Age Friendly Info Hub

An age-friendly community should have affordable, accessible and conveniently located events, activities and opportunities for older adults to socialize. Social participation consists of joining in cultural, recreational, educational, spiritual and faith based activities within the community such as exercise classes, computer courses, local events like fairs, crafts, card games, etc.

Churches:

Churches in the Brantford Area. – CLICK HERE

Clubs:

Book Clubs-Brant:  The County of Brant Library lends book club sets for your home group, or join our library book club. – CLICK HERE

Book Clubs-Brantford:  The Brantford Public Library holds a book club that meets in the Library or lends book club sets with the Book Club in a Bag program to start a club. – CLICK HERE

Brant Camera Club: The Brant Camera Club invites everyone to learn and share the love of photography.  – CLICK HERE

Garden Club:  The Brantford Garden Club is a horticultural society involved in maintaining the city waterwise demonstration garden, holding the annual flower and garden show and plant sale. – CLICK HERE

Genealogy-Brant County Genealogy Club: – CLICK HERE

Pickleball Club:  Pickleball is a sport played on a surface similar to tennis with a net similar to tennis, a court size similar to badminton, a whiffle ball and paddles similar to ping pong. It’s fast, social and takes about 45 minutes to play a match with 2 people playing 2 others. – CLICK HERE

Red Hat Society:  The Red Hat Society is a playgroup for women created to connect like-minded women, make new friends and enrich lives through the power of fun and friendship. – CLICK HERE

Stamp Club-Brantford:  The members of the Brantford Stamp Club are committed to collecting stamps, postal history and related items. – CLICK HERE

Computers:

Computer Access: The Brantford Public Library offers access to computers and the internet.  Support is also provided to those just learning how to use computers. – CLICK HERE

Computer Courses:  The Brant Skills Centre offers free computer and essential skills programs.  -CLICK HERE

Cyber-Seniors:  Cyber Seniors offers FREE one-on-one support to teach you how to video chat with your friends and family, order groceries online, schedule appointments, and stream entertainment. Call 1-844-217-3057, email info@cyberseniors.org, or visit the website to register for free webinars or to schedule free one-on-one help over the phone or via video conference. – CLICK HERE

Cooking:

Virtual Cooking Classes:  Seven Chefs are answering cooking questions, doing demos and giving tours of their homes, all for free.– CLICK HERE 

Cooking Skills Instruction:  Lessons include tools and supplies for cooking, knife skills, basic skills for cooking, and pan  frying and sautéing. -CLICK HERE

12 Free Online Cooking Classes:  From Gordon Ramsay to Michael Symon, the best chefs are offering free cooking classes. -CLICK HERE

Entertainment:

Brantford Film Group: The Brantford Film Group brings high quality films from across the world to our community that would not normally be screened in local theatres. – CLICK HERE

Music for Seniors: Music for Seniors is a live music sharing creative aging movement. – CLICK HERE

THIRD ACTion Film Festival:  This virtual film festival offers an entertaining and educational experience that redefines the narrative around aging. -CLICK HERE

Games:

Brain Games and Puzzles: See the links below for a full range of free games from cards to casino, sudoku to puzzles. BRAIN GAMES SUDOKU  JIGSAW

Cards: The Beckett Recreation Centre offers bridge, euchre and cribbage. – CLICK HERE

Carpet Bowling: The Beckett Recreation Centre offers carpet bowling. – CLICK HERE

Shuffleboard:  The Beckett Recreation Centre offers shuffleboard. – CLICK HERE

Hobbies:

Gardening-Community Gardens: Brantford Community Gardens, Inc., established in 2009, is an all-volunteer organization, dedicated to the promotion of locally grown, organic produce. – CLICK HERE

Gardening-Community Gardens:  Brant County Community Gardens provide assistance and support to a vast network of community garden projects. – CLICK HERE

Genealogy:  The Brantford Public Library provides access to the best genealogy and local history resources. -CLICK HERE

Knitting: All Free Knitting is a free signup site to access over 1,000 free knitting patterns for happy stitching, from beginners to advanced. – CLICK HERE

Reading- The Brantford Public Library:  The Brantford Public Library has a full complement of books as well as e-books and other online resources. Sign up for the library’s digital membership card that was created for those who do not already have an account. – CLICK HERE

Reading-The County of Brant Public Library:  The County of Brant Public Library gives you access to online learning, research, eBooks and so much more! – CLICK HERE

Rock Painting:  Check out the Brantford Painted Rocks Facebook page to get inspired to create small works of art and messages of gratitude for others to enjoy! – CLICK HERE

Wood Carving:  T.B. Costain -SC Johnson Community Centre offers wood carving. – CLICK HERE

Life Long Learning:

