The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Because March is recognized as National Nutrition Month, the Senior Wellness Centers are hosting a range of programs that educate seniors about nutrition and offer easy to follow tips for maintaining a balanced diet that will support their overall health and wellbeing.
March is also known for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The program schedule offers participants many opportunities to socialize and enjoy entertainment, including musical performances, a Luck of the Irish St. Patrick’s Day party, and Lynn Academy’s Irish Dance presentations.
Other highlights of March include the early beginning of daylight savings time on March 8 and the official start of spring on March 20. With the increased sunshine and hopefully warmer weather, older adults who are motivated to become more active can choose from a variety of activities, including yoga, line dancing, core strength training, meditation, fall prevention, and more.
For individuals who are either at risk of or already have osteoporosis, the Basking Ridge, Bridgewater, and Quail Brook senior centers also offer Project Healthy Bones, a peer-led, 24-week education and exercise program that focuses on helping people improve their balance, strength, flexibility, and posture.
Somerset County residents who are 60+ and caregivers who support this population are eligible to attend. Interested residents must call or visit the center to register. Proof of identification, age, and residency are required. Programs are free for registered members unless indicated otherwise.
Somerset County-operated senior wellness centers offer a nutritionally balanced lunch, Monday through Friday, for a suggested donation of $2.50. The cost of lunch for those under 60 is $8.76. Menu choices include a hot meat-based or meatless entrée or a cold meat-based or meatless boxed lunch. Make lunch reservations prior to 10 a.m. on the previous business day by calling the senior center you wish to attend.
The Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services (OOA&DS) provides information regarding aging safely in place and in the community. Those over 60 who need assistance with daily life activities are welcome to attend with a caregiver. For assistance, including caregiver support and resources, contact the main office at (908) 704-6346 or (888) 747-1122. Staff are available to meet you at a center or in your home.
QUAIL BROOK SENIOR CENTER
625 New Brunswick Road
Somerset, NJ 08873
(908) 203-6151
Stronger Seniors: Stretch – Mondays, 1 p.m. Stretch your muscles and loosen your joints with this wonderful, pre-recorded program! You can remain seated while stretching your whole body. You’ll feel such a difference in just 45 minutes.
Knitting & Crochet Club – Mondays, 1 p.m. Knitting and crocheting are not only enjoyable activities but also have benefits for brain health! Come reduce your stress and make connections with other knitters and crocheters. No experience necessary.
Phase 10 – Tuesdays, 10 a.m. Phase 10 is a rummy-type card game where players compete to be the first to finish completing all ten phases. No experience? No problem! We can teach you. Join us for this fun game of strategy!
Walking Club – Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m. Enjoy this fresh air outdoor movement that keeps you moving in the right direction, improving flexibility, lowering blood pressure, elevating your mood, and socializing with friends (weather permitting).
Take Control with Exercise – Tuesdays, 1 p.m. This is an ongoing exercise program, in video form, for all skill levels that can be practiced while either standing or sitting. This program will strengthen core muscles and improve flexibility and balance while boosting stamina.
Geri-Fit – Tuesdays & Fridays, 10 a.m. Rebuild the strength lost through the aging process to gain a higher level of functioning. This class combines strength training with stretching and range-of-motion exercises, stability, and balance training for fall prevention, cardiovascular activity for heart health, and gait exercises to help improve walking. **Weights and stretch bands provided. Bring water. Exercises are done sitting in chairs. Standing is optional. Space is limited.** This unique and beneficial evidence-based exercise program is facilitated 2x/week, for 8 weeks (total 16 classes). Pre-registration required for classes in March & April. Please call (908) 203-6151.
Journaling & Scrapbooking Group – Tuesdays, 1 p.m. Journaling is a deliberate practice of reflective writing aimed at personal development, emotional processing, and increased self-awareness. It has been proven to relieve stress, organize your thoughts, improve memory and increase self-awareness. Sit with other clients and learn how they journal and take some quiet time to write your own notes.
