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Mission Statement
The mission of Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. is to provide Berkshire elders, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and self-determination, and to achieve the highest possible quality of life.
Statement of Inclusivity
Elder Services practices non-discrimination in employment practices and service delivery. Embracing diversity, our in-home and community-based services are available to all without regard to race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle.
Volunteering, a Win/Win
By Christopher McLaughlin, Executive Director of Elder Services
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LinkedIn: Elder Services of Berkshire County
Berkshire Senior
Editorial Board: Deb Aldrich, Kimberly Kelly , Christine Thomson, Laura Feakes, Christopher McLaughlin, Kathleen Cleary, Kathleen Phillips, Susan Guerrero and Kara Graziola.
Advertising: To place an advertisement in Berkshire Senior, please contact Kate Teutsch at (413) 496-6324 or e-mail advertising@berkshireeagle.com.
Berkshire Senior is published bi-monthly by Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., 877 South Street, Suite 4E, Pittsfield, MA 01201, 499-0524 or 1-800-5445242, e-mail: esbc@esbci.org or on the internet at www.esbci.org.
NOTICE
Berkshire Senior advertising helps to the defray the costs of producing the newspaper. Inclusion of advertisers in no way implies that Elder Services endorses any product or service.
Signed columns are the opinion of the writers and not necessarily the opinion of Elder Services. For medical, financial or other advice, seek a qualified professional in the appropriate field.
Elder Services and its programs are funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
State and federal funds provided to Elder Services are limited. Elder Services welcomes charitable donations to help meet the growing needs of Berkshire seniors, and gratefully acknowledges all donations.
As I am writing this, Berkshire County’s COVID numbers are way down and today is a 60 plus degree mid-March day. As April is Volunteer Month, it is not only a great time to thank and acknowledge our volunteers (see page 6) but also to encourage others who may have been sitting on the sidelines during COVID to consider reengaging. Elder Services could not do what we do without our volunteers, who selflessly share their time and talents to help make the lives of their neighbors as fulfilling as they can be.
For the time being, we seem to be transitioning into better times now that most of the COVID restrictions are behind us. However, the reality is that the needs of seniors in our community continue and so does our need for volunteers. Are you willing to make s senior’s life a little easier and spread some “sunshine” to someone who may be in need of a little assistance?
Many people are truly vested in our community and genuinely want to help. However, the thought of volunteering can be intimidating. Many believe that volunteering means they have to commit many hours a day, several days a week. Our volunteer opportunities allow people to choose the number of hours and days they would like to serve.
The time, dedication and energy of our volunteers enrich several of our programs:
Meals on Wheels Drivers, Kitchen Volunteers and Meal Site Volunteers – Drivers deliver meals Monday through Friday and conduct invaluable well-being checks on seniors. Kitchen volunteers help prepare meals in our kitchen while meal site volunteers serve meals to seniors in one of many senior dining sites throughout Berkshire County.
Long Term Care Ombudsmen – These trained volunteers advocate for the residents of Berkshire County’s nursing homes.
Money Management – This program trains volunteers to assist seniors manage their checkbooks and monthly expenses so they can remain independent in their homes for as long as possible.
SHINE Counselors – SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) Counselors work with seniors to ensure they maximize their Medicare and other public benefits, saving significant time and money ($1,700 a year on average) for consumers.
Drivers, Shoppers, Companions – These folks assist seniors with transportation to appointments, grocery shopping and/or just spending time getting to know and sharing with someone who’s living alone.
These are just a few of our many volunteer opportunities.
To learn more about how volunteering could be a win/win for you and for Berkshire seniors, please call our Volunteer Coordinator, Pam McDonald at 499-0524.
In closing, sincerest thanks to our wonderful volunteers and hoping you give some thought to joining us.
Until next time be good, be kind and be careful.
Berkshire Senior Television
PCTV, Channel
Broadcast schedule: Mondays at 5:00pm ▪ Wednesday at 8:30am Thursdays at 11:30am ▪ Saturdays at Noon Currently airing on PCTV Channel 1301 Access Pittsfield Broadcast schedule: PCTV channel 1301 Mondays at 5 p.m., Tuesdays at 3 p.m., Thursdays at 11 a.m. & Saturday 11:30 a.m. Or watch online, ON DEMAND on pittsfieldtv.org.
Thank you to our friends at PCTV for all their help in making Berkshire Senior TV accessible to our community.
Kim Kelly and Maura Doran present A Rainbow of Color
Berkshire County Seniors Volunteering To Help Evacuees
by Susan Guerrero
Imagine what it must be like to lose, probably forever, one’s home and all possessions, family members, friends, and pets, one’s country, and everything in life that is familiar. Then, one lands in a country of strangers and unfamiliar customs and traditions. To say it would be traumatic and difficult to be plunged into a culture vastly different from one’s own, as well as hundreds of miles away from home, is an understatement. That’s exactly what thousands of families from Afghanistan, now being resettled in the United States, are facing. Here in the Berkshires, that includes six young Afghan families with 26 people, including 11 children.
