For homebound senior citizens already contending with illnesses or injuries that restrict their ability to leave the house, house-call services can become more than a means of accessing services otherwise unavailable to them; they can become a connection to the outside world.

With all the talk in town about our new Senior Center I am reminded of the old ladies’ home in the town where I grew up. Perhaps it had an official name — I’m sure it did — but everyone including its residents called it The Old Ladies’ Home.

Thousands of Long Islanders are looking after someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. The role can be emotionally and physically taxing as caregivers work to keep their loved ones cared for and safe. It can also be lonely. But support groups, run by the Alzheimer’s Association, are providing a place for caregivers to share tips and frustrations, air their sadness, and know that they are not alone.

“Aging does a number on our bodies, but if we have strength and we have mobility, we can still function,” said Rasa Tarailaite, owner of RasaPilates, who has been training clients in East Hampton for nearly a decade. “I have an 86-year-old who’s done Pilates for 20 years. She moves better than some 40-year-olds.”