The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
625 New Brunswick Rd.
Somerset, NJ 08873
(908) 231-7312
Open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
OOA&DS Satellite Office Opportunity – Adalin Ball, MSW, Eldercare Educator, Somerset County Office on Aging & Disability Services, Third Wednesday of the Month, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Adalin will be at the center on Oct. 16, to answer any questions that you may have about the services that the Office on Aging & Disability Services provides, as well as offering anyone information, assistance and support as needed. Adalin will be available to meet one-on-one as requested.
State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) – State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). A counselor will be available to provide FREE help to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries who have problems, or questions about their health benefits. SHIP is a statewide program sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Call 732-563-4213 to schedule an appointment.
A Variety of Board & Card Games (Monopoly, Po-Ke-No, Yahtzee, Dominoes & Checkers) – Available Monday – Friday. If one of your favorite games is not listed and you would like to play, or if you are interested in starting a club featuring the game of your choice, please inform the staff.
Bridge, Cards & Board Game Lessons with Quail Brook Seniors & Volunteers – Thursday & Friday, 10:30 a.m. Classic games of strategy are a great opportunity for people of all skill levels to meet and socialize. Join the Quail Brook Seniors and volunteers for mind-stimulating and competitive games of Bridge, Texas Hold ‘Em,’ Monopoly, dominoes and more! If you would like to play a game that is not listed and/or if you are interested in starting a club featuring the game of your choice, please inform the staff.
Indoor Shuffleboard – Available Monday – Friday.
Table Tennis (Ping-Pong) – Available Monday – Friday. Ping-Pong (table tennis) has only been an Olympic sport since 1988. Go ahead and take a shot at this fun game. Play either singles or doubles games. It’s a great way to improve hand/eye coordination, concentration and agility.
Healthy Bones Exercise Class with Joan Ackerman – Monday, 9:15 a.m. This either is a peer-led, 24-week exercise and education program for individuals who are at risk of having osteoporosis or have it. Exercises help improve balance, strength, flexibility, and posture. Advanced registration is required. A doctor’s note is also required before the first class and then once every year. For new participants, the price is $45. This includes ankle weights, a participant’s manual and the class fee. If ankle weights are not needed the price is $15. Call Caitlin Witucki at 908-704-6339 for more information.
QBC News – Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. Enjoy discussing global breaking news and current events in a stimulating Q&A session. Fellow center members will take turns researching and sharing hot topics of the day.
The Regime Exercise Class – Monday, Thursday & Friday, 1 p.m. Get a head-to-toe workout that uses weights, stretching and aerobic movements. Learn movements that will lubricate joints for flexibility to strengthen and stabilize muscles, increase blood circulation – and with the proper diet, you may lose weight! These exercises can help decrease falls and increase the ability to better accomplish day-to-day activities. This program can be practiced while either standing or sitting and with or without hand weights. Monday – Upper Body Routine; Thursday – Mid Section Routine and Friday – Lower Body Routine. Wear comfortable and loose-fitting clothing; sneakers are required.
Continuing Art Institute with Karen Haake – Tuesday, 1 – 3 p.m. The Study of Moods Through Light and Dark (learn how art can create and alter its association impression (moods); Module 1 – Still Life Objects & Vibrant Watercolors; Module 2 – Objective Study, Watercolors & Diffused Light (modulating the level of watercolors); Module 3 – An Artist’s Study of Light Techniques (part 1 – creating luminosity); Module 4 – An Artist’s Study of Light Techniques (part 2 – creating luminosity emphasizing self-expression) and Module 5 – Night Scenes & Moonlight (juxtaposing warm colors (reds) with cool colors (blues). $10.00 fee per class; supplies are included.
Functional Fitness – Thursday, 9:15 a.m. Have fun while performing cardiovascular exercises that raise your heart rate, tone muscles in the upper and lower body and strengthen your core. Improve your balance, overall agility and increase your ability to move more easily while performing everyday activities. Sneakers are required. Cost is $40 for the eight-week program; the next session begins in November. Call 732-563-4213 for more information.
Yoga with Jade Ko – Friday, 2 p.m. Yoga is considered by many as a holistic approach to health and wellness. Practice physical poses, breathwork and meditation to improve alignment and relaxation. Please bring a mat and wear comfortable clothing that will allow for movement. Cost is $35 for the seven-week program; the next session begins in November. Call 732-563-4213 for more information.
Crochet & Knitting with Esther Fowlkes – Thursday & Friday, 10:30 a.m. Learn the difference between two methods of creating artistic patterns using fabric and yarn, a single hook or two needles. Crocheting or knitting? Which method do you think is easier? This class is for beginners, experts and those wishing to brush up on their skills. Check the monthly calendar for updates to the schedule.
Line Dancing – Friday, 9:30 a.m. Line dancing is so much fun that it doesn’t even seem like exercise! You don’t need a partner, and dancing is an easy way to stay healthy both mentally and physically. It’s suitable for participants with limited mobility and has been shown to increase cardiovascular and muscular strength and improve coordination and balance while participants work through different moves.
Oct. 1, 8, 15 & 22 – Body and Brain Yoga with Lucy Pagnetti, certified yoga instructor, 10:30 a.m. Learn a mind-body practice that combines stretching, flowing movement, deep-breathing exercises and meditation in a simple and easy-to-learn format that helps develop the body’s core strength and is the basis of physical, mental and spiritual health.
