Senior Citizens Briefs

St. Agatha Seniors meeting, August 16

WOONSOCKET— President Annette Beaulieu opened the meeting with a prayer for the late Gerald St. Germian.

Celebrating birthdays were Herve ‘Pete’ Petrin, Roger Levesque and Gino Orazi. Sunshine Lady Constance Bonin sent a ‘sympathy card’ to Lucille Galipeau and a ‘get well card’ to Rolande Cadoret. Introduced as a new member was Lucy Cuiicci. Monthly winners were Annette Beaulieu, Priscilla Paulhus, Claire Biron and Jeanne Barry.

Door prize winners were Estelle Arcand Lucienne Croteau, Lucy Cuiicci and Martha Cote. Winners of the raffle were Constance Seider, Estelle Arcand, Beatrice Parent and Lucienne Croteau.

This week is the last time to buy tickets for the Sept. 13 dinner. Meatloaf will be served.

There will be no meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 30, or Wednesday, Sept. 6 because of the parish flea market being held on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Winners of the special BINGO games were Barbara Dicrestoforo, Marguerite Deragon and Gloria Belknap. Constance Seider was the caller.

Pitch winners were Gino Orazi, Roger Roy, Marlcel Cote and Lucille Lajoie.

Leon Mathieu Center celebrates Colombian culture at Aug. 25 event

PAWTUCKET — This coming Friday, Aug. 25, at 12:30 p.m., the Leon Mathieu Senior Center will be celebrating Colombian Culture.

Gabriel Martinez of the Colombian-American Cultural Society of Rhode Island will present a cultural program on the Colombian culture, history and traditions. Traditional dances will be performed. Time for questions and answers will follow the presentation as well as a sampling of Colombian food donated by local Colombian restaurants Delicias de mi Tierra and Alinary’s Market. Seniors 55 and older are welcome to join us celebrate the Colombian culture. For more, call the center at 401-728-7582.

‘Bingo Blast’ at Leon Mathieu Center

PAWTUCKET— Join the Leon A. Mathieu Senior Center (420 Main St.) at Bingo Blast on Friday, Sept. 1, 12:30 p.m.

There will be gift prizes (no cash prizes) for all winners. LMSC Program Coordinator, Melissa Cabral, will be your host and bingo caller. Please bring pennies, buttons, or plastic bingo chips to cover the numbers on your cards.

Everyone 55 and older is welcome to attend this free event. Light refreshments will be served.

Call 401-728-7582 for more information.

Alzheimers caregivers monthly support group

PROVIDENCE— Where to go and what to do when your loved one has Alzheimer’s.

Join Doreen C. Putnam, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, who facilitates the support group at Wingate on Blackstone Boulevard (Formerly EPOCH), 353 Blackstone Blvd., Providence.

The group meets on the meet on the second Wednesday of the month, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with the next meeting scheduled for Sept. 13.

Contact Brittany at 401-273-6565 with any questions.

Wellness exercise program offered at Sturdy

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — The Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Sturdy Memorial Hospital offers a six-week wellness exercise program designed to increase your fitness while assisting you to lose weight, decrease your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol, and achieve your specific health goals. The overall objective of this program is to help you begin and maintain living a healthy lifestyle.

Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.; on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Cardiac Pulmonary Exercise Facility at Sturdy Memorial Hospital.

The cost is $120 for this 12-session program. For further information or to register for classes, call 508-236-7390.

Companion caregivers respite program

BELLINGHAM — This in-home respite service is provided by a trained companion after the care recipient has been determined to be eligible for the program. The program provides socialization and stimulation for the care recipient, through an activities plan developed for that individual, based on his or her interests and abilities.

The care recipient must be an elder (aged 60 and over) with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, a related dementia, or a significant chronic medical condition that requires 24-hour care. Services are offered Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and weekends on a limited basis, and includes meal or snack preparation, conversation, reading, writing, playing cards or games. (No homemaking service, person care or lifting is permitted). For more call Camille at 508-520-4945. This Program is made available through a generous grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation. Also, consider the Memory Café on third Thursday each month at the Franklin Senior Center for a fun social event for those with dementia and their caregivers.

Regional elder mental health outreach program

BELLINGHAM — If you know someone struggling with anxiety, depression or you have other similar concerns, the Bellingham Council on Aging now has a program that provides outreach, assessment and evaluation services for residents, age 60 and over.

Mental Health Coordinator, Gail Bourassa, works to assist seniors and provide services or make referrals to an agency for continued treatment. The goal of the project is to help older adults get back to being able to participate in the community or social activities they choose. In Bellingham, Blackstone, Franklin, Medway, Mendon and Milford for more or to make a referral, call your local senior center.