The mission of Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. is to provide Berkshire elders, care givers, and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live with dignity, inde pendence, and self-deter mination, and to achieve the highest possible quality of life.
Statement of Inclusivity
E l d e r S e r v i c e s p r a c t i c e s n o n - d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n e m p l o y m e n t
practices and service delivery. Embracing diversity, our in-home and community-based services are available to all without re g ard to race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle
Many Challenges... Many Blessings
By Christopher McLaughlin, Executi v e Director of Elder Services
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Editorial Board: Deb Aldrich, Bonny DiTomasso, Laura Feakes, Deborah Golden Alecson, Christopher McLaughlin, K athleen Clear y, K athleen Phillips and John Ar thur Miller
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Berkshire Senior is published bi-monthly by Elder Ser vices of Berkshire County, Inc , 877 South Street, Suite 4E, Pitts eld, MA 01201, 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242, e -mail: esbc@esbci org or on the internet at www esbci.org
NOTICE
Elder Ser vices sells adver tising to defray costs. Inclusion of adver tisers in no way implies that Elder Ser vices endorses any produc t or ser vice.
Signed columns are the opinion of the writers and not necessarily the opinion of Elder Ser vices For medical, nancial or other advice, seek a quali ed professional in the appropriate eld
Elder Ser vices and its programs are funded, in par t, by the Massachusetts Executive O ce of Elder A airs.
State and federal funds provided to Elder Ser vices are limited. Elder Ser vices welcomes charitable donations to help meet the growing needs of Berkshire seniors, and gratefully ack nowledges all donations.
seasons (other than winter) seem to come and go so quickly. T his year the changing of the seasons marks not only the passage of time, but also the longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic
Berkshires in early March By the time the May issue was published, we were well into spring and had been dealing with social distancing and f ace masks for several weeks though we had no idea how much long er the pandemic would continue With our July issue, distributed just after the Four th of July, we realized COVID-19 wasn’t going away anytime soon and living with the realities of the pandemic had become our “new nor mal”. As I write this ar ticle, the 90 de g ree days are a memory summer is fading and fall is on the horizon This isn’t a bad thing We look forward to cool days and nights and fall’s vibrant colors though this year we’re going to have do without some Berkshire f all traditions that COVID-19 has put a temporary halt to
While many people look forward to fall for relief from hot summer d ays, t h i s ye a r f a l l ’ s ap p ro a ch
responding to the virus We should be very proud of the ste ps we’ve (you’ve) taken to mitig ate the risk and kee p our community safe and healthy. One person with COVID-19 is one too many but given where we were in April, May and June we’ve come a long way Like you, I hope we don’t experience a resurg ence However, if we do we’ll be ready and well pre pared.
I’m very proud of how Elder Services has risen to the challenge of the pandemic and continues to provide essential services during very dif ficult times In an ideal world I would wait until the pandemic was in the rear view mir ror to acknowledg e all of the wonderful people who’ve helped us along the way. However, since there’s no end in sight, now seems like the perfect time to thank all of the people without whom we wouldn’t have been able to continue our mission:
• Our clients and their families and friends, who’ve been g racious in acce pting new and innovative ways of working with us so we can continue to provide services
• Our Board of Directors, Advisory Council and volunteers who continue to suppor t and encourage us to continue advocating for and supporting our clients during this dif ficult and unprecedented time
• Our Leadership Team and all of our staf f who since day one have continued to work to ensure that our clients continue to feel suppor ted
continued on page 4
Group launching volunteer e or t
to help Berkshire seniors, caregivers
The following article originally appeared on BerkshireEagle com Reprinted here with permission from The Berkshire Eagle.
By Clarence Fanto, Eagle cor respondent
L E N O X V i l l a g e s o f t h e
B e r k s h i r e s , a L e n o x - b a s e d nonprofit, plans to use a $76,737 g rant to help set up a volunteer
p r o g r a m t o a s s i s t B e r k s h i r e
C o u n t y l o c a l f a m i ly c a re g ive r s,
o l d e r a d u l t s a n d p e o p l e w i t h disabilities.
Aid for seniors over 60 includes
v i s i t s o r c o m p a n i o n s h i p, l o c a l
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , s h o p p i n g , er rands, basic home maintenance
a n d re s p i t e c a re A l s o ava i l abl e
i s t e c h n o l o g y s u p p o r t t o h e l p
i n d iv i d u a l s s t ay c o n n e c t e d t o f amily, friends, community and f a i t h - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s, a n d medical providers.
T h e f u n d i n g i s f r o m
f r o m C o m m u n i t y C a r e C o r p s ,
e s t a b l i s h e d b y t h e f e d e r a l Administration for Community
L i v i n g , p a r t o f t h e U S
D e p a r t m e n t o f H e a l t h a n d Human Services.
T h e g r a n t e n a b l e s Vi l l a g e s
o f t h e B e rk s h i r e s t o b u i l d a n d
t r a i n a b a s e o f l o c a l vo l u n t e e r s
i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h B e rk s h i r e
C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e a n d t h e Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at BCC.
B y t h i s f a l l , t h e p r o g r a m
i s p r o j e c t e d t o a s s i s t u p t o 5 0
e l i g i b l e r e c i p i e n t s i n L e n o x , L e e, S t o ck b r i d g e a n d P i t t s fi e l d , with plans to expand in the near
f u t u r e t o A l f o r d , E g r e m o n t , Great Bar rington and Shef field, a c c o rd i n g t o C a rl S h u s t e r, v i c e president of the g roup
T h e g o a l by 2 0 2 1 i s t o h e l p several hundred people, Shuster t o l d T h e E a g l e i n a p h o n e interview.
“After more than two years of ef for t in org anizing Villa g es of the Berkshires and being set back by t h e u n f o r e s e e n r e s t r i c t i o n s i m p o s e d t o c o m b a t t h e s p r e a d
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the p r o g r a m i s b e i n g l a u n c h e d t o serve the everyday needs of older Berkshire residents who make up over 40 percent of the county’s population,” said Howard Shapiro, president of the local nonprofit, in a prepared statement.
