by Linda Heistman
The Senior Health Activity and Recrea-tion Program (SHARP) had a contest earlier this year for our participants to come up with our current name and slogan.
I really like our slogan—The older we get the sharper we get—because I believe we are never too old to learn something new. Continuing education is important in keeping our minds sharp.
I suppose there are very few of us who would really like to sit in on a lecture, if asked.
However, once we are there, we may find there are interesting things to learn and do to make our quality of life better and safer.
And, it may be one of the keys to enable our senior citizens to live independently for a longer period of time.
Last week, Kathy Fox, director of the Herkimer County Office for the Aging, came and shared tips on how to help prevent falls in and outside of our homes.
Over the past several months, SHARP participants have had informational sessions presented by the Foley Law Firm and the Old Forge Library on the 2-1-1 program.
We keep the lectures fairly short and offer discussion and question and answer times with the presenters to keep things interesting for our participants.
We try to sandwich the “classes” between some moving activities; such as balloon batting and chair exercise, so we are not just sitting for a long period of time.
In the future, we plan to have one educational topic in our program at least every other month.
Like all our programs, our seniors are asked for their input on what kinds of things they and/or their family members would like to learn.
I am sure everyone will be able to learn something new and maybe even get some important information while also enjoying all the other fun activities offered by our program.
SHARP is a free program offered to all independent senior citizens from Woodgate to Raquette Lake. We meet at Niccolls Memorial Church in Old Forge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday.
Lunch during our regular Wednesday sessions is provided by the Community Health & Wellness Fund (formerly the Town of Webb Health Center Fund.)
For more information, call or text (315) 225-7553, or email activitiescoordinator4seniors@yahoo.com.
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