Thanks to Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS), the Springfield-based resettling agency, a JFS resettlement coordinator, and strong HOST (Host Organization Support Teams) of volunteers, the families are getting help. Most of the volunteers are seniors throughout Berkshire County. The young Afghan families are not alone as they face the challenging and difficult tasks of learning about and living in a totally different culture than their home country. “It is a pleasure to work with older volunteers,” said Gabriela Sheehan, Berkshires Refugee Resettlement Coordinator for JFS. JFS is based in Springfield at 15 Lenox St. Each HOST team is assigned to an Afghan family. Volunteers help with “health, housing, employment, education, and connecting” evacuees with their new community, according to the JFS website. Sheehan assists with coordinating all aspects of help the evacuees receive. The volunteers Sheehan coordinates are “extremely passionate, very committed, and
very reliable,” she said.
Asked why she likes helping people from other countries to settle here in the Berkshires, Sheehan said, “I believe that communities define their strength by diversity. The more diverse they are, the stronger they are. This type of work is incredibly inspiring. You see how many people are dedicated to the success of these individuals.”
“The volunteers are extremely passionate and it makes my job very rewarding,” she added.
Bridget Sisk, a Pittsfield resident, has been a HOST volunteer at JFS since November of 2021. She said a friend and long-term volunteer with the Berkshire Immigrant Center asked her to join their effort to support a family in coordination with JFS. “My friend knew I had been to Kabul during my work with the United Nations,” Sisk said. She retired last November after a 30-year career with the United Nations, based in New York. She and her husband moved to Pittsfield in March of 2021. While working at the United Nations, Sisk managed an information ‘program in the organization,” she said, “focusing on best practices in managing business information. My work took me to the many locations the UN has operations—especially to peacekeeping operations, which is how I got to Kabul in 2004.”
Another HOST volunteer, Alvin Blake, retired from a career in computer software management.
He likes making a small difference to people and causes he cares about, he said.
A hilltown resident, Blake said volunteering with the Afghan evacuees has made him appreciate how lucky he has been and how much others have sacrificed. He became a JFS volunteer in December, after his Unitarian Universalist congregation applied to be a
sponsor organization, he said. “As the Afghan evacuee families have given so much to help our country and were in great danger if they remained in their home, I felt the least we should do is provide them with a new beginning,” Blake said. He said it’s been a pleasure to know and work with the family he and other team members have been assigned to. “It’s also been a pleasure to learn more about Afghan customs and cultures,” he said. For Blake, the best part of being a volunteer is getting to know the family he is working with “as well as all of the other Berkshire volunteers that have so graciously donated their time and resources.”
Sisk said the best part of being a volunteer for her is two-fold. “First, meeting the amazing volunteer team at BIC (Berkshire Immigrant Center) and the local JFS operation—it is a privilege to be working alongside them,” she said. “Second, knowing that what we are doing is making a
really positive impact on families who really need our help and support,” Sisk noted.
Asked if volunteering with the Afghan people has changed her, Sisk said, “It’s especially poignant at this very moment working with my Afghan family against the backdrop of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine. That conflict strengthens my commitment to helping displaced individuals who need to rebuild their lives and come to terms with huge trauma and loss.” Sisk said it is always stimulating and rewarding to be in a multicultural environment. “I love the way the multitude of cultures in the USA shapes our communities and adds to the very fabric of America,” she said. “The backgrounds of HOST teams of volunteers working with each Afghan family differ. Some represent faith-based or geographical organizations, while other teams of people may know each other
continued on page 7
From left to right-Al Blake, Gabriela Sheehan and Bridget Sisk of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts
Thanks Sincerest
to Our Volunteers With Your Help, Services Continued without Interruption!
By Christopher McLaughlin, Executive Director
The first year of the pandemic, 2020, was a tremendous challenge, with the transition to stay at home orders, remote learning and local businesses and service organizations scaling back or closing altogether. From my perspective, 2021 was even worse for Elder Services as many of our employees and their family members, who had remained healthy during 2020, contracted COVID-19 in 2021. The absence of many of our staff members throughout the year presented many operating and service delivery challenges. Thanks to our committed volunteers and staff, we were able to overcome these challenges and keep the focus on providing services to our clients.
By the second half of 2021 we resumed providing most of our case management, counseling and other services in person, when our clients were comfortable doing so. During another year with even more COVID-19 and greater anxiety, our volunteers’ dedication to serving their Berkshire neighbors was stronger than ever. Our volunteers continued to serve on our Board of Directors and Advisory Council, prepared and delivered meals, wrote articles for the Berkshire Senior Newspaper, served as camera operators for Berkshire Senior TV, provided SHINE counseling and money management services, advocated for residents of Berkshire
Volunteers
Active April 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022
Board of Directors
Frank Engels –President
Mary Shogry-Hayer –Vice-President
Jacob Dabrowski –Treasurer
Kimberly Mathews –Clerk
Christopher King –Finance Committee
Randy Burdick
Sandy Driscoll
Toni Fontana
County’s nursing homes and shopped for groceries for our clients. They volunteered their time and expertise in these functions and many more in service to Berkshire Seniors, caregivers and people with disabilities.
We are extremely fortunate to have a diverse group of volunteers. Despite challenging circumstances, some volunteers chose to join us during the past year while others have been with us for many, many years. The majority of volunteers have been with us fewer than 10 years while approximately 15% have been with us between 10 and 18 years. We have two individuals who will celebrate 19 years of volunteer service in the next few months. Twenty of our volunteers have provided 2,000 or more lifetime hours of service to our clients. During the past year, the individuals on the accompanying list provided nearly 12,000 hours of service. This is the equivalent of six individuals working full time.
You, our volunteers, should be especially proud that during a year with even greater challenges, you continued to show up and step up, which enabled all of our programs and services to continue without interruption!