Laurier Association for Lifelong Learning:  The Laurier Association for Lifelong Learning (LALL) is a unique option for adult learning. Courses are non-credit and are intended for personal interest and self-education. The distinction between a LALL course and a university course is that LALL courses have no exams, no grading and no prerequisites. –CLICK HERE

Laurier Lifelong Learning at Home:  Laurier University offers a number of recorded lectures. – CLICK HERE

Mindful Activities:

Yoga: The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre offers gentle yoga classes. – CLICK HERE

Physical Activity and Exercise in the Community:

S.A.F.E. Zone:  S.A.F.E. Zone is a free falls prevention exercise program designed by health professionals to assist seniors in the community to remain independent. Attend a free class in the community. – CLICK HERE

Physical Activity and Exercise On Line:

Sit To Be Fit:  The Healthy, Activities and Community (H.A.C) are offering  exercise classes virtually weekdays at 9 a.m. or in person at the Youth & Elders Centre “Dajoh” 1738 Fourth Line Rd., Ohsweken Tuesdays at 2:00 pm

Registration required 1-800-565-4614 ext.102  or email sherri.miller@alzda.ca

From Soup to Tomatoes: An Ontario based Diabetes Association developed this unique armchair-based exercise program for seniors that helps people achieve basic health and mobility goals. – CLICK HERE

S.A.F.E. Zone:  S.A.F.E. Zone is a free falls prevention exercise program designed by health professionals to assist seniors in the community to remain independent. Watch a fitness video online. – CLICK HERE

Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre online videos: WGSC is sharing workouts from their certified personal trainers. – CLICK HERE

YMCA at Home: YMCA at Home is a new virtual platform that provides the ability to connect with YMCA programs, activities, and instructors without leaving the comfort of your own home. – CLICK HERE

Recreation:

Bird Watching: The Grand River Conservation Authority encourages birding as being as easy as stepping out into your own backyard or walking to a nearby park or natural area. – ALL TRAILS or  GRAND RIVER

Biking Trails: The City has more than 90 km of trails and 18 km of bikeways. With so much to explore, several maps and routes have been developed to help you navigate your way in and around Brantford by foot and bike. – CLICK HERE

City of Brantford Recreation Webpage:  The City has created a webpage that will make it much easier for customers to find helpful information about registration, recreational programming, special events, rentals and much more!- CLICK HERE

Pickleball:  The Beckett Recreation Centre offers pickleball. – CLICK HERE

Senior Social Clubs:

Charlotte Street Seniors Club:  A social club for seniors with programs, activities and potluck dinners. – CLICK HERE

King George Seniors Club: A social club for seniors with weekly activities. – CLICK HERE

Paris Seniors Club 99: A social club for seniors with weekly activities. – CLICK HERE

Woodman Seniors Club:  A social club for seniors with weekly activities. – CLICK HERE

Senior Travel:

Senior Travel Considerations:  The Government provides resources on issues travelers over 60 years of age may face. – CLICK HERE

Social Support Programs:

A Friendly Voice:  A Friendly Voice is a great resource for seniors who may be feeling lonely or isolated. Call 1-855-892-9992 to connect. Please keep in mind that A Friendly Voice is a social program; it is not a counselling service, crisis line, or referral service. – CLICK HERE

Adult Day Programs:  Adult Day programs provide a day out for seniors and adults who require additional support to participate in social, physical and therapeutic recreational activities. – CLICK HERE

Buzz Me:  Seniors and Kids Intergenerational Programs ( SKIP) has launched Buzz Me, a program where seniors can call in to chat with a volunteer, engage in friendly conversation and learn about local resources. To speak to a SKIP volunteer call 211 and ask for “Buzz Me” or call 1-866-999-2899 or CLICK HERE

Social Network: Join Senior Planet for 60+.   Free online programs every week to keep learning, connecting, and exploring. – CLICK HERE

Virtual Tours:

Brantford and Surrounding Communities:– CLICK HERE

Gardens:

     Chicago Botanic Garden: – CLICK HERE

     Keukenhof, Amsterdam, Holland Garden:  -CLICK HERE

    Miracle Gardens in Dubai : CLICK HERE

    RHS Wisley Garden, Surrey, England: -CLICK HERE

     United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC: -CLICK HERE

 Museums: –  BRITISH MUSEUM

National Parks of  Wyoming– CLICK HERE

Open Doors Ontario: The Ontario Heritage Trust works with communities across the province to open the doors, gates and courtyards of their unique and most fascinating cultural sites so you can explore the stories inside. -CLICK HERE

Zoos:

     African Lion Safari Ontario: – CLICK HERE

     Brantford Twin Valley Zoo: The Brantford Twin Valley Zoo is bringing its most friendly and fascinating animals  to your home with its virtual tour. – CLICK HERE

     Toronto Zoo: – CLICK HERE

Train Rides:  Experience 13 Virtual Train Rides from around the World. – CLICK HERE