Liz Oeffinger
Health and Wellness Coordinator
loeffinger@shelbyseniorservices.orgLiz has attended Indiana University studying Human Development and Family Studies. Liz has worked in the senior community for 3 years.
You always hear about the importance of daily exercise but often forgotten are exercises you can do to keep your mind active. It is equally important to participate in activities that challenge the brain. As we get older, we become less physically and mentally active. Practicing challenging mental activities can help to increase memory function, reduce risk of dementia, and improve overall health. Here are a few ways you can work your mind and increase cognitive function:
- Learn something new! Start a new class — anything from learning a foreign language to taking a cooking class, to figuring out programs on a computer. Educational classes can help to challenge your mind as well as teach you some new and useful things!
- Practice exercises involving your brain! Certain exercises such as yoga, dance classes, and even golf utilize both mind and body. Get a great workout in more than one way with thoughtful exercise.
- Play games with the grandkids! Board games, cards, checkers, and chess! Along with providing fun and entertainment, games such as these can help with memory recall, logic, and strategy.
- Work some puzzles! It can come in the form of a crossword, number grid, word search, or a jigsaw and it’ll do the trick of getting your brain going. Whether you’re on the go or at home, puzzles work on problem solving and engaging the brain.
- Read a book! Whether you like to shop for books at the book store, download them to a tablet, or check them out at the library, reading helps to increase and maintain cognitive skills and may even boost your vocabulary.
Shelby Senior Services offers a variety of opportunities to support active lifestyles for building strength.
Yumba Gold is here!! Join us on the 1st & 3rd Monday each month. The class focuses on balance, strength, range of motion and coordination. Cost is $5.00 per class. What a fun way to get healthy!!
Parkinson’s Exercise and Support Group: This is a FREE event that meets at SportWorks at the Renovo Clinic on Wednesday August 8th and Wednesday August 22nd from 11:00-11:30 a.m. led by Lakin Covey.
Where: Sports Works at ReNovo
275 West Bassett Road, Shelbyville 46176
Transportation services available through ShelbyGo. Must schedule your ride by calling 317-398-7614
Can You Help Us?
The agency offers blood pressure and blood sugar checks to seniors every Friday morning 8:30-9:30 a.m. Can you help administer those for us? Call 317-398-0127.
Active Lifestyle Enhance Safety, Socialization
Senior Services offers a variety of opportunities to support active lifestyles for building strength. Fitness programs include:
Geri-Fit has changed it’s time!
Classes will now take place Tuesday afternoons at 1:00pm. Join us for healthy snacks and exercises May 1st. If you attend four classes within May 1st to June 26th, your name will be put into a raffle for a prize! Join us for some strength training, fall prevention, and muscle building. There’s no cost for this program, only healthy benefits and rewards! This is a chair exercise, strength training, and muscle building and maintaining class for seniors. This class prevents falls and reduces arthritic conditions. Please bring your water bottle and two 2 lb. weights. Please contact Liz Oeffinger if you are interested in the class or have questions.
Yoga:
Chair yoga Mondays at 12:30-1:00 p.m. Cost is $5; regular yoga Mondays at 1:00p.m. Cost is $5. Class is led by certified instructor Jerrillee Lucas. Classes are helpful for balance, flexibility, and strength. Anyone is welcome to attend!
T’ai Chi Alumni:
Thursdays at 11 a.m.
Bowling:
Every Friday, 12:30 p.m. for anyone 60 years of age and older at Blue River Bowl, 1601 S. Miller St. Either $2 per game or colored pin bowling at three games for $7.50.
Walk with Ease:
Wednesday at 1:00 pm and Friday 11:00 am. We meet at Sunset Park, if it rains we will go to Shelbyville Parks Department to walk inside.
Line Dancing:
Line dancing two times per month, the 2nd and 4th Thursday.
Rock Steady Boxing:
Attention: Punch back against Parkinson’s! Rock Steady Boxing Shelby County is a non-contact exercise program designed for those with Parkinson’s. Each class helps to improve physical and mental health through boxing, exercises, and friendship. Stop by a class to see what it is all about! If you have Parkinson’s and are interested in becoming a boxer with ROCK STEADY BOXING, please contact Liz Oeffinger at 317-398-0127 for more information. Classes meet every Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.; Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.; as well as Saturday 9:30 a.m. (call for Saturday availability) at the Briley Family Center located at 762 Fair Avenue, Shelbyville.