February’s A Short Month – But Long On Activities For Seniors

From dancing and gardening to cooking and card playing, there’s no shortage of activities for Lower Cape seniors this month. Some activities require a small fee, and registration is often required. Remember that senior centers and community centers will be closed on Feb. 17 for Presidents’ Day.

 In Chatham, the Center for Active Living is offering a host of wellness activities in February, with the weekly blood pressure clinic Thursdays from 9 to 10 a.m., office hours with the town clinician in the afternoon, and the monthly foot care clinic on Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. But those aren’t necessarily fun ways to fill February, so consider these activities: the indoor walking group and chair yoga groups meet twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with bridge and cribbage masters every Friday. There’s a cooking class on Feb. 19 at 1:30 p.m., and Groove and Move Dance for seniors on Feb. 26. For details, call 508-945-5190. Over at the community center, the fitness center is open daily, and there are various fitness classes from circuit training to tai chi and indoor walking. There are pick-up basketball and badminton games for adults, and several types of yoga. Get the full schedule at chathamma.myrec.com, or call 508-945-5175.

 The Harwich Council on Aging offers a weekly foot care clinic on Wednesdays at 9, and the town nurse holds wellness clinics on Mondays at 4 p.m. and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. There are all kinds of opportunities for exercise, with the Balance Boosters group meeting Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 12:15 p.m.; senior workout sessions, tai chi classes and chair yoga is also available. If cards are your thing, there’s mahjong on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and cribbage on Fridays at 1, or try Mexican train dominoes Wednesdays at 1. You can even learn how to play the ukelele in classes on Mondays. There’s a men’s breakfast on Feb. 14 and a women’s breakfast on Feb. 28, both at 9:30 a.m. Find out what’s going on at www.HarwichCOA.com, or call 508-430-7550.

 From lunches and fitness classes to movies and a book club, there’s plenty going on at the Orleans Council on Aging. There’s Dance Fit with Jenny every Tuesday at 2 p.m., and participants can come with no previous dance experience and explore movement as a way to get exercise, boost mood and connect with others. If February’s days are feeling long and lonely, don’t miss the Winter Wonderland Warm-up on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Get out of the house and connect with others over homemade treats and a hot cocoa bar, with music from Julie Charland. Have you been procrastinating about your taxes? The AARP Tax Aide Program provides trained tax counselors every Monday morning by appointment to help low- and moderate-income taxpayers complete their tax returns for free. There’s mahjong every Friday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m., and if you’re already feeling spring fever, there’s an introduction to gardening scheduled for Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. hosted by Master Gardener Cherie Bryan. For a full roundup of activities, visit the COA’s page on the town website or call 508-255-6333.

 Not to be outdone, Brewster has its own host of things to do in February. The council on aging offers blood pressure and glucose testing every Monday at 10 a.m., with lots of wellness programs from chair yoga and swimming to yoga and qi gong. On Thursdays, you can learn to knit or crochet, play bingo, try meditation or take part in the men’s coffee club. Thursdays in February include an outing to the Dunbar Tea Room, a “sound bath,” and the Bookworm Book Club at the Ladies’ Library. Try your hand at watercolor painting every Monday at 9:30 a.m., and on Wednesdays, learn or brush up on conversational Spanish or French. For all the details, call 508-896-2737. And over at the recreation department, there are pickleball clinics for all levels of players and table tennis every Saturday; call 508-896-9430 for details or visit www.BrewsterRecreation.com.