“ T h e V i l l a g e s i s p u s h i n g forward so that we are in a position to increase our services when and as applicable state protocols for t h e C OV I D - 1 9 v i r u s a l l ow, ” h e added. “We are pleased that the C o m m u n i t y C a r e C o r p s g r a n t suppor ted our proposal for what t h e y r e c o g n i z e d a s a u n i q u e l y collaborative pro g ram with BCC d e s i g n e d t o b o t h e s t a b l i s h a broad-based pro g ram of trained OLLI member volunteers as well as colle ge and high school student volunteers, and to provide service
l e a r n i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r B C C student participants.”
T h e f u n d i n g f r o m Au g . 1
t h r o u g h Ju l y 3 1 , 2 0 2 1 , i s f r o m
t h e O a s i s I n s t i t u t e , w h i c h
a d m i n i s t e r s C o m m u n i t y C a r e Cor ps in conjunction with three p a r t n e r a g e n c i e s , C a r e g i v e r
A c t i o n N e t w o r k , N a t i o n a l
Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Altarum.
“This unprecedented pro g ram is a momentous leap forward in facilitating older adults, persons w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , a n d f a m i l y
c a r e g ive r s w i t h m u c h - n e e d e d non-medical assistance,” Shuster
s t a t e d . “ T h e a i d w i l l b e n e f i t
c o u n t l e s s l o c a l i n d iv i d u a l s a n d
f a m i l i e s , g e n e r a t i n g a l a s t i n g
i m p a c t o n t h o s e s e r ve d , a s we l l a s t h e vo l u n t e e r s s e r v i n g o u r community ”
Vo l u n t e e r s m u s t b e 1 8 a n d
o l d e r a n d p a s s a r e q u i r e d
c r i m i n a l b a c k g r o u n d c h e c k , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e C o m m u n i t y
C a r e C o r p s w e b s i t e. M e d i c a l ,
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r f i n a n c i a l services are not provided to the i n d iv i d u a l a i d r e c i p i e n t s a n d family care givers
Vi l l a g e s o f t h e B e rk s h i r e s intends to recr uit up to 50 wellt r a i n e d vo l u n t e e r s w i t h i n t h e
next six to eight months, Shuster
s a i d “ We ’ r e s t a r t i n g o u t o n a
d e l i b e r at e way, s o a s n o t t o g e t ahead of our skis,” he said, citing the impact of COVID-19.
Most of the g rant funding will be used to hire a four-day a week
c o o r d i n a t o r t o i m p l e m e n t t h e pro g ram with BCC and OLLI, he n o t e d . T h e g r a n t w i l l a l s o h e l p suppor t the services of Villages’ pro g ram director, Carolyn King.
T h e C o m m u n i t y C a r e C o r p s defines a f amily care giver as an u n p a i d f a m i l y m e m b e r, f o s t e r parent, friend, neighbor or other u n p a i d a d u l t wh o p r ov i d e s i nhome monitoring, management, s u p e r v i s i o n o r t r e a t m e n t o f a child or older adult.
“In this era of g reat need and r i s i n g ch a l l e n g e s fo r f r a i l o l d e r a d u l t s, p e o p l e w i t h d i s ab i l i t i e s, and their families, interest in and response to this new pro g ram has b e e n a b s o l u t e l y ove r wh e l m i n g
a c ro s s t h e c o u n t r y, ” s a i d O a s i s Institute President Paul Weiss. N a t i o n
Many
Challenges...
Many
Cor ps g rants totaling $2,440,000 w e r e a w a r
from Maine to Alaska.
Competing for the awards were 183 org anizations from 45 states, D C a
applied for $23 million. T
living in their homes Many also n e
at the
fects of isolation, Shuster s
vital for individuals to maintain the ability to live inde pendently and stay connected within their communities,” he said.
MORE INFORMATION
A n yo
through the pro g ram may apply a t v i l l a
communitycarecor ps org, or call 413-327-4404.
Blessings continued from page 3
and have access to the resources they need
• Our Kitchen Staf f, T ranspor ters and Drivers who haven’t m i s s e d a b e a
delivered to Berkshire County seniors each weekday
• Our home care agencies and other vendors, many of whose direct care workers have continued to provide care in our clients’ homes throughout the pandemic
• Our local le gislators, who are passionate about services for Berkshire County seniors and are at the forefront of ef for ts to pass le gislation and ensure continued funding for critical services
• Our donors, g rantors and other community par tners who have been incredibly g enerous with donations, g rants, COVID related funding and donated gloves, masks and personal assistive technolo g y devices
• T he local Councils on Aging and human service providers who have continued to play a vital role in meeting the needs of Berkshire County elders, disabled adults and care givers
• The Massachusetts Executive Of fice of Elder Af fairs, whose staf f have been proactive in revising policies and procedures and providing additional funding in response to COVID-19
T hank you all for your hard work, suppor t, encoura g ement and donations during this unprecedented time. We consider it a privile ge to serve our Berkshire neighbors but we couldn’t do what we do without each of you
Until next time be good, be kind and be careful.
Nonpro t Launches Services To Help
Berkshires
Villages of the Berkshires, Inc , a nonprofit cor poration org anized by Berkshire residents to assist older adults in the area to remain in their homes as they g row older, is launching an ef for t to provide volunteer services to seniors in the Berkshires such as friendly v
b e available in the towns of Lenox, S t o ck b r i d g e, L e e a n d P i t t s f i e l d and it is planned to be expanded to the towns of Shef field, Alford, Great Bar rington and Eg remont in the near future.
B a c k e d b y a r e c e n t l y
a n n o u n c e d g r a n t f r o m
Community Care Cor p, a funding s o u r c e e s t a b l i s h e d b y t h e Administration for Community
Seniors Age In Place
The Villa ges is launching its program to serv e the e v eryday needs of older Berkshire residents who mak e up ov er 40% of the county’s population.
