NewBridge on the Charles

10/21/2025

NewBridge on the Charles residents have a way with words! The card room, located near our art studio, is often a hub of gaming activity. There are many opportunities to engage in friendly competition, with the room often used for games like Scrabble, mahjong, bridge, and more.

10/17/2025

What do Hillary Clinton, Steven Tyler, and Pope Benedict XVI have in common? All were injured following a fall.

“Falls happen to everybody,” said Christina Rice, director of wellness at NewBridge. “Falls are common, preventable, and predictable.”

Rice recently launched the “Matter of Balance” series in our assisted living community. The program helps people feel more confident about moving around safely and less afraid of falling, while encouraging them to stay active. In the first class, she described the risk factors for falls, including poor footwear, some medications, and a lack of physical activity.

“There are a lot of things that can cause a fall,” Rice said. “A fear of falling is a risk factor for falling.”

She said this fear can cause a cycle: after falling, a fear of falling again can lead to reduced physical activity, which in turn decreases muscle strength and balance, further increasing the risk of falling again.

As the "Matter of Balance" classes continue, residents will learn skills and problem-solving to build confidence and exercises to improve physical strength. They will also, make plans for physical activity and changing the home environment, as most falls happen in the home.

10/16/2025

What makes a safe driver? According to Laura Lee, an occupational therapist and driver rehabilitation specialist at NewBridge on the Charles, three key factors influence driving: cognition, physical ability, and vision.

Her tips for good defensive driving include driving at the appropriate speed, staying alert and prepared, and maintaining good vision around your car by ensuring you can see both your rearview and side mirrors as well as outside your windows.

"I'd say 80 percent or more of driving is related to vision," Lee said, noting that peripheral vision, depth perception, and spatial recognition all play important roles when behind the steering wheel.

In addition to vision changes, she said decreased flexibility, strength, and reaction time can affect a person's ability to steer, brake, and check blind spots. These changes vary from person to person.

"Every single person is different: I've had a 98-year-old who can drive during the day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and I've had a 62-year-old who shouldn't be driving at all," Lee said, noting that age alone does not dictate one's driving ability. However, she recommends creating a plan for "driver retirement."

"Everyone plans to retire from work, but no one plans to retire from driving," she said, describing her mission as helping people become more educated about how driving changes as they age and providing them with the resources to stay safe and independent. It is easier to maintain this independence if you go into driver retirement with a plan in place.

NewBridge on the Charles offers robust transportation services, including an on-campus shuttle service, as well as scheduled and private transportation options. Medical appointment transportation within a five-mile radius, including to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, is free, with transportation available beyond that for a fee. There are also scheduled bus trips to local shopping destinations, such as Legacy Place and The Butcherie, group excursions to cultural destinations, and shuttles to the polls on Election Day.

Lee detailed a number of alternative transportation options, such as The Ride, ridesharing services, and GoGoGrandparent, as well as a vetted list of independent ride services. She encourages active drivers to practice using these apps and services prior to driver retirement, as it makes the transition easier.

"There are just so many driving resources available," Lee said, providing residents with the contact information for several private drivers vetted by the NewBridge on the Charles security team.

She also recommends that active drivers participate in the CarFit program. Developed by AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, CarFit's 12-point checklist aims to improve a driver's comfort, control, and confidence behind the wheel by checking to make sure they have a clear view of their mirrors and out of their windows, can reach and manage all the controls, and have a properly adjusted seat. The program is offered annually at NewBridge on the Charles. Lee has hosted 19 CarFit events at Hebrew SeniorLife, educating more than 250 drivers.

10/15/2025

Igor Lukes, professor of History and International Affairs at the Pardee School at Boston University, lectured about Ukraine’s history as “The Gates of Europe” to more than 70 residents at NewBridge on the Charles, providing a historical context to current events.

“If you follow international affairs, you know how this has been one of the most pressing crises we are facing today,” Lukes said. “The situation there is very fluid, and keeps evolving.”

Lukes is the author of books like "Czechoslovakia Between Stalin and Hi**er: The Diplomacy of Edvard Beneš in the 1930s" and "On the Edge of the Cold War: American Diplomats and Spies in Postwar Prague." In addition to lecturing at NewBridge on the Charles, he has taught courses in our Lifelong Learning series for residents.

“It is a delight to be back. I recognize many familiar, friendly faces,” Lukes said.

10/15/2025

📰 Carol Clingan’s remarkable efforts to rescue a century-old mural painted for a synagogue in North Adams in the late 1800s continue to gain attention — most recently from Chronicle on WCVB Channel 5. The Chronicle segment, which aired this week, highlights how the NewBridge on the Charles resident and retired writer turned genealogist led a years-long effort to save the historically significant 25-foot mural that had been hidden for more than a century in an attic.

After discovering the mural — a stunning work depicting Jewish faith and immigrant pride — Carol spearheaded a campaign to raise nearly half a million dollars and found it a new home at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst. In its new location, the mural, which features the Tablets of the Law flanked by two lions holding American flags in their paws, can be seen by the public.

That visibility is important, Carol told Chronicle, because the story told in the mural is uniquely American and should be widely shared: “The American flags were very significant to these people, right? This was a country that was offering them everything. They were fleeing violence. They were fleeing pogroms. This is a classic immigrant story. They wanted a better life for themselves, but above all, for their children.”

🎥 Watch here: https://bit.ly/3Je6cEd

Forgotten Jewish mural restored and relocated after decades in atticWCVB is your home for Massachusetts breaking news and weather. For your latest Massachuse...