Rediscovering Your Own Happiness with Antonia – Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Happiness cannot be found, bought, given or taken in pill form. Happiness is a gift we were born with. It lives within each of us. Antonia, a Quail Brook Senior Center client who has been studying happiness since she was a child, will bestow some of her knowledge on how we can rediscover and enhance our happiness.
Chair Yoga with Saryu Dalal, Certified Yoga Instructor – Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. Chair Yoga offers numerous physical benefits, including improved flexibility, strength, and balance. By practicing Chair Yoga regularly, individuals can increase their range of motion, reduce the risk of injury, and maintain or improve their overall physical fitness. For those with limited mobility or chronic health conditions, Chair Yoga can provide a gentle, low-impact way to stay active and maintain muscle tone. Saryu will guide us in this wonderful program. Restarting March 18th.
Rummikub – Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. This fast moving “board” game is full of changes as players maneuver the tiles on the table. It combines luck and strategy, with every player having a chance to win until the very end. Rummikub helps with social interaction, and mental stimulation, provides relaxation, and provides amazing fun. Time flies when you are having fun! All levels of playing ability are welcome.
Gentle Aerobics with Bina – Mondays and Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. Bina will show you how to exercise and move without putting undue pressure or strain on your body. Practice movements will increase blood circulation, lubricate joints for flexibility, and strengthen individual muscles. These exercises may help to decrease falls and make it easier to accomplish day-to-day activities. This program can be done while either standing or sitting and is open to all abilities.
Line Dancing 101 with Deborah – Thursdays, 1 p.m. During this introduction to line dancing, Deborah will teach a new line dance weekly so you can become familiar with line dancing steps and movements. Each class will incorporate a new movement to grow your skills.
Ukulele Group for Beginners – Thursdays, 1 p.m. A ukulele group is a great way for individuals to learn and play music together. All levels are welcome! Come have fun and learn new skills on the ukulele together. See Joy Merkel with any questions.
Project Healthy Bones with Sara, Peer Leader Sponsored by Parker Life – Thursdays, 2 p.m. (March 26 – September 17, 2026). Project Healthy Bones is a strength training exercise program for older adults at risk of osteoporosis. It was developed to provide older adults with exercises that target the body’s larger muscle groups to improve strength, balance, and flexibility. The program is a 24-week curriculum of exercise, nutrition, safety, drug therapy, and osteoporosis-related lifestyle factors. Advanced registration is required. A doctor’s note is also required before the first class and once every year.
Line Dancing with Deborah – Fridays, 9 a.m. Line dancing is so much fun, it does not seem like exercise! You do not need a partner and it’s an easy way to stay mentally and physically healthy. It is suitable for people with limited mobility and improves cardiovascular and muscular strength, coordination, and balance as you work through the different moves.
Mahjong Club – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. Mahjong is a great game to keep your brain sharp and supercharged. This club is for anyone who loves the game, wants to meet new people, and have some fun. This is not a competitive club. Join fellow center members to play this thought-provoking game. Club size is limited; registration required. For more information, please call: (908) 203-6151.
Your Essence of Yoga – Fridays, 1 p.m. Yoga sessions are uniquely different, starting with the instructor and how information and teaching are imparted. Let us open our signal paths and learn another approach to finding the essence of yoga.
March 2, 11 a.m. – Karaoke with Crystal. Singing stimulates multiple brain processes, making it a captivating hobby and way of engaging with the world. Join us for a fun time with Crystal as she leads us in karaoke, which is bound to encourage a lot of interaction and smiles as we sing along to songs that we know and love.
March 3, 11 a.m. – The Benefits of Physical Therapy with Sheryl Bunca of Fyzical Therapy. Physical Therapy offers a range of benefits that can significantly improve a person’s quality of life. Sheryl will help us to understand the areas where we benefit most, especially where it relates to seniors.
March 4 & 18, 1 p.m. – Zumba Gold with Laurie Fetcher. Get your blood pumping with some zesty music that will truly inspire a hearty workout. This class is achievable for beginners or others who need modifications to their exercise routine. Build cardiovascular health by challenging your heart and working your hip, leg, and arm muscles by performing fun and rhythmic moves all while either standing or sitting.