Living, Villages of the Berkshires
w i l l b u i l d a n d t r a i n a b a s e o f
l o c a l vo l u n t e e r s t o a s s i
residents under a pro g ram to be established in cooperation with B e rk s h i
and the Osher Lifelong Lear ning Institute at BCC. H o w a r d S h a p i r o , p r e s i d e n t
u n fo re s e e n re s t r i c t i o n s i m p o s e d
t o c o m b a t t h e s p r e a d o f t h e
C OV I D - 1 9 v i r u s, t h e Vi l l a g e s i s
l a u n c h i n g i t s p r o g r a m t o s e r ve
t h e e v e r y d a y n e e d s o f o l d e r
B e rk s h i r e r e s i d e n t s wh o m a ke
u p o v e r 4 0 % o f t h e c o u n t y ’ s
p o p u l a t i o n . T h e V i l l a g e s i s
p u s h i n g fo r wa rd s o t h at we a re
i n a p o s i t i o n t o i n c r e a s e o u r
s e r v i c e s wh e n a n d a s ap p l i c abl e
s t at e p ro t o c o l s fo r t h e C OV I D - 1 9
v i r u s a l l ow We a re p l e a s e d t h at
t h e C o m m u n i t y C a re C o r p g r a n t
s u p p o r t e d o u r p ro p o s a l fo r wh at
t h e y r e c o g n i z e d a s a u n i q u e l y
c o l l a b o r a t i v e p r o g r a m w i t h
B e rk s h i r e C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
d e s i g n e d t o b o t h e s t a b l i s h a
b ro a d - b a s e d p ro g r a m o f t r a i n e d
O L L I m e m b e r vo l u n t e e r s a n d
o f t h e L e n o x - b a s e d n o n p r o f i t , re c e n t ly s a i d : “ A f t e r m o re t h a n t wo ye a r s o f e f fo r t i n o r g a n i z i n g V i l l a g e s o f t h e B e r k s h i r e s a n d b e i n g s e t b a c k b y t h e
c o l l e g e a n d h i g h s ch o o l s t u d e n t
v o l u n t e e r s a n d t o p r o v i d e
s e r v i c e l e a r n i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s
f o r B C C s t u d e n t p a r t i c i p a n t s .
A n d we a r e e s p e c i a l l y h o n o r e d
t h a t w e w e r e t h e o n l y Vi l l a g e
i n t h e c o u n t r y – i n c l u d i n g
t h e Vi l l a g e n e t wo rk i t s e l f – t o
re c e ive a g r a n t ”
Vi l l a g e s o f t h e B e rk s h i r e s ,
I n c . i s a 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) c o r p o r a t i o n
www.villagesoftheberkshires.org. For more infor mation contact: C a r l S h u s t e r , c e l l p h o n e : (413) 770-1311.
The Elder S er vices Kitchen A Taste of What Goes On
By John Arthur Miller, Options Counselor, Elder Services of Berkshire County
I n t h e l a s t e d i t i o n o f t h e
Berkshire Senior I talked about
t h e p l e a s u r e s o f s e r v i n g h o t
m e a l s t o s e n i o r s a s a d r ive r fo r
t h e M e a l s o n W h e e l s p ro g r a m .
B u t , h ave yo u wo n d e re d wh e re
t h e s e m e a l s c o m e f ro m ? I n t h i s edition let’s go back to the source.
T h e s u m m e r i s a t i m e wh e n
m a n y s t a f f t a k e a b r e a k t o
re j u ve n at e w i t h s o m e t i m e o f f .
O f c o u r s e t h i s s u m m e r m a n y
t o o k “ s t a c a t i o n ” r a t h e r t h a n
“ va c a t i o n ” b u t t h e r e wa s s t i l l
a n e e d t o f i l l i n a t t h e E l d e r
S e r v i c e s k i t ch e n . I wa s t i ck l e d to be asked to help out and it was e ye o p e n i n g t o p a r t a ke i n t h e process of pre paring hundreds of meals each mor ning for hung ry
s e n i o r s t h r o u g h o u t B e rk s h i r e County.
E l d e r S e r v i c e s o f B e rk s h i r e County is one of only a handful
o f M a s s a c h u s e t t s ’ t h i r t y A r e a
A g e n c i e s o n A g i n g t h a t r u n s their Nutrition Pro g ram in house and pre pares meals in their own kitchen Activity be gins early in t h e m o r n i n g a t o u r k i t c h e n i n Lanesboro. Cooking staf f ar rive f i r s t a r o u n d f iv e – y e s , a m ! followed by of fice staf f, pre parers, assemblers, and finally drivers.
M y j o b a s “ r u n n e r ” o n t h e
a s s e m bly l i n e b e g a n at a ro u n d
e i g h t a n d l a s t e d u n t i l a r o u n d
ten thir ty, a f ast furious beehive of activity when all par ticipants worked smoothly and ef ficiently as a team. Everyone knew their job, their spot, and as a neophyte, I was cautious about staying out of the way!
T h e bu i l d i n g b a s i c a l ly i s t wo rooms – the of fice and the kitchen
T h e o f f i c e – a i r c o n d i t i o n e d –
i s t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n c e n t e r, wh e re eve r y m o r n i n g l i s t s a n d
r o u t e s a r e a d j u s t e d a n d e d i t e d according to last minute changes
C o m p u t e r s a n d p r i n t e r s a r e h u m m i n g , p h o n e s a r e r i n g i n g , while the of fice staf f adjust final orders to send to the kitchen and assembly line.