On behalf of the Agency and the people we proudly serve, please accept our sincerest thanks and gratitude for volunteering at a time when people needed you more than ever. Thank you!
Roberta Gale
John Graziano
Georgette Kinney
Mary K. O’Brien
Walter Orenstein
John Philpott
Stephen Radin
Paula Walczyk
David O’Neill
Teresa Caldwell
AAA Advisory Committee
Robert Allard
Quentin Chin
James Clark
Maria Craft
Frank Engels
Lisa Fletcher-Udel –Chair
June Green –Vice Chair
Sandra Lussier
Vincent Marinaro
Meri-Ellen Morgans
Nutrition
Bonnie Andrews
Carol Couture
Jane Diaz
Beth Wiggers
Linda Cox
Maureen Avery
Barbara Bailly
Anna Beining
Veronica Deome
Margaret Lavalette
Susan Morris
Julia Kaplan
Alan Metzger
Elaine Shindler
Michael Ende
Eric Paul Greenberg
Louise Charron
Eugene Gebarowski
Margaret Gwodz
Elizabeth King
Donald Pulver
Dan Skorcz
Peter Traub
Robert Balawender
Eleanor Rosier
Julia Taylor
Shirley Zurrin
Gordine Galusha
Jane Rozak
Charles Joch
Paula Bergeron
Joan Moylan
Celine Godbout
Marie Grull
Andrea Gaylord
Rosemary Houghtlin
Arlene Stockley
Joy Engels
Eileen Clarke
Barbara Delmolino
Sandra French
Elsie Gilligan
John Gilligan
Paulette Graber
Michelle Harwood
Gillian Hettinger
Nancy Macy
Joan Powers
Gail Tighe
Dennis DeVergilio
Robert St. Peter
Joanne Stegner
Pierce Roberts
Samantha Tangney
Amy Butler
Frank Clarke
Donald Freedman
Kathleen Garofolo
Sally Haver
Erna Lampman
George Oleen
Susan Pitman
Theodore Pitman
Susan Rothschild
Dennis Sears
Kathy Staropoli
William Kormanik
Money
Management
Amy Backiel
Rushelle Bowie
Shelley Crippa
Judith Douville
Michael Einstein
Marianne Fresia
Tanya Haas
Paula Morey
John Philpott
Victor Roy
Jane Tant
Donald Usher
Sharon Bartels
Yvette Bastow
Ronald Terry
Tina Kelly
Heather King
Virginia Titterton
Elizabeth Azar
Joyce Boivin
Susan Holland
Norma D’Olivera
Joseph Tirrell
Michael Morelli
Patricia Pero
Ombudsman
Virginia Bosco
Cristine Byrne
Michael Evans
Eileen Gabriel
Georgette Kinney
Carolyn Palmucci
Ruth Richardson
Deborah Wehry
Virginia Lafond
SHINE
Frank Engels
Catherine Hall
Nancy Leren
Larry Shea
Catherine Spinney
Barbara Tanski
William Tarmey
Virginia Titterton
Winne Veretto
Anthony Zoito Jr.
Rushelle Bowie
Janice Brindisi
Patricia Carlino
Phyllis DeMartino
Karen DeOrdio
Terrill Douglas
Michele Gilligan
Catherine Hall
Judith Hyde
Steven Rosenthal
Home & Community
Based Programs
Nancy Belouin
Vicki Robare
Diane Weinstein
Mary Spina
Laurie Schwartz
Karen Oak
BSTV
Diane Chicoine
Je Turner
Berkshire Senior
Editorial Board
Kathleen Cleary
Susan Guerrero
Additional Nutrition
Volunteers Not Listed or Listed in Groups in Volunteer Reporter
Jean Ketchum
Donna McDowell
Virgina Niewinski
Maria Mendonca
CIP (College Internship Program)
Jason Brovelli
Robert Ethan Handler
Daniel Krizan
Alexandra Mayerman
Robert Raymond
BFAIR
Dakota Sunskis
Kelsey Taylor
Jenna Thomas
Sarah Wiles
Bonnie Worth
Joann Potash
Jill Moncecchi
Catherine Leveque
Catherine Darling
Alan Dunlavey
Todd Gerlach
Matthew Girard
David Messina
Brent Mille
John Milewski
Candance Mills
Janet (Emma)
Sebastino
Ron St. Germain
Total Volunteers:
Volunteering
continued from page 5
through the Berkshire Immigrant Center,” Sheehan, the Berkshires Resettlement Coordinator , said. “Other volunteers may also be training and waiting to be assigned to a family or help with driving, working with the Afghan children, or getting donations of furniture, and so forth,” Sheehan said. Right now, there are about 150 volunteers working in this area. The Berkshires office of JFS is currently housed on the third floor of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East St. Sheehan’s job as Resettlement Coordinator may entail her looking for apartments for families or finding medical or dental care for them. She helps enroll their children in schools and arranges for evacuees to attend English classes through Berkshire Community College. There are also English as a second language tutors who work in conjunction with the BCC instructors, Sheehan said. She is always on the lookout for jobs for evacuees, too. If anyone who is being resettled wants counseling, JFS has an entire department focused on mental/behavioral health. More information can be found on the JFS website. The address is: jfswm.org Sheehan also helps the families with bill paying, finding public assistance, finding transportation and legal assistance. Her job is multifaceted. Prospective volunteers in the community can find out more about the program by calling or writing to Sheehan via email at g.sheehan@jfswm.org. If other, older, retired residents are thinking of volunteering with the Afghan Resettlement Program, Bridget Sisk said she would let them know “it’s a commitment and for the long term; it’s a lot of work; it’s immensely rewarding.”
