Membership at our Older Adult Center is free to everyone 60+ and includes a wide variety of exciting and enriching programs and services. Join us for lunch, socialize with friends, attend a Chair Yoga or Chair Aerobics or Water Fitness class, play chess or Mah Jongg or Bingo, meditate, discuss current events in English or Spanish, read and discuss short stories in Hebrew, take a trip to a museum or a ferry ride to an island, or meet with our social worker – whatever your interests or needs, we have you covered!
Our Center is funded by the New York City Department for the Aging, local elected officials, and members’ contributions.
Join New Beginnings - It's free!
Membership in New Beginnings is free and open to all adults residing in New York City ages 60 and over.
You can join for free by stopping by the 2nd floor welcome desk of Riverdale Y from 10:00 a.m to 11:30 a.m. Monday – Friday.
Any staff member can assist you.
If you have questions for yourself or a family member who may be interested, please call our social worker, Carmen Lopez, at 347-913-4391. Carmen’s hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The New Beginnings Program includes
Lunch
We serve a delicious kosher lunch every weekday at 11:45 am. Check-in is at 11:30 am at the second-floor Meal Desk outside our dining room. No reservations are needed.
Transportation
Door-to-door accessible van transportation is available for a suggested contribution of $2.50 each way. To reserve, call (718) 548-8200 (ext. 225) before 8:00 am. Leave a message with your name, pick-up address, and phone number. Our driver will call back when he or she is ready to pick you up. Return trips depart from the Y at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Later trips (3:00 pm) may be available by request.
Transportation is also available to meet needs such as local trips to the doctor or physical therapist, as our schedule permits. Please leave a message with your name and all pertinent information at ext. 225 with 48 hours notice. Morning visits are preferred. There is a suggested contribution of $4.00 each way for medical appointments.
Health and Wellness
Enhance your physical and emotional health in classes such as Tai Chi, Chair Yoga, Water Fitness, Functional Movement and more. Dance your way to health and happiness at our monthly birthday parties and/or at our weekly “Caribbeando” Music and Dance Workshop! All fitness levels are welcome.
We also encourage you to take advantage of free Vaccine Clinic Events and free health screenings such as blood pressure checks.
Arts and Culture
Learn a new skill or brush up on an old one in classes such as Painting, Ceramics, Chorus, Improv, and Acting. Our sold-out performance collaborations with the Riverdale Performing Arts Center have included a homage to “A Chorus Line,” “Songs from the Fifties,” and “Hair.” Join to help us decide what production to put on next – no experience required!
Education
Stay sharp with weekly discussions of current events (in English or Spanish!), Art Appreciation, and guest lectures ranging from healthy nutrition to avoiding senior scams. If you have a literary bent (or want one!), join us for our Poetry Workshop, Hebrew Short Stories, and Hybrid Book Club.
Technology
Members have open access to computers. We offer weekly Tech Classes and one-on-one Tech Support twice a week.
New Beginnings on the Move!
Explore the city and surrounding communities in our monthly outings. Our excursions are wide-ranging and suited to a variety of tastes and interests. They include annual visits to the U.S. Tennis Open in Queens, apple picking at Dr. Davies Farm, fall foliage tours of Lyndhurst and Cold Spring, and ferry rides to destinations such as City Island and Governors Island. We also offer regular shopping trips to stores such as Trader Joe’s and Walmart.
Take these opportunities to learn something new, get your shopping done, or just have a good time getting out and about with friends!
Social Services
New Beginnings offers free social work services on-site and in the community during regular business hours. Services include supportive counseling, case assistance, and benefits and entitlement assistance. Individual and group bereavement services are also available.
New Beginnings Newsletter
Partnerships
Homebound Outreach
New Beginnings is a proud partner of the Hudson Community Project: Safe at Home. The Hudson Community Project: Safe-at-Home connects older adults with services that enable them to live at home in the community safely and independently. A Safe at Home Social Worker services homebound Riverdale clients and maintains office hours at the Y. For more information, contact Lucy Hoffman at (718)548-8200 x352 or go to the website link below.
https://www.ywhi.org/adults/hudson-community-project-safe-at-home/
Mental Health Services
New Beginnings participates in a New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) initiative to bring mental health professionals into older adult centers. We have a licensed mental health clinic on-site at the Riverdale Y sponsored by JASA.
You can call 212.273.5272 or email help@jasa.org to enroll as a patient. New Beginnings members can also connect with Jeff Newman, the JASA clinician, at the drop in discussion group he leads on Monday mornings in our Center.
Snapshots from our older adult community
The joy of theater has no age limit
Celebrating Passover at the Older Adult Center