T he kitchen is probably quite comfor table in the fall and winter But this summer, the pandemic
s u m m e r, wh e re a l l wo rke r s n o t
o n ly we a r t h e re q u i re d h at s o r
h a i r n e t s a n d g l o ve s , b u t a l s o masks, was rather uncomfor tably war m. Window fans buzzed, back
d o o r s we re o p e n e d t o we l c o m e
a s o m e t i m e s b re e z e, a s d r ive r s occasionally poked their heads in to see if their orders were ready
T h e k i t c h e n i s a h u b b u b o f basically three areas. The cooking area is active with two chefs and cooks working ovens, stoves, big mixers, and a lot of metal, shiny
a n d c l e a n a f t e r t h e p r e v i o u s
d ays ’ s c r u b b i n g . L o t s o f n o i s e f r o m b a n g i n g s p o o n s , m i x i n g , sliding metal, directions, orders, moving food to the next area – the
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“ I w a s t i c k l e d t o
b e a s k e d t o h e l p
o u t a n d i t w a s e y e
o p e n i n g t o p a r t a k e
i n t h e p r o c e s s o f
p re p a ri n g h u n d re d s
o f m e al s e a c h
m o r n i n g f o r h u n g r y
s e n i o rs t h r o u g h o u t
B e rk s h i re C o u n t y. ”
assembly line. That’s where I am s t at i o n e d , bu t at t h e e n d F i r s t you have the fou r, I ’ll call t hem “portioners”, who, in their g arb of aprons, masks, hats, and gloves, spoon or place the food por tions o n i n d iv i d u a l s e r v i n g p l a t e s .
O ve r t h e c o u r s e o f t i m e t h o s e plates have developed into better
i n s u l a t e d , s t u r d i e r, “ g r e e n e r ” material, but are unifor m in size
w i t h d iv i d e d a r e a s p a c e s a n d easily handled F rom there they
a r e s l i d ove r t h e s m o o t h c l e a n stainless steel table to the “boss
he runs each meal plate through a nifty machine that her metically seals each with a clear covering w h i c h e l i m i n a t e s s p i l l s , h e l p s kee p the meal war m, and enables m i c rowave re h e at i n g i f n e e d e d
a t i t s f i n a l d e s t i n a t i o n . I t a
T hen he slides the meal another two feet to the two packers, who m a n a g
insulated containers which have been sor ted and prear ranged for p
occasional order from the of fice. “ I f yo u h av e
T h e y h ave j u s t re c e ive d a c a l l s ay i n g G e r t r u d e ’ s d a u g h t e r d o w n i n Great Bar rington is visiting from F lorida and will be taking her to l u n c h t o d ay s o s h e
! Special orders don’t upset us! N o w c o m e s m y j o b ! A s t h e “runner” I roll those meals to the awaiting drivers outside the back d o o r w h e r e t h e y a r e g a t h e r e d w i t h t h e i r c o f f e e , s o m e t i
ly g ro u p e d in bunches of men talking about t h e i r g o l f g a m e, o r l a s t n i g h t ’ s b
n talking, laughing and sipping on c o f f e e c u
t h e i r r e g u l a r Dunkin Donut stop I know that is a sexist g eneralization but all
LocallyOwned...NationallyKnown
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s Telehealthservicesavailableforpatientsnotready to be seen in theclinic due to COVID-19concerns.
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510NorthStreet,Suite 9, Pitts eld, MA 01201• P(413)443-4800 • F(413)442-9701 audiogreylock@yahoo.com•tmarcotte@fyzical.com
i s i n g o o d f u n a n d a l l e n j oy t h e comradery five mor nings a week I
“Where’s Sam?” “Time
d
S
C
i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r d r o p o f f s a t
d i s t r i b u t i o n c e n t e r s a t t h e i r respective ends of the Berkshires, wh e r e o t h e r vo l u n t e e r d r ive r s
m e e t a n d d r ive o f f t o t h e h i l l towns with their 12-20 deliveries
T h e n t h e C e n t r a l C o u n t y drivers are next, milling around, g e n e r a l ly k n ow i n g t h e i r o rd e r s are coming out soon for their 15 or so deliveries. T hey then load them in their cars, say good bye, a n d a r e o n t h e i r j o u r n e y u n t i l same time tomor row
T he third area of the kitchen
i s o n e o f bu sy a c t iv i t y a s we l l , w h e r e m y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s t o stay out of the way, exce pt for an occasional request from a driver saying they need another orange
ES BC I K i tc h e n S u p e r v i so r
L i sa A l l e n h e l ps Lo u M a n n
f ro m t h e C l a i re Tea g u e
Se n i o r Ce n te r i n G rea t
Ba r r i n g to n l oa d m ea t
b oxes i n to Lo u ’s t r u c k
I n ea r l y Au g u st ES BC I ’s
k i tc h e n re ce i ve d 1 5 0 10
l b b oxes of p re co o ke d m ea ts f ro m t h e US DA
T h i s US DA d i st r i b u t i o n ,
t h e se co n d i n two m o n t h s
u n d e r t h e Co ro n av i r u s
Fo o d Ass i st a n ce Pro g ra m
(C FA P) p rov i d es b oxes
of p re co o ke d m ea ts to
co u n c i l s o n a g i n g a n d
se n i o r ce n te rs w h o i n t u r n
d i st r i b u te t h e m to se n i o rs
i n t h e i r co m m u n i t i es.
B i l l M o rea u f ro m
t h e C h es h i re Se n i o r
Ce n te r l oa d s US DA
m ea t b oxes i n to h i s
ca r fo r d i st r i b u t i o n to
C h es h i re res i d e n ts
j u i c e T h i s i s t h e a re a o f wa l kin coolers, a good place to be in t h e s u m m e r, wh e re o n e o r t wo
o t h e r s t a f f p r e p a r e t h e b r ow n b a g p o r t i o n o f t h e m e a l wh i c h includes the drink, fruit, desser t, b r e a d s t u f f s, o r c o n d i m e n t s a s needed. T hose ba gs are given to d r ive r s fo r d e l ive r y a l o n g w i t h the hot meal but just as impor tant a n d l o v i n g l y a s s e m b l e d b y thoughtful workers.
B y t e n t h i r t y my j o b i s d o n e, but the kitchen is still abuzz for a n o t h e r c o u p l e o f h o u r s wh i l e p r e p a r a t i o n a n d d e l i v e r y o f
e n m a s s e m e a l s t o n u m e r o u s
cong re g ate meal sites throughout the county are still being readied. Then tables are cleaned, pots are wa s h e d , a n d p r e p a r a t i o n s a r e made for the be ginning of a new morning the next day.
