Villages of the Berkshires Launches volunteer effort to help Berkshire seniors, caregivers
The Elder Services Kitchen A taste of what goes on
Our Medical Wishes Should We Get COVID-19
Your Care, Your Home, Your Neighbors
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
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We’re Perfecting the Art of Superior Care. 2
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.
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Berkshire Senior Editorial Board: Deb Aldrich, Bonny DiTomasso, Laura Feakes, Deborah Golden Alecson, Christopher McLaughlin, Kathleen Cleary, Kathleen Phillips and John Arthur Miller 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 1-800-544-5242, e-mail: esbc@esbci.org or on the internet at www. esbci.org. Elder Services sells advertising to defray costs. 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.
By Christopher McLaughlin, Executive Director of Elder Services Hoping all is well with you and yours. It seems that here in the Berkshires we constantly talk about the weather and the changing seasons, probably because the seasons (other than winter) seem to come and go so quickly. This year the changing of the seasons marks not only the passage of time, but also the longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic first began impacting the 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 face masks for several weeks though we had no idea how much longer the pandemic would continue. With our July issue, distributed just after the Fourth of July, we realized COVID-19 wasn’t going away anytime soon and living with the realities of the pandemic had become our “new normal”. As I write this article, the 90 degree 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 fall traditions that COVID-19 has put a temporary halt to. While many people look forward to fall for relief from hot summer days, this year fall’s approach also brings with it anxiety about a resurgence of the virus. Berkshire County has done a great job responding to the virus. We should be very proud of the steps we’ve (you’ve) taken to mitigate the risk and keep 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 resurgence. However, if we do we’ll be ready and well prepared. I’m very proud of how Elder Services has risen to the challenge of the pandemic and continues to provide essential services during very difficult times. In an ideal world I would wait until the pandemic was in the rear view mirror to acknowledge 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 gracious in accepting 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 support and encourage us to continue advocating for and supporting our clients during this difficult and unprecedented time • Our Leadership Team and all of our staff who since day one have continued to work to ensure that our clients continue to feel supported continued on page 4
Contents Villages of the Berkshires .........................................4-5 The Elder Services Kitchen .......................................... 6 Early Voting Options..................................................... 8 Thank You To Our Donors ............................................ 9 Medical Wishes and COVID-19 .................................10
CARE Call Program ......................................................12 Foot Health ...................................................................13 2020 Census .................................................................14 COVID-19 Funerals ......................................................15
Volume 38, Number 5 September 2020 The bi-monthly newspaper for Berkshire County seniors
FREE
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
NOTICE
Many Challenges... Many Blessings
ELDER SERVICES UPDATE
Mission Statement
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VILLAGES OF THE BERKSHIRES Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020 4
Group launching volunteer effort 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 correspondent LENOX — Villages of the Berkshires, a Lenox-based nonprofit, plans to use a $76,737 grant to help set up a volunteer program to assist Berkshire County local family caregivers, older adults and people with disabilities. Aid for seniors over 60 includes visits or companionship, local transportation, shopping, errands, basic home maintenance and respite care. Also available is technology support to help individuals stay connected to family, friends, community and faith-based organizations, and medical providers. The funding is from from Community Care Corps, established by the federal Administration for Community L iv i n g , p a r t o f t h e U. S . Department of Health and Human Services. The grant enables Villages of the Berkshires to build and train a base of local volunteers in partnership with Berkshire Community College and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at BCC. By this fall, the program is projected to assist up to 50 eligible recipients in Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge and Pittsfield, with plans to expand in the near future to Alford, Egremont, Great Barrington and Sheffield, according to Carl Shuster, vice president of the group. The goal by 2021 is to help several hundred people, Shuster told The Eagle in a phone interview. “After more than two years of effort in organizing Villages of the Berkshires and being set back by the unforeseen restrictions imposed to combat the spread
