Watertown Senior Center The Watertown Senior Center.
The Watertown Senior Center will host programs on heart health, tax preparation and has trips to museums around the area in February.
See more information about what’s happening at the Senior Center in the monthly Watertown Senior News, provided by the Department of Senior Services, below:
February is National Heart Disease Awareness month, please join us for a Heart Health Presentation with Stroke Nurse Marie McCune, of the Mount Auburn Hospital, Wednesday, February 21, at 3:30 pm.
This month, we offer trips to the Boston College Art Museum on February 2nd, the Institute of Contemporary Art on February 9th, the MA Historical Society on February 12th, the Armenian Museum on February 16th, and the Peabody Essex Museum on February 26th. We will have a tour of the Watertown Square branch of the Watertown Savings Bank on February 13th.
A team of AARP Volunteers will start providing weekly tax preparation assistance services beginning on Wednesday, February 14th, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Join us for a presentation by Springwell’s Information and Referral Specialist to listen to their menu of programs and services. Learn more about the Senior Action Council will introduce the legislation and programs their groups are advocating in 2024.
Get ready to groove and jive this month with our amazing musical lineup! On February 9th, John Clark will take us on a journey through the love songs of the 1950s, and on February 16th, the Rosendale Rambler duo will transport us with some fantastic tunes from the 1920s through the 1940s. Then, on February 27th, we’ll have the delightful Mel Stiller leading sing-alongs featuring hits from the 1920s to the 1970s.
But wait, there’s more! To sprinkle some extra excitement into these events, we’re introducing a best-dressed theme contest. Come dressed in your finest 1920s to 1970s attire and get ready to strut your stuff for a chance to win an awesome prize!
We will have a Valentine’s Day Art Crafts party with Arlene Smith, come make some crafts and enjoy some sweet treats and tea. Sign up for our baked Ziti and Broccoli dinner Valentine’s Grab and Go on Tuesday, February 13th. On Valentines Day join us for a “Love Is in The Air” Harp concert on Wednesday, February 14th. Wear red, pink or purple for a chance to win a special Valentine’s Day treat. The Derby Farm Flowers & Gardens florist will conduct a floral arranging workshop on Wednesday, February 28th!
February Programs
The Paper Owl Stamp Holiday Cards with Pamela Vershbow – Monday, February 5, at 3:30 pm
Pamela was introduced to the Stamping world 20 years ago and has been all in ever since! It started as a hobby as she attended her friend’s “Stamp Camps” and learned how to make beautiful cards that you can use for all occasions. Come and give it a try to create holiday stamp cards. Chatting and meeting new people while creating beautiful cards to take home is a lot of fun.
Extreme Weather Preparedness with Leigh Meunier, CREW, and Dira Johanif, CRWA – Tuesday, February 6, at 3:30 pm
Are you concerned about extreme weather and its impacts on your community? Want to learn more about how Watertown is responding to flooding and how you can be prepared? Join friends from Communities Responding to Extreme Weather and the Charles River Watershed Association to learn about flooding impacts in Watertown and across our watershed. We’ll share ideas for nature-based projects that address flooding and benefit our environment (tree planting, removing pavement, rain gardens!). We’ll also distribute emergency preparedness resources and support neighbor-to-neighbor conversations, so we can learn from each other and inform local leaders on how they can best support your community.
Zoom Program Group – Wednesday, February 7, at 9 am
Come to discuss ideas for educational and recreational programs to be offered by our Center. Call us to get a link if you will be joining for the first time.
Latest in Elder Law with Timothy R. Loff – Thursday, February 8, at 3:30 pm
Watertown Senior Center welcomes Elder Law Attorney Timothy R. Loff for a presentation on the latest in Elder Law. He will share important updates on many different Elder Law areas including Medicaid, Long-Term Care Insurance, Reverse Mortgages, Estate and Trust Administration, and Estate and Special Needs Planning. Attorney Loff welcomes your questions. He has been working in Elder Law for over 30 years and is a former Director of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (Mass NAELA). He continues as co-chairman of the Ethics Committee and is chair of the Long-Term Care Insurance advocacy committee, for NAELA.
The Greatest Love Songs of All Time – Friday, February 9, at 2 pm
Reminisce to the sounds of these beloved romantic songs, from lighthearted twenties tunes like Side by Side and I Can’t Give You Anything but Love to more serious classics like All of Me and You Make Me Feel Like. Geographically there are selections ranging from the state song of Louisiana, You Are My Sunshine, to one that’s sung after every Giants baseball victory, I Left My Heart in San Francisco. I’ll bet you remember slow dancing to these 1950s favorites: the doo-wop classic I Only Have Eyes for You and a familiar hit from a movie title, Play Misty for Me? Or Rosemary Clooney’s sweet and lovely Tenderly that later became a jazz standard and Old Black Magic that got an energetic musical makeover from Louis Prima & Keely Smith in 1958. Celebrate Valentines Day early with this nostalgic & romantic musical stroll down Memory Lane!
Senior Action Council with Jake Taber – Monday, February 12, at 3:30 pm
Massachusetts Senior Action Council is a statewide group that works with seniors to advocate for elected officials to listen to seniors concerns and fight for lower healthcare costs, better and more accessible transit, and more resources for long-term care. Currently, the Council is working on the following issues in the community: it educates seniors about the Medicare Savings Program, which their group pushed the legislatures to expand last year. The Council is also reminding people about MassHealth redetermination, helping seniors maximize their SNAP benefits through medical deductions, surveying seniors about their problems with public transit, giving out their newsletter, and letting their constituencies know about the local chapter’s monthly meetings.
