Senior Life

Friday
Jan 5, 2018 at 12:01 AM

By Sally Kelly

No question winter is here … full blast. Maybe your reaction was the same as mine: shut down life, close the door, turn the heat up, and make a hot cup of tea! Well, that lasted about 24 hours, and then I had to get out of the house … had to go do something, had to get re-involved.

Now that we are a couple weeks into frigid temperatures, and bad road conditions, what are your plans to get re-involved?

Do not let bad roads keep you alone inside. Invite a friend to go out to McDonald’s for lunch … call a friend who is comfortable driving in slush and snow, or call the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority (PARTA) and schedule a door to door ride with them (330-678-1287).

———

Once you decide to GO,where are you going to go? Maybe just a walk through Walmart, that lunch at McDonald’s with a friend, or maybe a visit to a senior center.

For those of you who do not already attend one of our area’s senior centers you, like many others, may be confused about what the Portage County (Ravenna), Aurora, or Streetsboro centers are and who goes there.

This is the best description of a senior center that I can find: "A senior center is a non-institutional organization that provides social, physical, and mental support for its members by offering various participatory programs. The members are independent and require no assistance to function. They may require walkers or wheelchairs for mobility but require no assistance with bodily functions or eating and suffer no mental impairments such as Alzheimer’s or dementia."

Does this sound like you? Maybe you could be a center participant.

Maybe this year you will visit one of the area’s senior centers. Live in Aurora? Try its senior center (330-995-91480). Or, the Portage County Senior Center has participants from all over the county even though it is located in Ravenna (330-297-3456). There is also a senior center in Streetsboro (330-626-2398).

There are many other programs for seniors located throughout our county as in Garretsville, Randolph, Rootstown and Windham. In order to find out the meeting dates and locations, contact the trustees in these communities.

The Skeels-Vernon L. Mathews Community Center in Ravenna also offers programming for senior citizens; call 330-297-0192 for details.

Immaculate Conception Church in Ravenna sponsors the Young At Heart program on the third Monday of each month (contact Elizabeth Francis at 330-297-5647 for specific details).

If you are sitting at home alone and are looking for a new experience, save this information, and give it a try.

———

Another opportunity to meet some new people (to have a conversation with someone other than your dog or cat) is the New Adventure Widows & Widowers social group which meets for dinner and conversation on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. They also meet for breakfast every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. at Bob Evans at 175 Howe Ave., in Cuyahoga Falls.

For more information, contact Kathy Pfenninger at 330-630-9275.

———

I recently received information from Dawn Ruffo, the coordinator for the Streetsboro Senior Center, that they will be offering chair yoga on every second Monday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon. They do charge $10 for each session.

For more information about what other activities are being offered, contact Dawn at 330-626-2398.

———

As I mentioned a couple of months ago, the Portage County Senior Center has a new director, and she has some great ideas for new programming. (330-297-3456)

For instance on Fridays, she is still sponsoring an Art Group at 9 a.m. and cards and dominos at 1 p.m.

Tai Chi classes are now being offered twice a week on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m.

On Wednesday mornings they are offering a variety of programs including one called "Slips, Trips & Falls," and another on diabetes education, as well as chair yoga.

———

I understand that it is difficult to walk into an established group of people, when you feel like you are the odd man out! BUT, I guarantee that you will feel like a new person, a person with a new friend, a person with something to do, a person with a new outlook on life. Being involved can change your whole mental attitude and in turn your health … believe me, studies have been done and it is true.

———

Happy New Year, make this the year of a new you!

———

Sally Kelly

330-687-9501

Sentrip65@yahoo.com

Friday
Jan 5, 2018 at 12:01 AM

By Sally Kelly

No question winter is here … full blast. Maybe your reaction was the same as mine: shut down life, close the door, turn the heat up, and make a hot cup of tea! Well, that lasted about 24 hours, and then I had to get out of the house … had to go do something, had to get re-involved.

Now that we are a couple weeks into frigid temperatures, and bad road conditions, what are your plans to get re-involved?

Do not let bad roads keep you alone inside. Invite a friend to go out to McDonald’s for lunch … call a friend who is comfortable driving in slush and snow, or call the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority (PARTA) and schedule a door to door ride with them (330-678-1287).

———

Once you decide to GO,where are you going to go? Maybe just a walk through Walmart, that lunch at McDonald’s with a friend, or maybe a visit to a senior center.

For those of you who do not already attend one of our area’s senior centers you, like many others, may be confused about what the Portage County (Ravenna), Aurora, or Streetsboro centers are and who goes there.

This is the best description of a senior center that I can find: "A senior center is a non-institutional organization that provides social, physical, and mental support for its members by offering various participatory programs. The members are independent and require no assistance to function. They may require walkers or wheelchairs for mobility but require no assistance with bodily functions or eating and suffer no mental impairments such as Alzheimer’s or dementia."

Does this sound like you? Maybe you could be a center participant.

Maybe this year you will visit one of the area’s senior centers. Live in Aurora? Try its senior center (330-995-91480). Or, the Portage County Senior Center has participants from all over the county even though it is located in Ravenna (330-297-3456). There is also a senior center in Streetsboro (330-626-2398).

There are many other programs for seniors located throughout our county as in Garretsville, Randolph, Rootstown and Windham. In order to find out the meeting dates and locations, contact the trustees in these communities.

The Skeels-Vernon L. Mathews Community Center in Ravenna also offers programming for senior citizens; call 330-297-0192 for details.

Immaculate Conception Church in Ravenna sponsors the Young At Heart program on the third Monday of each month (contact Elizabeth Francis at 330-297-5647 for specific details).

If you are sitting at home alone and are looking for a new experience, save this information, and give it a try.

———

Another opportunity to meet some new people (to have a conversation with someone other than your dog or cat) is the New Adventure Widows & Widowers social group which meets for dinner and conversation on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. They also meet for breakfast every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. at Bob Evans at 175 Howe Ave., in Cuyahoga Falls.

For more information, contact Kathy Pfenninger at 330-630-9275.

———

I recently received information from Dawn Ruffo, the coordinator for the Streetsboro Senior Center, that they will be offering chair yoga on every second Monday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon. They do charge $10 for each session.

For more information about what other activities are being offered, contact Dawn at 330-626-2398.

———

As I mentioned a couple of months ago, the Portage County Senior Center has a new director, and she has some great ideas for new programming. (330-297-3456)

For instance on Fridays, she is still sponsoring an Art Group at 9 a.m. and cards and dominos at 1 p.m.

Tai Chi classes are now being offered twice a week on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m.

On Wednesday mornings they are offering a variety of programs including one called "Slips, Trips & Falls," and another on diabetes education, as well as chair yoga.

———

I understand that it is difficult to walk into an established group of people, when you feel like you are the odd man out! BUT, I guarantee that you will feel like a new person, a person with a new friend, a person with something to do, a person with a new outlook on life. Being involved can change your whole mental attitude and in turn your health … believe me, studies have been done and it is true.

———

Happy New Year, make this the year of a new you!

———

Sally Kelly

330-687-9501

Sentrip65@yahoo.com