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July Happenings at the Bellingham Senior Center

Bellingham Senior Center

SENIOR CENTER EXPANSION PLANS

During the first week of July, the senior center will post in the dining room what is being planned that will make the Center even more inviting and functional in the future. Drop in and check it out!

BESG COOKOUT

Tuesday, July 2, 12 pm: Cookout! Chef du Jour will be at the grill. Sign up a week in advance for only $8 per person; wait until the last minute and pay $10 each. An effort will be made to accommodate special menu requests.

ART ANYONE CAN PAINT

Wednesdays, July 10 & 17, 1–3:30 pm: Artist Darrell Crow returns this month to guide students through a complete painting; two weeks/sessions. $25 covers all supplies. Please reserve your space by calling 508-966-0398 or stop by the welcome desk.

SHINE

SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) resources are available to you. Get your questions answered about health-care benefits and options. Counselor Jean Roy will be available on Wednesday, July 10 and 24, 9am— 12pm. Schedule an appointment by calling 508-966-0398.

NOTE:  Several new walk-in health clinics are opening or have already opened in Bellingham and the surrounding area. It has come to SHINE’s attention that not all are taking Medicare. Be sure to ask first if the clinic and their doctors take Medicare so that you don’t receive a bill for the services rendered that could be as much as $500.

AGING-IN-PLACE

Tuesday, July 16, 4pm: Join us for a presentation and discussion about the issues and possible solutions to concerns like mobility, barriers in the home, and some of the most common risks/problems. This program is free, but please call 508-966-0398 to reserve your spot.

MOHEGAN SUN

Thursday, July 18, 7:45am-5pm: Package includes free food, free bet, and a chance for a free trip. $22 per person.

SENIOR SAFE

Thursday, July 18, 10am: Brad Kwatcher from the Bellingham Fire Department will be on hand to talk about the dangers of hoarding. Compulsive hoarding is a behavioral pattern characterized by excessive acquisition of and an inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover the living areas of the home and cause significant distress or impairment. Bring your questions.

ELVIS HAS NOT LEFT THE BUILDING

Sunday, July 21, 4 pm: Elvis impersonator Robert Black will appear at Bellingham High School. Part of Bellingham’s 300th anniversary, this program is free. His appearance is made possible by the collaboration between the Senior Center and the Bellingham Cultural Council. Everyone is welcome—all you have to do is show up!

LEARN HEART-ENERGY HEALING

Tuesday, July 23, 4-5pm: With proper nutrition, a body knows how to be healthy. This technique offers energy-nutrition that is based in science and decades of successful practice. In this one-hour class, learn how to run energy for each other by using the heart to project life force energy as gratitude. It’s easy to learn and use—no special beliefs or skills needed. Because it’s not necessary to touch a person, we can help someone a distance away, and use it anytime, anywhere. Janet Doane has been a Heart-Energy facilitator for over 25 years and will lead this free class. Call 508-966-0398 to attend.

BESG BIRTHDAY PARTY

Thursday, July 25, 12 pm: BBQ chicken thanks to Chef du Jour. Sign up at least a week in advance for $8 per person; wait until the last minute and pay $10. An effort will be made to accommodate special menu requests.

POUND

Thursday, July 25, 5pm: Cara Ferrone of Milford’s Ferrone FIT will present POUND®, the world’s first cardio jam session inspired by the infectious, energizing and sweat-dripping fun of playing the drums. Free, but please call to reserve your space; limited to 12.

Memory Cafe

Saturday, July 27, 10-11:30 am: Memory Cafe is a free social event for family members and individuals experiencing cognitive changes from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Memory Cafes help guests feel comfortable to meet others who can relate to their experience in an accepting and welcoming atmosphere. Cafes are a place to talk with people who understand what you are going through, to focus on strengths, to enjoy others’ company and to explore something new. Dancing and other entertainment are included. Generously Sponsored by Benchmark. Contact [email protected] to sign up.

FOSTER’S CLAMBAKE

Tuesday, July 30, 7:45am-6pm: Authentic Maine clambake with fun stops along the way including Stonewall Kitchen, When Pigs Fly Bakery and Colonial Candies. Live entertainment. Stop by the welcome desk to make your reservations. Cost is $77 per person.

INTRODUCING Kathryn Gallagher 

Kathryn Gallagher is the Senior Center’s new intern, shown left, being welcomed aboard by Senior Center Director Josie Dutil.

She will be at the Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9am-3pm, through the end of August.

Gallagher will enter her junior year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in the fall. She has a double major—Sociology and Public Health — and is interning to gain experience working with the elderly.

“I was close with my grandparents growing up and they were always good to me. I’d like to give back and work with the elderly. Elders always seem to have a story—they are a wealth of knowledge.”

SUPPORTIVE DAY PROGRAM

The Supportive Adult Day Care Program provides short-term, full-day relief for families caring for loved ones in their homes.

It is designed to alleviate stress and provide support for the caregiver families. It is suitable for the memory impaired, those with physical limitations or those who are lonely, isolated and homebound.

A typical day in our program: Break-fast, Chair Volleyball, Wii Jeopardy, Lunch, Chair Exercise, Light snack, Rummikub as well as a manicure and/or hand massage if wanted. The cost is $35 a day, which includes breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

Income eligible clients may be able to attend our program with some assistance from Tri-Valley Elder Services, Inc. Transportation is available at no additional cost to Bellingham residents. For out of town members, transportation is available for a small fee.

For more information please contact Supportive Adult Day Care Program Coordinator Terri Graham at 508-657-2711 or email her at [email protected].

MASS VETS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES

Chapter 115 of the Massachusetts General Laws entitles eligible Massachusetts veterans and their spouses, or in some cases widows/widowers, to reimbursement of medical expenses if they meet these maximum income and asset guidelines:

MONTHLY INCOME—For one person, $2,081; for two or more, $2,817
ASSETS—For one person, $5,000; for two or more, $9,800.

This is a benefit you are entitled to in recognition of your service and is not charity. You may be reimbursed for your Medicare premium and all your other health insurance expenses.

If you meet these guidelines, contact Veterans’ Service Officer Bob Greenhalgh at 774-292-2437 and tell him you would like to submit a Chapter 115 application for benefits. The only requirement is the income guidelines above and a copy of the veterans discharge DD214 indicating active service.

SENIOR QUILTERS ROCK!

Senior Center quilters, led by Donna Malia, recently provided 131 quilts, fleece blankets and afghans to Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT.

The Camp, founded in 1988, is dedicated to providing “a different kind of healing” to seriously ill children and their families, free of charge. “We are a community that celebrates the spirit of childhood, the sound of laughter and the feeling of endless possibility.”

Once a year, Senior Center quilters share the gift of warmth with these children. If you’d like to help out, go to the Center any Monday, 9am—12pm, and start quilting.
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