Alvin Blake said, “They will receive much more than they give and have a wonderful, rewarding experience.”
Senior Nutrition Program
Celebrated 50th Anniversary
Throughout March, Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. shared resources on nutrition, social isolation, wellbeing, and more. We hope you were able to join the celebration on March 17th, 2022 at a local Berkshire Senior Center or watch Eat a Rainbow on Berkshire Senior TV on PCTV.
Nutrition is a vital component of our health and well-being, especially as we age. But in communities throughout the U.S., older adults sometimes lack access to the high-quality, nutritious food they need to remain healthy and independent. Since 1972, the national Senior Nutrition Program has been there to support older adults by providing nutrition services across the country. Funded by the Older Americans Act, the
Administration for Community Living (ACL) provides grants to states to support a network of local programs that deliver nutrition services to older adults. These programs promote healthy eating, decrease social isolation, and support better health. They also provide a gateway for older adults to access other home and community-based services such as falls prevention programs, chronic disease management services, and more.
This March, Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. was proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the national Senior Nutrition Program with others across the country. The theme for the 50th anniversary celebration was Celebrate. Innovate. Educate:
- Celebrating the many
accomplishments of senior nutrition programs over the past 50 years.
- Highlighting innovative approaches that have been used to support seniors.
- Educating communities so that they can understand and use nutrition services.
To learn more about Berkshire Elder Service’s Senior Nutrition Program eligibility for the Meals on Wheels Program contact Elder Services at 1-800-981-5201 or 413499-0524 or email at esbci@esbci. org. Visit the ESBCI website at http://www.esbci.org/programs and_services/nutrition. html to learn more about this important program and join the conversation on social media using hashtag #SNP50.
1 ACL is an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Maura Doran : ESBCI Nutrition Program Manager on the set of PCTV
Sign up for our email list today & don't miss a thing. berkshireolli.org olli@berkshirecc.edu
BERKSHIRE COUNTY LEGISLATORS
UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Congressman Richard Neal 50 Independence Ave. SW Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-5610
Senior aide: William.tranghese@mail. house.gov
300 State Street
Springfield, MA 01105-1711 (413) 785-0325
Aide: Matthew.russett@mail.house.gov
Senator Adam Hinds 24 Beacon Street, Room 109E Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-1625
District Office: (413) 344-4561
Adam.hinds@masenate.gov
Rep. Smitty Pignatelli 24 Beacon Street, Room 473F Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2210
District Office: (413) 637-0631
Rep.smitty@mahouse.gov
Rep. John Barrett, III 24 Beacon Street, Room 237 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2305
District Office: (413) 743-8300
John.barrett@mahouse.gov
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier 24 Beacon Street, Room 156 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2240
District Office: (413) 442-4300
Tricia.farley-bouvier@mahouse.gov
Rep. Paul Mark 24 Beacon Street, Room 160 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2304
District Office: (413) 464-5635
Paul.mark@mahouse.gov
Nursing Homes Need You!
Often, I hear that residents in nursing homes need someone to speak up for them, to look out for their wellbeing and to see that facilities are taking the best care possible of their residents. “Not all residents have family members to advocate for them.” What most people don’t know, is that there is a program at Elder Services of Berkshire County that does this! The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) is a volunteer program that does exactly that; advocate for the residents in nursing homes.
Nursing homes are not scary places; they are not places that warehouse the elderly. As more and more people are choosing to age in place at home, nursing homes have taken on a different role; caring for the sickest, the most at risk and at times the most challenging of residents. Nursing facilities employ thoughtful and skilled staff that take care of some of the frailest and most vulnerable people in our community.
Certified Ombudsmen help to improve the quality of care and quality of life for residents in long term care facilities. Volunteer Ombudsmen visit their assigned nursing home once a week. During their visits, they speak with residents and address any concerns they may have. Many
times, residents do not have concerns, so the Ombudsman will spend a few minutes talking with the resident, getting to know them and their individual needs. But, there are times when residents or family members have concerns about the care in a facility. Our Certified Volunteer Ombudsmen have helped residents with concerns about food, wheelchairs, showering, guardianships and even getting the residents in touch with the correct people to facilitate transferring home. Whether it’s a short wave hello, a discussion about how the weekend was or talking about a concern, the residents enjoy each visit with their Ombudsman.
The nursing homes themselves also put a strong value on the role of the Ombudsmen. They know Ombudsmen are there for the residents and that that person can help make a residents time in the facility more enjoyable. Many administrators and staff in the facilities see the Ombudsman as a welcome visitor.
Anyone interested in becoming an Ombudsman volunteer should contact Elder Services.
Amanda Height Ombudsman Program Manager 413-499-0524 ext. 726
10 0 Wa hcona h St. Pit t sfield, M A 01201 (413) 4 42- 4149
Donna Bre wer, O w ner Ste ven J Bre wer, Director
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BERKSHIRE COUNTY
Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc.
NUTRITION PROGRAM SENIOR COMMUNITY DINING CENTERS
Due to the end of the State of Emergency, the status and offerings of the Senior Community Dining Centers are likely to evolve. Please call for the latest update.
