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October 23, 2004
  Articles on this page: • Dalton Council on Aging Dalton Council on Aging 400 Main Street (in the Dalton Community Center) Phone: 413-684-2000 Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Dalton Council on Aging is a full-time town office, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and is located in the CRA at 400 Main Street. Our COA Director is Susan Jacobs who, with staff members Patricia Pero, Outreach & Wellness Counselor and Administrative Assistant Beverly Benoit oversee our many on and off-site activities in addition to providing information on a wide range of programs and services available in our community. The questions most often asked deal with in-home services, transportation, health insurance and medical bills. Over the past year, we have received almost 6,000 requests for this type of information from our over-60 population and their families. Fuel Assistance Trained volunteers are available two mornings a week to help local residents through the process of applying for fuel assistance. On Monday and Wednesday mornings through the month of October, from 10 a.m. to noon, Delmaine Hughes and Audrey Poirier are available by appointment at the Dalton CRA to answer questions and to fill out the applications. Please call the COA Office at 684-2000 to schedule an appointment. Senior Luncheons Every Tuesday and Thursday, a luncheon is served to area seniors at the Community House at 11:30 a.m. The meals are prepared by Elder Services in their kitchen in Lanesboro and delivered to our kitchen ready to serve by our dedicated crew of volunteers. Long-time Site Coordinator, Doris Fiorini recently "re-retired," and Mary Anne LeVardi is now overseeing the program. Monthly events, such as Birthday Party, Pizza Lunch and "First Tuesday" when various community notables attend have become popular. A suggested donation of $2.00 for the meal helps to defray the cost, and goes directly to Elder Services. Reservations must be called in to the COA (684-2000) at least a full day ahead. COA Van Service Our lift-van service runs Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trips anywhere in Dalton or Pittsfield cost $1.75 each way, while those to COA-sponsored programs such as senior luncheons, exercise class and special programs are only .75 each way. Medical appointments (which are the priority), grocery shopping, banking, barber and hairdresser appointments, and visiting a friend or relative in the nursing home or hospital are all accommodated. We appreciate calls 24 hours or more in advance for scheduling. Healthy Osteo Exercise Classes Since June of 1996, the Dalton COA has offered this unique exercise program developed by Tufts University Human Physiology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. Osteoporosis is a serious condition affecting both men and women in which bones become thinned, brittle and easily broken, but can be prevented or slowed by exercise, diet and sometimes hormone or drug therapy. American women over age 65 have a 50% chance of developing osteoporosis, while one in eight men older than 50 will suffer a hip fracture as a result of the disease. Four classes are held each week: Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., and are taught by Sue Jacobs, Cora Cooney and Marjorie Lillpopp. The 90 minute classes include exercises to improve balance, strength training for both upper and lower body using weights, and a discussion segment with information on osteoporosis, exercise, nutrition, safety, lifestyle benefits and other related topics. Due to the size of most of the classes, new members must attend an orientation prior to attending the program. Please ask for Sue Jacobs when you call the office for more information. Intergenerational Programs Intergenerational programming means creating environments and activities that contribute to mutual understanding between generations. They are activities that increase cooperation and exchange between any two generations, through which there are shared skills, knowledge and experience. We are pleased to have two intergenerational programs available in Dalton. The Preschool Reading Program is a collaboration between the Central Berkshire Community Partnership (part of the school district) and the COA. Each Wednesday morning from 10 to 11 a.m., mothers and home day care providers with their preschoolers gather in the hall of the Dalton United Methodist Church for a story, snack and art activity. Area retirees volunteer to read a short story to the children, and are welcome to stay for the snack and activity project. This program runs from October through May. Bridges is a course in human development and gerontology (the study of aging). Our first series in Kelly Furlong's fourth grade class at Craneville School in the fall of 2003 was a huge success. Discussions have begun with St. Agnes, Hinsdale, Becket/Washington and Berkshire Trails Schools to expand the program into those schools this year. LIFE: Living Is For the Elderly LIFE is a program which brings community members into Craneville Place every other week for a one-hour, organized round-table discussion with residents of the home. If you have two hours a month to share, please call us. Oil Painting Every Tuesday afternoon at the CRA from 1 to 4, art instructor Fauna Autenreith meets with a growing group of artists demonstrating extraordinary talent in watercolor and oils. Her students have been thrilled with the results of their classes, and welcome folks who may be interested in trying their hand at painting. For information, call the COA at 684-2000. (There is a fee for this program). Volunteer Opportunities Many of the programs of the Dalton Council on Aging offer opportunities for volunteering. These include board members (COA, Hilltown COA and Friends), Sunday Lunch Steering Committee, Triad, Serve, AARP Tax Aide counselor, LIFE Program, Friendly Visitors, Food Coop, Exercise instructors, grocery shoppers, transportation volunteers, Travel Club coordinators, Flu Shot Clinic, meal site workers and craft instructors. They contribute much more than just hours to our community; their efforts improve the quality of life for many. Each May, the Friends of the Dalton Council on Aging, Inc. present a Recognition Dinner for all of our volunteers. This year, the Berkshire Talking Chronicle and Dalton Senior Club were recognized for their contribution to the community. Insurance Counseling & Wellness Education Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders is provided at the COA by Patricia Pero, our Outreach & Wellness Counselor. The purpose of the SHINE Program is to educate