W h a t g r e a t a n d m e a n i n g f u l wo rk t h e s e fo l k s d o eve r y d ay !
T hank you and cong ratulations for a job well done!
These sites are currently c losed due to COVID-19. Please call ahead as some are providing Grab n Go meals.
Elder Ser vices of Berkshire County, Inc. NUTRITION PROGRAM SENIOR COMMUNITY DINING CENTERS sponsored in part by
CITY/TOWN PHONE ADDRESS DAYS MEALS SERVED SERVING TIME
NO. ADAMS 662-3125 SPITZER CENTER 116 Ashland St M-T-W-TH-F 11:30 am
WILLIAMSTOWN 458-8250 HARPER CENTER 118 Church St. VARIES –Call ahead 11:30 am ADAMS 743-8333 COMMUNIT Y CENTER 3 Hoosac St. M-T-W-TH-F 11:30 am
CHESHIRE 743-9719 SENIOR CENTER 119 School St. M-T-W 11:30 am
TSFIELD 499-9346 SENIOR CENTER 330 North St M-T-W-TH-F
528-4118
CENTER 917 South Main St. M-T-W-TH-F 11:30 am PIT TSFIELD 442-2200 KOSHER JEWISH COMM. C TR 16 Colt Road M-T-TH 12:00 pm
STOCKBRIDGE 298-3222
50 Main St. WED12:00 pm
SHEFFIELD 229-7037 SENIOR CENTER 25 Cook Road W & F12:00 pm
M assachussetts Provides M ail-In And Early Voting O ptions For 2020 Elec tions
for the state’s upcoming primary a
first time Massachusetts will have early voting before the Se ptember 1st state primary election and the
Se ptember 1st primary will take p l a c e b e t w e e n Au g u s t 2 2 a n d August 28. For the November 3rd general election the law expands
t h e s t a t e ’ s 1 0 d ay e a rl y vo t i n g period to 14 days from Saturday October 17 to F riday October 30 with cities and towns required to make voting available on the two S at u rd ays a n d S u n d ays d u r i n g this two-week period.
The idea behind adding earlier voting is to spread out the number of people who will cast their ballot in person Cities and towns will most likely consolidate poling sites and designate their polling places
2 0 d ay s b e f o r e t h e e l e c t i o n t o ensure that the public is infor med a n d t h at l o c at i o n s c o m p ly w i t h s a f e t y a n d h e a l t h re q u i re m e n t s. For individuals choosing to vote i n - p e r s o n t h e re w i l
f i c
f r
q
n t
e o f h a n d s a n i t i z e r s a n d u s e o f protective equipment T
to the 2020 elections also makes i t p o s
by
wh
wa s r e g i s t e
t o vo t e by July 1 was mailed an application. Yo
letter to your local election of fice including your name and address. T he application allows voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot for both the primary and/or general elections. The application is then faxed, mailed or emailed to your local city or town hall which will p r o c e s s i t a n d s e
ballot. Once you receive and fill o
mail it back to your local election of fice in the pre-addressed, prestamped envelope that will come with the ballot. Completed ballots can also be dropped of f in person at the election of fice or in secure drop boxes that cities and towns are required to provide this year Re s i d e n
re gistering to cast their votes It i s i m p o r t a n t t h at re s i d e n t s a re re gistered and that their local city or town election of fice have their cur rent address Nursing home re s i d e n t s c a n vo t
vo
all re gistered voters Individuals who need assistance to re gister or vote should have someone contact their local elections of fice on their behalf. F o r B O T H
re gistered voters have the option t o m a i
h n o excuses needed.
V
deadline dates on the Secretary of State’s website at www.sec.state. ma.us or contact their local city or town elections of fices.
Thank You To Our Donors:
The following donations were received during the period of June 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020. Donations received on or after August 1, 2020 will appear in the nex t publication of Berkshire Senior
General Donations
Ms. Georgette Kinney
Mr & Mrs Donald Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Christopher, Sr.
Mr & Mrs Rober t Anderson
Mr. Brian Harris, Sr.
Mr Rober t W Fink
Mr Tony Pagliarulo
Ms. Colleen Bergdoll
Ms Cynthia J Sault
Ms. Irene F. Ropelewski
Ms Judith Trask
Ms. Karn Rosenberg
Ms Marge Caesar
Ms Marie Goodrow-Anderson
Elder Independence Donations
Ms Ellen Boll-Brown
Ms. Ceil Cencia
Mr James P Amaral
Mr Nadell Hill
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence B. Carmel
Ms Kathleen McMullen
Ms. Lois Forsley
Ms Nanc y E King
Ms. Diana Fontana
Mrs Norma C Tomkowicz
Dr Rober t B Lee
Ms. Alice Jonas
Mrs Theresa Trac y
Mr. & Mrs. Larr y Newmark
Mr & Mrs Leonard F Sniezek
Mr. & Mrs. Herber t L. Lawrence
Mr & Mrs Joel A Less
Ms Lorenza Pozzoni
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Armstrong
Ms Helen Sciarra
Ms. Jenifer Picard
Mrs Helena Matthews C Rober ts
Mr William Patterson
Ms Ann Stout
Mrs Helene Leavitt
Ms. Sharon Stevens
Mr & Mrs John E Pr yzby
Mr. & Mrs. John Carmelo Genzabella
Mr & Mrs John Ladd
Mr.& Mrs. Ralph A. Robinson, Jr.