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is being launched to 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. “The Villages is pushing forward so that we are in a position to increase our services when and as applicable state protocols for the COVID-19 virus allow,” he added. “We are pleased that the Community Care Corps grant supported our proposal for what they recognized as a uniquely collaborative program with BCC designed to both establish a broad-based program of trained OLLI member volunteers as well as college and high school student volunteers, and to provide service learning opportunities for BCC student participants.” The funding from Aug. 1 through July 31, 2021, is from the Oasis Institute, which administers Community Care Corps in conjunction with three partner agencies, Caregiver Action Network, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Altarum. “This unprecedented program is a momentous leap forward in facilitating older adults, persons with disabilities, and family caregivers with much-needed non-medical assistance,” Shuster stated. “The aid will benefit countless local individuals and families, generating a lasting impact on those served, as well as the volunteers serving our community.” Volunteers must be 18 and older and pass a required criminal background check, according to the Community Care Corps website. Medical, administrative or financial services are not provided to the individual aid recipients and family caregivers. Villages of the Berkshires intends to recruit up to 50 welltrained volunteers within the
next six to eight months, Shuster said. “We’re starting out on a deliberate way, so as not to get ahead of our skis,” he said, citing the impact of COVID-19. Most of the grant funding will be used to hire a four-day a week coordinator to implement the program with BCC and OLLI, he noted. The grant will also help support the services of Villages’ program director, Carolyn King. The Community Care Corps defines a family caregiver as an unpaid family member, foster parent, friend, neighbor or other unpaid adult who provides inhome monitoring, management, supervision or treatment of a child or older adult. “In this era of great need and rising challenges for frail older adults, people with disabilities, and their families, interest in and response to this new program has been absolutely overwhelming across the country,” said Oasis Institute President Paul Weiss.
National Community Care Corps grants totaling $2,440,000 were awarded to 23 urban, suburban, rural, frontier, and tribal communities nationwide from Maine to Alaska. Competing for the awards were 183 organizations from 45 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico which applied for $23 million. The g rants are designed to aid Americans requiring nonmedical help to continue living in their homes. Many also need companionship to combat the effects of isolation, Shuster stated. “Volunteer support is vital for individuals to maintain the ability to live independently and stay connected within their communities,” he said.
MORE INFORMATION Anyone seeking assistance through the program may apply at villagesoftheberkshires.org; communitycarecorps.org, or call 413-327-4404.
Many Challenges... Many Blessings continued from page 3 and have access to the resources they need • Our Kitchen Staff, Transporters and Drivers who haven’t missed a beat (not one day) in ensuring that hot meals are 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 legislators, who are passionate about services for Berkshire County seniors and are at the forefront of efforts to pass legislation and ensure continued funding for critical services • Our donors, grantors and other community partners who have been incredibly generous with donations, grants, COVID related funding and donated gloves, masks and personal assistive technology devices • The 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 caregivers • The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, whose staff have been proactive in revising policies and procedures and providing additional funding in response to COVID-19 Thank you all for your hard work, support, encouragement and donations during this unprecedented time. We consider it a privilege 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.
Villages of the Berkshires, Inc., a nonprofit corporation organized by Berkshire residents to assist older adults in the area to remain in their homes as they grow older, is launching an effort to provide volunteer services to seniors in the Berkshires such as friendly visitor or companionship, local transpor tation, technolo g y support, and basic household repairs and assistance. Its pro g ram initially will be available in the towns of Lenox, Stockbridge, Lee and Pittsfield and it is planned to be expanded to the towns of Sheffield, Alford, Great Barrington and Egremont in the near future. Backed by a recently announced grant from Community Care Corp, a funding source established by the Administration for Community
The Villages is launching its program to serve the everyday needs of older Berkshire residents who make up over 40% of the county’s population. Living, Villages of the Berkshires will build and train a base of local volunteers to assist older residents under a program to be established in cooperation with Berkshire Community College and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at BCC. Howard Shapiro, president of the Lenox-based nonprofit, recently said: “After more than
two years of effort in organizing Villages of the Berkshires and being set back by the unforeseen restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Villages is launching its program to serve the everyday needs of older Berkshire residents who make up over 40% of the county’s population. The Villages is pushing forward so that we are in a position to increase our services when and as applicable state protocols for the COVID-19 virus allow. We are pleased that the Community Care Corp grant supported our proposal for what they recognized as a uniquely collaborative prog ram with Berkshire Community College designed to both establish a broad-based program of trained OLLI member volunteers and
college and high school student volunteers and to provide service learning opportunities for BCC student participants. And we are especially honored that we were the only Village in the country – including the Village network itself – to receive a grant. ” Villages of the Berkshires, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation org aniz ed under the laws o f t h e C o m m o n we a l t h o f Massachusetts. Its mission is to assist older adults living i n t h e B e rk s h i r e C o u n t y who wish to remain in their homes as they g row older. Applications for membership may be submitted on line at www.villagesoftheberkshires.org. For more information contact: Carl Shuster, cell phone: (413) 770-1311.
