Senior Notes

by Cora Flood

Thanks to Jim Culligan, artist, reiki master and strong advocate for laughter being your best medicine who visited us here at the IPC Quincy one Wednesday morning in late July. Jim, a cancer survivor puts his rapid recovery from illness down to in no small part his time spent laughing, meditating and indulging his passion for art.

He explained how endorphins are released into our bodies when we laugh, at a silly joke, a funny situation, even from watching a comedy on TV. Our facial muscles and cardiovascular system get a good work too. The method of getting one to laugh or giggle is not important. It is the actual physical and emotional part of laughing which aides our healing. Jim highly recommends the movie “Patch Adams” for a good howl! Give it a try and watch out for the stitches in your side…….

Jim will be back visiting in September, if you wish to see him in person and learn more about “Pain Management”, “Giggle Galleries” and “laughter being the best medicine” plan on calling by 953 Hancock Street, Quincy.

Get your Irish Passport for FREE

Irish seniors in the U.S. are entitled to free Irish passports thanks to an initiative from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

From August 1, 2005, passport fees were waived for Irish citizens aged 65 and over. The free scheme applies to Irish seniors living in Ireland and abroad, including those living in the U.S. The initiative recognized the years of service and hard work of the nation’s senior citizens. “The life-long contribution to society of our senior citizens is being further recognized by the introduction of free passports. This will benefit over 60,000 such persons annually — about 10% of those who apply for passports annually” former Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said. Anyone aged 65 and over is not required to pay the fee for the issue of a standard 10-year passport.

To get your Irish passport application, call the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston at 617 267 9330. They will mail you out the application and filing instructions.

Lúnasa Reminder

Saturday August 23^rd from 7:00 PM until 12 midnight

Join friends and family down at the Irish Cultural Centre for an evening of dancing, music, tasty supper and a celebration of Lúnasa the ancient Irish Harvest Festival.

This gathering is being supported by Irish Pastoral Centre, Irish Immigration Centre, CARES, Eire Society, Charitable Irish, Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, Ceol Tradisiunta na hEireann and the Irish Cultural Centre of New England.

Suggested donation $10…

Bus will run from Brighton and Quincy.

Please call Cora at 617-479-7404 for more details.

Happy travels… Cora