Members of the Senior Health Summit Committee and their home towns include (front row, l-r): Diana and Ed Boquist (YMCA Senior Advisory Committee), of Basking Ridge; (back row, l-r), Barbara Donzeiser (YMCA Senior Advisory Committee) of Basking Ridge, Audrey Taffet (Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills) of Warren, Lucy Forgione (Bernards Township Heath Department) of Basking Ridge, Erin Toomey (Somerset County Office on Aging) of Morris Plains, Laurie Rowe (Somerset County Office on Aging) of Bridgewater and Kate Russo (Somerset Hills YMCA) of Branchburg.

HEALTH SUMMIT OFFERS DAY OF FUN AND EDUCATION FOR SENIORS

BASKING RIDGE, NJ (September 11, 2009) – A group of area health and community organizations is hosting a one-day Senior Health Summit on Thursday, October 22 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Somerset County Senior Wellness Center, 202 Mt. Airy Road, Basking Ridge. Participants must register by September 25 for a $10 non-refundable fee which includes a continental breakfast, lunch, workshops and exercise classes. Keynote speaker Nancy Cotter, MD, Medical Director of Atlantic Integrative Medicine, Morristown Memorial and Overlook Hospitals, will present “Healing Through Nutrition: Eating Yourself Well.” Registration forms are available at the Somerset Hills YMCA or Bernards Township Health Department, by calling (908) 766-7287 or (908) 766-0334 or by visiting www.visitingnurse.org/events, http://www.somersethillsymca.org/, or http://www.bernardshealth.org/.

“Seniors often feel like a forgotten group but our goal is to make them feel important and let them know all of these organizations are focused on providing resources for them,” said Diana Boquist, Chair of the YMCA Senior Advisory Committee and member of the Senior Health Summit committee.

Morning and afternoon workshop topics include Balance and Fall Prevention, Gentle Yoga, Sleep for Life: How to Get a Good Night’s Rest, Keeping Your Mind Sharp and Tai Chi for Arthritis. Participants may opt to try exercise classes in Kinesis, Qigong and Zumba at the YMCA; transportation will be available.

“Seniors make up the biggest population in our community which is why learning about the latest health trends and resources is so important,” said Lucy Forgione, Bernards Township Health Officer and member of the Senior Health Summit committee.

Optional blood pressure, hearing screenings and flu vaccines will also be available. The Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills will offer free flu shots for those with Medicare Part B cards, or $30 for Medicare HMO members.

The event, developed to empower, educate and engage seniors in the Somerset Hills area on use of local health and community resources to promote optimal health and well-being, is sponsored by Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute, Bernards Township Health Department, Bernards Township Recreation, Somerset County Office on Aging, Somerset Hills YMCA, Somerset Medical Center and the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills.

The Somerset Hills YMCA is a charitable community service organization, rooted in Christian values and dedicated to helping all people grow in spirit, mind and body. We are guided by our core principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.


For more information, please visit http://www.somersethillsymca.org/ or call 908-766-7898.