MARCH 31 • 2022 | 31

I

f you have a loved one who’s 
aging and wonder how to 
deal with the many chal-
lenges that stage of life brings, 
a new support group series 
is now available 
to anyone in the 
community. 
Novi senior 
living communi-
ty Waltonwood 
Twelve Oaks is 
presenting the 
series with insights 
into common issues associ-
ated with aging, presented by 

Independent Living Manager 
Alyssa Tobias, LLMSW
.
The events take place from 
5:30-6:30 p.m. on the third 
Tuesday of every month 
through August. Tobias started 
the series due to the number of 
people reaching out for resourc-
es as well as the effects of the 
pandemic. 
“COVID hit and I saw the 
incredible despair of what was 
going on in my community, 
and I knew if it was going on in 
my community, it was going on 
everywhere else,
” Tobias said. “I 

decided it was time to give back 
and offer some services for peo-
ple that really need them.
”
Tobias says the events are 
mostly geared as outreach 
for people outside of the 
Waltonwood community.
Tobias planned the series 
with what she thought were the 
most important and relevant 
topics for people to know.
The first event, “
Aging 
in Place: When to Make a 
Transition,
” took place on 
March 15 and focused on how 
to speak with an aging family 
member and find available 
resources.
The next event, “Commun-
icating with Loved Ones that 
Have Cognitive Disorders,
” 
takes place on April 19. Tobias 
will provide resources of how to 
can cope and what kind of sup-
port is out there. The events will 
be online as well as in-person.
The May 17 event will 
focus on “COVID and Senior 

Depression.
”
 Guest speakers will be 
brought in for the final three 
events. A hospice professional 
will be brought in for the June 
21 event, “Hospice and the 
Stigma.
” A police officer will 
appear for the July 19 event, 
“Elder Scamming: What to 
Look For,
” and Josh Tobias, 
funeral director at Ira Kaufman 
Chapel (and Tobias’ husband), 
will be brought in for the 
Aug. 16 event, “End of Life 
Decisions: How to Navigate 
Them.
”
“For me, it’s really just a 
mitzvah to do this work,
” Alyssa 
Tobias said. “It’s my life’s work, 
and if I can give back in any 
way and share this knowledge 
with anyone, it’s really my joy to 
do it.
” 

Those interested are asked to RSVP by 

the Friday prior to the events by calling 

(248) 735-1500. 

Alyssa 
Tobias

Find advice the third Tuesday of the 
month through August at Waltonwood 
Twelve Oaks.

Aging Support 
Group Series 

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

T

o celebrate the Sabbath, 
Temple Kol Ami of 
West Bloomfield host-
ed a family-friendly event 
for the congregation, Goofy 
Guf Tot Shabbat. Cantorial 
Soloist Janet Christensen says 
the event was fun for both 
parents and kids. On Feb. 18, 
the Reform congregation wel-
comed families to learn about 
their bodies. 
“The idea came about in last 
week’s Torah Parshat Ki Tissa. 
God does not show Moses 
his face but his back. So, it 
bears the question, if God has 
a back does God have feet? 
We humans are all made in 
God’s image, B’tzelem Elohim. 
We wanted to celebrate our 

Lilah Samet, Lyla and Vered Gutmann finger paint duing the Goofy 
Guf Shabbat craft.

RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR 

Temple Kol Ami Hosts 
Shabbat for the Tots

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TEMPLE KOL AAMI

Lilah Samet and Lyla Gutmann 
finger painting.

faces&places

bodies, our Gufs,” Christensen 
said. “Composer/perform-
er Noah Aronson wrote an 
amazing song called ‘Goofy 
Gufs,’ inspiring us to use our 
bodies, which we had the 
parents and kids sing and 
dance to. Rabbi Gutmann 
told a story with a puppet 

that tied it all together. We 
end Tot Shabbats with craft 
time, so naturally, celebrating 
our bodies, we did finger 
painting,” Christensen added. 
For more details about 
Temple Kol Ami’s events, 
head to https://tkolami.org/
calendar. 

