Senior Notes

Cora Flood

Row, Row, Row Your Boat Gently Down Main Street!

This nursery rhyme has been on the tip of my tongue for the past fortnight with the stories being relayed back to Boston from relatives living in flooded zones around Ireland still pouring in.

I trust all our readers have had a pleasant Thanksgiving holiday and were especially thankful that we made it to this late in November without a snowstorm or terrible frost. We have been able to run our senior programs at full throttle and have the December calendar already filled with interesting guest speakers and fun activities thrown in for good measure.

Blood Pressure Screening

Thanks to Marie Burke, RN and Cork City native for running our blood pressure clinic this month.  Marie will be at the Irish Pastoral Centre again on Wednesday December 16^th from 9:30am to 11:30am. She will speak about Blood Pressure maintenance and then is available for 1:1 consultation on health related matters.

Home Alone!

I am not speaking about the cute movie from a few years back in this paragraph; rather I would like to bring to your attention to the fact that we have friendly volunteers who are available to visit with members of our community, those who are currently home bound, due to ill health or chronic shyness. If you know someone who is not getting out at all and would welcome a visit, once, twice you name it, we can arrange it. Our volunteers are all experienced home visitors and some can if requested bring Holy Communion. Call Cora at 617 479 7404 x 13 for details.

At this time of the year, we regularly hear from friends about how they would like to help others who are down on their luck or having a tough time making ends meet. Here are two concrete opportunities to give back discreetly ….

Annual Ciara Durkin Toy Drive

To benefit Toys for Tots at the Kennedy Senior Centre

440 East Squantum Street (Wollaston Beach), Quincy, MA.

Saturday December 5^th from 12 noon to 2:00pm

Bring an unwrapped, new toy to donate and join in the festivities.

My Brothers Keeper Christmas Assistance Program

The Senior Program of the Irish Pastoral Centre is a collection site for this endeavor.

New Gifts - toys, clothes or store gift certificates are especially welcome. All items must be NEW AND UNWRAPPED. Suggested gifts you can donate include - toys, dolls and board games for children, basketballs, footballs, perfumes and skin lotions for adults, gloves, mittens, hats and scarves, sweaters, seat suits, socks, jackets, coats, long sleeve blouses. Popular children’s stuff includes anything Dora the Explorer or High School Musical themed.

For more information about My Brothers Keeper call 508 238 7512 or www.mybrotherskeeper.org

Safety for seniors

Lt. Dan Minton, Quincy Police Department is our guest speaker on Wed. December 2nd at the Irish Pastoral Centre, 953 Hancock Street, Quincy. Stop by between 9:30am and 11:30am.

Coffee is always fresh, the tea strong, Mike’s cake delicious and the service next to none.

For more information on any aspect of the Senior Citizen Outreach Program call Cora Flood

at (617) 479 7404 x 13.