March 5 & 12, 11 a.m. – Hip Hop for Seniors with Tom McKie. Seniors, ditch the sofa and find you inner groove with creative movements that will get you moving, grooving, and laughing your way to the dance floor. Tom is coming back to teach us some new dance moves!
March 9, 11 a.m. – Life Insurance Information and End of Life Resources with Kimberly Banks of Lincoln Heritage. Kimberly is coming back, by popular demand, to answer all our insurance questions! She will discuss the different types of life insurance available to alleviate financial burden on your family.
March 10, 11 a.m. – St. Patrick’s Day Craft. Come decorate tote bags for St. Patrick’s Day at Quail Brook! Paint, fabric markers and other supplies provided.
March 11 & 25, 11 a.m. – Drawing Portraits with Barbara Yaney. Barbara is coming back to teach us the basics of drawing portraits. Bring your family photos and Barbara will help to sketch a beautiful portrait of your family and friends.
March 13, 11 a.m. – Somerset County Traveling Library. Are you curious about new library offerings, or maybe you would like to sign up for a library card? Join Somerset County staff to sign up for a library card, get help troubleshooting technology, check out a book, or just share a favorite book you are currently reading.
March 17, 11 a.m. – Luck of the Irish Saint Patrick’s Day Party/Casino Day sponsored by Foothill Acres.Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a fun casino day, sponsored by Caitlyn Meador of Foothill Acres. Try your luck at the roulette table, poker table or blackjack! Kindly pre-register with Joy.
March 18, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Blood Pressure Screenings with Nina Raps, BSParm, RPh, from Rutgers Ernesto School of Pharmacy. Nina and pharmacy students will be providing blood
pressure screenings and educational information about staying healthy.
March 18, 11 a.m. – Information on Seasonal Allergies with Nina Raps, BSParm, RPh, from Rutgers Ernesto School of Pharmacy. Spring is right around the corner! With the warmer weather and beautiful flower, can come the start of spring allergies. Nina and Rutgers University Pharmaceutical students will help us to understand what we can do to feel our best when allergies arise.
March 19, 11 a.m. – Health and Wellness Benefits of Transportation with Sarah Chelli and Sean Castellano of RideWise. Sarah and Sean will share the benefits of using senior transportation. They will also cover accessible travel resources for seniors as you move in and around the county.
March 20, 11 a.m. – Ageless Grace with Roz Gerken, Certified Ageless Grace Educator. This exercise program is based on the cutting-edge science of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain and central nervous system to change structurally and functionally. The program is designed to activate all five functions of the brain to include strategic planning, memory and recall, analytical thinking, creativity and imagination and kinesthetic thinking. The program is intended for participants of all abilities while thoroughly engaged and seated in a chair.
March 23, 11 a.m. – Bingo. Bingo is more than just an exciting activity. Researchers have found that playing Bingo has multiple benefits, such as promoting socialization, strengthening hand-eye coordination, and improving concentration, listening, and short-term memory, all with a little bit of friendly competition.
March 24, 11 a.m. – Women’s Heart Health with Ambar Leon of First Light Home Care. Over 60 million women in the United States are living with some form of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States and can affect women at any age. Ambar will share with us information to help keep our hearts healthy.
March 26, 11 a.m. – ProCure Proton Therapy with Sarah Ferrington. Learn the benefits of Proton Therapy in fighting cancer. Sarah will share information on how it works and the progress it’s making in the field.
March 27, 11 a.m. – “I Should Have Known That” Trivia with Quail Brook Staff. This is an addictively entertaining trivia game with a variety of questions about things you should know. In contrast to traditional trivia formats, you don’t receive points for answering correctly. Instead, points are subtracted for every incorrect number.
March 30, 11 a.m. – Pedal Steel with Gordon Wells. Gordon will be back to share his amazing talent on the pedal steel!
March 31, 11 a.m. – Jeopardy with the Somerset County Youth Council. The kids of the Somerset County Youth Council will be back to play jeopardy and other games with our clients. Come spend time with our local youth for some fun!
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