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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
As the clock inched towards 1 p.m., one of Medfield’s seniors walked through the doors of the Center, the town’s Council on Aging, and stepped over to the front desk.
“Is the swing band playing in there?” she asked the woman behind the desk, pointing to the bright and airy multipurpose room.
The COA receptionist nodded, informing her that she was right on time and that the Tune Timers would begin any moment now.
The senior flashed her a toothy smile, paid her three-dollar suggested admission fee, and joined her friends in the multipurpose room.
With the band set up at one end of the room, the seniors found seats at the tables on the opposite side, leaving the beautiful hardwood floors exposed in the middle of the space.
While the band finished tuning their instruments, the seniors chatted, knitted, and poured themselves refreshment. But as the music began, some of the seniors immediately abandoned their seats, grabbed a partner, and started dancing.
The Tune Timers, a swing band that travels to local senior centers, performed a variety of upbeat songs for the Medfielders to dance to.
Even those who weren’t twisting and twirling around the room were able to enjoy the concert from their seats.
“It’s a really nice opportunity for us all to get out and socialize,” one of the seniors said. “Plus, there’s good music!”
With COA director Roberta Lynch and outreach coordinator Lisa Donovan also joining in on the afternoon swing session, seniors enjoyed their chance to interact with two of the COA’s staff members. Lisa even got some of the seniors in the dancing spirit as she moved from table to table to the beat of the music.
Medfield’s Friends of Seniors (FOSI) sponsored the event, which proved to have many health benefits for the seniors. Not only has listening to music been found to improve one’s mood, but socializing with others in town, and exercising while dancing to the Tune Timers have clear advantages to the seniors’ health, too, making it a fantastic afternoon for the seniors’ wellbeing.
