High heating bills on the way, here’s help A “Meet Your Senior Center” twofer: Stockbridge and Lee!
Coping with memory lapses
Pittsfield luminaries six feet under
VOLUNTEERING
Mission Statement The mission of Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. is to provide Berkshire older adults, 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 communitybased services are available to all without regard to race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle. FB/BerkshireSenior
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, August - September 2026
Berkshire Senior
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Big changes coming to MassHealth
Editorial Board: Deb Aldrich-Jegtvig, Perry Burdick, Christopher McLaughlin, Ned Averill-Snell, Susan Guerrero, Kara Graziola, Peter Olsen and Lisa Jamros. Advertising: To place an advertisement in Berkshire Senior, please contact Amy Filiault at (413) 496-6322 or e-mail advertising@berkshireeagle.com. Berkshire Senior is published bi-monthly by Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., 73 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201, (413) 499-0524 or (800) 544-5242, 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 Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE). 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.
by Christopher McLaughlin, Executive Director of Elder Services Hoping all is well with you and yours. You no doubt remember all of the hoopla surrounding President Trump’s reconciliation bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or more commonly, OB3. Signed into law in July of 2025, OB3 set the stage for President Trump’s agenda for his second term. The bill contains hundreds of provisions, including one whose goal is to reduce Medicaid spending by 12%. Massachusetts will achieve Medicaid spending reductions by implementing coverage changes for certain immigrants, imposing work and education requirements, requiring renewals every six months and shortening retroactive coverage. The coverage changes for certain immigrants will become effective in October 2026, while the other changes will begin in January of 2027. Beginning in 2027 certain adults ages 19 to 64 will be required to work or volunteer at least 80 hours a month or be enrolled in an educational program at least half-time to receive Medicaid. MassHealth members can be exempted from this requirement if they are disabled, pregnant or postpartum; have a complex medical condition or substance use disorder; or are the parent, guardian, or caregiver of a child age 14 or under or of someone with a disability. MassHealth believes that throughout the Commonwealth 310,000 people will be impacted by these work and education requirements. Though the requirements go into effect in 2027, members will not have to provide additional documentation showing they are compliant with work and education requirements until 2028. In 2028 they will need to prove they meet the work and education requirement the month prior to when they initially become eligible for MassHealth, or at any time during the previous six months if they are renewing coverage. Medicaid renewals that have been required annually will be required every six months for MassHealth members ages
Contents Help with heating costs ............................................... 3 Meet your senior center............................................... 5 Truth about memory slips........................................... 8 Elder Services agency picnic...............................10-11 Donations .....................................................................12 Annual Meeting...........................................................13
Cathie May, R.I.P...........................................................14 Medicare open enrollment .......................................15 Ombudsman Program Supervisor Carlos Nieto ...15 Extraordinary citizens buried in Pittsfield .............16 Senior Community Dining Sites...............................18 Puzzle.............................................................................19
continued on page 4
Volume 45, Number 5 October 2026 The bi-monthly newspaper for Berkshire County older adults
FREE
ASSISTANCE
by Isabel Dickey Fall and winter in our mountain re gion can be beautiful, with trees changing to vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows across the hills followed by snow blanketing our small communities. As the weather turns colder, with temperatures already dipping into the 40s and 50s at night, fall has arrived, and winter sits just around the corner. Some of us may feel the early chill as a reminder of last year’s unrelenting icy temperatures – and the high heating bills that came with
them. While this coming season we may not see recordbreaking low temperatures and snowfall, winters here in the Berkshires are always unpredictable, and this year the one-two punch of elevated heating costs and a cold winter is on the minds of many Berkshire older adults. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources reports a dramatic 45% increase in heating oil prices compared to this time last year, and is predicting an overall average of $4.09 per gallon for heating oil
this season. The Department forecasts small cost increases for natural gas and electric heating – but increases nonetheless. As of 2024 nearly half of Massachusetts residents used natural gas as their primary heating source. While gas costs aren’t projected to rise as much across the state as heating oil, Berkshire Gas petitioned the state government in February of this year for a 21% to 23% rate increase. Berkshire Gas says it needs this increase to resolve infrastructure issues, citing
recent fires and old lines and pipes that need replacing. Local and state leaders a r g u e B e rk s h i r e G a s ’ s request pushes the cost of improvements on consumers. The rate hike would result in about $54 extra dollars each month for the average consumer, a figure that State Rep. John Barrett III (D-North Adams) acknowledged was simply unaf fordable for many families, noting the proposal is “not a manageable adjustment by any stretch of the imagination.” Gover nor Healey is concerned about oil and
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Help with high heating costs this winter
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ASSISTANCE
propane prices. She estimates that while the crude oil price per barrel remains around $100, propane prices may experience even more variation than they did last year. In a recent radio interview, Governor Healey cited a bill she has proposed and other legislation now in negotiation as offering potential relief for consumers. Healey explains that her bill would save ratepayers $13 billion over the next 10 years. “We are dealing with an energy crisis,” she urges. “We’ve got to get energy costs down. There’s a way to do that in Massachusetts.” While lawmakers continue to debate rate hikes and legislative solutions, relief for this season’s prices can be found within our communities and across the state. State Rep. Tricia FarleyBouvier endorses the LowIncome Home Energy Assistance Program.