Ms Barbara King
Ms Mar y Hor ton
Mr. Rober t Hildebrand
Mr Philip Rich
Ms. Mar y Shogr y-Hayer
Mr & Mrs Eugene Gebarowski
Ms. Michelle Cutler
Ms Kathleen M Burke
Ms Catherine Spinney
Ms. Carol Ann Pullo
Mr & Mrs Sully Garofano
Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Blanchard
Mr Rober t Balboni
Mr. & Mrs. Rober t Annelli Okun Ser vices
Ms Carol A Christopher
Mr. & Mrs. A. Roger Bowlby
Ms Patricia E Choquette
Mr. & Mrs. James Edelman
Ms Joan Hamilton
Mr & Mrs Joseph M Tirrell
Ms Judi Drozd
Ms Sandra Kearns
Ms. Laura Tucker
Mr & Mrs Mark Selkowitz
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Selkowitz
Ms Vic toria E Williams
Ms Dorothy Heath
Ms Joan Lane
Mr James F Reynolds
Mr. Rober t J. Hickey
Mr & Mrs Wayne Tenney
Ms. Ellen C Wineberg
Mr George Munson
Ms Fern E Lavelle
Mr & Mrs Philip Palano
Mr & Mrs William M Had eld
Mr. Thomas Furlano
Mr Philip Rossi
Dr. & Mrs. Rober t Josell D.D.S. M.D.
Dr Richard M Ziter
Mr. Stephan E. Pia
Ms Maggie Bittman
Ms. Magda Gabor-Hotchkiss
Mr Donald R Hanson
Mr Harr y W Dupont
Mr. & Mrs. Keith Palmer
Mr & Mrs Seth Stockwell
Ms. Marilyn J. Sauer
Meals on Wheels Donations
Dr Eugene Talbot
Mr & Mrs Barr y Dichter
Thursday Morning Club
Memorial Donations
In Memory of: Mr & Mrs Bill and Elaine Broderick
Ms. Katherine Broderick
In Memory of: Mr John P Buratto
Mr Chris Young
In Memory of: Mrs Joann Maselli
Mr & Mrs Thomas Bona
Mrs Marcia Sarrouf
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Smachetti
Mr & Mrs Ernest Richardson, Jr
Ms. Virginia Cariddi
Ms Nanc y McShane
Mr & Mrs Lorenzo Burzimati
Mr Peter Horbal
Ms Robin Moore
Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Spielberg
In Memory of: Mr Ronald Perrone
Ms Karen Davies
In Memory of: Mr. Richard Salvadore
Ms Karen Archey
In Memory of: Mr George Shogr y, Sr
Mr. & Mrs. John Connolly
In Memory of: Mrs. Kathr yn Tassone
Ms Sherr y Supranowicz
Ms. Sally Par tridge
Mrs Elizabeth Salvatore
Currently airing on PCT V Channel 1301 Access Pitts eld
Broadcast schedule:
PC T V 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 pitts eldtv.org.
Thank you to our friends at PCT V for all their help in making Berkshire Senior T V accessible to our community
E l d e r S e r v i c e s ’ B e r k s h i r e S e n i o r, S e p t e m b e rO c t o b e r 2
Our Medical Wishes Should We G et COVID -19
Estate planning requires first an acce ptance that one’s life will end, and equally as important, in terms of medical care, that conversations need to occur with our family members and in some cases, friends.
By Deborah Golden Alecson
L iv i n g t h r o u g h a p a n d e m i c
h a s b r o u g h t awa r e n e s s o f o u r
m o r t a l i t y t o t h e f o r e f r o n t .
According to an estate planning attor ney, she and her colleagues h a v e b e e n i n u n d a t e d w i t h requests, mostly by those sixtyye a r s - o l d a n d o l d e r, t o f i n a l l y, after putting it of f, finaliz e their l e g a l a n d m e d i c a l d o c u m e n t s .
In addition to the urgency to get one’s af fairs in order sparked by COVID-19, people have more time to do so because they are staying home. This attor ney told me that her clients have been sur prised t h at t h e re i s a wa i t t i m e t o g e t
a p p o i n t m e n t s . T h i s c e r t a i n l y
w a s n o t t h e c a s e p r e - C OV I D
w h e n d e a l i n g w i t h e n d - o f - l i f e
d o c u m e n t s wa s p r o c r a s t i n a t e d because our eventual demise was furthest from our thoughts.
Estate planning requires first an acce ptance that one’s life will e n d , a n d e q u a l ly a s i m p o r t a n t , i n t e r m s o f m e d i c a l c a r e, t h a t conversations need to occur with our family members and in some c a s e s, f r i e n d s. T h e d o c u m e n t s t h a t I w i l l d i s c u s s a r e m e d i c a l (not the Last Will and Testament
o r t h e P o w e r o f A t t o r n e y ) . I will also discuss the limitations
o f s o m e m e d i c a l d o c u m e n t s t o actualize our end-of-life wishes.
O n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t
d o c u m e n t s t o h ave i s a H e a l t h
C a re P rox y U n l i ke a Powe r o f
A t t o r n e y wh i ch g ive s s o m e o n e
t h e l e g a l r i g h t t o a c c e s s yo u r
f i n a n c e s, a H e a l t h C a r e P r o x y
i s s o m e o n e w h o c a n m a k e medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Two of the m o s t c o n s e q u e n t i a l m e d i c a l
i n t e r v e n t i o n s t h a t n e e d t o
b e d i s c u s s e d g i v e n p o t e n t i a l
s c e n a r i o s a r e r e s u s c i t a t i o n
a n d i n t u b a t i o n We k n ow t h a t
i n t u b a t i o n c a n b e a d r a s t i c
m e a s u re fo r t h o s e wh o b e c o m e
c r i t i c a l l y i l l w i t h C OV I D - 1 9 . I t is not f ar-fetched in the least for
e a c h o f u s t o t h i n k a b o u t a n d discuss with our loved ones what w e wo u l d w a n t a n d n o t w a n t
s h o u l d w e g e t C OV I D - 1 9 . We know that there are more severe
sy m p t o m s g ive n o n e ’ s a g e a n d comorbidities. We also know that
s h o u l d o n e s u r v ive e x t u b at i o n , t h e r e c o ve r y c a n b e g r u e l i n g
We may also feel that given our
a g e a n d / o r p o s s i bl e s c a rc i t y o f
l i f e - s av i n g i n t e r v e n t i o n s , w e wo u l d n o t wa n t t o u s e p re c i o u s
r e s o u r c e s t o s a v e o u r o w n
l iv e s . O r, w e m i g h t w a n t a l l
interventions These are matters that we need to think about and
s h a re w i t h o u r l ove d o n e s a n d certainly our health care proxy.
