When is a senior a senior?

by Lynda King

The Massachusetts Senior Games are open to competitors age 50 and older. At some restaurants, you’re a senior when you’re 55, and are eligible to order off the discounted “senior menu.” Fitchburg State College offers free tuition to seniors age 60 and older. At most movie theaters, which offer discounted tickets to seniors, you’re not a senior until you’re 65. In Massachusetts, Councils on Aging offer senior services to those who have reached age 60. And what does this get you? Quite a lot, it turns out.
In Harvard, the Council on Aging offers a number of programs and services to all of the town’s senior citizens, as well as their families or caregivers. The list is long:

Exercise programs including aerobic and yoga classes and a walking club
Computer room use and instruction and in-home tutoring
Hildreth café—Tuesday lunch
Medical equipment lending program
Senior tax work-off program
Blood pressure clinics
Bridge and other card game programs
Men’s breakfast
Christmas party
Annual barbecue
Crisis counseling
Caregiver support
Intergenerational programming
MART van service for transportation needs
Resource referrals for legal, financial, nutritional, medical, social, and recreational needs
Retirement pre-planning and adjustment
Educational classes and workshops
Elder-abuse and neglect referrals
Social and recreational opportunities, including day trips and outings
SHINE counseling (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders)
AARP tax preparation referrals

Most of these activities are free, though some may require a small fee. Harvard’s COA is funded through a combination of town funds and state grants, and is assisted by funds raised by the nonprofit organization Friends of the Harvard COA.

Headquartered at Hildreth House, the Harvard COA is directed by Ginger Quarles, assisted by outreach coordinator Maria Holland, both of whom can be reached at Hildreth House, at 978-456-4120 or e-mail coa@harvard.ma. For more information about the COA call the office or visit www.harvard.ma.us/coa.htm.

This week at Hildreth House

Sign-up and a fee may be required for some of these activities. Call the office (978-456-4120) for more information.
Wednesday, Sept. 3: Aerobics class, 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 4: Yoga class at the Congregational Church, 10 a.m.; mixed bridge group, 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 5: Aerobics class, 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

On the road with the COA

Call the office (978-456-4120) to sign up for these trips:

Monday, Sept. 22: The COA van travels to Quincy to visit the John Adams National Historical Park, home of two American presidents and subsequent generations of their descendants from 1720 to 1927. The tour will leave Hildreth House at 8:45 a.m. Cost is $8, plus the cost of lunch.

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Sign up now for this trip to the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston to see a matinee performance of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, a full Broadway production. The group-rate price for orchestra seating and transportation is $55; however a minimum of 20 people is needed to get this rate. Seats need to be purchased this month. If you are interested in this trip, call as soon as possible to sign up.

Lunches for seniors

Minuteman Senior Services coordinates luncheon sites in 12 towns, and also manages a Meals on Wheels program that will deliver frozen meals in Harvard.
Diners must call one day in advance to make a reservation at a luncheon site. Locally, sites are available at:
Acton: Senior Center, 50 Audubon Drive, 978-263-5053
Littleton: Senior Center, 33 Shattuck St., 978-952-2757
Maynard: Concord Street Circle, 978-897-8383
Stow: First Parish Church (Tuesday and Thursday), 353 Great Road, 978-897-1880