By DEBRA RADECKY
Medina County Office for Older Adults

Medina County Office for Older Adults
246 Northland Drive, Medina
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Director: Debra Radecky
Phone: 330-723-9514, 330-336-6657 or 330-225-7100
Fax: 330-723-9506 e-mail: MCOOA@medinaco.org
Web site: www.co.medina.oh.us/ooa/office.htm

Our 90 and older birthday party will be held Sept. 5. Any senior 90 or older by Sept. 5 can register for a free lunch and program. Call the office to get details and register for this really fun event.

Also, call our office for details on how we can help you or any senior in the county. Most of our services are free. Funding for our programs come from the Medina County commissioners, the Ohio Department on Aging through the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging and your donations.
All programs listed are held at the Medina County Senior Center unless otherwise noted.

Bingo
Bingo is offered at 10 a.m. the first, second and fourth Wednesday of each month and every Friday.

Car Doctor
The Car Doctor is in from 10 to 11 a.m. every Monday. No appointment is needed. Leo Swancer, a retired auto mechanic and vocational school teacher, provides free automotive advice.

Community Legal Aid
Community Legal Aid will be here from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 19 to answer questions or give guidance in seeking help with problems. No reservations required.

Congregate meals
Hot congregate meals are offered at no charge at three nutrition sites; they are funded by the Ohio Department on Aging and the Medina County Commissioners. Lunches are served on Wednesday and Friday in Brunswick; on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in Medina; and Monday through Friday in Wadsworth. They are served at 11:30 a.m. at all locations. Pre-registration is required and can be done by phone. Reservations are taken a week in advance. Call the office for a list of menus and participation requirements.

Day trips
The MCOOA is offering day trips to various sites and programs in Northeast Ohio. For information about the Aug. 28 trip to the Hartville Kitchen, call Jenny at the center.

Fun Fridays
Every Friday is TGIF at the center. Morning activities include bingo, Jeopardy and exercise classes. Luncheon is served at 11:30 a.m. for only $3.50 per person (advance reservations required). Stay and enjoy an entertaining and/or informative program at noon.

Call the office for details or to request a menu for August. All information is available on the Internet at www.co.medina.oh.us.

August programs are:
o Aug. 8 — Identity Theft presented by Dean Holman;
o Aug. 15 — Carpel Tunnel Syndrome;
o Aug. 22 — The Amber Room of Russia presented by Zoya Wilson;
o Aug. 29 — Non-medical Strategies for High Blood Pressure.

Game Day
Game Day begins today at 9:30 a.m.

Golden Buckeye Cards
Golden Buckeye Cards are available to anyone older than 60 who holds a driver’s license or a state ID card. Come to our office with your ID or license, and we can help you apply. Call our office for more details. The Golden Buckeye Web site is www.goldenbuckeye.org.

Health and exercise
Lifeline screening — A Lifeline screening presentation will be held noon Aug. 1. Lifeline screening will begin at 9 a.m. Aug. 7.

Cholesterol screening — A free cholesterol screening provided by Elmcroft of Medina will be held from 10 a.m. Aug. 18. Pre-registration is required; call for details.

Gentle Yoga for Seniors — Gentle Yoga for Seniors will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Mondays. It’s “no-impact” exercise for flexibility, balance and strength. Yoga relieves stress and brings harmony to body, mind and spirit. Bring a mat or blanket and wear loose clothing. The first class is free; after that the cost is $2 per class, payable at class time. Call the office to register.

Exercise — Free, senior-led Dynaband exercise is offered at 10:30 a.m. Mondays and Fridays.

Arthritis Approved Exercise class — Arthritis Approved Exercise is offered from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, taught by instructors certified by the Arthritis Association. This is a free, low-impact exercise program with Dynabands for endurance-building and joint mobility. The free class, sponsored by Medina Village Retirement Community, includes health education and relaxation components; results are increased functional ability, increased self-care behaviors, decreased pain and decreased depression.

Blood pressure screening — Free blood pressure screening is provided by Medina Village Retirement Community from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.

Tai chi — Tai chi meets at 2 p.m. every Friday in the dining room. The cost is $40 for eight weeks; the first class is free. This is an ongoing program, so stop in and join on any Friday. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. No registration is required.

Jam session
Move to the music at the 1 p.m. jam session Aug. 14.

Movie matinee
The matinee movie “Dan in Real Life” will be shown at noon Aug. 27. Come and watch the movie and enjoy root beer floats for 25 cents.

Nutrition
Sheila Klimas of the Ohio State University Extension Service will hold informative, free nutrition classes for seniors at 11 a.m. Aug. 19 in the dining room. No reservations are required.

Regular programs

Book Club — In collaboration with the Medina County District Library, the book club meets at 9:30 a.m. the first Monday of the month.

Chess and checkers — Join this free program at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays. Call the center for details.

Crafts — Crafts are offered from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; the program is run by seniors for seniors. A special craft project will be offered at 10 a.m. Aug. 20.

Pinochle — Pinochle is played at noon every Friday.

Pool — The pool players invite you to join them from 8 to 11:30 a.m. every morning. Bring your own cue stick or use one of ours. This is a free program.

Scrabble — Exercise your brain. Scrabble players will meet at 9:30 a.m. every Thursday in the Healthy Corners room. OOA provides the game board. Call Jenny for details.

Serendipity — The Serendipity group meets for Bible study at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.

Sewing workshop — A free sewing workshop is offered at 10 a.m. Mondays for those who would like to learn to sew or practice making small crafts. Call Jenny or Melinda for details.

Support groups

Alzheimer’s — This support group meets from 12:30 to 2 p.m. the third Wednes-day each month in the craft room. Call Michelle at the center for details.

CAPS — Children of Aging Parents is a free support service offered to adults requesting help with their parents’ needs. Call Debra or Don for details.

Parkinson’s — The group usually meets from 1 to 2:30 p.m. the first Thurs-day of the month in the dining room. Call for de-tails of the next scheduled meeting.

MS Support Group — This free support group meets from 6 to 8:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month in the dining room of the Office for Older Adults. For more information, call Bob at 330-721-7540, Karen at 330-723-7283 or Kincaid (NMSS office) at 800-667-7131.

Friends N’ Focus — A free support group for those vision-impaired or blind, it helps people make contacts for assistance, provides information and raises funds for purchasing items for members of the community with blindness issues. The group also provides services and equipment for vision loss, shares experiences and gives encouragement. Friends N’ Focus meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month in Healthy Corners.

Circle of Friends — Robertson Bereavement Center, a community outreach of Hospice of Medina County, facilitates Circle of Friends, a social dinner group for widows, widowers and people 60 and older who have experienced the death of someone close. They will meet for an annual picnic at 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at Buckeye Woods Park. Guests with last names starting with A-P should bring side dishes. Guests with last names starting with R-Z should bring dessert. Also, everyone should bring a non-alcoholic drink and table setting. No reservations are required. For more information, contact the Robertson Bereavement Center at 330-725-1900 or 800-700-4771.

Radecky is the director of the Medina County Office for Older Adults.