Savino
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Empire Monuments, Inc.
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Est. 1931 Complete Service of Monuments & Markers
100 Wahconah St. Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 442-4149 Donna Brewer, Owner Steven J Brewer, Director
(LIHEAP) as a great resource for people in her district and across the county. Locally administered by Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC), this program offers federal funds to incomee l i g i bl e i n d iv i d u a l s fo r assistance in paying part of the cost of running their primary heating source. Massachusetts is unique, Farley-Bouvier explains, in that the state also contributes funding to LIHEAP as well. She urges consumers not to worry about the program’s money running out. Getting LIHEAP help has specific qualifications, and the best place to get more information on your eligibility is to call BCAC directly: Central and South County 413-445-4503, North County 413-663-3014. To apply, visit toapply.org/BCAC. FarleyBouvier advises having all of your documents ready before you sit down to apply. If you find you don’t qualify for LIHEAP there are plenty of other programs providing relief this winter: BCAC administers a second program, Heating System Repair and Replacement ( H E A R T WA P ) . This program provides funds for emergency heating system repair and replacement for income-eligible individuals and families. HEARTWAP typically opens to applications after October 1. To confirm applications are being accepted, call 413-445-4503 for Central and South County, or 413-663-3014 for North County. The Green Energy Consumers Alliance is a statewide co-op that provides a membership program for discounted oil. Memberships for seniors are only $15 for 1 year, and the program is free for fuel assistance recipients (such as those using LIHEAP). For more information on the prog ram visit www. greenenergyconsumers.org/
heatingoil. If sudden drops in temperature and spikes in heating costs cause you budget trouble, Berkshire Gas Company (BCG) offers plans that average your gas costs throughout the year. By averaging lower summer gas bills with higher winter bills, they create payment programs in which the monthly bill is nearly the same all year, so winter heating is easier to budget for. BGC also provides payment plans for overdue bills, and discounted fuel for income-eligible individuals. For more information, call 800292-5012. T h e S a l va t i o n A r m y administers the Good Neighbor Energy Fund. This program helps Massachusetts residents who may not qualify for state or federal assistance with their gas, electric or oil prices. Call the Pittsfield Salvation Army at 413-442-0624 or the North Adams Salvation Army at 413-663-7987 to apply, or visit www.magoodneighbor. com for general information. Veterans’ Services offers Chapter 115 Benef its,
which provides funds to M a s s a c h u s e t t s wa r t i m e veterans and their families who need emergency assistance, including funds for heating costs. To find out if you are eligible, visit www. massvetben.org or call your local VSO. If you feel you are at risk of losing heat this winter, Elder Services is here to point you in the direction of relief to be found throughout our community and statewide. Massachusetts law prohibits u t i l i t y c o m p a n i e s f ro m shutting off heat sources for senior households, or households of individuals with serious illnesses, if those households cannot afford their heating bills. This same law protects renters whose landlords pay the residence’s heating bills. And when in doubt, call Elder Services at 413-499-0524 and describe your heating concerns to the certified Information & Referral (I&R) staff who answer the phones. Our I&R staff knows how to match you with a program that can help.
Director’s Message continued from page 3
19 to 64 beginning in January. Also in January, retroactive coverage will be shortened to one month for expansion adults and two months for others. What can you do to prepare for these changes? • Make sure MassHealth has your current information. If something has changed, be sure to notify MassHealth at 800-841-2900. • Learn more about these changes or access a screening tool that may help you determine if these changes apply to you by visiting Mass.gov/ MassHealthMemberChanges. • Pay close attention to any letters or messages from MassHealth. If you receive a big blue envelope open it and act on it right away! MassHealth believes many people will lose coverage not because they are not eligible but because they fail to update their information or respond to requests for information. Please do what you need to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to. Until next time be good, be kind and be careful.