I n a d d i t i o n t o c o nve r s at i o n s, t h e r e a r e d o c u m e n t s t h a t c a n assist our proxy, family members, a n d d o c t o r s i f w e c a n n o t
a r t i c u l a t e o u r w i s h e s O n e i s called a Living Will and it is filed with other end-of-life documents
a f t e r i t h a s b e e n w i t n e s s e d .
T here is also a useful document called the Five Wishes A Do Not Re s u s c i t a t e ( D N R ) o r d e r a n d Do Not Intubate (DNI) are more hospital specific and are le g ally binding. While a Living Will and t h e F ive Wi s h e s a r e u s e f u l , i n the state of Massachusetts, they a re n o t l e g a l ly b i n d i n g S h o u l d yo u b e c o m e c r i t i c a l l y i l l f r o m
C OV I D - 1 9 o r a ny o t h e r i l l n e s s, life-saving interventions such as CPR would be initiated after 911 i s c a l l e d a n d t h e E M Ts ap p e a r. T hey are not required to follow
the dictates of your living will I spoke with Captain Michael
Z i n c h u k a t t h e L e n o x F i r e De par tment and he made it clear t h a t t h e m o s t c o m p r e h e n s iv e medical document that must be followed both inside and outside
a h o s p i t a l i s t h e M a s s a ch u s e t t s
M e d i c a l O r d
See https://www.molst-ma.org/
they also bring relief
that should they be the decisionmakers for your care, they know t h a t t h e y a
yo u r expressed wishes.
2020 annual meeting
Elder Ser vices made the difficult decision to cancel this year ’ s Annual Meeting, which is typically held in October. With current requirements for social distancing, restrictions on large public events and the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall, our Board of Directors concluded it could not host a public Annual Meeting this year. We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting in 2021!
OneWestStreet~Lenox, M A 01240 tel:413.637.5075| fa x:413.637.5077 www.almgrenlaw.com
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E l d e r S e r v i c e s ’ B e r k s h i r e S e n i o r, S e p t e m b e rO c t o b e r 2 0 2 0
C ARE Call Program Nur tures S enior
Friendships and Helps Lessen Isolation
By Kathleen Cleary
T h i s s p r i n g , t h e L e n o x
C o u n c i l o n A g i n g p u t o u t a c a l l
f o r s e n i o r s w h o wo u l d l i k e t o
c a l l o t h e r s e n i o r s t o c h e c k - i n
a n d c h a t D u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d
o f f o r c e d i s o l a t i o n a n d f e a r s
o f C OV I D - 1 9 , i t a p p e a r s t h e
p r o g r a m i s a w i n - w i n b o t h f o r the callers and the callees
T h e C OA a s s i g n s p e o p l e wh o
h av e i n d i c a t e d t h e y ’ d l i k e t o
b e c a l l e d w i t h t h o s e wh o h ave
r a i s e d t h e i r h a n d t o m a ke t h e calls Some happen to know the caller from activities at the Lenox
C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r o r f r o m
f o r m e r c a r e e r s a n d o t h e r s a r e new to each other
I n b o t h c a s e s , f r i e n d s h i p s
a r e e i t h e r b e i n g r e n e w e d o r g enerated and everyone is happy
T his pro g ram is not at all rigid.
T h e c a l l e r a n d t h e c a l l e e a g re e
w i t h o n e a n o t h e r o n h ow o f t e n they’ll make calls T he frequency of calls totally de pends upon the wishes of the person being called. Everyone I spoke with said they a r e h a p p y t o m a k e o r r e c e ive spontaneous calls when needed.
For instance, Edna Price, who was assigned to call MB, made an extra call after the stor m related to Hur ricane Isaias blew through
j u s t t o b e s u r e eve r y t h i n g wa s
o k E d n a a n d M B h a d k n o w n
o n e a n o t h e r f ro m t h e i r c a re e r s in education and are thoroughly
e n j o y i n g a r e n e we d f r i e n d s h i p a n d l o t s o f l a u g h s d u r i n g t h e i r conversations.
A l t h o u g h M B h a s a c t i v e suppor t systems from her church
g r o u p s a n d o t h e r f r i e n d s , s h e g reatly appreciates the calls she
h a s w i t h E d n a H e r h u s b a n d i s cur rently in Hospice Care so she
i s l iv i n g a l o n e b u t n o t f e e l i n g alone because of all her suppor t during this global pandemic
MB says if she has a question
o r j u s t f e e l s t h e n e e d t o c h a t ,
E d n a i s a lw ay s ve r y h a p p y t o
h e a r f r o m h e r i f s h e c a l l s a t a
t i m e o t h e r t h a n t h e i r a g r e
dupon time.
a n bu i l d d u r i n g this time of COVID restrictions.
E d n a ’ s d a u g h t e r d i l i g e n t l y makes sure her Mom doesn’t go into stores and does her shopping f o r h e r. E d n a s u p p l e m e n t s t h e
CARE Calls with lots of time in her yard with her do g as well as watering the flowers at the f amily g ravesites to help her cope.
Another caller, Gloria Cohen, i s e n j o y i n g t h e s a m e p e r s o n a l
b e n e fi t o f f e e l i n g l e s s i s o l a t i o n
a s s h e c h e c k s i n w i t h p e o p l e
a n d m a ke s s u re t h e y a re d o i n g
o k a n d n o t f e e l i n g a l o n e a n d
i s o l at e d ( H e r ow n s o n i s d o i n g
r e s e a r c h o n t h e C OV I D v i r u s
a n d d o e s n ’ t w a n t h e r r i s k i n g exposure )
Gloria g ets g reat g ratification
a n d p l e a s u re o u t o f c o n n e c t i n g
w i t h l o c a l s e n i o r s a n d m a k i n g sure they’re doing ok Not every
s e n i o r k n ows h ow t o Z o o m o r
S k y p e a n d h av i n g s o m e o n e
ch e ck i n o n t h e p h o n e c a n b e a highlight for them Gloria loves to hear their stories and always learns new things as she develops friendships with them.
