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Welcome to fall! And welcome back to Harpswell Aging at Home’s free Friends Together program. Friends Together will meet on four Thursdays, Oct. 22 and 29 and Nov. 5 and 12. The location will be the Harpswell Town Office except for the Oct. 29 session, which will be at the Orr’s Island Schoolhouse.
Each week’s gathering will include an hour of chair yoga followed by a wellness information session, plus the opportunity to meet new friends. Transportation to and from Friends Together is available by calling People Plus at 207-729-0757 at least three days in advance.
Janet Alexander, who has been practicing and teaching yoga for 25 years, will lead off each session from 9-10 a.m. with chair yoga, a series of movements designed to keep your mind relaxed and your body strong and flexible. Chair yoga is accessible to everyone. Be prepared to laugh and connect with others in a nonjudgmental community of friends.
MaineHealth offers an eight-week program called “A Matter of Balance” in which participants learn to view falls as controllable, set goals to increase their activity levels, make changes to reduce their risk of falling at home, and exercise to increase strength and balance. At our Oct. 22 Friends Together session, Maureen Higgins will give us a preview of this useful and fun program from 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Ashley Butterfield, executive director of Bath-Brunswick Respite Care, will discuss “the red folder” on Oct. 29 from 10:15-11:15 a.m. The red folder is designed to be a practical, living document that can be updated as circumstances change, helping individuals and families prepare for unexpected situations and organize important information before it is needed. Accidents, serious illness and cognitive decline can affect anyone, at any age. Having the right documents in place protects your interests and spares your loved ones from having to make difficult decisions without clear direction.
On Nov. 5 from 10:15-11:45 a.m., Kim Howe will present “Calm the Chaos: Understanding Your Clutter Personality,” exploring the connection between our belongings, our habits, and the ways our brains approach clutter. This program will include opportunities to recognize your unique clutter pattern and explore options that might feel better for you to create calm, comfortable, organized space when life feels overwhelming. You’ll leave with practical, approachable strategies for becoming the “clutter boss” of your own home.
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputy Jay Ward will review how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the current methods criminals are using to defraud Maine residents with “Spoofs, Scams and Fraud” on Nov. 12 from 10:15-11:15 a.m. Ward will share examples of sophisticated scams and fraud attempts perpetrated by telephone, email and AI. He will recommend ways to protect your Social Security number, credit rating, vehicle and personal identity.
Free blood pressure checks by registered nurses will be offered each week between and after sessions.
For more information, please contact Gayle Hays at 207-522-8841 or healtheducation@hah.community, or consult Harpswell Aging at Home’s website, hah.community.
