Cambridge Seniors Weather the Winter

Some lucky Cambridge senior citizens are way ahead of Harvard students-they've been on spring break all winter.

Florida, the perennial favorite among senior citizens searching for sun, is popular among Cantabrigians who can afford the travel costs, City Councillor Sheila T. Russell said.

"Those are the lucky ones," Russell said. But not all older Cantabrigians can escape from the slippery sleet-crusted streets of Cambridge to more welcoming winter climates.

Travel is too expensive for many senior citizens, Russell said. "Loads of them-a lot of them are stuck in," she said.

What activities were available for seniors who couldn't leave Cambridge this winter? "That's a really good question," said Johanna T. Chao, assistant director of the Cambridge Council on Aging. "We had to cancel many," she said, blaming the weather.

Those who live in buildings especially for senior citizens have access to specific activities, but others must find their own fun, not an easy task during the February doldrums.

The cold steals much of the charm from walking, a popular activity during warmer months. The Cambridge Council on Aging bus, which often takes a group of walkers to the boardwalk on Reverse Beach, slows down during the winter, Russell said.

At the North Cambridge and Pearl Street Senior Centers, social and cultural activities usually continue year-round, but this winter's heavy snowfall led to many cancellations.

"This winter especially has been hard for people-usually activities are cancelled when schools are closed," said Army Bern stein, information and referral specialist at the Cambridge Council on Aging.

One session which had been cancelled earlier this winter was finally held yesterday afternoon at the North Cambridge Senior Center. Chao spoke about travelling in West Africa. "At least they can hear about someplace warm," she said.

But the scene at Cambridge senior centers was not too bleak, even this winter. There were Haitian programs, crafts and Bingo, as well as classes in Spanish, bridge, knitting and crochet.

And senior citizens are not restricted to the senior centers. "There are a lot of activities in Cambridge," said Bernstein. "And you can get around without a car."

Many of the Florida "snow-birds" return home to Cambridge during march, just before mobs of sun-seeking college students flock to take their places. For them, spring break is a return to the Cambridge cold.