Eligible seniors 60 years or older are welcome to attend any Senior Community Dining Center. Reservations are requested 24 hours in advance. Begining March 2022 a suggested donation is $3.00 per meal. All contributions are returned to the community toward the cost of the Nutrition Program and Services. Those 59 or under are welcome at a required fee of $8.00 per meal.
How To Dispose Of Unused Medicines
Is your medicine cabinet full of expired medications you no longer use? How should you dispose of them? Many community-based drug “takeback” programs offer the best option. Many medications have specific disposal instructions on their label or patient information leaflet. This is especially true for medicines that may be harmful if taken by someone other than the person they were prescribed for. The following guidelines can be used for the proper disposal of medicines:
• Follow any specific disposal instructions on the prescription labeling or patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine.
• Do not flush medicines down the sink or toilet unless this label information specifically instructs you to do so.
• Take advantage of programs that allow the public to take unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal.
If no disposal instructions are given on the prescription label and no take-back program is available, throw drugs in the household trash following these steps: Remove them from their original container and mix them with an undesirable substance such as coffee grounds, dirt
Offering a Full Spectrum
or kitty litter (this makes the drug less appealing to children and pets). Place the mixture in a sealable bag. Scratch out all identifying information on the prescriptions label to make it unreadable to protect your identity. When in doubt about proper disposal, ask your pharmacist.
In Berkshire County there are options to get rid of any left-over pills when you are done with a prescriptions by taking them to any of the following locations. You may leave them in the container or place pills in a sealed plastic bag. Prescription, overthe-counter and pet medications are accepted:
Adams Police Department
Dalton Police Department
Great Barrington Police Department
Lee Police Department
Lenox Police Department
North Adams Police Department
Pittsfield Police Department
Sheffield Police Department
Stockbridge Police Department
Williamstown Police Department
Information provided by Hospice Care of the Berkshires and the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration)
Continuum of Health Care Services
Our full spectrum of health care services, at one convenient location, allows residents and patients access to all levels of health care services from assisted living to inpatient skilled nursing and rehabilitation.
Exceptional Care and Services
• Inpatient Skilled Nursing
• Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
• Long-ter m Care
• Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Respite Program
Do you have a question about a healthcare charge on your Medicare Summary Notice?
Do you know that Medicare loses more than $60 billion a year to erroneous and fraudulent claims?
You can do your par t by reviewing your Medicare Summar y Notices , your E xplanation of Benefits, and invoices from your healthcare providers . If you believe Medicare or you were billed for a ser vice you did not receive, repor t it to the Massachuset ts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program at 80 0 - 892- 089 0.
The MA SMP Program helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries avoid becoming victims of healthcare errors , fraud, and abuse.
To order a free MA SMP Program personal healthcare journal, “My Health Care Tracker,” to help you document your medical appointments, medications, and treatments, call the MA SMP Program at 80 0 - 892- 089 0 or order online at www. MASMP.org.
Remember:
Never give out your personal information including your Medicare number to anyone you do not know and trust. If you think you have been a victim of a Medicare scam, repor t it to the MA SMP Program’s Scam Line at 978 -94 6 -124 3 or email Repor t AScam@MASMP.org.
Spring Cleaning for Fire & Personal Safety
by Laura Feakes
Spring is here, and with it a feeling of renewal after months being cooped up indoors. With the arrival of milder weather and the additional sunlight as the clock sprung forward, thoughts turn to cleaning up after a long winter, making repairs around the home, and enjoying the outdoors. It a great time to review your safety checklist for your home.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms
According to the Massachusetts Dept. of Fire Safety, seniors are more likely to die in fires than those of other age groups. Alarms should be tested frequently and batteries replaced immediately if needed. Older adults may want to ask someone to test the alarms for them to avoid the risk of falling off a chair or ladder. If someone in your home is hard of hearing, consider installing an alarm that uses a flashing light or vibration to alert them in an emergency. If no one is available to assist with installation, try contacting your local fire department. In addition, Berkshire County residents can contact the Red Cross, 1-800-746-3511 about their Home Fire Campaign. The Home Fire Campaign helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that don’t have them, and by educating people about home fire safety.
Smoking fires are the leading cause of fire deaths for older adults (Office of the State Fire Marshall, www.mass.gov/dfs).
If you smoke, do it outdoors. Use large, sturdy ashtrays or a can filled with sand to put out smoking materials. Never extinguish cigarettes in potted plants or mulch. If you are drowsy or falling asleep put out your cigarette and never smoke in bed. Electrical fires are another leading cause of fire deaths to older adults. Don’t overload outlets and power strips. Use one appliance per outlet especially if it’s a heat generating appliance. Don’t run electrical cords under rugs or let them get pinched by furniture. Extension cords should only be used temporarily; they are not designed for long-term use.
Hundreds of people die accidentally each year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Carbon monoxide gas is produced whenever any fuel, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. Since 2006, state law has required carbon monoxide alarms in most homes. Install alarms on every habitable level of your home. Check vent pipes, flues and chimneys for leaks or blockages. Don’t leave a vehicle running inside a garage, even if the door is open, as fumes can build up quickly inside the home.