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
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VILLAGES OF THE BERKSHIRES
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5
ELDER SERVICES KITCHEN Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
The Elder Services Kitchen A Taste of What Goes On By John Arthur Miller, Options Counselor, Elder Services of Berkshire County In the last edition of the Berkshire Senior I talked about the pleasures of serving hot meals to seniors as a driver for the Meals on Wheels program. But, have you wondered where these meals come from? In this edition let’s go back to the source. The summer is a time when many staff take a break to rejuvenate with some time off. Of course this summer many took “stacation” rather than “vacation” but there was still a need to fill in at the Elder Services kitchen. I was tickled to be asked to help out and it was eye opening to partake in the process of preparing hundreds of meals each morning for hungry seniors throughout Berkshire County. Elder Services of Berkshire County is one of only a handful of Massachusetts’ thirty Area Agencies on Aging that runs their Nutrition Program in house and prepares meals in their own kitchen. Activity begins early in the morning at our kitchen in Lanesboro. Cooking staff arrive first around five – yes, a.m.! followed by office staff, preparers, assemblers, and finally drivers. My job as “runner” on the assembly line began at around eight and lasted until around
“I was tickled to be asked to help out and it was eye opening to partake in the process of preparing hundreds of meals each morning for hungry seniors throughout Berkshire County.”
assembly line. That’s where I am stationed, but at the end. First you have the four, I’ll call them “portioners”, who, in their garb of aprons, masks, hats, and gloves, spoon or place the food portions on individual serving plates. Over the course of time those plates have developed into better insulated, sturdier, “greener” material, but are uniform in size with divided area spaces and easily handled. From there they are slid over the smooth clean stainless steel table to the “boss
man of assembly”. In this case, he runs each meal plate through a nifty machine that hermetically seals each with a clear covering which eliminates spills, helps keep the meal warm, and enables microwave reheating if needed at its final destination. It also accurately counts the meals. Then he slides the meal another two feet to the two packers, who manage the lists provided by the office and places them into insulated containers which have been sorted and prearranged for packing, all in a row, in order. They work efficiently with an occasional order from the office. “If you haven’t done S-3 yet you can eliminate one!” comes a yell from the office. They have just received a call saying Gertrude’s daughter down in Great Barrington is visiting from Florida and will be taking her to lunch today so she won’t need the meal. Happens all the time! Special orders don’t upset us! Now comes my job! As the “runner” I roll those meals to the awaiting drivers outside the back door where they are gathered with their coffee, sometimes integrated, but mostly grouped in bunches of men talking about their golf game, or last night’s ball game results, and women talking, laughing and sipping on coffee cups from their regular Dunkin Donut stop. I know that is a sexist generalization but all
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ten thirty, a fast furious beehive of activity when all participants worked smoothly and efficiently as a team. Everyone knew their job, their spot, and as a neophyte, I was cautious about staying out of the way! The building basically is two rooms – the office and the kitchen. The office – air conditioned – is the communication center, where every morning lists and routes are adjusted and edited according to last minute changes. Computers and printers are humming, phones are ringing, while the office staff adjust final orders to send to the kitchen and assembly line. The kitchen is probably quite comfortable in the fall and winter. But this summer, the pandemic summer, where all workers not only wear the required hats or hairnets and gloves, but also masks, was rather uncomfortably warm. Window fans buzzed, back doors were opened to welcome a sometimes breeze, as drivers occasionally poked their heads in to see if their orders were ready. The kitchen is a hubbub of basically three areas. The cooking area is active with two chefs and cooks working ovens, stoves, big mixers, and a lot of metal, shiny and clean after the previous days’ scrubbing. Lots of noise from banging spoons, mixing, sliding metal, directions, orders, moving food to the next area – the
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Bill Moreau from the Cheshire Senior Center loads USDA meat boxes into his car for distribution to Cheshire residents.
These sites are currently closed due to COVID-19. Please call ahead as some are providing Grab n Go meals. Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc.
