Director's Report - April 2024

Senior Center Board of Directors Meeting

April 11, 2024

Director’s Report

Administration: Juli Moreno

Site:

• Request meeting with Masons, more for site management and repairs, to be responsive and available. They are having new elections, so maybe waiting for new Master. A new lease must be signed by the town, so Andrew Baker needs to be part of the process.

Network:

• Reconnected with MCOA as well as new effort by area Directors to hold rural meetings on a consistent basis.
• Boston University Collins Center assisting with data and IT issues connected to grant, but benefiting all programming.
• Juli continues to attend the Advisory Council for Lifepath monthly meetings, would like to be replaced with a COA member. Update, as of now it is Janice Fleuriel.
• Continuing open communication and emails with Shelburne/ Buckland PD and Ashfield PD, sharing concerns, and supporting follow up needs.
• Juli visiting businesses in the area and looking for new partners, to add to Open Air committee, Rec Committee, libraries, Fish Unlimited, Taselon Computer’s, Community Orchard, Art Space, sharing items for newsletters and postings.

Staffing:

• Hired John Heddens to clean site 4 hours weekly, started in March, doing a great job.
• Agenda-driven monthly staff meetings occurring, meeting notes available.

Programming:

• Hybrid Programming grant making progress. Laptop and i-pads delivered. Weekly classes happening through the end of May, weekly classes. Internet Café twice monthly as well.
• Infinity Support Group has a few members, advertising through area Centers and Lifepath, it is the only one of its kind at present.
• Never Alone, second and fourth Fridays a huge success, already over 15 people involved.
• Will start Zooming Bones and Balance, with the goal to include people who are physically unable to make it to The Senior Center.
• Preparation for two monthly podcasts, equipment delivered, and Ellen recorded the first installment of Suddenly Senior…Now What? Looking to do apple podcast as well as highlight on our You Tube page.

Marketing:

• Facebook presence, Instagram, increased followers by 6 this past month.
• Newsletter continues to receive positive feedback, more requests for mailing list slot, over 20 more added to the email list.
• Sharing events with various vendor newsletters such as Lifepath, West County Shopper, Ashfield news.

Budget:

• Reviewing current utilization and what areas need to be adjusted and reviewed.
• Completed three bill runs, coding and budgeting. Completed four Turnover of cash and donations to Town Hall.
• Completed FRTA, RSVP, Caregiver Grant monthly reports.

Outreach: Teddy Doucette

Outreach 57 unduplicated individuals

Home Visit/transportation - 24

Risk / Counseling:

• 22 check-in calls or home visits to at risk and/or isolated seniors.
• Worked with police dept regarding protective service cases.
• Continuing work with fuel assistance status, many folks are still waiting.
• provided supportive counseling 10 times.
• provided support with Medical Management 15 times.

Off Site Office Hours:

• Outreach hours at Ashfield Town Hall 1^st Thursday am of the month.
• Outreach office hours Buckland Town Hall, 2^nd Thursday am of the month.

Lifepath grant status:

• coordinated home repair or technology support for 11.
• co-facilitated monthly Caregiver Support Group with 10 attending, addition of companion for caree’s during support group.
• co-facilitated monthly Memory Cafe with 16 attending.
• Facilitated Familiar Friends respite drop off, 10am-1pm.

Applications:

• referred 3 for Home Modification Program
• assisted 8 with housing applications and/or provided necessary information about housing.

Activities: Dot Lyman (weekly counts, unless otherwise noted)

Programming Status:

Meals

• Lifepath meal inside every Thurs - average 10-12 per meal
• Ashfield COA brown bag lunch with speaker 3/7 - 13

To Go Meals

• 3/12 – St Pat’s meal-corned beef, cabbage, carrots, pots, Irish soda bread, dessert-63
• 3/26 – Beef stew, roll, dessert - 64

Health and Clinics:

Foot Care-

• 3/11- 11 (B6, A1, S4)
• 3/22 (make up for3/4) – 6 (S3, A2, Col1)
• 3/26 – 11 (A4, S3, B4)
• Ask the Nurse – 3/26 - 4

Fitness:

• Yoga with instructor 8-10
• Dance Aerobics exercise – 9 per session.
• Healthy Bones & Balance exercise program in person, Weds in Senior Center - 19 people, 2 instructors, Thurs at 10 in Ashfield – 14 people, 2 instructors.
• Tai Chi for Beginners- every Tuesday - 10
• Tai Chi for Arthritis every Thursday – 10

Social:

• BINGO every Thursday – 10-12 people each time.
• Conversation Café – 3/7 “Game Night” – 19
• Davis Bates “A Celtic Celebration” - 17
• Movie: Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny - 5

• Cribbage – 4, Bridge - 4
• Knitting group – every Thursday 10-15 people
• Men's Night – 3/13-Jim Piccardi Cabinet Maker - 9

Education and Expression:

Sen. Learning Network –

• “Happy Lunar New Year-Smithsonian’s Museum of Asian Art” – 0
• “Sacrifice, Unity and Victory WWII Memorial/FDR Memorial” – 2
• Never Alone Support (twice a month_– 8-11
• Veteran’s Agent here the 4^th Wed. every month – open for drop ins.

• Memoir Writing by Zoom – now facilitated by Joan Livingston
• Novel Idea Book Club – 8-10 people
• Drumming – every Monday – 10 people

Transport- Bob Szafran