Kitchen/Bath/Laundry
In the laundry room, clean out the dryer filter, vents, and hoses of any lint and debris to reduce the chance of a dryer fire. Keep detergent pods out of the reach of grandchildren. In the kitchen, clean around stovetops and
remove all combustibles such as oven mitts, towels, utensils or food packages. While you are in spring cleaning mode, don’t forget the medicine cabinet. Take unwanted or expired medicines to a prescription drop box or takeback event near you. Look for a convenient drop box near you at: www.mass.gov/service-details/ prescription-dropbox-locations. Then update your first-aid kit.
Fall Prevention
Clear out clutter throughout the home to remove slip, trip and fall hazards from the floor and clear pathways to exits. While clutter doesn’t start fires, it does become fuel that makes a fire grow. Install nightlights throughout the house to prevent falls if you need to get up during the night.
Emergency Plan review
Knowing what to do in an emergency is particularly important for older adults. Conduct your own, or participate in, regular evacuation drills to make sure you know what to do in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event. Plan around your capabilities. If someone you live with cannot escape alone, designate a household member to assist and decide on backups in case the designee isn’t home. Make sure you are able to open all doors and windows in your home. Keep a telephone nearby, along with emergency phone numbers so that you can communicate with emergency personnel if you are trapped in a room. Be sure to
keep your glasses, hearing aid, cane or wheelchair close to your bed at night. Have a home and car emergency kit ready to go all year long. Contact your Senior Center or Fire Dept about a File of Life that records medications and emergency contacts and is kept on the refrigerator- EMTs will know to look there.
Outside the House
In the yard, remove potential fire fuel by cleaning up leaves and debris. Make sure that paint, yard, and combustible fuels are stored properly and that old and leaking containers are disposed of through local waste management. Have someone clean out gutters and downspouts of leaves and debris. Take a look at your grill – check all components for potential leaks and clean up any grease or fat buildup. And don’t forget to make sure you have house numbers that are clearly visible to emergency responders - seconds count in an emergency. Finally, know your physical limits. Spring cleaning can involve some heavy lifting, as well as climbing and kneeling so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Stay hydrated and take frequent breaks. With a little preventative work now, you can make a big impact on reducing your home’s risks and ensuring your safety. For more information about Senior Safety, go online to www. mass.gov and search “Senior Safe Program”.
Laura Feakes is one of Elder Services’ Information and Referral Specialists
Thank You To Our Donors:
The following donations were received between January 1, 2022 and February 28, 2022. Donations received on or after March 1, 2022 will appear in the next issue of Berkshire
Memorial Donations
In Memory of: Olive Anderson
Colleen and Matthew Ga ey
Jon and Susan Mc Nally
In Memory of: William Broderick
Katherine Broderick
In Memory of: Helen Croce
Richard and Patricia Cassani
Daniel and Lucinda Croce
Beverly Osterhout
James and Karen Pronovost
In Memory of: Louis Doyle
Robert and Christina Faye
Nancy Kelly
In Memory of: Joseph ‘Barry’
Hollister
Margot Towl
In Memory of: Joanne Jones
John and Carole Genzabella
Christine Gustitus
William and Rose Ann Sturgeon
In Memory of: Charles Kurek
Richard Kurek
In Memory of: Edward New
Christine Castellon
In Memory of: Mary Richards
Barbara Tatro
In Memory of: Dorothea Steele
Peter and Candace Cross
Kathryn Korte
In Honor of Donations
In Honor of: Richard and Maureen
Tuggey
Jane Karlin
Elder Independence
Donations
Adams Community Bank
Ginger Alexander
John and Jane Allen
James Amaral
Donald and Olive Anderson
Patti Annechiarico
James Armstrong
Jon Bak
Robert and Georgiana Bartini
Frank Battista
Richard Bauer, Sr.
Nancy Begbie
Barbara Benham
Barbara Bennett
Berkshire Communicators, Inc.
Marjorie Bissaillon
Maggie and Sam Bittman
Peter and Valerie Bluhm
Susan Bohl
Mary Bolshaw
Jeanne Bresnahan
Patricia Brien
Donald and Sharon Briggs
Adriana Brown
Robert Bugley
Ann Cain
Peter Calderella
Gene and Justyna Carlson
Cheryl Ann Chalmers
Dr. Alan & Dr. Roselle Chartock
Donna Chenail
Richard and Sandra Cobb
Thomas and Nioma Coen
Bruce and Concettina Collingwood
Nancy Cook
Richard and Armine Cooper
Dr. Eugene and Delores Curletti
Mark and Karen Daigle
Donald and Jean Davis
Marilyn DeRosa
Dery Funeral Home
Joseph Dewey and Willemina
Kramer
Janice DiTomasso
Margaret Donovan
Frank and Virginia Dubis
Kathleen Duquette-Penna
Lydia Lake and Robert Edwards
Elm Street Luncheonette
Fairview Contractors, Inc
Tenney and Linda Fales
Barbara Favreau
Barbara and Raymond Ferrarin Sr.
Michelle Filiault
Andrew and Karel Fisher
Nancy Fitzpatrick
Rose Fragala
Thomas Furlano
Paula and Donald Gamache Jr.