BERKSHIRE COUNTY
NUTRITION PROGRAM SENIOR COMMUNITY DINING CENTERS
sponsored in part by
CITY/TOWN PHONE
ADDRESS
DAYS MEALS SERVING TIME SERVED
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
COMMUNITY CENTER M-T-W-TH-F 3 Hoosac St.
11:30 am
CHESHIRE 743-9719
SENIOR CENTER 119 School St.
M-T-W
11:30 am
LANESBORO 448-2682
TOWN HALL 83 North Main St.
T & TH
11:30 am
DALTON 684-2000
SENIOR CENTER 40 Field St. Ext.
M & TH
12:00 pm
BECKET 623-8934
TOWN HALL Route 8 P.O. Box 60
T & TH
11:00 am
PITTSFIELD 499-9346
SENIOR CENTER 330 North St.
M-T-W-TH-F
11:30 am
LENOX 637-5535
COMMUNITY CENTER M&F 65 Walker St.
12:00 pm
LEE 243-5545
SENIOR CENTER 21 Crossway Village
M-T-W-TH-F
11:30 am
GT. BARRINGTON 528-4118
SENIOR CENTER 917 South Main St.
M-T-W-TH-F
11:30 am
PITTSFIELD 442-2200 KOSHER
JEWISH COMM. CTR 16 Colt Road
M-T-TH
12:00 pm
STOCKBRIDGE 298-3222
HEATON COURT 5 Pine St.
T-TH
11:30 am
PROVIDENCE CT. 443-1841
PROVIDENCE COURT 379 East St.
M-T-W-TH-F
11:30 am
STOCKBRIDGE 298-4170
SENIOR CENTER 50 Main St.
WED
12:00 pm
SHEFFIELD 229-7037
SENIOR CENTER 25 Cook Road
W&F
12:00 pm
Eligible seniors 60 years or older are welcome to attend any Senior Community Dining Center. Reservations are requested 24 hours in advance. A suggested donation is $2.00 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 $7.00 per meal.
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
ESBCI Kitchen Supervisor Lisa Allen helps Lou Mann from the Claire Teague Senior Center in Great Barrington load meat boxes into Lou’s truck. In early August ESBCI’s kitchen received 150 10 lb. boxes of precooked meats from the USDA. This USDA distribution, the second in two months under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) provides boxes of precooked meats to councils on aging and senior centers who in turn distribute them to seniors in their communities.
juice. This is the area of walkin coolers, a good place to be in the summer, where one or two other staff prepare the brown bag portion of the meal which includes the drink, fruit, dessert, bread stuffs, or condiments as needed. Those bags are given to drivers for delivery along with the hot meal but just as important and lovingly assembled by thoughtful workers. By ten thirty my job is done, but the kitchen is still abuzz for another couple of hours while preparation and delivery of en masse meals to numerous congregate meal sites throughout the county are still being readied. Then tables are cleaned, pots are washed, and preparations are made for the beginning of a new morning the next day. What great and meaningful work these folks do every day! Thank you and congratulations for a job well done!
NUTRITION
is in good fun and all enjoy the comradery five mornings a week. It is a wonderful atmosphere. “Where’s Sam?” “Time to go.” First out are the two van drivers – North County and South County – who load up in preparation for drop offs at distribution centers at their respective ends of the Berkshires, where other volunteer drivers meet and drive off to the hill towns with their 12-20 deliveries. T hen the Central County drivers are next, milling around, generally knowing their orders are coming out soon for their 15 or so deliveries. They then load them in their cars, say good bye, and are on their journey until same time tomorrow. The third area of the kitchen is one of busy activity as well, where my responsibility is to stay out of the way, except for an occasional request from a driver saying they need another orange
7
ELECTION
Massachussetts Provides Mail-In And Early Voting Options For 2020 Elections
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
Berkshire Physical Therapy & Wellness
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Lenox Office 90 Pittsfield Road Lenox, MA 01240 413-637-2810
In response to COVID-19 Governor Charlie Baker has enacted a new law that expands both early and mail-in options for the state’s upcoming primary and general elections. For the first time Massachusetts will have early voting before the September 1st state primary election and the November 3rd general election. The law for the 2020 elections allows early in-person voting. Early in-person voting for the September 1st primary will take place between August 22 and August 28. For the November 3rd general election the law expands the state’s 10 day early voting period to 14 days from Saturday October 17 to Friday October 30 with cities and towns required to make voting available on the two Saturdays and Sundays during 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 20 days before the election to ensure that the public is informed and that locations comply with safety and health requirements. For individuals choosing to vote in-person there will be rules on distancing between voters and elections officers, frequent use of hand sanitizers and use of protective equipment.
