Knight Running Proves Successful

Finishes first in 'Ladies 70 and older' on July 4th road race.

There is something uncommon about Janice Knight.  The Common Street resident and a Beech Street Center regular has become a rather special senior athlete. Knight won a gold medal at the 4th of July Mattapoisett 5-Mile Road Race, in the category of "Ladies 70 and older."   Her total time was 67.1 minutes, a 13.12 minute per mile pace which Knight says is "not bad for an old crone on a hot and humid day!" Knight has used a variety of COA fitness programs, said Nava Niv-Vogel, director of the Belmont Council on Aging, who hopes that Knight's accomplishment provides encouragement to others to join the Center's fitness programs and explore the possibilities of what they can accomplish. 

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Council on Aging Corner

Prevent Becoming A Victim of Fraud

Events and classes at the Beech Street Center.

Recognizing and Avoiding Fraud Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m. Come learn about the different types of fraud, which population is the most targeted and how to protect yourself. Belmont Police Sgt. Kristin Daley and Lt. Rick Santangelo will give a presentation on fraud and the ways to avoid it also what to do if you have been the victim of fraud. Also presenting will be Kevin Kiley the executive vice president and COO of the Massachusetts Bankers Association along with other representatives from local banks. Light refreshments will be served. Please call 617-993-2970 to sign up. Everyone is invited to attend. Open Dance Friday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. A DJ will play nostalgic music for open ballroom and line dance. Caregiver Support Group Tuesday, Feb…

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Beech Street Center in the LEED To Sustainability

Center staff and town will celebrate receiving "green" certification on Thursday.

When people who use the Beech Street Center walk through the door, along with those who work there, they immediately notice something is different about the building. Perhaps it’s the abundance of light that so many detect or what they don’t sense such as the absence of any odor from cleaning products. “People say they feel something in this building that they don’t anywhere else,” said Nava Niv-Vogel, director of the Council on Aging and Senior Center. “Even if they don’t know precisely why, users say they feel good inside here.” What they’re experiencing is the comfort of being in a certified “green” building – the first public building in Belmont to be so designated – for which the Center recently received the Leader in Energy and …

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Council on Aging Corner

Free Osteoporosis Screening at Beech Street Center

Events, classes and trips by the Belmont Council on Aging and the Beech Street Center

Osteoporosis Screening Winchester Hospital’s Community Health Institute Osteoporosis Community Benefit Program is offering a free osteoporosis screening at the Belmont Senior Center on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. People who want to participate will be required to sign up in advance. Those who want to be screened must come prepared to take off shoes and stockings. (Also, come to a future screening if you have an open or infected wound on your foot.) Beginner Piano Starts Thursday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. If you have always wanted to play the piano, this is the course for you. The instructor is experienced teaching adults of all ages in a collaborative and supportive environment You will learn tunes, chords, scales and basic reading…

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Making Phone Calls Easier for Seniors with Hearing Problems

Activities and classes occurring at the Beech Street Center and the Council on Aging.

Making Telephone Communication Possible for Individuals with Hearing Loss and Speech Difficulties Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. The Outreach Project Manager for MassRelay will share information about free telephone relay services available through MassRelay that allow communication between individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking and standard telephone users.  Many people think relay services only benefit people who are deaf, but actually many people benefit from relay every day. For example, Captioned Telephone is a service that is especially helpful to people who wear hearing aids or are hard of hearing and having difficulty hearing over the phone due to their hearing loss. The MassRelay Outreach …

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Self Managing Diabetes Presented at the Council on Aging

Classes and events at the Beech Street Center.

Belmont Open Sings preview (With the Bel Aires) Thursday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m. Join Mary Beekman, artistic director of Powers Music School’s Belmont Open Sings program, in an informative and entertaining lunchtime talk on the work that will be read-through at the Belmont Open Sings event on Sunday, Oct. 16: Beethoven's Mass in C Major. Beekman's pre-concert talk, which will use audio excerpts and vocal scores, will acquaint you with this powerful and celebratory work by one of the greatest classical composers of all time. The full Belmont Open Sings event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 pm at Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont St. in Belmont. Participants will experience the thrill of singing Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, accompanied by a…

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Council on Aging Corner

Nutrition for Seniors with Arthritis at Beech Street

'What Going On' and those with special assistance are strongly encouraged to register with COA.

Attention: Residents with Special Needs We were fortunate that everyone stayed safe and no damage was reported following Tropical Storm Irene. However, the Council on Aging wants to be prepared so that if people need to evacuate their homes in an emergency they can do so safely and that public safety officials have vital information available for those who need special help evacuating. If you need such special assistance we strongly encourage you to please register through the Council on Aging. To register, call the Social Worker Janet at 617-993-2983. Please leave a voicemail message if you do not reach a live person. Nutrition for Arthritis Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. Boston-area dietician Charlie Smigelski makes nutrition sound easy …

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Council on Aging Corner

Writing Stories from Your Life at the COA

The Beech Street Center has a growing number of classes starting for the fall season.

Writing Stories from your Life  Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. Writing life stories can be a fun and rewarding way to preserve memories for current and future generations and let them know, “the way it was then.” Learn how to get organized to write your stories. Get tips on researching your family’s history, and a list of possible topics, like the places you’ve lived or the pets you’ve loved. Hear exciting excerpts from the life stories written by other local seniors. Presenter Lynette Benton teaches writing at local senior centers, retirement communities, and adult education programs. Sign up in advance. Movie Friday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. Black Swan (R) Friday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. You Again (PG) Senior Gay Men’s Support Group Mondays at 10:30…

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Council on Aging Corner

New Exercise Classes Set to Begin

Classes and trips sponsored by the Council on Aging.

Music After Lunch: A student performance Thursday, Sept. 1, at 1 p.m. Seven Belmont students will perform a variety of instrumental and vocal pieces. All the students will be attending Belmont High School in the fall and have had some form of musical education, whether privately or at school. Movie  Friday, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. Black Swan (R) Senior Gay Men’s Support Group Mondays at 10:30 a.m. There are crucial issues facing gay and bisexual men as we age. Developing a social support network and knowing which resources are ‘gay friendly’ are important aspects of aging with dignity. Too many gay seniors are going back into the closet at a time in their lives when they are the most vulnerable. Don’t let this happen to you. The group will be …

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Council on Aging Corner

Safely Medicating Yourself and Second Opinions

Council on Aging start series on medical issues for seniors; Center now has a Wii!

Second Opinions and Overtreatment Thursday, Aug. 4, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Obtaining a second opinion is a time-honored tradition in medicine, and most physicians agree that any significant surgical procedure warrants one. Join Dr. Vikas Saini of the Lown Cardiovascular Center, Brookline as he discusses the important topic of second opinions and overtreatment in health care. Please sign up in advance. About the Speaker: Vikas Saini, MD is co-Director of the Lown Center and President of the Lown Foundation. He completed his MD with distinction from Dalhousie University in Halifax, residency at Baltimore City Hospitals/Johns Hopkins Bayview, and a Lown Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Medication Safety for Seniors Part 1: Managing Your …

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