Eugene and Patricia Gebarowski
John Gerson
Ernest and Sharyn Godbout
Sheila Goldlust and William Rota
Great Barrington Police
Association Local 350
Linda Greenhouse
Luis and Grace Guerrero
Donald Hanson
Joan Hayford
Steven and Teresa Hayner
Robert Hildebrand
Mary Horton
Ewa Jancewicz
Thomas and Elaine Jones
John Kellogg
Ellen Kenwood
Russell Kenyon
Kathleen Kilgus
Delmore and Georgette Kinney
Paul Kleinwald
K-M Toyota
Iris Krieger
Ellen Krupka
Laborer’s Local 473
John and Judith Ladd
Frank and Jeanette Lagowski
Neal and Patricia Langlois
Walter and Elaine LaPierre
Diane LaValle
Ernest and Carole LeBarron
Edna Levenworth
Mary Levesque
Katt Lissard
Richard and Kathleen Luczynski
Scott MacKenzie
George and Carole Manarchik
Lorraine and Albert Mancuso Jr.
Vincent Marinaro
Stephen and Susan Marko
John Masiero, Jr.
Thomas Maynard
Lee McClelland
Christine McGinniss
Virginia McHugh
Kathleen McMullen
Debra Megas
Paul and Sandra Merlino
Constance Metall
Patricia and Kenneth Miner
Raymond and Jeanne Moulthrop
MountainOne Bank
Daniel and Jean Murphy
Marie Musante
Richard Nichols
Northeast Fabricators & Mechanical Services
Maureen O’Brien
Robert and Margaret O’Clair
Frederick Olszewski
Charles and Susan O’Neil
Joyce Orell
Michael Ouellette
Carlos Paredes
Anthony Parise
Diane Philippe-Gingras
Steven and Sally Pullen
Daniel Pupo
Purple Plume
Mary Rathbun
Dr. Robin Renders
Beverly Reynolds
Susan Ricci
Philip Rich
Nancy Rodovick
Gail Roger
Rose Rondeau
Sharon Rose
Vlada Rousse
Barbara Rubin
Lawrence and Martha Sands
Cynthia Sault
Anne Schnesel
Thomas and Victoria Sedgwick
Cindy Shogry-Raimer
E. Bonnie Silvers
Newell and Paula Skinner
Pauline Sniezek
Judith St Jacques
Stedman Stephens
Seth and Helen Stockwell
Suburban Internal Medicine
Shaun and Mary Ellen Sutli
Edwin and Barbara Taginski
Judith Thompson
Norma Tomkowicz
Neville Toye, Jr.
Ronald and Janice Uliasz
David Vacheron
John and Shirley Vachula
Jean Veazie
Robert Veit
Dr. Arthur Wasser and Terry Wasser
Judith Weber
Stephen Weisberg
Paula Wells
Judith Whitbeck
Carolyn Whitney
Judith Williams
Victoria Williams
Ellen Wineberg
Rae-Ann Winters
Wohrle’s Foods, Inc.
Susan and Thomas Young , III
Olivia Zegarowski
Barbara Ziemba
Edward and Emily Zoladz
General Donations
Phillip and Mary Bedient
Berkshire Bank Foundation
Berkshire Hills Knights of Columbus, Council 314
John and Melissa Bissell
Thomas and Lorita Bosworth
Jennifer Brennan
Danielle Christ
Mary and James Nicoll Cooper
Cynthia Golin
Arthur and Louise Hillman
Carol Kirby
Mary Anne Kirby
Sandra Kleiner
Christopher and Kimberly Mathews
Anna Mickiewicz
Ann Pannesco
Robert Pothier
Andrew and Marcia Powdermaker-Potler
Sharon Robak
Della Sayres
Tamar Schrager
Jodi St Peter
David and Laurel Sturma
Thursday Morning Club
Judith Trask
Cheryl Wilser
Meals On Wheels
Donations
Catherine Blake
Michelle Conroy
Barry and Judith Dichter
Charles Hyde
William and Ann McLaren
Carol Perkins
Tamar Schrager
SHINE Donations
Katherine Butler
Cynthia Armstrong
Judy Moss
Consumer Directed Care (CDC) Service Option
by Kara Graziola Client Services Supervisor
Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. (ESBCI) offers the Consumer Directed Care (CDC) option for service delivery to consumers who are eligible for the State Home Care Program. The CDC service allows consumers to hire, manage and dismiss their own workers. Rather than authorize a number of hours through one of our contracted provider agencies, ESBCI can authorize a number of hours per week a CDC worker can work. Then the consumer may directly pay the worker the consumer has hired, trained and recruited.
Eligibility criteria for the CDC service delivery includes:
• Financial and clinical eligibility for State Home Care Program
• The consumer cannot be enrolled in the Frail Elder Waiver
• An assessment which confirms the consumer’s need for personal assistance services; and,
• If an assessment determines the consumer will require assistance managing the responsibilities of this service option, it will be necessary to appoint a surrogate. The surrogate can be a spouse, other family member or neighbor.
Worker eligibility:
• The consumer may hire any individual as long as it is not their spouse, surrogate or legal guardian
• As required by state law, an authorized staff member from ESBCI will complete a Criminal Offender Record (CORI) Information check on any individual to be hired on behalf of the consumer.
The worker’s eligibility is contingent on the results of CORI check.
