There is something for everyone at the Pasadena Senior Center in October. Events listed below are free for PSC members. Some events require advance reservations as noted.  

• Parkinson’s Disease Education – Thursdays, Oct. 1, 8 and 15, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Learn about chemical reactions that cause the disease on Oct. 1; learn how to navigate challenges for caregivers on Oct. 8; learn how the disease is diagnosed, common symptoms and diagnostic tests on Oct. 15.  

• The Unexpected Leak – Thursday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. Unexpected leaking can be inconvenient and embarrassing for women as well as men. If you have stress incontinence or urge incontinence, eating habits and activities such as pelvic floor exercises can be beneficial. Become informed at this special workshop. 

• Rediscovering Hope – Thursdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, at 3 p.m. Rediscovering Hope is a support group for members grieving the death of a loved one. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information call Jody Casserly at Vitas at (626) 918-2273, ext. 7455.

• Food Distribution Program – Friday, Oct. 4, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. – After months of being closed to new applicants, this program is now open again to members ages 60 and older who meet low-income guidelines. California ID and an income statement are required. The Food Distribution Program is offered the first Friday of every month (626) 685-6732.

• Speed Up, Clean Up and Revive Your Windows PC – Tuesdays and Thursdays beginningOct. 8 from 10 to 11 a.m. If your computer is too slow or programs are freezing up, it’s time for some TLC. Bring your laptop to delete programs you don’t use, check for viruses and clean up temporary files and other items to improve Internet browsing speed. Pasadena Senior Center computers will be available as well for demonstrations.

• Medicare Resource Fair – Thursday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Medicare open enrollment is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Checking your current Medicare and prescription drug plans with other programs and making informed decisions ensures that you receive the best possible health care. Representatives from insurance companies and health plans will provide information and answer questions. From noon to 1 p.m. there will be a special overview of Medicare options and upcoming changes for 2014. Box lunches will be served to the first 50 people with confirmed reservations. (626) 795-4331.

• Gourmet Dining Club – Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. Join us for lively conversation and great food at this month’s featured restaurant, Bella Italia, 7232 N. Rosemead Blvd. in San Gabriel. Call team captains Margaret Lawson and Syd Heyman at (626) 794-5858 to make your reservation.

• Advanced Planning – Thursday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. Before and at the time of a loss, wrong decisions and delays in proper planning can increase costs and stress to everyone involved. This open discussion about the advantages of preplanning will help members and their families avoid pitfalls. Everyone who attends will receive a free tote bag.

• Health Fair – Friday, Oct. 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. Glucose screenings (with two-hour fasting required) and blood pressure and hearing screenings are among the services offered. Health fairs are offered the third Friday of every month. For more information call (626) 685-6732.

• LA Opera: Falstaff – Monday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. In honor of Giuseppe Verdi’s 200^th birthday, an LA Opera community educator will discuss the crowning glory of the composer’s magnificent career. His comic masterpiece “Falstaff” is an unabashed celebration of Merrie Olde England’s lusty days and bawdy nights. When Shakespeare’s portly knight of Windsor hatches a plot to improve his love life by courting two married women, he launches a flood of comic chaos and romantic misadventure.

• Men’s Health: Testosterone and Cholesterol – Thursday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m. Learn about the relationship between these two related compounds and how to maximize your physical well-being.

• Book Club at the Center – Friday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. Read “Black Flower” by Young-Ha Kim and then join other members of the Senior Center Book Club for a discussion. In 1904, as the Russo-Japanese war deepened, Asia was parceled out to rising powers and the Korean empire was annexed by Japan. Facing the loss of their nation, more than a thousand Koreans left their homes to seek new lives in Mexico. A tale of star-crossed love, political turmoil and the dangers of seeking freedom in a new world, “Black Flower” is an epic story based on a little-known moment in history. For more information call Judy Starlight at (626) 685-6706.

• Friday Movie Matinees – Fridays, Oct. 4, 11 and 18, at 1 p.m. Great movies can take us to different places and times unlike anything else. Oct. 4: “42” (2013) starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford; Oct. 11: “Hitchcock” (2012) starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren; Oct. 18: “Barefoot in the Park” (1967) starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

For information about free events or to become a member of the Pasadena Senior Center, visitwww.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call (626) 795-4331.

Founded in 1959, the Pasadena Senior Center is an independent, nonprofit agency that offers recreational, educational, wellness and social services to people ages 50 and over in a friendly environment. Services are also provided for frail, low-income and homebound seniors.