Senior Services
The Riverhead Free Library offers a variety of free programs and services for Seniors. In addition to lending of materials and reference services, the library’s newsletter provides detailed information about upcoming programs and activities
The LIBRARY NEWSLETTER is available at our library, on our website, or by delivery to Riverhead and for contract patrons. Also, be sure to check out our comprehensive Senior Citizen Resource Guide, a publication that is designed to provide an easy reference to a wide variety of information for both senior citizens, their families and caregivers.
Our Services
- Author Events
- Ancestry Library Edition & Books
- Books & Music on CD
- Computer and Scanner
- DVD & Indie Movies/Info
- eBooks for your Devices
- Flipster (Magazines Online)
- Foreign Language Books
- Friends of The Library Events
- Health Insurance Counseling
- Large Print Books
- Large Print Newsletter
- Magazines & Newspapers
- Music & Memory Ipods
- NYT Crossword Puzzle
- Playaways
- Regular Print Books
- Reference Assistance
- Reserve Materials with us or Online.
- Town Senior Resource Booklet
- Town Senior Resource Booklet (Espanol)
- Yellow Barn Book Sale
- Universal Classes Online
Healthy Aging Resourse
Recommended Health Information Resources for Older Adults
The American Association of Retired Persons is a non-profit, member organization. They have a lot of free content focused on aging empowerment. Health topics include healthy living, Medicare resources, conditions and treatments, drugs and supplements, health insurance, brain health, and dementia.
Administration for Community Living
Health and wellness information for older adults and caregivers to address prevention, chronic disease management, and independent living.
Information on diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Information from the National Institute on Aging on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias care, research, and support.
CDC Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a wealth of information for seniors and caregivers. In addition to health topics like hearing loss and arthritis, they provide reports on aging, state-level aging data, personal preparedness for older adults and caregivers, aging and depression, and advanced care planning.
A scaled-down version of the ABMS directory.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for actively recruiting studies that you may be able to participate in or learn about new interventions/treatments that are being considered.
A service of the U.S. Administration on Aging to connect you to local services for older adults and their families. Tools for checking benefits, long term care planning, advanced care planning, and home modifications.
Link takes you to health information specific to older adults and caregivers.
Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics
Provides reports on the lives of older Americans and key influencing indicators including population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, health care, and environment.
Information on changing marketplace insurance to Medicare and supplementing our Medicare coverage.
Healthfinder.gov has reliable health resources from government and non-profit organizations and is coordinated by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). In addition to health condition and disease information, there’s information on how to get the most out of a doctor visit, how to eat healthy and stay active, how to manage stress, lowering the risk of falls, and sexual health.
Health information in various languages and formats for individuals with limited English proficiency.
Dedicated to promoting aging in place and independent living. Resources for consumers and home modification professionals.
MedlinePlus has authoritative and up-to-date health information for patients and consumers. Senior health topics include nutrition, exercise, special concerns, safe sex, caregiving and decision-making, and driving. Multiple languages.
The Council works to improve the health and economic security of older adults. Site has online tools and tips for older adults and caregivers to stay physically and financially healthy, as well as the latest in aging policy.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
The NIA conducts research to understand aging and extending our healthy, active years. They are the primary Federal agency doing Alzheimer’s disease research.
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
Advocacy tools for older LGBT adults, legal resources, elder abuse, coming out later in life.
New York State Physician Profile
New York State physician profiles.
Detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Site features a five-star quality rating system with separate ratings for health inspections, staffing, and quality measures (how well resident’s physical and clinical needs are met).
Drug and Supplement Resources
Provides a standard, comprehensive, up-to-date, look-up and download resource of medication content and labeling found in medication package inserts.
MedlinePlus: Drugs, Herbs and Supplements
Learn about your prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines. Includes side effects, dosage, special precautions, and more.
National Center on Complementary and Integrative Medicine (NCCIH)
NCCIH is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.
Aids in the identification of unknown pills (oral solid dosage form medications). It combines images of pills with appearance and other information to enable users to visually search for and identify oral solid dosage form medications. Also links to drug information
Recommended Accessibility Resources
Learn about recommended hardware and software solutions, tips for assisting patron with hearing impairment, deafness, mobility issues, cognitive issues.
Microsoft Native Accessibility Tools
Tools to assist with vision, hearing, neurodiversity, learning, mobility, mental health.
Making Your Website Senior-Friendly
Guidelines that can help you create websites that work well for older adults. Includes best practices for organizing web information, writing online text, designing readable online text, and how to incorporate media.
Apple Native Accessibility Tools
Explore built in accessibility features in the Mac, iPad, iPhone, watch, TV, and HomePod. (Scroll to bottom of page to select your device.)
Simple online exercises to get acquainted with how to use a mouse.
Recommended Community Assessment Resources
A great site for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data related to health, the environment, agriculture, safety, education, and the economy.
From the NNLM, this guide provides evaluation tools and resources for community assessment, evaluation planning, data collecting, and analysis and visualization.
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Get a quick county snapshot of factors that could potentially impact an individuals health.
Includes health coverage and the uninsured.
Recommended Programming Ideas Resources
A program magnifying the role of public libraries as key contributors to community health.
From the Public Library Association, search for “older adult” or “senior” programming.
From the American Library Association, search for “older adult” or “senior” programming. You can refine your results by budget, library type, program type, age group.
Yes! A lot of library staff are pinning some great ideas for programming. Search for “older adult” or “senior” programming.
Urban Libraries Council: Health, Wellness, and Safety
Successful programs and services.
Recommended Effective Communication Resources
How Older Adults Make Health Decisions
From the CDC. Understanding what motivates older adults to learn and use health information can help you develop effective health communication materials.
Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ Your Library
An ALA toolkit for providing services for the growing number of adults in the community.
Medicare information regarding assisted living and nursing homes
Talking Books
Long Island Talking Book Library is a FREE Library service for individuals who cannot hold, handle, or see well enough to use traditional printed books.
Professionally recorded talking and or Braille books are provided by Talking Books Plus Library and the Andrew Heiskell Library in NYC. All equipment needed to use the Talking Books is provided. They are mailed to our eligible patrons.
A doctor or librarian must approve the application before you can receive this service. Please call for Mrs. La Sita at (631) 727-3228, ext. 119 for questions or to receive an application, or see Adult Services Staff, ext. 0
Helpful Phone #'s
- Riverhead Police - 631-727-4500 (or 911)
- Riverhead Fire Dept - 631-727-2750 (or 911)
- Riverhead Ambulance - 631-727-4500 (or 911)
- Southampton Police - 631-728-3400 (or 911)
- N.Y. State Police - 631-728-3000
- Suffolk County Police - 631-852-6000 (or 911)
- Southampton Fire Dept - 631-728-3400 (or 911)
- Peconic Bay Medical Center - Main Operator: 631-548-6000 / Emergency: 631-548-6200
- Southampton Hospital - Main Operator: 631-726-8200 / Emergency: 631-726-8420
- Suffolk County Office of the Aging - Riverhead: 631-852-1420 / Hauppauge: 631-853-8200
- Riverhead Town Bus Service - 631-722-4444
- Riverhead Nutrition Center - 631-722-4444
- Flanders Nutrition Center - 631-702-2375