people on health insurance issues, enabling them to be informed consumers. With her assistance, local residents navigate through the red tape to receive insurance benefit reimbursements, correction of billing errors, and elimination of duplicate or excessive insurance policies. Much of her time is spent helping retirees in their search for more affordable alternatives to their current coverage, and looking for other ways to enhance their coverage through such programs as Prescription Advantage. Pattie also continues to provide monthly Wellness Programs on the second Thursday at 11:45 a.m., as well as individual assessments and education. Serve New England Serve is a community building program that is helping many of your friends and neighbors to save on their monthly food bills. In return for 2 hours of volunteer work (defined as anything you do for someone outside of your immediate family for which you are not paid), and $20 for a Family Meal Package, you receive an assortment of high quality meats (frozen), fresh vegetables and fruits worth $30 - $35. Each Family Meal Package contains food for 4 meals for 4 people. Serve's monthly newspaper carries meal plans with recipes and serving tips. Monthly "specials" are also available, and have in the past included sirloin steaks, boneless pork roasts and smoked hams. In November and December, Serve will again be offering their traditional Holiday Package (for $19) containing an 8-10 lb. frozen turkey and all the fixings for your dinner. (We have folks who order extras of these to donate to local food pantries and churches). Information on registration and distribution dates is available at the COA Office, and by calling 684-2000. Everyone is welcome to participate. Remember: "If you eat, you qualify! Health Clinics These are an important part of COA service to our community. The Berkshire VNA holds a monthly Blood Pressure Clinic every third Thursday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Dalton CRA. These are open to the public with no appointment necessary. - Foot Care Clinics are also held monthly in Dalton on the fourth Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon. The clinics are held alternately at the CRA and Pine Grove Manor. This service is by appointment only and has a fee).. Call the COA Office to schedule your appointment. - Every fall, Flu Shot Clinics are offered in town by the Berkshire VNA. These are very popular, with over 300 people turning out for the CRA clinic which will be held on November 9, 2004 from 2 to 5 p.m. Triad The Dalton Triad meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Dalton VFW, 366 E. Housatonic St. beginning at 1 p.m. Dalton residents are encouraged to attend. Quarterly Public Information meetings are held in October, January and April and feature invited speakers and demonstrations. For information, call the COA at 684-2000. Dalton Travel Club Jim & Catherine Rivers are the coordinators for the Travel Club and have several trips planned for the coming months. Sign-ups for upcoming trips are published in the Eagle's Worth Noting column. Further information can be obtained by calling Jim & Catherine at 684-0357, or the COA Office at 684-2000. Sunday Lunch Sunday Lunch has become a ritual for many of the 40 or so people who have attended each week at the First Congregational Church on Main St. since 1992. A number of groups act as "hosts", serving on a scheduled rotation. These groups include the First Congregational Church of Dalton (our host parish), St. Agnes, Dalton United Methodist, Berkshire First Church of the Nazarene, Hinsdale UCC and St. Patrick's, Dalton Rotary and Rotary Interact, Grace Episcopal Church, Unity Lodge, Boy Scouts, the Dalton COA Board of Directors, and the Friends of the Dalton COA. The program is supported entirely by donations (this past year from the Crop Walk, Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service collection, Grace Church Christians in Action, Wal Mart and the voluntary donations of those who come to eat), and the proceeds from area food drives, such as the Boy Scout and Letter Carrier Food Drives. This is truly a community-owned program! If you would like to attend, the dinner is served at 1:00 p.m. each Sunday in the downstairs dining room of the First Congregational Church of Dalton. If you would like to learn more about becoming part of a host group or forming one of your own, please call Sue Jacobs at the COA Office. Council on Aging Board of Directors None of the programs and services described would be possible without the support of our Board of Directors. They are a group of residents appointed by the Town Select Board to set the policy of the COA; to help the staff identify community needs and to explore ways to meet those needs, and to educate themselves and our community about those identified needs. They are directly involved in many of our programs, giving freely of their time, talents and patience to improve the lives of many in our community. With town approval, the number of members has been increased to fifteen. The officers of the Board are Tony Doyle, Chairman, Joyce Lacatell, V. Chr., Dana Becker, Clerk, Dave Powell, Treas., and members Judy Brooks, Persis Caverly, Marjorie Lillpopp, Dick Nicholas, Helga Knappe, Dick Murphy, Marcia Brophy and new members Cora Cooney, Naomi Rauff, Sarah Frankland, Brian Staubach. If you happen to see any of these folks, please thank them for their commitment to our town through the COA. Dalton Senior Club Started in the 1950's as the Golden Age Club of Dalton, the Dalton Senior Club offers social activities to its members. Monthly luncheons at area restaurants and a bus trip are planned by Club Coordinators Richard Murphy, Barbara Salvatore and Martha Silvernail. Annual membership is $5, and can be accepted by Martha every Tuesday and Thursday morning at the Dalton CRA between 8 and 11:30 a.m., or at the Council on Aging office during regular hours. Friends of the Dalton Council on Aging The Friends of the Dalton COA was formed in 1987, and has continued its history of support of COA activities. They plan and present the COA's Annual Volunteer Recognition Event, and purchase extras for the annual Holiday Party. The Friends hold quarterly meetings, and welcome area residents to join them in their work to support the COA. Annual membership is $5/person, and is tax deductible. For more information, call the COA Office at 684-2000. Information on all of the above programs is available by calling the COA at 684-2000, or visiting our office at 400 Main Street (the CRA) Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  RETURN TO TOP |
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