Basking Ridge - Senior Wellness Center Activities

SENIOR WELLNESS CENTER AT BASKING RIDGE
202 Mt. Airy Road
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
908-204-3435

Computer Lab – Available daily. Senior wellness center clients can use the computers at their leisure.

Geri-Fit with Connie Ledder – Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. (May 5 – July 28). Rebuild strength that is lost through the aging process to gain a higher level of functioning. This class combines strength training with stretching and range-of-motion exercises, stability, and balance training for fall prevention, cardiovascular activity for heart health, and gait exercises to help improve walking. **Weights and stretch bands will be provided. Participants should bring water. Exercises are practiced while sitting in chairs. Standing is optional. This unique and beneficial evidence-based exercise program is facilitated two times per week, for 12 weeks (a total of 24 classes). Preregistration is required. Space is limited. For more information or to register, call Karen Kowalski at 908-704-6327. The next session takes place on Sept. 8 to Nov. 26.**

Walk With Ease Program (Weekly Check-In and Presentation), with Doctoral Occupational Therapy Students, Rutgers University – Mondays, 1 - 2 p.m. (June 16 – July 21). Learn proper walking techniques, safety tips, and strategies to overcome barriers to walking during this six-week evidence-based program. Participants will practice stretching, and learn strengthening exercises, motivational strategies, and health education to promote a more active lifestyle. Participants will walk during the week either at the senior center or at home and then receive weekly tracking reports of their walking progress from the occupational therapy students. **Preregistration is required. For more information and to register, call Karen Kowalski at 908-704-6327.**

Coffee and Tea Social – Mondays, 3 – 4 p.m. Enjoy connecting with others in the afternoon while drinking your favorite beverage.

Mahjong Club – Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:30 – 4 p.m. and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. Learn how to play mahjong, a thought-provoking game that helps keep the brain sharp and supercharged! This club is for anyone who loves games and wants to meet new people and have fun. **The club size is open for a limited amount of people. Registration for one time slot is required. This is not a competitive club. For more information, call 908-204-3435.**

(Video) Stronger Seniors: Core Strength – Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., and Thursdays, 10 a.m. Get a safe and easy workout for core muscles using resistance bands during this prerecorded exercise program. **Participants can bring resistance bands.**

Project Healthy Bones – Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. (The session occurs from July 15 to Dec. 23). Improve balance, strength, flexibility, and posture in this peer-led, 24-week exercise and education program for individuals who are at risk for osteoporosis or have the diagnosis. **Preregistration is required. A doctor’s note is also required before the first class and once, every year. For more information, call Karen Kowalski at 908-704-6327.**

Canasta Club – Tuesdays, 12:30 – 4 p.m. Play this traditional card game that requires the use of strategic and tactical thinking. **New members are welcome.**

(Video) Take Control with Exercise – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 – 2 p.m. Strengthen core muscles and improve flexibility and balance while boosting stamina during this gentle exercise program in video format. **Exercises can be practiced while standing or sitting. **

Bridge Group – Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Play this mentally challenging card game, which provides intellectual and social interaction. Playing this game can stimulate your brain to keep it alert and help it stay active. **New members and beginners are always welcome.**

Tai Chi Chih with Janet – Wednesdays, 10 a.m. (July 9 – Sept. 3). Take part in this moving meditation of 19 gentle, fluid movements and one pose, which can be practiced while standing or sitting. Studies have shown practicing tai chi can regulate blood pressure, increase balance and energy, reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and improve mental clarity and the immune system. **The cost is $40 for the eight-week program. Preregistration is required. For more information, call Karen Kowalski at 908-704-6327.**

Chair Yoga with Jillian – Wednesdays and Fridays, 1 – 2 p.m. (Wednesdays May 14 – July 9). Gain health benefits by practicing yoga poses with the support and safety of your favorite chair. Increase bone density, and improve strength, flexibility, and balance while immersing yourself in a relaxing class. Expect a lot of gentle stretching to bring movement to joints and muscles. This class is perfect for relieving stress and to achieve an overall sense of well-being. **There will be no classes on July 2 and 4. The cost is $40 for the eight-week program. Preregistration is required. The next sessions are on Wednesdays, July 30 to Sept. 17, and Fridays, Aug. 1 to Sept. 19. For more information and to preregister, call 908-704-6327.**

Timeless Planners with Suzanne – Wednesdays, 2 – 3 p.m. Join this fun club to help plan programs and share ideas for future programs and presentations at the senior wellness centers.

Line Dancing with David Cross – Thursdays, 11 a.m. Improve coordination and balance while exercising your body and memory during this line dancing class.

(Video) Stronger Seniors: Stretch – Fridays, 10 a.m. Join this simple, 45-minute exercise program to feel more flexible. Use a chair for a safe and thorough stretching routine.