Oct. 2 & 16 – Ageless Grace Fitness Program with Roz Gerken, certified ageless grace educator, 10:30 a.m. Ageless Grace is based on the cutting-edge science of neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain and central nervous system to change structurally and functionally. This program is designed to activate all five functions of the brain (i.e. strategic planning, memory and recall, analytical thinking, creativity and imagination and kinesthetic thinking). The program is intended for participants of all abilities who will be thoroughly engaged while seated in a chair.
Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 – Yoga for Mental & Physical Wellness with Dr. Prabha Srinivas, council for Yoga Accreditation International at the S-Vyasa University of Yogic Sciences, Bangalore, India, 2 p.m. Take control of your emotional and physical well-being through the practice of yoga and meditation while reducing stress in your life. Please bring a mat and wear comfortable clothing that will allow for movement.
Oct. 3, 10, 17 & 24 – Zumba Gold with Laurie Fetcher, 10:30 a.m. With popular music designed to inspire a hearty workout, Zumba Gold makes it accessible for people age 60 plus, beginners or others needing modifications in their exercise routine. Zumba Gold builds cardiovascular health by challenging the heart and exercising the muscles of the hips, legs, and arms with fun, energetic and rhythmic moves. This fun and energetic session can be done seated in a chair or standing up. Please wear comfortable clothing that allows for dynamic movement.
Oct. 4 – “Salsa Dance Party: The Flavor and Style” with Donnamarie McCarthy, 10:30 a.m. Learn three parts of the salsa that creates such a vibrant and colorful experience when you hear and feel the music, clap your hands in syncopation to an eight-count beat and move your feet! Salsa dance originates from the Afro-Cuban dances, which is a combination of the Cha-cha-cha, Mambo, Rumba, Bomba, Danzon and French/Haitian dance styles.
Oct. 7 – “Balance: A Motor Skill to Maintain” by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, 10:30 a.m. Join this FREE clinic and screening where you will learn evidence-based practices that can help reduce your risk of falls and fall-related injuries among. Gaining balance will allow you to walk without problems and negotiate uneven ground.
Oct. 9 – Gentle Joints Yoga Demonstration with Pratibha Jani, certified yoga therapist (IAYT) and registered yoga teacher, 10:30 a.m. This demonstration is a modified version of traditional yoga where participants will learn poses to help improve flexibility, balance and muscle soreness. The class will focus on improving the health of the structural and functional joints. Breathing techniques will be introduced to promote relaxation.
Oct. 10 & 17 – Step It Up! Line Dance Lessons with Deborah Gibson and Karen Jessie, Quail Brook Seniors, 11 a.m. For fitness and fun, learn and practice these fun line dances to snappy tunes. Line dancing incorporates exercise and music and is the best way to get your toes tapping and people out on the dance floor.
Oct. 11 – “The Science of Vitamins and Supplements” by Dr. Somsuvra Shatak, director of research, USPharma Lab, 10:30 a.m. Delve into why vitamins are an important part of our diet. Learn about the chemical structure of vitamins such as A and E. Understand the difference between fat- soluble and water-soluble, natural and synthetic, vitamins and supplements and FDA approved vs. non-approved.
Oct. 14 – Center is closed.
Oct. 18, 23 & 30 – Chair Yoga with Jade Ko, certified yoga instructor, 10:30 a.m. Participants will practice a series of specific poses adapted from regular yoga poses when seated in a chair. This gentle form of yoga can be an effective way to improve one’s overall health by increasing strength, flexibility, mental clarity and proprioception, and it can help reduce stress when practiced regularly.
Oct. 21 – “What’s Cooking: Winter Squash” by Aliz Holmann, registered dietitian, ShopRite/Wakefern, 10:30 a.m. Learn the six different varieties of squash along with tips on how to cook squash, such as baking, roasting, boiling and even microwaving. A tasting demonstration of this nutritious, savory fruit will be provided.
Oct. 24 – “Copper Ore and Jewelry Making” by Consuela Alberg, Quail Brook Senior and jewelry designer, 11 a.m. Consuela will give you step by step instructions for creating bracelets with innovative jewelry designs using copper that can be worn by men and women or given as a unique gift.
Oct. 25 – “Scary-Fun Musicals” by Sam and Candy Caponegro, 10:30 a.m. Are you thrilled by musicals? Travel with Sam and Candy on a creepy-crawly journey, exploring musicals such as the “Rocky Horror Show,” The Addams Family,” “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” and more. They dare you not to enjoy it!
Oct. 28 – “Somerset Tech: Stories of Personalities and Technologies from Somerset County” by Jim DelGiudice, photographer and educator, The Judson Lecture Series, 10:30 a.m. Join the center for an interesting presentation. Learn how the county has been home to technological innovation since the days of Lord Sterling’s astronomy.This program has been made possible by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey Historical Commission.
Oct. 29 – “Cultural Diversity: Embracing the Art of Co-Existing” by the Quail Brook Seniors, 10:30 a.m. Visit a cultural fair. Learn where our center’s friends originated from and their culture. Find out about their unique style, flavor, holidays, music and language. Being exposed to a variety of cultures provides an opportunity to bring new tastes, traditions, experiences and new friendships. What a great way to promote mutual understanding and respect.
Oct. 31 – Halloween Spooktacular, 10:45 a.m. Today we will take a trip to the Senior Wellness Center at Bridgewater for a “Halloween Spooktacular.” Where they will host a costume contest and a Monster Mash dance-off to the sounds of DJ Gio. Expect black cats, ghosts and everything that puts the howl in Halloween!