Stockbridge & Lee: two towns, one COA… sorta
SENIOR CENTER
Meet Your Senior Center
by Elder Services Staff
Katie Szwyd, Director of the Stockbridge and Lee Councils on Aging. resources of any COA they choose – or all of them. “I want Lee regulars to come to Stockbridge and Stockbridge regulars to come to Lee, and to get some of the classes blended,” Szwyd says. As transportation often is a
challenge for the COA faithful, most will wind up at their nearest COA regardless. But every other COA is as open to them as their nearest, Szwyd says – if they can get there. One of the challenges Szwyd herself faces in her COA-
squared scenario is that while Stockbridge sits in the South County transportation region, Lee sits over the border on Great Barrington’s transpo turf – so there is now no public transportation between the two sites. As with so many
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Katie Szwyd is director of the Stockbridge Council on Aging. And Katie Szwyd is director of the Lee Council on Aging. If the situation sounds a little “You got peanut butter in my chocolate!” worry not… Promoting “Two! Two! Two mints in one!” is all part of Szwyd’s plan. “Right now there’s an agreement between the two towns,” explains Stockbridge native Szwyd. “I do 75 percent over in Lee, 25 percent in Stockbridge.” The combo plan came about when the previous director in Lee retired while Szwyd was a part-time director in Stockbridge. City mothers and fathers who had noticed Szwyd’s success in her Stockbridge endeavors jumped at the chance to bump her up to full-time so she could cover both COAs. A physical Stockbridge COA and a distinct physical Lee COA will both continue to operate indefinitely, but Szwyd has been encouraging her constituency to begin seeing the centers as two wings on the same bird. “I want to foster a sense of one community,” Szwyd says. While it’s not uncommon for older adults who enjoy the benefits of a COA to think they must patronize their nearest facility as though attending an assigned parish church, Szwyd points out that Berkshire older adults are free to enjoy the
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SENIOR CENTER Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026 6
other ambitions… Szwyd is working on that. You might think getting the Jets and the Sharks to sample the offerings at each other’s COA would be Szwyd’s biggest challenge. But oh, my no. Like so many Stockbridge services, Szwyd’s prog ramming has fallen victim to the vicissitudes of the infamous decomposing cupola. (You read that right.) The town doesn’t say how large and heavy the cupola atop its Town Hall is, beyond determining that the ancient dome’s extraction for repair will require special structural staging and a $15,000-a-day crane. If you’ve not been following the serial horror story “The Tale of the Decrepit Cupola,” suffice it to say that the work crews investigating the structure to plan repairs discovered the thing is not only rotten, but moving. That revelation prompted Stockbridge to cordon off most of Town Hall last July with yellow CRIME SCENE tape to ensure no one happens to be standing in the cupola’s path should it break loose like a shard of melting glacier and plummet to the parking spaces below. The tape barrier – still in place at this writing and likely far beyond – blocks downstairs access to the COA’s common room and other resources. To get there now, one must climb the front stairs of the building – a big no-no for a COA, which must operate in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, maintaining wheelchair accessibility at all times, among other accommodations. As each successive work crew finds the cupola to be more ramshackle than the crew before it, the schedule for completing repairs has been pushed out repeatedly, leaving Szwyd no clue as to when she’ll get her common room back. While she waits, Szwyd has
Concerns over the safety of Stockbridge Town Hall’s crumbling 1914 cupola prompted the cordoning off of the building’s wheelchair-accessible downstairs entrance, forcing COA activities to relocate. made lemonade by moving COA activities into nearby public buildings, such as the town library and Stockbridge
Szwyd somehow has managed to keep a full slate of activities popping at both sites. Grange Hall. She keeps the current Stockbridge activity calendar on the website only rather than printing it, because the fluid conditions a derelict dome begets can force last-minute moves and rescheduling. Szwyd somehow has
managed to keep a full slate of activities popping at both sites. Stockbridge these days has chair yoga, watercolor painting, pickleball, quilting and even re gular visits from a footcare nurse and Rika the Therapy Dog – not to mention Stockbridge’s position as an official site for congregate meals and host to the occasional “Afternoon Tea with Julia Rose.” Lee also is a congregate dining site, and hosts shell art, concerts in its gazebo, knitting days, pool days (the kind with a felt table, not the wet kind), BINGO, tai chi and much more. Taken together – as Szwyd hopes folks will – the centers offer a broad array of classes and fun stuff, and each has things the other lacks, which may help foster the crosspollination to which Szwyd aspires. For her next trick, Szwyd wants to draw bigger crowds. “Senior centers have a
perception of being outdated,” Szwyd says. She hopes that once newbies sample the activities on the menu, they’ll realize that the Lee and Stockbridge COAs run hard and fast in the opposite direction from the mah jongg and mush the uninitiated may expect from institutions carrying the sobriquet “senior center.” Anything that gets Berkshire older adults out of their homes and into settings where they can play with others is to the good, says Szwyd. “Isolation” she vows, “is what we’re preventing.”
