News

The Massachusetts Association of Older Americans (MAOA) and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health are once again partnering for two aging and mental health conferences to be held in Westport and Worcester. It has been a longtime, successful partnership between the organizations as they continue to present four conferences annually, noted MAOA Executive Director Chet Jakubiak.

Boston – According to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), Massachusetts is projected to have 1,178,852 residents over the age of 65 by the year 2020. As such, the department oversees program designed to provide support services, information, options counseling, and education/training to assist older adults in making decisions about things such as healthcare, housing, jobs, nutrition and the next stage of their lives.

Bob Tomassini, a life-long resident of Framingham, is 78 years old. A U.S. Army veteran, he stands 5’7” and is 135 lbs. He also runs faster in road races than many of those who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s or even 50s. Born and raised in Framingham, Tomassini’s passion for running started 39 years ago when at 190 lbs., his doctor told him he needed to lose weight or he was going to run into major health problems.

One of every three deaths in the U.S. in 2013 was from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, while heart disease and stroke were the number one and two killers worldwide, according to American Heart Association’s 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update. In the U.S. the data showed:

No one was more surprised than Diane Thaler of Stoughton when she suffered a massive heart attack. She had no heart disease risk factors, so some people might speculate that its occurrence was due to the ill-fated date: Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. “Everybody was totally shocked because I ate well, exercised, wasn’t overweight, wasn’t diabetic and didn’t have high blood pressure,” said Thaler, now age 68. “It was quite a surprise to everyone – most of all, to me.”

Worcester – According to the National Fire Protection Association, people age 65 and over are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. Lieutenant Annmarie Pickett, a representative of the Worcester Fire Department (WFD), recommends several steps for fire safety: install and maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms within 10 feet of every bedroom door; be familiar with two exits from the home; and practice home fire escape plans.

The SHINE Program (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) is a Massachusetts health insurance assistance program providing health insurance information, counseling and assistance to Massachusetts residents with Medicare and their caregivers. It is administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs along with elder service agencies, social service and community based agencies, and Councils on Aging. The program is partially funded by the federal agency Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Westborough - Ministry is a third career for Reverend Beverly Waring, 57, who holds an undergraduate degree in computer science and a master’s in social work. After working as a software engineer for a dozen years followed by over 15 years working with the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, the abused, and the terminally ill and dying, Waring decided to take a different path. Today, she is the residing minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society of Westborough (UUCSW).

There’s a special award given at the Hingham Senior Center called the Earl Dare Mable Award. This award is in memory of Mable, who was a dedicated volunteer for the Department of Elder Services. According to the center’s officials, Mable selflessly organized the food distribution program, assisted with the monthly newsletter, served as a board member and helped to make the senior center a more welcoming place for those who entered. After his passing, his family established an award which is given out annually to a person who demonstrates Earl’s enthusiasm and essence of volunteerism.

Worcester - Every Tuesday morning from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Worcester Jewish Community Center (JCC), a group of senior men meet for breakfast, to catch up on the current events, and maybe solve a trivia puzzle. Then at 9 a.m. sharp, it’s time for Mantalk, facilitated by Nancy Greenberg, the JCC’s senior adult/cultural arts director.