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The new law that is specific to the 2020 elections also makes it possible for registered voters to vote by mail. Every person who was registered to vote by July 1 was mailed an application. You can also print the online application or simple write a letter to your local election office including your name and address. The 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 process it and send back your ballot. Once you receive and fill out your voting ballot, you can mail it back to your local election office in the pre-addressed, prestamped envelope that will come with the ballot. Completed ballots can also be dropped off in person at the election office or in secure drop boxes that cities and towns are required to provide this year. Residents in long-term care facilities face challenges when it comes to voting including registering to cast their votes. It is important that residents are registered and that their local city or town election office have their current address. Nursing home residents can vote by absentee ballot or this year there is the vote-by-mail option offered for all registered voters. Individuals who need assistance to register or vote should have someone contact their local elections office on their behalf. For BOTH elections all registered voters have the option to mail in their ballot-with no excuses needed. Vo t e r s c a n f i n d m o r e information about their voting options, on-line applications, voter registration and specific deadline dates on the Secretary of State’s website at www.sec.state. ma.us or contact their local city or town elections offices.
DONATIONS
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 next publication of Berkshire Senior. Mr. & Mrs. John E Pryzby Dr. Richard M. Ziter Mr. & Mrs. John Carmelo Genzabella Mr. Stephan E. Pia Mr. & Mrs. John Ladd Ms. Maggie Bittman Mr.& Mrs. Ralph A. Robinson, Jr. Ms. Magda Gabor-Hotchkiss Ms. Barbara King Mr. Donald R. Hanson Ms. Mary Horton Mr. Harry W. Dupont Mr. Robert Hildebrand Mr. & Mrs. Keith Palmer Mr. Philip Rich Mr. & Mrs. Seth Stockwell Ms. Mary Shogry-Hayer Ms. Marilyn J. Sauer Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Gebarowski Meals on Wheels Donations Ms. Michelle Cutler Dr. Eugene Talbot Ms. Kathleen M. Burke Mr. & Mrs. Barry Dichter Ms. Catherine Spinney Thursday Morning Club Ms. Carol Ann Pullo Mr. & Mrs. Sully Garofano Memorial Donations Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Blanchard In Memory of: Mr. & Mrs. Bill and Elder Independence Mr. Robert Balboni Elaine Broderick Donations Mr. & Mrs. Robert Annelli Ms. Katherine Broderick Ms. Ellen Boll-Brown Okun Services Ms. Ceil Cencia Ms. Carol A Christopher In Memory of: Mr. John P Buratto Mr. James P. Amaral Mr. & Mrs. A. Roger Bowlby Mr. Chris Young Mr. Nadell Hill Ms. Patricia E. Choquette In Memory of: Mrs. Joann Maselli Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence B. Carmel Mr. & Mrs. James Edelman Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Bona Ms. Kathleen McMullen Ms. Joan Hamilton Mrs. Marcia Sarrouf Ms. Lois Forsley Mr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Tirrell Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Smachetti Ms. Nancy E. King Ms. Judi Drozd Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Richardson, Jr. Ms. Diana Fontana Ms. Sandra Kearns Ms. Virginia Cariddi Mrs. Norma C. Tomkowicz Ms. Laura Tucker Ms. Nancy McShane Dr. Robert B. Lee Mr. & Mrs. Mark Selkowitz Mr. & Mrs. Lorenzo Burzimati Ms. Alice Jonas Mr. & Mrs. Mark Selkowitz Mr. Peter Horbal Mrs. Theresa Tracy Ms. Victoria E. Williams Ms. Robin Moore Mr. & Mrs. Larry Newmark Ms. Dorothy Heath Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Spielberg Mr. & Mrs. Leonard F. Sniezek Ms. Joan Lane Mr. & Mrs. Herbert L. Lawrence Mr. James F. Reynolds In Memory of: Mr. Ronald Perrone Mr. & Mrs. Joel A. Less Ms. Karen Davies Mr. Robert J. Hickey Ms. Lorenza Pozzoni Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Tenney In Memory of: Mr. Richard Salvadore Mr. & Mrs. Mark Armstrong Ms. Ellen C Wineberg Ms. Karen Archey Ms. Helen Sciarra Mr. George Munson In Memory of: Mr. George Shogry, Sr Ms. Jenifer Picard Ms. Fern E Lavelle Mr. & Mrs. John Connolly Mrs. Helena Matthews C Roberts Mr. & Mrs. Philip Palano Mr. William Patterson In Memory of: Mrs. Kathryn Tassone Mr. & Mrs. William M. Hadfield Ms. Ann Stout Ms. Sherry Supranowicz Mr. Thomas Furlano Mrs. Helene Leavitt Ms. Sally Partridge Mr. Philip Rossi Ms. Sharon Stevens Dr. & Mrs. Robert Josell D.D.S. M.D. Mrs. Elizabeth Salvatore
General Donations
Ms. Georgette Kinney Mr. & Mrs. Donald Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Michael Christopher, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Anderson Mr. Brian Harris, Sr. Mr. Robert 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
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Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
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.