L e t ’ s f a c e i t , j u s t l i s t e n i n g
t o t h e n e w s t h e s e d a y s c a n b
G
folks she calls g reatly appreciate having the extra help of someone additional connecting with their loved ones.
I
feel isolated but they don’t need to feel alone.
I f y o u ’ d l i k e t o r e c e
friendly call now and then from a local senior, just call the Lenox COA at 413.637.5535 and sign up! You’ll be glad you did.
Simple Nursing Measures Can Improve Ones Health
By Jane R. Kelley BSN, RN,BC a/k/a Countryside Nurse
We can sometimes look back to Grandmother’s remedies when faced with everyday discomforts Modern day prescriptions are sometimes disappointing in relieving various ailments. Tired feet are a common complaint for many people, which affects their daily lives in a big way
As a longtime footcare nurse, I share some of my knowledge with my clients in an attempt to improve their comfort One simple practice, that has given g reat relief, unless contraindicated by their primary care practitioners, is that of adding cider vine gar to a foot bath. Done on a re gular basis, such as one or two times a week, not only gives a good hygienic cleansing to the skin of the feet, but also helps prevent or remedy fungal infections to skin and nails
Following the foot bath, drying and buf fing of f loosened dead skin
is important, followed by lotioning or oiling the skin to replace natural oils lost. Done as a regular routine, these measures can help to keep the feet healthy
Improving foot health goes a long way in uplifting ones spirits as they move through the day When the feet feel better, we feel better all over
• Compassionate,highlytrained staffcertified in hospiceandpalliativecare
• Comprehensiveteamavailable to provideawide range of servicesincluding:
• Fullrange of servicesfocused on managing painand improvingquality of life
Calltoday to see howhospicecanhelpyourfamily.
877SouthStreet,Suite 1W • Pittsfield, MA 413-443-2994 • www.hcib.org
COVID -19 Funerals
By Deborah Golden Alecson
In these times of COVID-19, the fate of the dead has not changed. What has chang ed are the ways in which survivors now mour n the loss of their loved ones. Social d i s t a n c i n g , l i m i t e d g at h e r i n g s, and the wearing of face masks are a par ticular challenge to endure in the midst of g rief when needs a r e h e i g h t e n e d f o r c l o s e n e s s , t e a r s, h u g s, a n d c l o s e h u m a n contact I have yet to lose a loved one during these dire times and have not participated in a modified service so what I write is based on published funeral guidelines and a phone conversation with a local funeral director
I fi r s t ch e cke d fo r g u i d e l i n e s given by the CDC and what they
o f f e r a r e “ g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e s ”
( h t t p s : / / w w w c d c g o v /
c o r o n av i r u s / 2 0 1 9 - n c o v / d a i l y -
l i f e - c o p i n g / f u n e r a l - g u i d a n c e .
h t m l ) . Fo r e x a m p l e, t h e y s t at e, “Cloth face coverings help lower
the risk of spreading COVID-19, par ticularly if social distancing cannot be maintained.” However, w h a t w e k n o w i s t h a t s o c i a l
d i s t a n c i n g a n d t h e we a r i n g o f
f a c e c ove r i n g s s h o u l d n o t b e a
ch o i c e bu t a m a n d at e. F u n e r a l directors throughout the nation are following the guidelines from t h e N at i o n a l F u n e r a l D i re c t o r s Association (NFDA) which of fers this provisory, “Your local and/ o r s t a t e p u b l i c h e a l t h o f f i c i a l s may be making recommendations for the care of decedents and/or public g atherings that are more s t r i n g e n t t h a n w h a t t h e C D C a n d f e d e r a l g o ve r n m e n t h ave recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health of ficials ” T h e N F DA g u i d e l i n e s c ove r everything from protocol when the deceased had COVID-19; how to procure PPE (and what to use i n s t e a d g ive n t h e s c a r c i t y i n some areas of the country); the use of public platforms to stream
services; and resources for funeral directors re garding the bereaved One such resource is an article by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, a g rief counselor from the Center for Loss & Life Transition: Dealing With Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic. He advises funeral directors to, “ E n c o u r a g e f a m i l i e s t o re a l i z e that despite the cur rent challenges w i t h t h e C OV I D - 1 9 v i r u s, t h e y need and deserve suppor t at this time Encourage them to talk to o t h e r p e o p l e i m p a c t e d by t h e i r loved one’s death on the phone or via text. Help them know how to access and use Facetime or Skypetype apps so they can see f acial e x p r e s s i o
s s I nv i t
to consider writing old-fashioned letters, to share memories, express feelings, and of fer condolences to each other ”
Funeral Director Don Dagnoli o f F l y n n & D a g n o l i F u n e r a l Home told me that, “No one can enter the funeral home without a
Independent Living I Assisted Living I Memory Care
mask on, and we have to disinfect e ve r y t h
number of people who can be in the building at 40% capacity and many services are outside at the burial site He said f amilies are c
hands. Finally, when asked what he would want readers to know who are seeking his services he re plied, “…the g rieving process, we are here to help as best we can and help f amilies work through things and try to manage it given the guidelines that we have. We can only hope things improve in the future ” Yes indeed
Meet Our Renovation Designer!
Wingate Residences at Melbourne Place is delighted to announce the renovation collaboration with local Berkshire County designer William Caligari Interiors, a division of the Caligari family business.
The Caligari family business, founded in the 1890’s by Eugene Caligari, specialized in custom nishes and manufacturing paint The family grew the company by collaborating on some of the most prestigious residences in the United States construction industry
In 1989, after years of retail and business growth, William Caligari Jr founded his own division, William Caligari Interiors, which includes an architectural and interior design staff, as well as his administrative team Caligari studied interior design at The New York School of Interior Design before working in New York for several years. His company serves both residential and commercial clientele, spanning the United States and abroad
AtWingate Residences, we are excited to have William Caligari Interiors enhance our community both inside and out to make our great location even better
Learn more and view William Caligari Interiors’ extensive portfolio by visiting WilliamCaligari com
