Learning Center Will Bring

Health Courses To Ashlar

By Jan Howard

Ashlar of Newtown is offering health-related courses for the fall through its new Learning Center.

The goal of the courses offered in The Learning Center is to promote health and quality of life for Ashlar residents as well as the Newtown community and to help meet the community’s educational needs with a specific focus on mature adults.

The new Learning Center includes three fall course offerings: Basic Fitness Exercises; Eating Healthy to Stay Healthy: Pick, Plan and Prepare; and Searching the World Wide Web, as well as four Lunch and Learn programs.

Hilda DeLucia, community resources manager of Ashlar, said the idea to offer the new courses “came from the desire to expand on the Lunch and Learn programs that have been so well received. We are extending the venue for educational courses in a very non-threatening environment.

“It would capitalize on what we do best, taking the expertise we have here and in the community, and giving people the opportunity to learn about subjects we are well versed in.”

She said she periodically surveys participants at the monthly Lunch and Learn programs regarding topics of interest. “Nutrition and exercise are always at the top, as well as the Internet,” she noted.

Ms DeLucia said Ashlar hopes to offer additional courses in the spring, as well as to continue the monthly Lunch and Learn programs.

Basic Fitness Exercises will help introduce basic fitness guidelines. The four-week course will help enhance muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. It will be held on Thursdays, September 21 and 28 and October 5 and 12, from 3 to 4 pm in the Rehabilitation Services Department at Ashlar. Cost is $29.

The instructor is Maureen Munson-Bette, RPT, rehabilitation services manager of Ashlar. She earned a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy at Quinnipiac College.

Eating Healthy to Stay Healthy: Pick, Plan and Prepare is a two-part course that deals with practical nutrition information for menu planning, including shopping and cooking tips. Participants will learn how to read a label and take the mystery out of numbers so selection becomes easy at the supermarket. It will be held on Thursdays, October 19 and 26, from 10 am to noon, in the Special Programs Room. Cost is $29.

The instructors are Judith Dryer, MS, a nutrition consultant herbalist, and Hilary Stern, a food coach/educator. Ms Dreyer earned a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Bridgeport and a bachelor of arts in nursing from the University of Connecticut.

Searching the World Wide Web offers basic instruction on how to use the Internet to access health- related information. Participants will learn fundamental Internet searching techniques and how to analyze a Web site for credibility of information. Space is limited. The course will be offered on Thursday, November 2, from 9 am to noon in the Computer Learning Center. Cost is $19.

The instructor is Susan Candido, clinical MIS coordinator of Ashlar. She earned a master’s degree from Yale in nursing management and health policy with a focus on the uses of data and information systems in health care.

Registration is required with full payment by September 15 to The Learning Center at Ashlar of Newtown, PO Box 5505, Newtown, CT 06470.

For information, contact Ms DeLucia at 203/364-3127.

Ashlar’s Lunch and Learn programs have served over 150 people since their inception four years ago.

Lunch and Learn is a series of educational lectures presented free of charge to the community. The series highlights the latest information about healthcare decisions, healthy living, and how lifestyle can make a difference to mature adults. The programs take place the second Tuesday of each month from September through December. A complimentary lunch is provided at noon, and the presentations are from 12:30 to 1:30 pm followed by a question and answer session.

The Lunch and Learn programs from September to December are as follow:

September 12 – An open discussion with Dr Jeffrey Friedman, medical director of Ashlar of Newtown, about issues and concerns with respect to health. Dr Friedman specializes in internal medicine at Community Health Associates in Newtown.

October 10 – Barbara Reynolds of Cramer and Anderson, one of four elder care attorneys in Connecticut, will speak on “Planning for Your Long Term Needs.” She will address ways to secure future health care and long-term needs from a legal perspective.

November 14 – Melissa Cornelis, MS, CCC-SP, senior speech and language pathologist from Danbury Hospital’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, will address “Hearing Problems in the Elderly.”

December 12 – Dr Jim Prado, holistic chiropractor, will speak on a holistic approach to managing stress. He will reveal the reason why most of us experience stress and discuss what triggers stress and how to use it as a tool to find balance in your life.

To reserve a space for any or all of the Lunch and Learn programs, call Ms DeLucia at 203/364-3127.

Ashlar of Newtown is an affiliate of Masonicare.