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MEDICAL
Our Medical Wishes Should We Get COVID-19 Estate planning requires first an acceptance 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.
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
By Deborah Golden Alecson
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Living through a pandemic has brought awareness of our mortality to the forefront. According to an estate planning attorney, she and her colleagues have been inundated with requests, mostly by those sixtyyears-old and older, to finally, after putting it off, finalize their legal and medical documents. In addition to the urgency to get one’s affairs in order sparked by COVID-19, people have more time to do so because they are staying home. This attorney told me that her clients have been surprised that there is a wait time to get appointments. This certainly was not the case pre-COVID when dealing with end-of-life documents was procrastinated because our eventual demise was furthest from our thoughts. Estate planning requires first an acceptance 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. The documents that I will discuss are medical (not the Last Will and Testament or the Power of Attorney). I will also discuss the limitations of some medical documents to actualize our end-of-life wishes. One of the most important documents to have is a Health Care Proxy. Unlike a Power of Attorney which gives someone the legal right to access your finances, a Health Care Proxy is someone who can make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Two of the most consequential medical interventions that need to be discussed given potential scenarios are resuscitation and intubation. We know that
intubation can be a drastic measure for those who become critically ill with COVID-19. It is not far-fetched in the least for each of us to think about and discuss with our loved ones what we would want and not want should we get COVID-19. We know that there are more severe symptoms given one’s age and comorbidities. We also know that should one survive extubation, the recovery can be grueling. We may also feel that given our age and/or possible scarcity of life-saving interventions, we would not want to use precious resources to save our own lives. Or, we might want all interventions. These are matters that we need to think about and share with our loved ones and certainly our health care proxy.
In addition to conversations, there are documents that can assist our proxy, family members, and doctors if we cannot articulate our wishes. One is called a Living Will and it is filed with other end-of-life documents after it has been witnessed. There is also a useful document called the Five Wishes. A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order and Do Not Intubate (DNI) are more hospital specific and are legally binding. While a Living Will and the Five Wishes are useful, in the state of Massachusetts, they are not legally binding. Should you become critically ill from COVID-19 or any other illness, life-saving interventions such as CPR would be initiated after 911 is called and the EMTs appear. They are not required to follow
the dictates of your living will. I spoke with Captain Michael Zinchuk at the Lenox Fire Department and he made it clear that the most comprehensive medical document that must be followed both inside and outside a hospital is the Massachusetts Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treat (MOLST) which is signed by a medical practitioner. This document covers much more than CPR and intubation and it has no expiration date unlike a DNR. See https://www.molst-ma.org/ While end-of-life discussions can be hard, they also bring relief to one’s loved ones in knowing that should they be the decisionmakers for your care, they know that they are following your expressed wishes.
Let Us Welcome You Home Berkshiretown Apartments Appleton Managed Properties
2020 annual meeting
ED
CARES ACT
CA N CE LL
Providing Quality, Affordable “Smoke Free” Senior Living in Western and Central Massachusetts for over 40 years!
Elder Services 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!
Our Apartments ALWAYS Include
Heat & Hot Water
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Estate & Tax Planning, Long Term Care Planning, Elder Law, Veterans Benefits, Community Based Care,
• • • •
Resident Services Convenient Location Controlled Entry Private Balconies (for most apartments)
• We are Pet Friendly • 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance Services
Medicaid Eligibility, Estate & Trust Administration
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Paula K. Almgren, Esq.
