City of Ottawa - Celebrate Seniors Month with the City of Ottawa!

 

June is Seniors Month in Ontario and the theme this year is stay safe, active and connected. What better way to celebrate than to enjoy the many courses and programs being offered through the City of Ottawa right now. Until we can meet again in person, please check out the extensive list of recreational, cultural, and interest-based virtual programs below, including registration information.

Wellness Fridays Free Wellness Activities for Seniors Ottawa Public Library is delighted to announce the launch of Aging Well Together at the Library: Wellness Fridays programs, offered by the Library in partnership with the City of Ottawa and funded by the Older Adult Plan. The Wellness Fridays for seniors programs are free! They start this June for Seniors Month and will continue through to December.  Programs are held on Zoom Friday mornings every week in English, and twice a month in French. Participants may also join by phone (via Zoom) if they do not have access to a computer or the internet. Each topic will have a two-part program. Themes for program topics will include drawing, movement (Tai chi and yoga, for example), and writing and journaling.  We have complimentary activity kits for each program, including supplies and instructions. Registration on the Ottawa Public Library website is required; supplies and spaces are limited so register early to reserve your spot and your kit! We will email you a week before the program begins to arrange for the pickup location of your kit.   Registration is already open for the first classes in the series: In English: Telling Life Stories Art Journaling In French: Dessin de la nature Zen et mandala Histoires de vie Further classes will be announced soon on the Wellness Fridays blog post. To register, you need an Ottawa Public Library card, which is free to all Ottawa residents.  You can get a temporary card online or call InfoService 613-580-2940. For questions or help with registration, please contact us:  WellnessFridays.Vendredissante@ottawa.ca

Virtual Programs for Older Adults 50+ Staying active and occupied with live-streamed, interactive classes are a perfect way to promote physical and mental well-being. This summer the City of Ottawa's Recreation,  Culture and Facility Services department are offering a variety of physical activities, interest courses, and fun workshops. The courses are hosted on Zoom. Visit us online to see the programs currently available. A complete list of our summer programs will be available at the end of June or early July. All programs and workshops are offered in English. For questions or assistance in registering, please contact us:  virtual.virtuel@ottawa.ca

Encounters with Artists Celebrating National Indigenous History Month In celebration of National Indigenous History Month, the Shenkman Arts Centre is launching a new program for Older Adults called Encounters with Artists. On June 14 and 21, The Good Companions Centre, Seniors Centre Without Walls will broadcast two incredible musical and storytelling events for Older Adults. The live broadcasts are through telephone-based conference calls. On Monday June 14, Twin Flames will take Older Adult listeners on a musical journey across Canada and the Arctic, echoing the voices of their ancestors, and depicting life on the land. Together, Chelsey June (Métis) and Jaaji (Inuk, Mohawk) represent several Indigenous groups in Canada. Their songs are written in English, French and Inuktitut. Through music, they share the beauty of their cultures and incorporate both traditional Indigenous and western instruments. One week later, on Monday June 21st, Indigenous Experiences will share stories that hold the knowledge, memories, and identity of Turtle Island First Nations people and communities. Older Adults will learn of the diversity and richness of Indigenous culture through these unique and authentic traditional stories. If interested in joining these live-broadcasts, please connect with The Good Companions Centre, Seniors Centre Without Walls at 613-236-0428 ext. 2323 or by email, scww@thegoodcompanions.ca. There is no fee and no internet access is required, just a telephone line. The Encounters with Artists series, in partnership with MASC, will continue to offer pre-recorded and live-streaming meetups between artists in French or English and Older Adults in Ottawa throughout 2021. Encounters with Artists has been generously funded by the City of Ottawa's Older Adult Plan.   For more information or if you’d like to book an Encounter, please contact jolynn.sommervill@ottawa.ca.