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.