“Thriving While Aging” Conversational Group with Julie Norstrand – Tuesday, February 13, and February 27, at 9:30 am
Getting older can be challenging, but a positive attitude, perseverance, and humor can shift your outlook! So, if you want to talk about things on your mind, join us for some thoughtful discussion. This will not be a support group; you will find camaraderie and support from each other as we tackle some challenging life stages. Julie has her Ph.D. in Social Work from Boston College and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Drexel University.
Valentine’s Day Grab-and-Go Tuesday, February 13, at 12:30 pm
For $5 per purchase, we provide a delicious Grab-n-Go supper to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We will have Chicken, Ziti & Broccoli, Garden Salad with dressing and two pieces of cake. Contact us to sign up by Tuesday, February 6th.
Share Love: Valentine’s Day Handcrafts with Arlene Smith – Tuesday, February 13, at 2 pm
Let’s get together and make some unique items for Valentine’s Day. No matter how you spend the day, we will enjoy being creative together. Hearts, flowers, and candy will help us celebrate February. Everyone will go home with several projects, and we will enjoy warm drinks and treats. Don’t miss out!
Hybrid Book Club, at the Watertown Free Public Library – Wednesday, February 14, at 9:45 am
Our Book Club hybrid meetings will take place at the Watertown Free Public Library in February and March. We will meet at 9:45 am instead of 10 am in the Trustees’ Room, second floor. If you are new to the Book Club and have decided to join in January, please call us either to get a Zoom link or to receive directions to the room at the library. This month, the Book Club will discuss the book The Choir by Joanna Trollope. In the gentle precinct of Aldminster Cathedral, crisis loomed. The urbane and worldly Dean wanted nothing so much as to restore and beautify his beloved Cathedral–even if it meant sacrificing the Choir School to pay for it. Alexander Troy, Headmaster of the school, a conscientious man, somewhat out of his depth with his elusive and poetical wife, was determined that nothing and no-one, certainly not the overbearing Dean, should destroy the Choir.
“Love Is In The Air” with Susan Wright Ragan – Wednesday, February 14, at 3:30 pm
Enjoy a harp concert with Susan playing for us Love Songs on Valentine’s Day.
Garden Club: Cookbook Recipes with Natalie Tarbet – Thursday, February 15, at 11:45 am
Explore a variety of cookbook recipes and cooking techniques in this interactive session focusing on but not limited to middle eastern cookery, keeping food costs down, and good nutrition. Facilitated by Natalie Tarbet, resident, garden enthusiast, and Eat Well Watertown facilitator.
Dixieland Jazz with The Rosedale Ramblers Duo – Friday, February 16, at 2:30 pm
Watertown’s residents, Paul Barbato (piano) and Andy Pastore (guitar/vocals), will perform some of the great tunes from the early days of Jazz. Come to listen to a set of their favorite songs from the 1920s through the 1940s, covering popular music by composers Jimmy McHugh, Fats Waller, Hoagie Carmichael, and more. Their appreciation for a good melody and some foot-tapping jive will leave you with a song in your heart. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
Mosaics Workshop with Rita Foglia – Tuesday, February 20, at 2 pm
You will make a beautiful mosaic using stained glass, tiles, beads, and anything else you want to incorporate into the design. The possibilities are endless. You will be introduced to the materials and techniques – cutting, adhesives, and grouting – necessary to produce a small decorative mosaic. Materials and tools will be provided, but if you had something you would like to incorporate into your piece, such as beads, old jewelry, or broken dishes, feel free to bring them along.
Heart Health Presentation with Stroke Nurse Marie McCune, Community Benefits Program, Mount Auburn Hospital – Wednesday, February 21, at 3:30 pm
This program will provide you with information about your heart, how it works, and the importance of keeping it healthy. Marie will talk about statistics on heart disease and the basics of how your heart works. You will also learn what the risk factors are for heart disease. You will leave learning how to improve your overall health by lowering the risk factors you have the power to change.
Garden Club: Cooking with Mario, Chef at The Residence at Watertown Square – Thursday, February 22, at 11:45 am
Mario will discuss the specifics of cooking for seniors and healthy eating. He will provide several recipes for simple and healthy snacks. Mario will also demonstrate how to make a bowl of salad and a few fancy sandwiches.
Springwell’s Program Review with Jeanne Shapiro, Information and Referral Specialist – Friday, February 23, at 2:30 pm
Join us to discuss in-home care options available to seniors over 60. Springwell is a local non-profit organization that holds a contract with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to provide Aging Service Access Point services for thirty-six local communities, including Watertown. Springwell offers information, referrals, services, and assistance to Watertown older adults and their families who are seeking help as they face the challenges that come with aging. Its program includes the MA Home Care Program, Caregiver Support, Protective Services, and much more.
Sing Along with Mel – Tuesday, February 27, at 2:30 pm
For the past decade, Mel Stiller has played piano and led sing-alongs at senior centers, memory cafes, assisted and independent living facilities, and nursing homes. He specializes in standards and show tunes from the 1920s to 1970s. Wherever he plays, songbooks are distributed with lyrics to more than 500 songs so participants can sing or follow along. Come to sing with Mel!
Flower Arrangement with Lucinda Chrislip, Derby Farm Flowers & Gardens – Wednesday, February 28, at 3:30 pm
Brighten up the winter days with flower arranging. Join Lucinda, florist, and co-owner of Derby Farm Flowers & Gardens, for a floral arranging workshop. You’ll work with seasonal blooms to create a vase of fresh-cut flowers you can take home with you that will brighten your space. You’ll also learn essential tips and tricks for floral arranging you can use in the future. Derby Farm Flowers & Gardens is an Arlington and Newton boutique florist and gift shop. Please register with us by February 21. The cost is $20 per participant.
See the entire Watertown Senior News for February by clicking here. Find out more about the Department of Senior Services at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/284/Senior-Services