10/10/2025

What do Taylor Swift, Yitzhak Rabin, Jane Goodall, Yo-Yo Ma, and Julia Child all have in common? They’re all people residents of NewBridge on the Charles wished they could invite to join them in the sukkah, as suggested at a recent gathering for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

A sukkah is a temporary booth with at least three walls and a roof made of branches, often decorated with flowers, hay, and fall vegetables like pumpkins. This temporary gathering place is the focal point of the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot, and NewBridge on the Charles builds one each year for residents who observe this holiday.

“The sukkah is open: it’s a place where you bring people in. Our doorway is nice and wide, symbolizing that everyone is welcome,” said NewBridge Chaplain and Rabbi Judi Ehrlich.

In addition to creating a fantasy guest list, residents joined Rabbi Ehrlich in the sukkah to make the traditional blessing over the lulav and etrog, discuss hospitality, and enjoy hot apple cider and donuts together.

10/09/2025

A new school year means the return of Minding the (Age) Gap at NewBridge on the Charles. Every week, students from Noble and Greenough School School visit the assisted living community at NewBridge to form connections and bonds with residents. They jumped right into conversation, discussing family life, their careers, travels, and their high school days with the high school students. They also discussed what brings them joy, such as trying new things, reading a book in the park, and singing.

“Kids from Nobles bring me joy!” said resident Elaine Rosen. “I had a daughter who went to Nobles, and she loved it there.”

The fall semester of Minding the (Age) Gap will meet every week.

10/08/2025

NewBridge on the Charles residents walked like Egyptians into the latest Wine Down hosted by the resident-run Hospitality Committee. The menu included pita, hummus, olives, ta'ameya, and salad, accompanied by a warm mint tea mocktail. Resident Sheila Pallay shared photographs from her recent trip to Egypt, and highly recommends visiting the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Her husband, Herb Glickman, praised the color and construction of the pyramids and temples in Egypt.

“One of the things I find amazing is how the pyramids have withstood the number of years they have been standing. I don’t think we could build any type of structure like that that could last for so long,” he said. “Each stone was massive, and how they were able to assemble them with such accuracy, in terms of the space between the stones, is incredible. When you look at the pyramid, you can see how almost perfect it is.”

With this month’s celebration of Egyptian culture, the Wine Down Travel Agency is going on a temporary hiatus. Over the past few years, Wine Down has brought residents all over the globe, celebrating the cultures of countries like Kenya, Ireland, Japan, Portugal, and more.

Wine Down will continue with new themes and a new adventure in October. Hosted by the resident-run Hospitality Committee, the Wine Down provides NewBridge on the Charles residents with an opportunity to socialize with others in the community over a drink.

10/07/2025

NewBridge on the Charles was thrilled to welcome Julia Mintz, director of the documentary “Four Winters: A Story of Jewish Partisan Resistance and Bravery in WWII.”

"Four Winters" tells the story of the more than 25,000 Jewish partisans who fought back against the N***s and their collaborators from deep within the forests of WWII’s Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Belarus. Following a screening of the movie, Mintz answered resident questions about the filmmaking process and her interviews with the last living partisans.

“I’m so honored to be invited to be with you and share this film,” Mintz said. “Having the privilege to bring these stories forward, especially at this time, is an honor.”

10/06/2025

More than 40 members of the NewBridge on the Charles community walked or ran in the 12th annual Jog Your Memory 5K race in Needham. One runner was NewBridge resident George Silver, donning bib number 440 as he completed the course in under 35 minutes to clinch first place in the Men’s 80+ division.

“I’m a runner who has been running for years, and this run is for a good cause,” Silver said.

The 5K race and 1.5-mile walk, which starts and ends at the Mitchell Elementary School, raises money for Alzheimer’s disease research and the Dick Caley Caregiver Fund, which supports local caregivers and families facing this disease. This year, runners, walkers, supporters, and sponsors raised more than $240,000 for the cause, bringing the 12-year total to approximately $2.35 million. Hebrew SeniorLife was thrilled to once again sponsor Jog Your Memory and support this important cause!

NewBridge’s participation in the Jog Your Memory 5K was also the perfect way to kick off “Active Aging Week” in our community. Promoted by the International Council on Active Aging, Active Aging Week celebrates and highlights the positive aspects of aging. The annual event aims to challenge society's negative perceptions of aging by demonstrating that individuals over 50 continue to thrive in all aspects of life, including physical, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, vocational, and environmental domains. Other Active Aging Week events at NewBridge on the Charles include a Tai Chi class in our aerobics studio and a "yogalates" class that blends yoga and Pilates.

10/03/2025

Every week, Health and Fitness Specialist Leah Scarpino leads a Total Body Barre class in the aerobics studio at NewBridge on the Charles.

"These classes are wonderful! Leah does an amazing job," said resident Judy Weinberg.

A recent class, dubbed the "Barre Mitzvah" by Scarpino, involved more than just traditional barre exercises, focusing on low-impact, high-intensity movements designed to strengthen the body. The class was followed by a guided reflection circle, during which participants discussed what Jewish tradition had to say about health and wellness, diet and nutrition, physical activity, and other related topics. Residents also reflected on matters of friendship, socializing, and the camaraderie that comes from group exercise.

"It just starts your morning with joy!" said resident Bonnie Rosenberg.

10/01/2025

As the sun sets this evening, Yom Kippur begins. This Day of Atonement is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a time for reflection, seeking forgiveness, and fasting — for those who are able. Hebrew SeniorLife wishes a meaningful Yom Kippur to all who observe this holiday.