CORRECTION In the August-September edition of Berkshire Senior, on page 15 under the heading Berkshire Medical Center, we listed as a medical appointments transportation service a number which now accepts ambulance calls only. We regret the error.
SURVEY
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
LIVE WORRY-FREE AND ENJOY MOMENTS WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE.
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HEALTH Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026 8
Brain fog: the truth about memory slips by Peter Olsen Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in there? Found yourself looking for your phone while talking on your phone? Lost your train of thought halfway through a speech or story? T h e s e s c e n a r i o s a re examples of “brain fog” – the feeling that your brain is cloudy or working more slowly than usual.
The incidence of brain fog increases with age, and is higher in women. N o t eve r yo n e w i l l experience brain fog as they age. But it is important to distinguish between benign, age-related brain fog and more serious co gnitive impair ment – such as difficulty with thinking, learning, memory and other functions. While mild, temporary lapses can be a normal part
of aging, and even sudden or severe lapses may stem not from dementia but from reversible triggers like dehydration, medication side effects or hidden infections. I enjoy laughing at some “brain fog” events, but only with a sense of empathy. Senior brain fog can turn everyday life into a comedy of errors, featuring classic moments like… Hunting for the glasses pushed up on your head.
Calling the TV remote a “clicky thing.” Walking into the kitchen to start a task and immediately forgetting why you went there. Or wondering why your underwear feels weird and crunchy all day only to realize you left the paper backing sticker on a hygiene pad. Here are a few more “slips” to bring a smile to your face. • Walking purposefully to the fridge, opening the door,
• E s t a b l i s h a b a s e l i n e. If memory slips do not interfere with daily i n d e p e n d e n c e, m o n e y management, or safety, they are generally considered n o r m a l a g e - a s s o c i at e d memory impairment. Be concerned, but don’t fret. • Watch your physical health, daily habits and cognitive pacing. Key strate gies include improving sleep quality, eating an antiinflammatory diet, staying hydrated, moving regularly, and reducing mental overload through structured pacing and task-switching. If foggy symptoms persist, consult a healthcare provider to check for underlying causes. And keep in mind the following quote: “I’m trying to remember something I told myself to remember, but all I can remember is that I wasn’t supposed to forget.” Have a “memorable” day.
BERKSHIRE COUNTY LEGISLATORS UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier
Congressman Richard Neal
24 Beacon Street, Room 274 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2676 District Office: (413) 442-4300 Tricia.farley-bouvier@mahouse.gov
372 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-5601 300 State Street, Suite 200 Springfield, MA 01105-1711 (413) 785-0325
Rep. Leigh Davis 24 Beacon Street, Room 134 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2400 ext. 307 District Office: (413) 854-4623 Leigh.Davis@mahouse.gov
HEALTH
Sen. Paul Mark 24 Beacon Street, Room 504 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-1625 District Office: (413) 464-5635 Paul.mark@masenate.gov
Rep. John Barrett, III 24 Beacon Street, Room 277 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722- 2012 District Office: (413) 743-8300 John.barrett@mahouse.gov
Is it brain fog or dementia?
Following are examples of the differences between senior brain fog and more serious early dementia (Source: presbyterianliving.org)
Only brain fog
Maybe dementia, ask your doctor
Forgetting a name or appointment but remembering Asking the same question repeatedly or getting lost it later. in familiar places. Misplacing your glasses or keys but finding them by Putting items in completely inappropriate places, like retracing steps. sticking keys in the freezer. Pausing occasionally to find the right word during a Substituting strange words for common items; e.g., calling a watch a “hand-clock.” conversation.
Our community is a destination for those seeking a fulfilling and worry-free lifestyle. At Sweetwood, seniors living independently discover a range of amenities designed to enrich their everyday experiences. Our commitment extends beyond just offering a place to live—we provide an unwavering dedication to well-being.
