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Join the New Caregiver Support Group Here in Pagosa Springs, the Senior Center will be hosting a new support group beginning in March of 2025. If you are caring for a family member or friend with physical/mental disability, or emotional health needs, or cognitive decline; this group was created for you. Note: This group is not limited to only caregivers of older adults. Caregivers of all types are welcome. This group offers a safe, welcoming space for caregivers seeking connection, empathy, and encouragement. Whether you’re looking for understanding during difficult times or just need a community to lean on, we’re here for you. These sessions will also offer educational resources to grow you in the knowledge and skill to strengthen self care, to care for your loved ones and empower you to navigate your role as a caregiver; one day at a time. Dates for the monthly caregiver support gathering in 2025 include: March 27th, April 24th, May 22th, June 26th, July 24th, August 28th, September 25th, October 23rd, November 20nd and December 18th and all meetings will be held at the Ross Aragon Community Center in the West Conference Room from 10:30 am to 12 pm. If you have questions or would like to be added to our announcement list, please contact Yeun Fiedler at (970) 946-5810, or Madeline Sutton at (970) 507-1574.
Free Brain Fitness & Mobility Program Starts January 13 Join us, starting on Monday, January 13, 2025 through March 3, 2025 from 10:00 am – 10:45 am at your Pagosa Senior Center for a free 6-week new Ageless Grace® exercise program, taught by Judy, a trained Ageless Grace® facilitator who will support and help you learn gentle movements to enhance brain health and mobility. We will spend 30 minutes in a chair exercising and stimulating five areas of our brain functioning. Yes, it is possible to strengthen our neural connections even as we age! Anyone, ages 21 and older are invited and encouraged to participate in this program. Ageless Grace® is a cutting-edge brain fitness program based on neuroplasticity that activates all five functions of the brain – strategic planning, memory/recall, analytical thinking, creativity and imagination, kinesthetic learning – and simultaneously addresses all twenty-one physical skills needed for lifelong optimal health functioning. Ageless Grace® is a highly effective brain fitness program that keeps participants moving and thinking through the power of play! Because wellness shouldn’t have to be boring or painful – in fact, it should be fun! https://agelessgrace.com/ To watch a Ted Talk on “Ageless Grace” go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXTpLgtH60
Holiday wishes from Archuleta Senior Inc.’s executive director Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or another annual celebration, this time of year is the opportunity to take stock of our blessings, rekindle new and old relationships, spend time with the ones we love and for many, exchange gifts and best wishes to those closest in our lives. Always, but especially this time of year, I derive great satisfaction from serving within an organization that is committed to making the lives of others better. I am very blessed to be able to work alongside individuals dedicated to serving older adults and their families, and I give thanks for all our team members, our over 70 volunteers, and the over 1,000 elders we serve through our community-based service programs. This year will mark the third holiday season for the Archuleta-Chavez family where our matriarch flies south to be with other family for the winter and the rest of her children pull together to celebrate and count our blessings together without our precious darling. As primary caretaker of my aging mother, this will provide me an opportunity to have a little more downtime, engage in more self care and strengthen my support networks with others. And, of course, advance the ambitious strategic plan that the Archuleta Seniors Inc. (ASI) Board of Directors and community have prioritized for the coming year. We look forward to sharing the details with you all in early 2025. I am truly grateful for all my loved ones, family, friends and the countless community members, acquaintances, and colleagues that have embraced me as an ally, friend and leader to advance and strengthen the health and resilience of the Archuleta community. It is the honor of a lifetime to return to my hometown, land of my ancestors, to leverage my education and lived experience to care for my community and live my purpose. Thank you for this ongoing opportunity and trust. My wish for each of you this season and for 2025 is that you experience those moments of solidarity and joy that strengthen your hope and bring you closer to your neighbors and the ones you love. In your service, Rose D. Chavez MPH, aka “Rosa”ASI executive director. Pic: Rosa and her mother Alice's hands embraced.  We are seeing an increase of unsheltered older adults in our Pagosa and are striving to be more intentional to support these friends and neighbors. While there are no perfect solutions, we are navigating finding resources to feed, support and overall catalyze a more robust safety net for our community. The status quo is unacceptable and we at Archuleta Seniors Inc. are committed to ensuring that our community is organized and responsive to the growing needs. #seniorlov… See more — feeling concerned in Pagosa Springs. 