The consumer and/or surrogate is responsible for the following:
• Recruiting and hiring the worker
• Establishing the worker’s tasks and work schedule
• Training and supervising the worker as to how specific tasks are to be performed
• Completing and submitting all necessary paperwork, including forms to become the employer of record, as well as timesheets and agreements
• Evaluating and, if necessary, discharging the worker
• Complying with all other terms and agreements
Elder Services of Berkshire County can assist with:
• Facilitating the development of the consumer’s service plan and assisting with identifying the tasks that will be performed
• Determining the number of hours per week of personal assistance services that ESBCI will authorize
• Providing the consumer and/ or surrogate with training and guidance on how to be an employer of record, complete forms and provide education on how to hire and recruit a worker
• Obtaining a CORI check on potential CDC workers
• Providing the consumer with ongoing advice and information regarding consumer rights, safety and access to Adult Protective Services
The consumer may instruct their workers to perform any personal assistance services, including:
• Homemaking
• Personal Care
• Home Health Aide
• Transportation
• Chore
• Companion
• Assistance with other activities such as help with medications or other healthrelated needs that otherwise would be self-administered
Please note that workers who reside with the consumer may not be reimbursed for assistance with certain tasks that benefit the worker, such as homemaking, chore, grocery shopping or meal prep.
For more information regarding Consumer Directed Care and the flexibilities it can offer, please contact Elder Services of Berkshire County at 413-499-0524.
RESOURCES
by Mary Jane Incorvia Mattina
Senior citizens today are fortunate to have at their fingertips a cornucopia of resources for living well. If you have access to a computer at home or at your local library, then the internet can be your magic carpet ride to the universe of resources headquartered beyond our Berkshire borders. Let’s hop aboard and head east to Cambridge, Mass and explore the AgeLab at MIT (https://agelab. mit.edu/, 617-253-0753).
Dr. Joseph Coughlin founded the AgeLab at MIT in 1999 and has been its director since its founding. The AgeLab’s efforts are focused, not on the biological aspects of aging, but rather on the intersection of aging with technology, commerce, caregiving, transportation and livable communities, to name some of its research areas. Let’s highlight three of its current
projects: The CareHive, The 85+ Lifestyle Leaders Panel and The OMEGA project. A thumbnail sketch about each of these projects follows.
The CareHive collects and maintains a worldwide database of caregiver volunteers who participate in surveys to understand the challenges, needs and wants of family caregivers and those they care for. In addition to the survey responses, this understanding also comes from AGNES—the Age Gain Now Empathy System. AGNES is donned by the youthful AgeLab researchers to simulate physical conditions associated with aging: reduced muscle
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strength, weakened joints, and diminished flexibility. Hopefully this experience will assist the researchers in understanding conditions experienced by older adults and in designing solutions for better coping.
If you are lucky enough to be 85 or older, you are eligible for the Lifestyle Leaders Panel. There are bimonthly meetings with people 85 and older to delve into the opportunities and challenges of the unprecedented longevity many of us are experiencing. The MIT AgeLab is recruiting nationally within the US for people 85 and older who would like to participate in remote surveys and focus groups. Questions about the 85+ Lifestyle Leaders Panel can be emailed to lifestyle-leaders@mit.edu. My favorite project is the Opportunities for Multigenerational Exchange, Growth and Action—much easier to call it OMEGA. The program is sponsored by AARP and Five Star Senior Living to foster intergenerational connection between high school students and older adults and is headquartered at the AgeLab. Students and adults brainstorm programming ideas for students in grades 9-12 throughout the US to design and implement in their community. Students can compete for annual college scholarships. This is a resource just waiting for adoption in Berkshire County schools with input from older adult residents. Rumor has it that a Mount Greylock student successfully designed and implemented an OMEGA project and received scholarship funding for her project a few years back. Again there is more to learn about OMEGA on the AgeLab website.
Please don’t overlook the resources available closer to home in Berkshire County. You likely already know about these but keep them close at hand.
Councils on Aging: Each of our 32 cities and towns has its own COA and as you might expect, there are 32 flavors and varieties. Services run the
gamut from exercise classes to tax information to appointments with foot care nurses, and day trips. And most of the COAs have a monthly, weekly or even sometimes daily newsletter that will keep town residents posted on what is on their agenda. If you haven’t already, get on the list for your town’s COA newsletter. A call to your city or town hall will point you in the right direction to your local COA.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (https:// berkshireolli.org/, 413-2362190): OLLI at BCC offers five semesters annually of courses on topics ranging from advances in medicine to genealogy, birdwatching to reading in Latin. Take a peek at the current catalogue on the website and you will see that the variety is endless. There are also Shared Interest Groups for people to discuss common interests in more depth. There is a membership fee and each course carries a tuition cost but don’t let financial barriers stop you from calling the OLLI office for info on financial assistance.
Elder Services of Berkshire County (http://www.esbci.org/, 413 499-0524): If you are reading Berkshire Senior you have already heard about Elder Services. ESBCI is designated by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs as the Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) for all of Berkshire County. Just a quick glance at its home page will give you an idea of the huge range of resources it offers which include Meals on Wheels, assistance with prescription drugs and homecare services and caregiver support.
A resource is only as good as the network available to inform people that the resource exists. Perhaps this article will encourage you to explore one remote and three local resources to enhance your life- and health spans.
“They helped us make every moment matter.”
• Bereavement counseling How will you know when it’s time to call hospice? Visit www.HCIB.org/WhenToCallHospice to learn more. “I’m so
“When Mom got sick, I was so overwhelmed managing her care, filling out paperwork, and trying to be there for her. Thankfully, HospiceCare in The Berkshires was there to make everything easier. They provided compassionate care, that supported a quality of life for Mom.”
Offering compassion to our community:
• Emotional and spiritual support
• Symptom management
• Integrative therapies
• Home health aides
• Meaningful end-of-life care