CALL (413) 458-8371 | SWEETWOODLIVING.COM
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
staring at the light for 30 seconds and closing the door with zero answers as to why you came. • Throwing the actual tea bag into the trash and carefully placing the paper wrapper into the mug before pouring the hot water. • Taking the creamer out of the fridge, pouring the hot coffee, and then trying to put the coffee pot inside the fridge. That’s enough laughter at other people’s expense. Tomasina Papa-Regino, a neurologist at Franciscan Health, said, “Some normal, age-related memory losses don’t cause any disruption in our daily life.” For example, a person’s name may suddenly slip your mind, but you recall it later in the day. Or you may forget where you placed your keys or phone, but retrace your steps and find them. Such memory glitches, while frustrating, are generally manageable. They don’t really affect your ability to work, live independently or maintain a social life. Why do memory slips happen? Minor forgetfulness can be caused by highly treatable issues. Chronic anxiety, poor sleep, vitamin B12 deficiencies and even medication side effects can trigger temporary brain fog in seniors. Consider the following strategies (Source: Cleveland clinic):
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
SUMMER PICNIC
Elder Services’ 202 August 14 in the Controy Pavilion at O
SUMMER PICNIC
26 Summer Picnic Onota Lake
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
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DONATIONS
Thank You to Our Donors:
The following donations were received between July 1, 2026 and August 31, 2026. Donations received after August 31, 2026 will appear in the next issue of Berkshire Senior. Please know that if you checked Do Not Acknowledge on our mailing return envelopes your name will not appear on this list. Elder Independence Donations
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Donna Delisle Robert Carlino Bruce Bernstein Rose Kristensen Sheila Lyon Paula Wells John Keenum Charles and Verna Houff LiUNA Local 473 Marilyn Desoe Fern Lavelle Barbara Mahony Dorothy and David Bell Helaine Rose Richard and Kathleen Luczynski Richard Murray Carole LeBarron Pamela Kidder Andrew Finkelstein Anthony and Amy Anderton K-M Motor Sales, INC Clifford and Lynne Nilan Flynn’s Pharmacy Nancy Begbie Andrew Powdermaker-Potler Margaret and William Ward Victoria Sedgwick Arthur Wasser Ronald Bourgoin Barbara Tassone Michael and Justina Norton Harry Morey Linda Lamke Jeanne Bresnehan Nancy Prezenik Marjorie Wylde Barbara Ziemba Andrew Sakowicz Ann-Marie Racine Debra Melle Ghetta Hirsch Raymond and Barbara Ferrarin Susan and Peter Conklin 12
Paula Wells Mary Garofano Lynn Barbieri Helaine Rose Carlson Propane Mary Miner Joseph Havrilla Betty Kasuba Louis Robesch Lee McClelland John and Shirley Vachula Carolyn and Michael Whitney Francis Investment Consulting Group Thomas Dillon Debbra Bedard Barbara Vienneau Kevin McNerney Stephen and Jodi St. Peter Paul and Sandra Merlino Jim and Bunny Whitman Jeff Waingrow Paul Yarmey Jeanne Holcomb Edward Van Dyke Ann Cain Donna Cwalinski Barbara Delmolino John and Jean Robertson Ralph and Frances Robinson Donald Hanson Nancy King Linda Greenhouse Marianne Judge Malcolm Douglas Cande Grieve Donald and Paula Gamache Jane Betti Linda Fales Carol Christopher David and Janet Messer Nancy Roy Cindy Shogry-Raimer Robert Hildebrand Barbara Bennett Thomas Tatro
George and Judith Szecsei James Armstrong Franklin Risatti Peter and Linda Strassell Neville Toye Terry Cardin John and Carole Genzabella James Shippee Mary Obanhein Soldier On Barbara Benham Keith Davis Carole Holliday Fern Lavelle Meribah Haughey Delmore and Georgette Kinney Susan Ricci Dr. Frederic Hyman Kenneth and Carol Morris Peter and Susan LeProvost Teresa Caldwell Lorraine and Albert Mancuso Donald Alderman Bernard and Kathleen Gregory Kathleen Burke Edna Aulisio Alex and Susan Seseske Richard and Sandra Cobb Uldis and Maija Surmanis Thomas and Nioma Coen Jane Ryan Debra Megas Peter Karpenski Daniel and Jeanne Boino Norma Tomkowicz Wendy Clothier Sheila Donath George and Carole Manarchik Gloria Schilling Daniel and Emma Connors Elizabeth Wilker Bernard Pinsonnault Sheila Goldlust Carol Spofford Patricia Choquette Nancy Tirrell
Gerard and Christine Hurley Joanne Seymour Victoria Williams Daniel and Linda MacWhinnie Frederick Mason Therese Taft Phillip and Kathie Johns Joel and Patrice Less Joseph Rogge Debra Sullivan Ted Okun John and Kimberly Slade Beverly Reynolds Katt Lissard
SHINE Donations Douglas Talbert John & Deborah DeForest Crane Charitable Funds Cynthia Armstrong (In Memory of: Mark Armstrong) Thomas O’Connell
General Donations Wayne Klug Judith Marcus Fred Mensch Kristin and James Allen Fund Rosalie Noyes Robert and Margaret Cimini Gilbert and Norma d’Oliveira Tara McCluskey Lucille Kelsey Paul and Melissa Saunders Frank Battista Berkshire County Sheriff’s Association Pat Steele Barbara Tennyson
Meals on Wheels Donations Alice Rose Eleanor Bartini (In Memory of: Mary Nicholls) Mary Jane and Robert Longerato (In Memory of: Mary Nicholls)
John Galt (In Memory of: Ann Galt) Robert Wirtes Janice DiTomasso
Honor Donations In Honor of: Bodil Wilson Adriana Brown
Memorial Donations In Memory of: Mary Nicholls Dawn Fillio Joseph and Pat Salvadore Margaret Derrick Mary Obanhein Patricia Boudreau Pauline Laudon Sandra and George Scapin Torey Winn In Memory of: Barbara Bennett Linda Biros In Memory of: Dorothea Speth Frank M. Speth, III. In Memory of: Edward F. New Jr. Christine Castellon In Memory of: Eliozar Iones Gregory Jones In Memory of: Annie, Oz, Jack and Elvis Nancy Stuart In Memory of: William Broderick Katherine Broderick In Memory of: Judith Delmolino Carolyn Renzi In Memory of: Norman J. Brunet & Rosalie F. Brunet Frank M. Speth, III. In Memory of: Ryan Duffy Gail Duffy In Memory of: Toni Fontana Sheila Keator In Memory of: Tony Castronova Cindy Bodnar
ANNUAL MEETING
Please join us as we look back with pride and forward with purpose.