Colorful Memories Studios with Mindy – Fridays, 2 – 3 p.m. Relieve stress, stimulate creativity, and enhance focus by decorating home-delivered meal bags, which will be sent to the clients of Home Delivered Meals. **Everyone is welcome. All supplies will be provided.**

July 1, 11 a.m. – Senior Moments Band 4th of July Musical Celebration with Gabe and Sandy. Get moving and grooving while singing and dancing to a variety of fun music in honor of this festive holiday! This will be a blast.

July 2, 11 a.m. – Handyman Program with Laurie Roome, Somerset County Volunteer Services. Learn about this beneficial program that provides light home repairs for Somerset County residents ages 60 years and older.

(Video) July 2, 1 – 2 p.m. – Stronger Seniors: Core Strength. Get a safe and easy workout for core muscles using resistance bands during this prerecorded exercise program. **Participants can bring resistance bands.**

July 3, 11 a.m. – Red, White, and Blue Floral Arrangements, with Leslie Yngojo-Bowes, Arbor Terrace. Learn how to create a festive July 4th floral arrangement. **Preregistration is required. All supplies will be provided.**

July 4 – The senior wellness center is closed for Independence Day.

July 7, 11 a.m. – “Managing Money: A Caregiver’s Guide” with Mary Beth Lewis, Alzheimer’s Association. Learn general information about legal, financial, and medical issues. This program is for caregivers of family members who manage their finances. There will also be activities to help participants create a financial plan.

July 8, 11 a.m. – July Trivia with Roberto. Stimulate the brain while learning about history, pop culture, and science during this game of trivia specific to July.

July 8, 12:30 p.m. – Meditation Series with Christina Flanagan-Bistis, Avalon Assisted Living. Relax, meditate, and clear your mind in this meditation program where participants will use healing bowls and learn breathing techniques. This three-part series occurs in July, August, and September.

July 9, 11 a.m. – Nutrition for Older Adults with Community Nutritionist Tia Hagins, RD, Speaker’s Bureau at Robert Wood Johnson. Understand how to eat well and stay healthy as you age. Learn about healthy eating habits, how to make nutritious food choices, find out about common nutritional challenges that older adults face as well as the importance of staying hydrated.

July 10, 11 a.m. – Mandala Painted Suncatcher, Sponsored by Bright View Warren with Christina DiLuzio. Create a beautiful mandala-painted suncatcher for your home. **Preregistration is required. All supplies will be provided.**

July 11 & 25, 11 a.m. – Bingo with Roberto. Playing this fun game has been proven by research to have multiple health benefits, such as promoting socialization, strengthening hand-eye coordination, and improving concentration, listening, and short-term memory.

July 14, 11 a.m. – Musical Performance by Gary Reed, Sponsored by Generations Home Healthcare. Enjoy this toe-tapping solo guitar and vocal performance with upright bass and fiddle. Reed combines a unique guitar style while singing popular music from the ’60s, and ’70s.

July 15, 11 a.m. – Somerset County Traveling Library with Noah Anderson, Somerset County Library System. Find out what the library has to offer when the Somerset County Library System visits the senior center. Browse a collection of books and check one out, return a book from any branch, register or renew a library card, or learn how to set up your phone or tablet.

July 16, 11 a.m. – “All About Millets: Nutritional Program” with Jennifer Korneski, Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Learn all about millet, its nutritional value, and where it grows. A millet is a small cereal grain that belongs to the grass family.

July 16, 12:30 p.m. – Monthly Book Club with Ginny and Ann. Share your love of literature and reading at this book club. This month members will discuss “Vanderbilt: The Rise & Fall of an American Dynasty” by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe.

July 17, 11 a.m. – Turtle Canvas Craft with Kristina Bischof, Sponsored by Country Care Craft. Design and paint a turtle on canvas for the home. **Preregistration is required. All supplies will be provided.**

July 18, 11 a.m. – “Seasonal Salads: Beautiful and Delicious Ways To Enjoy Your Harvest” with Vanessa Young, Thirsty Radish. Think beyond greens and learn how to transform vegetables and fruit into beautiful salads of all types, including heartier grain and dinner salads. Learn new methods of preparation, ingredient combinations, and homemade dressings for colorful, tasty salads to satisfy your appetite all season long.

July 21, 11 a.m. – “Bon Voyage: 200 Years of Luxury Travel.” Pack your bags for a fun presentation about the New Jersey-based Livingston and Kean Families and their 200 years of luxury travel between 1780 and 1950. Participants will peak at personal diaries, letters from family members, photographs, maps, and souvenirs. **This program is made possible by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey Historical Commission.**