Kristina Z. Kisiel, Esq. One West Street ~ Lenox, MA 01240 tel: 413.637.5075 | fax: 413.637.5077 www.almgrenlaw.com
176 Columbus Ave. Pittsfield, MA 413-443-9125 aberkshiretown@oconnells.com oconnellseniorliving.com Marketed & Managed by
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
We can help you understand all of your estate, tax and care options.
• Rent is Income Based • All Utilities Included • Appliances & Window Coverings • On-Site Laundry • Elevator • Planned Activities • Professional Staff
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ELDER CARE
CARE Call Program Nurtures Senior Friendships and Helps Lessen Isolation
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
By Kathleen Cleary
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T h i s s p r i n g , t h e L e n ox Council on Aging put out a call for seniors who would like to call other seniors to check-in and chat. During this period of forced isolation and fears of COVID-19, it appears the program is a win-win both for the callers and the callees. The COA assigns people who have indicated they’d like to be called with those who have raised their hand to make the calls. Some happen to know the caller from activities at the Lenox Community Center or from former careers and others are new to each other. In both cases, friendships are either being renewed or generated and everyone is happy. This program is not at all rigid. The caller and the callee agree with one another on how often they’ll make calls. The frequency of calls totally depends upon the wishes of the person being called. Everyone I spoke with said they are happy to make or receive spontaneous calls when needed. For instance, Edna Price, who was assigned to call MB, made an extra call after the storm related to Hurricane Isaias blew through just to be sure everything was ok. Edna and MB had known one another from their careers in education and are thoroughly enjoying a renewed friendship and lots of laughs during their conversations. Although MB has active support systems from her church groups and other friends, she greatly appreciates the calls she has with Edna. Her husband is currently in Hospice Care so she is living alone but not feeling alone because of all her support during this global pandemic. MB says if she has a question or just feels the need to chat, Edna is always very happy to hear from her if she calls at a time other than their agreedupon time.
Edna gets a great deal of pleasure out of making calls to other seniors and is personally benefitting from the calls as well. Being a very social and spontaneous person, the calls help to minimize the sense of isolation that can build during this time of COVID restrictions. Edna’s daughter diligently makes sure her Mom doesn’t go into stores and does her shopping for her. Edna supplements the CARE Calls with lots of time in her yard with her dog as well as watering the flowers at the family gravesites to help her cope. Another caller, Gloria Cohen, is enjoying the same personal benefit of feeling less isolation
as she checks in with people and makes sure they are doing ok and not feeling alone and isolated. (Her own son is doing research on the COVID virus and doesn’t want her risking exposure.) Gloria gets great gratification and pleasure out of connecting with local seniors and making sure they’re doing ok. Not every senior knows how to Zoom or Skype and having someone check in on the phone can be a highlight for them. Gloria loves to hear their stories and always learns new things as she develops friendships with them. Let’s face it, just listening to the news these days can
be depressing and confusing. Gloria says the families of the folks she calls greatly appreciate having the extra help of someone additional connecting with their loved ones. It’s fair to say, the goal of the Lenox Council on Aging to ‘create conversations and relationships because they CARE’ is being met. Folks may feel isolated but they don’t need to feel alone. If you’d like to receive a 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.
HEALTH
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 great relief, unless contraindicated by their primary care practitioners, is that of adding cider vinegar to a foot bath. Done on a regular 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 buffing off 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.
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Contact us so you and/or loved ones can stay living at home! Non-medical living assistance services from Angels! Visiting Angels of the Berkshires RICHARD J. MESSER, DIRECTOR/OWNER SUE CARPENTER, CLIENT CARE COORDINATOR 197 South Street, Bldg. A, Pittsfield, MA 01201 rmesser@VisitingAngels.com www.VisitingAngels.com/Pittsfield Office: 413-344-9281 • Cell: 413-822-0123
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“A PROUD AFFILIATE OF CARRIAGE SERVICES”
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
100 Wahconah St. Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 442-4149
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CENSUS
2020 U.S. CENSUS
When every moment matters, trust HospiceCare in The Berkshires.
