it and take action.

Learn more about Jason's work with LifePath at https://lifepathma.org/

Learn more about the Village Movement at https://www.helpfulvillage.com/the-village-movement and https://www.vtvnetwork.org/

Episode image credited to LifePath

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of Backyard OASIS, host Dennis Lee takes some time to talk with Dr. Steven German about something we can all understand lately: STRESS. Dr. German talks with Dennis about what drew him to stress as an area of expertise, and some of his recommended methods for coping with it day-to-day.

Dr. Steven German is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified counselor who has sought throughout his professional career to help others deal with the potentially negative impact of stress. This goal has been achieved while serving as a guidance counselor, school psychologist, and special education director in the public schools, as a trainer and consultant in the outplacement field, as a psychologist with the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Army Reserves, and in his private practice of almost three decades. In addition to his published works, he has delivered training for organizations on topics related to stress. In his spare time, Dr. German enjoys hiking, traveling, singing, working on small building projects, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Purchase Steven's latest book, Lessen the Stressin': Strategies for Becoming Smarter in Managing Stress, here: https://www.amazon.com/Lessen-Stressin-Strategies-Becoming-Managing/dp/1963844408

Episode image by Claire Gillespie

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Dennis Lee

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

Let's have a frank conversation about the kinds of communities older adults want to live in as they age. How do we build supportive, inclusive, and age-friendly communities in a society that is aging faster than at any other time in history? Systems-level change may be necessary, but conversations like this are a good place to start!

Learn more about Jason's work with Life Path at https://lifepathma.org/

Photo by Domenic Poli with the Greenfield Recorder

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

After a botched edit of Spilling the Tea Part 7, the ladies are back with a vengeance this week to talk all things reality TV...but mostly to talk The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The big news this week: the illusive and illustrious Grandma Donna was finally able to make an appearance and she does not disappoint, even if her taste in shows differs a bit from the usual trio.

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Judy Raper, Jessica Niedbala, and Mackenzie Shanahan

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of the Backyard OASIS podcast, Christine Copeland sits down with Dr. Ralph Baker and her husband Dr. Bill Copeland, to talk about our stunning natural world here in Massachusetts, and some of the things we can do to protect it.

Dr. Ralph S. Baker has served on the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA)'s Board of Directors for nearly 20 years, and currently is its Board President. Among his roles is supporting the NRWA's extensive climate resilience work. He also co-leads the Fitchburg Trail Stewards, a group of volunteers who recently completed the state-funded Fitchburg Trails Wayfinding Signage Project and actively maintains many of the trails in Fitchburg. He served on the city of Fitchburg's Conservation Commission for five years. An environmental scientist, Dr. Baker earned a Ph.D. in soil physics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1989. In 2000 he co-founded TerraTherm, Inc. in Fitchburg, and was its CEO, Chairman and Chief Scientist, designing and carrying out hazardous waste cleanup projects throughout the world. He retired in 2015, after a career focused on the cleanup of toxic organic chemicals in soil and groundwater. He now devotes his energies to the above-mentioned non-profit environmental organizations. He is a resident of Fitchburg, MA, and is an avid naturalist, cyclist, hiker, and back-country skier. Judith Baker, his wife of 50 years, is an artist, gardener, and musician. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Learn more about Dr. Baker, the Baker Family Forest, and what you can do to conserve your land here:

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2017/06/19/fitchburg-man-makes-city-unique-offer-to-fight-climate-change/

https://northcountylandtrust.org/conservation-in-fitchburg-a-forever-wild-approach/

https://www.fitchburgma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3159/Baker-Family-Public-Forest-Reserve---Fact-Sheet?bidId=

https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/ma-baker-family-public-forest

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2018/05/02/baker-family-forest-dedicated-in-fitchburg/

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c087e9e4cde7a66033e482d/t/5f68c8142e2767205e014c09/1600702493817/OGFN+HowToSaveAForestToolkit+2019.pdf

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Christine Copeland

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of the Backyard OASIS podcast, Dennis Lee talks with Registered Nurse Priscilla Ross about topics that can make the average person uncomfortable – end of life care, DNR orders, and more – but must be considered and discussed. Special attention is paid to the concept of a "health care proxy," and why every person over the age of 18 should have one. Later they change gears to discuss Priscilla's long-term involvement with the Florence, MA Community Band as they mark their 25th anniversary as a group.

Read more about the Florence Community Band and their quarter-centennial celebration here: https://www.gazettenet.com/BandPractice-hg-03262025-60288866

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Dennis Lee

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

The STT ladies are at it again for part seven of their sub-series on pop culture of the moment and their favorite reality TV moments of the past several weeks. We had a time crunch and some slight technical difficulties during the recording of this one, so pardon the less-than-stellar production!

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted by Judy Raper, Jessica Niedbala, and Mackenzie Shanahan

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran (A.K.A. DJ Vibe Wise)

Produced by Alex Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College

On this episode of Backyard Oasis, Dennis Lee sits down with friend David Murphy to talk about his fascinating professional career – first as an audio engineer and producer for live television sports broadcasts, then taking up the mantle of his family business in Pioneer Valley-area real estate. David provides awesome insight into life inside a television production truck, and how that work took him all over the world, from NFL stadiums to the Olympics in Rio!

Please like, subscribe, and give the show a five-star review wherever possible – it's the easiest and best way for you to support our work and help us reach the most people worldwide!

Hosted and Produced by Dennis Lee

Edited by Bobby Falco-Killoran (A.K.A. DJ Vibe Wise)

Produced and Engineered by Alexander Audette in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center's Multimedia Studios at Greenfield Community College