May 20 - More than 3,000
older adults and those who care about them celebrated Senior Citizens Day with Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio at the 31st annual Senior Expo.
Chair massages, caregiver education, Big Band dancing, and help with income taxes were just a few of the activities participants could choose from.
Expo featured more than 110 exhibitors, including United Way, which offered free tax filing
for the economic stimulus tax rebate.
This year’s key sponsors were: Gold: Humana MarketPOINT; Silver: The Spring Grove Family,
and Bronze: Arlington Memorial Gardens, Anthem, Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority,
Helping Hands, and Hospice of Cincinnati.
Highlights from the 2008 Senior Expo included:
Dancing in Moonlite Gardens. A dance contest and sprightly groups like the Hula Dancers from Butler County’s Partners in
Prime and the College Hill Senior Steppers put on a super show. WMKV 89.3 FM
broadcast live from the event.
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“I’m the oldest of the group at age 82. When I can’t move my legs any longer, I’ll still be able to shake my booty!” - Lena Spath, hula dancer from Partners in Prime, Hamilton.
The hula dancers are led by Lani Carson, a native of Hawaii. |
(Left Photo) Raymond Fairbanks, member of the College Hill Senior Steppers
(Right Photo) Martha Danforth, leader of the Union Township (Clermont County) Steppers.
Martha, age 83, square danced on WLW’s old “Midwestern Hayride” TV show from 1954 until it went off the air in 1972. |
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Wellness Island. At popular “Wellness Island,” participants enjoyed massages from licensed massage therapists, chair
volleyball, a Wii demonstration from Best Buy, martial arts demonstrations, interactive brain
teaser games, and a botanical walk. Among the new offerings this year was the Brain Fitness
Program by Posit Science, which is known to speed up brain processes and restore memory.
(Left photo) Tony Bell teaches traditional martial arts at the Oakley Recreation Center. He started taking lessons himself at the age of 12 and has reached the level of Black Belt, 5th degree.
(Right Photo) Visitors to Wellness Island pulled up a chair to get some exercise in the Chair Volleyball tent. |
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Clavinova Connection.
Ray Richburg from Colerain Senior Center plays the Clavinova. Ray completed the 24-week course and is now a Clavinova facilitator:
“It makes you feel good,” he said. “Music brings out the best in everyone.”
Click here to learn more about how the Clavinova
encourages creativity and promotes physical and social wellness among area seniors. |
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2008 Senior Expo Event Sponsors
Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio would like to thank this year's event sponsors.
Gold
Humana MarketPOINT
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Silver
The Spring Grove Family
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Bronze
Arlington Memorial Gardens
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Anthem
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CMHA
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CVS/Pharmacy
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Helping Hands
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Hospice of Cincinnati
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