October 23, 2026 | 11:30 AM
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Our Apartments ALWAYS Include
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IN MEMORIAM
Former Elder Services Executive Director Cathie May, R.I.P. by Elder Services Staff
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Catherine Rance May, a retired longtime employee of Elder Services of Berkshire County, passed away on July 11, at age 89. May served as Elder Services’ Executive Director for 14 years and is credited with achieving in that role important advances for Berkshire’s older adult community. “Her tenure as Executive Director of Elder Services of Berkshire County was a gift to our elder population,” said former Elder Services Board President Steve Long. “Her leadership of the countywide organization was marked by significant growth in both programs and participation.” “Cathie” to friends, May was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1937, relocating with her family to New York while still an infant. There she completed her schooling, from Catholic grade school in Queens to the College of New Rochelle, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in 1959. After stints in other professions – teacher, reporter – May devoted most of her professional career to Elder Services, from which she retired in 2003. Though retired from Elder Services, May never retired from service to older adults: She took a part-time position as Senior Services Coordinator at Lenox Community Center, and sat on the boards of several area health and human services organizations. “I couldn’t have had a 14
better mentor and friend than Cathie on my Elder Services journey,” said Long. “Berkshire County continues to be the beneficiary of the many gifts her talents brought us.” Elder Services Client Services Director Maureen Tuggey added, “I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked at Elder Services while Cathie served as Executive Director. She led the agency with strength, vision, and compassion, and her leadership during those formative years helped shape it into the organization it is today. Her dedication and commitment left a lasting legacy that will continue to benefit so many.” Diane Weinstein worked at Elder Services in various roles side by side with May across 18 years. “There were so many great things about her,” said Weinstein. “She was a great mentor and a great friend, and a wonderful Executive Director.” Weinstein said May was adept at partnering with community leaders, legislators and other influential people to raise Elder Services’ profile so the nonprofit can do more good. “She really put Elder S e r v i c e s o n t h e m ap, ” Weinstein said. May was predeceased by her husband, Richard Thomas May, and is survived by their three children, four granddaughters and two greatgranddaughters.
413-499-1750 234 Wahconah Street Pittsfield MA 01201
MONUMENTS • MARKERS • LETTERING
by Peggy Zamierowski
volunteering to have Carlos’ back. Call Elder Services
at 413-499-0524 and ask to speak with Carlos or with the
volunteer coordinator.
Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Soon!
Thinking about making a change to your Medicare plan or coverage choices? The window for doing that – the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period – opens October 15 and closes December 7. During that window, you can re-evaluate your Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (Prescription Drug) plans, and add, drop or switch to another plan that better suits your needs and budget and ensures appropriate coverage for the upcoming year. Our SHINE program is available year-round at Elder Services to assist Medicare beneficiaries with enrolling in Medicare, evaluating coverage for existing beneficiaries, making changes and screening for insurance-related public benefits. There is no cost or eligibility criteria for making an appointment with a SHINE counselor, which you can do by calling Elder Services at 413-499-0524. We’re here to help.
