Straus Center hosts Senior Supper Club

Food, friendship, and extending community support all come together at a new pilot program at the Don and Beth Straus Center Therapeutic Adult Day Program in Southwest Harbor. Each Thursday in May from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, the center is hosting the Straus Senior Supper Club and inviting seniors to dinner and enjoy social activities at the center.

“We hope this program helps us reach more of the community,” said Straus Center Director Carla Tanguay. “It is a great opportunity for those who don’t know what our programs are about to get more comfortable with us.” There is no commitment to attend all of the supper club events and the cost is $5 per person or $8 per couple for each Thursday meal. Reservations are requested so meals and staffing can be planned. “The program is open to any senior who is looking for social support, friendship, and great food,” Tanguay said. Delicious and nutritious family style meals will be prepared by Birch Bay Village Executive Chef Alexis Perdunn.

Each week’s programs will be customized for those in attendance. Live music, brain games and stimulation, and presentations from community support agencies are on the agenda. “The program will be flexible enough to support seniors, spouses, and caregivers,” Tanguay said.

Since she joined the Straus Center, Tanguay, who is a board certified music therapist, has introduced expressive therapies such as music, art, and drama, into the day program activities. The Center, which is located adjacent to Mount Desert Island Hospital’s Community Health Center in Southwest Harbor, provides therapeutic services for seniors and their family members in Hancock County. Expressive therapy, medication administration, health monitoring, and assistance with personal care enhance the functioning and quality of life of each participant. Members are encouraged to participate in a variety of programming based on individual interests and needs.

Tanguay hopes the Senior Supper Club will be another way the center and staff can support the senior community and their families. With success in the month-long pilot program, Tanguay will add the Supper Club to the ongoing offerings at the Center.

For more information about the Straus Center or to RSVP for the Senior Supper Club, call the Center at 244-3267.

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