SENIOR SIDELIGHTS

Alzheimer’s Association will sponsor free educational programs from 3 to 6 p.m. May 7 and from 1 to 4:30 p.m. May 8 at Family First Adult Day Services, 4199 Kirk Road, Austintown. The program May 7 will be “10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s, call the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900 to register; and May 8 will be MedicAlert+ Alzheimer Association Safe Return. Participants are asked to take a recent photo of your loved one and a list of medications. Registration is requested and can be done by calling 234-414-0036.

Austintown Senior Center, 100 Westchester Drive, has planned the following: Monday, 9 a.m. – Surveillance State video, Bible study and Total Body Fitness; 9:30 – Sew N Crafts; 10 – Senior Spinning (I), bingo and painting class; 11 – Ballet Barre; 11:30 – chair volleyball; 12 p.m. – lunch and bridge group; 12:30 – paint and taste; and 1 – computer class. Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. – coloring group; 9 – American West video and trip to Carnegie Art Museum; 9:30 – S.O.S.; 10 – crochet and bingo; 10:30 - line dancing; 11 – walking club; 11:30 – chair yoga; 12 p.m. – ballroom dancing; 12:30 – lunch and AARP choir; and 1 – mah-jongg and computer class. Wednesday, 9 a.m. – Science of Energy video and Bible study; 10 – Drum Your Way Fit; 10:30 – resistance band flexibility training and quilting; 12 p.m. – pizza party, dominos and beginner’s ukulele; 12:30 – ukulele class and afternoon movie; and 1 - computer class. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – coloring group; 8:50 – Ancient Astronomy video; 9 – Vets Helping Vets, wood carving and Muffin Day; 9:30 – S.O.S.; 10 – chair yoga and crochet/needlework; 11 – knitting and chair volleyball; 11:45 – weekly announcements; and 12 p.m. – lunch/cash bingo. Friday, 9 a.m. – Supreme Court video, Bible study and Senior Spinning (E); 9:45 – Senior Strength with Chairs; 10 – bingo and book discussion; 10:30 – fencing; and 12 p.m. – Lunch and Learn. For information, call 330-953-1416 or visit www.austintownseniorcenter.org.

Family First Adult Day Services, 4199 Kirk Road, Austintown, will host chair yoga classes with Shannon Lehn at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The class is free, open to the community and is appropriate for all levels. For information and to register, call 330-953-2704 or email info@familyfirstads.com. If in need of care for a loved one with memory loss during the class, call Family First.

Girard Multi-Generational Center, 443 Trumbull Ave. will offer the following opportunities: Monday, mind games and yoga/Pilates at 9 a.m., stretch plus class at 9:30 and crocheting at 10:15; Tuesday, mind games at 9 a.m., cookie decorating with Windsor House at 9:15 and yoga/Pilates at 10:30 for a $5 fee; Wednesday, mind games at 9 and stretch plus class at 9:30; Thursday, mind games at 9 a.m., movie with popcorn and hot chocolate at 9:30 and yoga/Pilates class at 10:30 with $5 fee; and Friday, mind games at 9, stretch plus at 9:30 and tai chi at noon with $5 fee. Coffee bar every morning, 8:30 to 11 a.m.; fitness rooms open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wii gaming system and air hockey or ping-pong daily from 8:30 to 2. Assistance with Medicare, prescription assistance and many other senior citizen issues is offered by appointment with the center’s licensed social worker, Christine Bridgens. The center is a meal program site offering daily meals Monday through Friday through the Trumbull County Office of Elderly Affairs. Stop by or call 330-545-6596 for a menu and class details.

Guardian Angels of Trumbull County, a volunteer program of the Trumbull County Probate Court, is looking for new volunteers. Angel volunteers receive training to become advocates who reach out as friends to seniors who may need a friendly phone call, a visit in a nursing home or a visit at home. Angels also are involved in planning special events for seniors. The next meeting will take place at 5 p.m. May 14 at Shepherd of the Valley, 4100 North River Road, Warren. For information, call 330-675-2521 or visit www.trumbullprobate.org.

MVI Hospice is in need of companion volunteers to provide companionship and emotional support to patients and caregivers in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. There is a brief application, training process and background check that is conducted at no cost to the volunteer. Anyone interested in hearing more or who would like to get started should contact Christine Featsent, volunteer coordinator, 330-759-9487, ext. 247 (office); 330-506-8057 (cell); or email her at cfeatsent@mvihomecare.com.

Niles SCOPE Senior Center, 14 E. State St. SE, sponsors an art class with Kathryn Infante from 1 to 3 p.m. each Friday for $3 per lesson. There will be a new project each week. For information, call 330-544-3676.

Ohio Living Home Health and Hospice Senior Center, 1110 Fifth Ave., Youngstown, has scheduled the following activities: Tuesday, Fit for Life and brush, knife and needle club at 10, party, beginner and intermediate bridge at noon; Wednesday, watercolors at 10, tap dance at noon, 500 Bid Card club and Matter of Balance at 1 p.m. and line dancing at 1:30; Thursday, woodcarvers at 9 a.m., multimedia art and socializing at noon and Zumba at 1 p.m.; and Friday, ukulele class at 11, Lunch and Learn at 11:30 and chair yoga ($7 or $5) at 1 p.m. Call 330-744-5071 at least one week in advance for reservations for all classes and events. There will also be a Mother’s Day Strawberry Social from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m May 10, with light refreshments, door prizes and raffles. Cost is $3 for nonmembers and male guests and reservations must be made by Friday.

Ohio Living Park Vista hosts Silver Sneakers classes that are available Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:15 p.m. in the North Lounge. To find out more about Silver Sneakers, or to verify whether your health plan covers the program, visit silversneakers.com. If your health plan does not cover the program, there will be a small fee for each class. For information, call 330-746-2944, ext. 1214.

Senior Corps Retired Senior Volunteer Program, located in First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, 201 Wick Ave., is a volunteer program with the mission of linking volunteers 55 and older with a variety of volunteer opportunities within Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Volunteer activities include, but are not limited to: senior companionship, preparing/serving meals, meal delivery, providing transportation, installing smoke alarms and working with children in school or community-based settings. There are many benefits to being a volunteer with RSVP including supplemental health/auto insurance while on duty at no cost, mileage reimbursement for transportation activities, volunteer recognition events, as well as feeling connected to and making an impact in the community. The program coordinator will meet with volunteers to match them with their preferred site based on interests, skills and location. Individuals who are either interested in volunteering or have a need for volunteers, can call Maria Cavileer, program coordinator, at 330-480-0352 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or email mcavileer@fcsohio.org.

Trumbull Mobile Meals is a community-based service agency dedicated to providing a home-delivered meal service to Trumbull County residents who are homebound. Due to an increase in senior hunger in the community, volunteers are desperately needed to deliver meals in the Niles, Cortland, Howland, Warren, Vienna, Girard, Liberty and McDonald areas. Daily, 45 to 50 volunteers are now delivering meals to over 200 individuals. Volunteers are the heart of Trumbull Mobile Meals. Anyone can help if they have an hour to spare once a week or even just once a month. For information, call Terri at 330-394-2538.

Volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, is seeking volunteers. The program advocates for people who use long-term care services such as nursing homes or assisted living facilities to resolve resident concerns or complaints. Volunteer ombudsmen receive free training and are certified as ombudsman associates before beginning volunteer work. There are no experience requirements, but there is a short application. Background checks are conducted at no cost to the applicant. For information, call 330-505-2300. Applications are available online at www.aaa11.org/volunteer.html.