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Many of us don’t want to think about getting older, perhaps frail and unable to function as we once did. As we drive past nursing homes, we tell each other, “Don’t get old!” Some of us experience a loved one’s placement in a nursing home and begin to visit them there, incorporating regular trips to the facility into our daily lives. We might notice in the facility we frequent residents who don’t have any family members or visitors, and perhaps start including them in our visits to our family member. And as we would for a family member, we might offer assistance to other residents in addressing any concerns or needs they have with the care offered them or living conditions. Experiences like this can awaken our compassion, sparking a desire to help. Some nursing home visitors eventually choose to become professionals working in such facilities. Others choose to volunteer there. Elder Services’ Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Supervisor Carlos Nieto transforms his compassion into action. Carlos joined our staff last spring, and after completing the Ombudsman training and certification process, he now visits the 1,500 or so folks living in Berkshire County’s 13 nursing homes. A f o r m e r e m e r g e n cy response worker who has transitioned to senior care, Carlos can’t do it alone. He depends on trained volunteers to make regular visits to area facilities and to help address any issues they discover there. If you feel a yen to help make the lives of long-term care residents better, look into
ADVOCACY
An advocate, a lifeline, a glimmer of hope
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LOCAL HISTORY
Extraordinary citizens buried in Pittsfield by Susan Guererro
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Hallowe’en rises from the mist at the very center of the October-November issue’s lifespan. So we gotta get our spooky on somewhere. To the cemetery! Pittsfield Cemetery is the final resting ground for many prestigious people who helped settle the city. In a park-like setting, green with rolling grass in the warmer seasons and white with snow in winter, burial grounds are good settings for quiet walks and a silent kind of eerie peace. Pittsfield Cemetery was established in 1850 by a group of local citizens and incorporators, according to its fact-filled website. The Berkshire County Historical Society supplied much to the website about the people who are buried therein. The cemetery’s main entrance, just off Wahconah Street, is reached through a large arch donated by the Thomas Allen family of Pittsfield in 1885. To d a y, there are approximately 32,000 people buried in Pittsfield Cemetery, which covers an area of about 184 acres. In her book, The Heart of the Berkshires, Pittsfield, where the Legend Begins, Phyllis E. Kerle notes, “Pittsfield Cemetery is one of the few in the United States designed as a park, giving visitors a beautiful environment for reflection.” The cemetery website calls its grounds “a place to honor 16 loved ones, contemplate
Pittsfield Cemetery’s imposing Allen Memorial Arch and Gate, built 1884–1885 of rusticated Great Barrington Blue Stone. nature, and architecture.” If the spirits of people who are buried there still linger among the shade of towering trees and open skies, they could tell us a lot about the history of the city. One resident of the Pittsfield Cemetery is William Francis Bartlett, a Civil War General who was severely wounded four times and even lost a leg, which was severed four inches above his knee. That leg injury was sustained after a battle at Yorktown, as noted in the book Images of America, Pittsfield, by the Berkshire County Historical Society. Bartlett was born in Haverhill on June 6, 1840 and died in Pittsfield December 17, 1876. He was a junior at Harvard when the Civil War ignited. When President Abraham Lincoln called for troops in 1861 as
the war heated up, Bartlett enlisted in the Fourth Battalion, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. T he cemetery website indicates that due to Bartlett’s “intelligence and faithfulness,” his commanding officer, F. W. Palfrey, appointed him captain just three months after his enlistment. At 24, he became the youngest general in U.S. military history. The Historical Society’s book notes that Bartlett led his men into battle on horseback, ne gating a need for his missing leg. “In 1863, Bar tlett was wounded again,” the Society notes. “Known throughout the North and South for his courage, he is the subject of a Herman Melville poem called ‘The College Colonel.’” The first stanza of Melville’s poem reads:
He rides at their head; A crutch by his saddle just slants in view, One slung arm you see, Yet he guides his strong steed–how coldly too. Bartlett eventually finished his studies and got his degree. He married Mary Agnes Pomeroy of Pittsfield on the same day President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. He became a stockholder, treasurer and eventually general manager of Pomeroy Iron Works in West Stockbridge. He even served on the original board of trustees of the Berkshire Athenaeum and sat on the committee for the Soldiers’ Monument at Park Square. You’ll f ind streets in Pittsfield named both Bartlett and Pomeroy. Several blocks away from the Pittsfield Cemetery, on Onota Street, there is a large, red brick and limestone building that hundreds of children attended when it was Bartlett School. It now holds apartments. Built in 1910, the former school opened to students two years later. In its vestibule, it featured on the wall a bronze tablet reading: William Francis Bartlett, Patriot, Soldier, Statesman, loyal son of Massachusetts. Friend of boys and girls. To his fellows an example in private life and civic duty. People who once attended Bartlett School report driving by the building and recalling climbing up the steps at the side entrances.
