By Sara Schafer

Mower County Senior Center

Why do some people, as they age, “keep their smarts?”

That is, they maintain their cognitive functions well when others do not? If you are at all like me, I have always been curious about this. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be around a lot of spunky, enthusiastic, well aged seniors.

You may not know it, but I am always taking note to try and figure out how I can age like them. There have been a number of longitudinal studies done that indicate the successful agers share four traits:

• They are more mentally active.
• They are more physically active.
• They maintain a sense of their social engagement. In other words, they see themselves as still having roles to play in life — in their families, communities, or even in continuing employment.
• They pay attention to controlling the risk factors for disease of the heart and brain. They may stop smoking, control their blood pressure, keep cholesterol within normal limits by diet or medications, and/or recognize and treat diabetes.

It appears that these factors reinforce one another: the more of them people follow the better.

If you are looking for opportunities to practice these traits look no further. We always have something going on here at the center.

If you are interested in challenging your brain, check out the latest seminars and classes we have. Your body, we have tai-chi once a week on Wednesdays, SilverSneakers two times per week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Exercise with Evie’s Friends three days a week, Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, just to name a few.

If you are looking for that social opportunity, we are always looking for volunteers or just come in to the coffee shop where there is always someone to talk to. If you are interested in volunteering, please give Teresa a call for more information or to sign up. You are always welcome at the Mower County Senior Center.

Don’t forget our coffee shop where every day you can have homemade soup for $1 and sandwich for 50 cents. Tuesday, July 2nd we will be having scalloped potatoes and ham for $2. You are always welcome at the center.

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Upcoming Events

Monday: Blood pressure checks,  9 a.m.; SAIL Bone Builders, 9 a.m.; Walking Club, 9 a.m.;  Cards (Pinochle, Bridge) 12:30 p.m.; Exercise with Evies Friends, 1 p.m.; Facebook, 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Silver Sneakers, 8:15 a.m.; Exercise with Evies Friends, 9 a.m.; Scalloped potatoes and ham, 11:30 a.m.; Cards (Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, 500), 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday:Tai Chi, 9 a.m.; Walking Club, 9 a.m.; Weight Watchers, 12:15 p.m.; Cards (Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage), 12:30 p.m.; Stitching Bees, 1 p.m.; Open chess 1 p.m.

Thursday: Closed

Friday: Closed

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Weekly Card Results 

Monday Bridge

June 17, one table

1st Mary Johnsen, 2nd Anne Dvorak, 3rd John Karnes, 4th Carolyne Higgins

Tuesday Duplicate Bridge

June 18, six tables

1st Larry Crowe, 1st Bill Momsen; 2nd Lorraine Lippert, 2nd Ron Peters; 3rd Dave Ring, 3rd Loren Cleland; 4th Vandy Newman, 4th Jim Fisher; 5th Harriet Oldenberg,

5th Theresa Baldus; 6th Joyce Crowe, 6th Millie Seiver

Tuesday 500

June 18, two tables

1st Carol Hamilton, 2nd Dennis Bray; 3rd Maxine Bracken, 4th Jean Tauchnitz

Pinochle

John Karnes, Dave Solomonson

Wednesday Duplicate Bridge

June 19, five tables

1st Dave Ring, 1st Orrion Roisen; 2nd Julie Prochnow, 2nd Lorraine Quinlivan; 3rd Larry Crowe, 3rd Jim Fisher; 4th Vandy Newman, 4th Ron Peters; 5th Bonnie Fritz, 5th Loren Cleland

Friday 500

June 11, three tables

1st Dennis Bray, 2nd Vern Ginder, 3rd Fred Brown, 4th Carol Hamilton

Friday Bridge

June 21st w/4 tables playing

1st Dave Solomonson, 2nd Millie Seiver, 3rd Anne Dvorak, 4th Jaynard Johnson, 5th John Karnes.