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We are proud to offer: • Compassionate, highly trained staff certified in hospice and palliative care • Comprehensive team available to provide a wide range of services including: • Full range of services focused on managing pain and improving quality of life Call today to see how hospice can help your family.
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The difference is in our care
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
Now, staying home isn’t just staying in the place they love.
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Did You Know?
Census data is confidential.
• Your personal information is protected by law and is never released to any other local, state, or federal agencies (Title 13 of the U.S. Code).
Census data affects your community. • Census data determines federal and state funding to many education, healthcare. programs, including transportation, and • The data collected by the U.S. Census will determine your political representation for the next 10 years at the local, state, and federal levels.
Responding to the Census is easy.
• You can respond to the U.S. Census online or over the phone in 13 languages, or wait for the paper form to be delivered to you.
Learn More: 2020census.gov William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts 2020 Census Liaison Scan to read more For more information: on how census www.ma2020census.org 1-833-MA1-2020 (1-833-621-2020) affects your ma2020census@sec.state.ma.us community.
By Deborah Golden Alecson In these times of COVID-19, the fate of the dead has not changed. What has changed are the ways in which survivors now mourn the loss of their loved ones. Social distancing, limited gatherings, and the wearing of face masks are a particular challenge to endure in the midst of grief when needs are heightened for closeness, tears, hugs, and close human 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 first checked for guidelines given by the CDC and what they offer are “guiding principles” ( h t t p s : / / w w w. c d c. g o v / coronavirus/2019-ncov/dailylife-coping/funeral-guidance. html). For example, they state, “Cloth face coverings help lower
the risk of spreading COVID-19, particularly if social distancing cannot be maintained.” However, what we know is that social distancing and the wearing of face coverings should not be a choice but a mandate. Funeral directors throughout the nation are following the guidelines from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) which offers this provisory, “Your local and/ or state public health officials may be making recommendations for the care of decedents and/or public gatherings that are more stringent than what the CDC and federal government have recommended. In these cases, you should defer to your state and/or local public health officials.” The NFDA guidelines cover everything from protocol when the deceased had COVID-19; how to procure PPE (and what to use instead given the scarcity in some areas of the country); the use of public platforms to stream
services; and resources for funeral directors regarding the bereaved. One such resource is an article by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, a grief counselor from the Center for Loss & Life Transition: Dealing With Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic. He advises funeral directors to, “Encourage families to realize that despite the current challenges with the COVID-19 virus, they need and deserve support at this time. Encourage them to talk to other people impacted by their 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 facial expressions and approximate physical closeness. Invite them to consider writing old-fashioned letters, to share memories, express feelings, and offer condolences to each other.” Funeral Director Don Dagnoli of Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Home told me that, “No one can enter the funeral home without a
mask on, and we have to disinfect everything after each service or viewing or occasion when folk come in the building.” He said that there is a limit to the number of people who can be in the building at 40% capacity and many services are outside at the burial site. He said families are cooperative and understanding of the limitations. He and his colleagues have been able to stream services for those who cannot be present, and he said the streaming is “a comfort.” During services and viewings, people must stay six feet apart, wear masks, and sanitize their hands. Finally, when asked what he would want readers to know who are seeking his services he replied, “…the grieving process, we are here to help as best we can and help families 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.
COVID-19 NEWS
COVID-19 Funerals
Independent Living I Assisted Living I Memory Care
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 finishes and manufacturing paint. The family grew the company by collaborating on some of the most prestigious residences in the United States
William Caligari of William Caligari Interiors
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.
At Wingate Residences, we are excited to have William Caligari Interiors enhance our community both inside and out to
Wingate Residences at Melbourne Place
make our great location even better.
Learn more and view William Caligari Interiors’ extensive portfolio by visiting WilliamCaligari.com.
Call to learn more or schedule a tour: 413.499.1992
ResidencesatMelbournePlace.com
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140 Melbourne Road, Pittsfield, MA 01201
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
Meet Our Renovation Designer!
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Designing Your Funeral
Elder Services’ Berkshire Senior, September-October 2020
Taking the time to design your service is a loving act, and not a difficult one. We invite you to explore the seemingly infinite number of ways to celebrate and honor a life.
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776 North St, Pittsfield, MA
220 East St, Pittsfield, MA
525 Main St, Dalton, MA
WWW.DWYERFUNERAL.COM Proudly serving the Berkshires for over 116 years.