LOCAL HISTORY
generations of locals. It’s the place where adults remember sliding down snowy slopes in the winter as kids, and watching movies offered by Pittsfield Parks and Recreation in the summer under starfilled skies. Little League games still draw crowds in lawn chairs to the grassy slope near the fields in the park, which also features a playground, basketball court and walking track, and a splash pad in summer. The park’s namesake lived a long life, dying at 86. Another Cemetery resident is Sarah Anne Morewood, a poet and literary figure originally from Passaic, New Jersey. She came to Pittsfield in 1823, the seventh of nine children born to American-Dutch parents. In 1885 Morewood married John Rowland, a wealthy Englishborn businessman in New York. Sarah bought a Pittsfield mansion called Broadhall in 1850 that is now the Country Club of Pittsfield on South Street. From what was then the back of the old home, her next-door-neighbor was MobyDick author Herman Melville and his family, who lived at Arrowhead. The two families became friends. The farm that the former Broadhall was built on had belonged to
Melville’s uncle. Morewood and her husband had a son in 1847, from a difficult pregnancy. Like many in those days, Morewood came to the Berkshires in the summer to improve her health. There were rumors of a summer romance between Morewood and a man outside her marriage – possibly the conveniently located Herman Melville himself. Morewood’s poem, “Ode,” was set to music and sung by a choir in 1850 at the dedication of the Pittsfield Cemetery. Melville also read one of his poems at the dedication. One often hears about the spirits of people who have died visiting places that were familiar to them when they were alive. Such is the case, some say, with Sarah Morewood’s former home, now the Country Club of Pittsfield. Berkshire resident Cristina Gonzales has worked at the Country Club in food preparation for 20 years. She said there was once a bowling alley in the basement of the building. There also was a supply room there, where staff could grab garbage bags and other supplies for the Club kitchen. Once when she went down to the basement to gather
supplies, Gonzales recalls, she heard distinct clapping very close to her. She looked to the left and to the right, but no one was there. The clapping continued when she left the supply room. She retreated back to the kitchen, and wonders to this day who was doing the clapping. Other employees talk about spirits in the building as well, Gonzalez said. When on the top level of the mansion, Gonzales said, she used to feel a strange energy, as if there were people there that one could not see. Could the spirit of Sarah Morewood still walk the halls of Broadhall-turned-Country Club of Pittsfield? No one knows, or may ever know. Morewood died in Pittsfield of tuberculosis on October 16, 1863. She was only 39 years old. Some people buried in the cemetery lived in different times but contributed greatly to the city in which many more now live. Times pass, generation after generation continue to add more to what will become history. In the meantime, a walk through Pittsfield Cemetery can give a glimpse of history and a feeling of peace – valuable at any time of the year.
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
T h e p l ayg r o u n d wh e r e untold numbers of children played, sending their laughter throughout the neighborhood, now looks small, a parking lot for tenants. About the only thing recognizable inside the apartments are the huge windows that once let light into school classrooms. Seeing the windows that peek out onto Onota Street, former students can remember which classrooms they were assigned to and the teachers who stood before students in those very rooms. As for the school’s namesake, he died at the very young age of 36. Jason Clapp, originally from Northampton, is another noteworthy person buried in the Pittsfield Cemetery. He was born on November 5, 1782 and died on October 29, 1868. Clapp Park on West Housatonic Street is named in his honor. The cemetery’s website has a lot of information on Clapp. For example, he came to Pittsfield as an apprentice in the carriage business at only 17. He worked at the L. Pomeroy’s Manufacturing Company for several years. Clapp eventually established his own carriage business, making carriages known for their quality of workmanship. Former President Franklin Pierce used one of Clapp company’s carriages. Some were even sent to Europe. The federal government contracted with Clapp’s company to deliver mail via stagecoach between Boston and Albany. In 1840, Clapp partnered with his son, Edwin, and the company name changed to Jason Clapp and Son. The company was employing from 40 to 50 people after 16 years in business. More than 300 apprentices learned their trade at Clapp, according to the cemetery website. Clapp Park is well known by
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
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Eligible seniors 60 years or older are welcome to attend any Senior Meal Site. Reservations are requested 24 hours in advance. The suggested donation is $3.00 per meal. All contributions are returned to the community toward the cost of the Senior Nutrition Program. Those 59 or under are welcome at the required fee of $8.00 per meal. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is looking for friendly and service-oriented people to join our team of volunteers for the upcoming tax season.
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Local Berkshire County Contact: Kathy Conway • 413-269-7130
Tax-Aide is a program that provides free tax preparation services for those that need it most. Neighbors like you help prepare tax returns or serve in other ways, like organizing client paperwork, managing computer equipment, acting as interpreters, or making sure everything runs smoothly. There’s a role for everyone. You can make a difference in your community. Go to aarpfoundation.org/taxaidevolunteer or call 1-888-AARP-NOW (1-888-227-7669).
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
Helping seniors live their best life
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, October - November 2026
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