 The Colorado Commission on Age Friendly Communities Subcommittee and Archuleta Seniors Inc. are interested in hearing from community members and visitors of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County to better understand what an “age friendly Archuleta community” means to you. Save the date: the listening session will be held virtually Wednesday December 4, 2024 from 9:30 am to 11 am. Currently, Archuleta County doesn’t have the designation of an “age friendly community”, however Archuleta Seniors Inc. anticipates integrating this important policy work into the ASI strategic planning goals and collaborative efforts over the next three years between 2025-2027. An age-friendly community is livable for people of all ages. Additionally, an age-friendly community is a place that adapts its services and both social and built environments / physical structures to be more inclusive and receptive to the needs of its population to improve their quality of life as they age. A friendly community encourages healthy aging by optimizing resources to improve the health, safety, and inclusion of older people in the community. This initiative also encourages older adults to take a more active role in their communities and have their voices heard with focus on areas such as nutrition, housing, transportation, outdoor spaces & buildings,, caregiving, community engagement & employment opportunities, civic participation/volunteering, community support & health services, respect & social inclusion/participation, communication & information, and combating isolation among older citizens. A community’s age-friendly leaders and champions likely include: elected officials; government agencies; nonprofit organizations and foundations; academic institutions; Area Agencies on Aging; community coalitions; local businesses; Chambers of Commerce; residents; families; advocates and volunteers. Again the meeting will be held virtually at: bit.ly/ccoa-age-friendly-communities-listening-session24 The meeting ID: 817 8755 1403 Passcode: 937382. If you are unable to attend the listening session, we still want to hear your voice! Use this Google Form to input your feedback/ideas: forms.gle/vnCPQroFm8szcsFa9. For more information please contact Archuleta Seniors Inc. Executive Director Rose Chavez at [email protected] or Kristine Burrows, Senior Specialist on Aging within the Colorado Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services at [email protected]. Thanks to Chris and Rue of Terra Walk Farm and our executive director Rose for a great discussion and seasonal food demonstration this afternoon. We discussed how to make the most out of the CSA vegetable shares community members have been receiving as a result of a unique partnership between Archuleta Seniors Inc., Terra Walk Farm and funding/technical assistance from Nourish Colorado. Our get together turned into an incredible think tank of food sovereignty, preservation, waste prevention and community connections! Most importantly we got to share a salad and enjoy some lesser known vegetables. This really fuels our fire for what we do! Thanks for everyone who tuned out for the event! #publichealthnutrition #grateful #pagosaseniors #localfood #foodsecurity #foodjustice  With the peak of the growing season at hand, Archuleta Seniors Inc. is excited to welcome Chris and Rue Fredericks of Terra Walk Farm and Archuleta Seniors Inc. Executive Director Rose Chavez, public health nutritionist for a meet and greet with the community on Thursday afternoon, September 19th at 1:30 pm in the Pagosa Senior Center dining hall. We will meet to discuss the free CSA program for older adults that is going on this 2024 growing season and to enjoy a seasonal food demonstration. We will provide a beautiful selection of locally grown produce from their farm which is located off of Highway 151, just past Chimney Rock National Monument. The farmers will give a brief presentation about this summer’s free CSA program for older adults and their philosophy in growing food for the community. They have also offered to provide some culinary inspiration and seasonal food preparation suggestions for many of the items they grow. Come prepared to enjoy an informative food demonstration and seasonal tasting of this low-carbon footprint, nutrient-dense, amazing food grown right here in Archuleta County. Through a unique partnership with Nourish Colorado and Terra Walk Farm, Archuleta Seniors has been able to provide free weekly organic vegetable boxes to over 30 older adults and their families in Archuleta County for the 16-week growing season during 2024. Now we’d like the whole community to get an opportunity to learn about this program and meet the community members involved. Come celebrate the harvest with us, thank a farmer, and be in the community. For more information, contact Archuleta Seniors Inc. at 970-264-2167.
Join Judith Newman at the Pagosa Senior Center (451 Hot Springs Blvd) the second Wednesday of each month, next session is Oct 9 to learn and/or refresh your “Emotional Freedom Technique” aka Tapping skills to support yourself with selfcare, relief from anxiety and community support. All classes start at 10 am and last 45 minutes to an hour. Please bring a friend or come alone. All are welcome.
Community members are invited to attend new free weekly classes, every Tuesday this fall and winter, from 9:30 am - 10:30 am at the Pagosa Springs Senior Center (451 Hot Springs Blvd. in the back of the Ross Aragon Community Center). The stretching and mobility classes for older adults (age 55+) are designed to help build balance in the body through functional exercises that aim to improve mobility and flexibility. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of techniques that can help enhance overall movement efficiency. Though not necessary, a mat is recommended for this class. The program is instructed by local ballet dance instructor Dee Pitchon who will provide modifications to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the exercises.
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