The BayPath Bulletin
All the News You Need ASAP
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BayPath Elder Services, Inc.'s mission is to be a trusted partner in providing an array of services and programs to older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities to support their independence and dignity.
BayPath offers home care and related services enabling people to live independently and comfortably in their homes while promoting their well-being and dignity.
Founded in 1977 as a nonprofit corporation, BayPath has 40 years of experience serving and advocating for the needs of older adults as a designated Massachusetts Aging Services Access Point and
a designated Area Agency on Aging.
Visit BayPath's website
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BayPath Elder Services, Inc. serves the following communities:
Ashland
Dover
Framingham
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Marlborough
Natick
Northborough
Sherborn
Southborough
Sudbury
Wayland
Westborough
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BayPath continues to expand to meet the needs of its consumers and programs, and this month was an especially busy one for introductions with nine new faces joining our staff in May.
Denise Stephenson has come aboard as an Intake Assessment Specialist, while Madeline Burton, Jennifer Lamby and Rakish Perez are our newest SCO GSSCs. Registered nurses Kelli Gallagher and Paula Comeau have also joined the team, while Jennifer Chick and Rose Nagelschmidt join the agency as temporary clerical assistants. Finally, Erin Terrill is our new Contracts Administrative Assistant.
Congratulations and welcome aboard.
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BayPath has long followed a special tradition to recognize the dedication, selflessness and passion of its staff.
At each month's staff meeting, a staff member is chosen to receive the coveted sailboat. It
is awarded to a staff member who deserves some special recognition for their efforts. Adding significance is the fact that the current holder of the sailboat gets to select the next winner, so this is an honor bestowed by a fellow staff member who sees their co-worker's special contributions every day.
At the last staff meeting, the previous recipients, Options Counselors Susan Cote and Courtney Cassels, passed the sailboat on to
Money Management Program Coordinator Kris Briggs for his dedicated work assisting the program's volunteers and helping its consumers manage their day-to-day finances.
Congratulations to Kris and to all of the former, and future, winners of this unique honor.
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Annual Breakfast with the Board a hit once again with residents
The board members of Mission Springs hosted a wonderful breakfast for the residents on May 11.
This board is comprised of representatives from BayPath, the Holliston community, and the Community Builders management company.
The board whipped up delicious waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit salad and many sweet treats. Some 30 residents thoroughly enjoyed themselves at this now annual event!
The board members in attendance were Christine Alessandro, Nancy Chandler, Martha Cummings, Allen Goldberg, Kathy Nealon, Suzanne Shannahan and Shannon Doherty, standing in for John Doherty.
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 Caregiving MetroWest website celebrates fourth anniversary
Where has the time gone? Our little website has now been around long enough to finish a college degree, span a full Olympiad between Summer Games or even last the length of an entire Presidential administration. Yep, Caregiving MetroWest has just turned 4 years old.
CaregivingMetroWest.org
celebrated the fourth anniversary of its launch on May 16. Our interactive website with all of its comprehensive resources and information on all aspects of caregiving was introduced to the public on
that date in 2014, and has since been utilized by more than 63,000 unique visitors and won a National Aging Innovations Award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging in 2016.
Thank you to all who have visited the site. We hope that we have helped you in your caregiving journey and we look forward to providing information, resources and support to family caregivers for many more years.
Informational event for family caregivers in Framingham June 20
As part of our new
partnership with Avidia Bank, the BayPath Family Caregiver Support Program will present an introduction to caregiving resources and support at Avidia's Framingham branch (270 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA) on Wednesday, June 20 from 6-8 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served and you can register for the event
here.
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Avidia Becomes Valued Community Partner
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(l-r) Avidia Bank President and CEO Mark O'Connell, BayPath Elder Services Board of Directors President Carol DeRienzo, BayPath Executive Director Christine Alessandro and Avidia Senior Vice President of Marketing Mike Allard show off Avidia's generous donation to become a community partner for BayPath's Family Caregiver Support Program.
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Avidia Bank makes three-year, $105,000 commitment to be community partner for Family Caregiver Support Program
BayPath Elder Services, Inc. and Avidia Bank have announced a new three-year partnership to help us continue to deliver needed information, resources and support to family caregivers throughout MetroWest.
Avidia is donating $105,000 over the next three years, becoming a community partner with Caregiving MetroWest and the entire Family Caregiver Support Program at BayPath.
We are extremely grateful for Avidia's generous support and look forward to being able to help even more area caregivers with the added resources this partnership provides.
Mark O'Connell
, president and CEO of Avidia Bank, stated that "although Avidia has been supporting BayPath for many years, I am very pleased to see this particular project come to fruition. We believe that such a partnership benefits both organizations by helping BayPath meet the needs of local caregivers and fulfilling Avidia Bank's commitment to the well-being of underserved communities."
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Avidia Bank in our Caregiver Program," said BayPath Elder Services, Inc. Executive Director Christine Alessandro. "Both Avidia and BayPath share a commitment to our communities, and their support will assist us in achieving a greater level of service and outreach to caregivers and others."
Read the complete press release (pdf) for more information about this exciting new partnership.
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"Gen Silent" Showing in Framingham
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BayPath's LGBT Initative hosting screening and discussion of "Gen Silent" at Framingham State
BayPath's LGBT Initiative invites all to join us for a special showing and discussion of the award-winning film "Gen Silent" at Framingham State University on Wednesday, June 13.
"Gen Silent" is a powerful documentary filmed in the Boston area that follows the journeys of several older LGBTQ+ adults who talk about their lives through the years.
Following the showing of the film, "Gen Silent" director and producer
Stu Maddux and producer
Joseph Applebaum, along with
Lisa Krinsky from the LGBT Aging Project, will share their insights on the making of the film, update the stories of some of the elders in the film and discuss the issues of aging in the LGBTQ+ community.
The event will run from 7-9 p.m. at The FORUM in the McCarthy Center at Framingham State (100 State Street, Framingham, MA). Please call 508-573-7288 for more information or to register by phone. To register online, visit
Eventbrite.com.
This event is FREE and open to the public! Donations are welcome and snacks will be provided.
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With help from SOAR consultants, BayPath embarks on development of new strategic plan for the agency
 BayPath Elder Services, Inc. celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, but as we head into our fifth decade of operation the agency is making sure that we're not just celebrating the past, we're also boldly planning for the future.
A major component of those preparations has gotten under way in the past couple months, with BayPath embarking on the process of creating a new strategic plan for the agency.
BayPath is working with experts from
the SOAR Management Consulting Group, which provides pro bono management consulting services
to Greater Boston nonprofit organizations facing planning and operational challenges.
Together with consultants from SOAR, a BayPath work group featuring agency staff and members of the Board of Directors has already meet several times, with smaller subgroups to develop a new mission statement and vision for the agency.
Among the activities being conducting as part of this process is a thorough examination of the agency's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the forces impacting BayPath, our current and potential funding sources, and the core, optional and aspirational aspects of our operations. This process will entail developing a plan, conducting internal and external reviews and formulating long-term goals for the organization.
BayPath invites input from our stakeholders, community partners and others during this time. Please email Executive Director Christine Alessandro at
[email protected] to share your perspective.
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Celebrating Older Adults in May
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55the anniversary of Older Americans Month shines spotlight on contributions of older adults this May
Every May, the Administration on Aging, part of the Administration for Community Living, leads our nation's observance of Older American's Month. The 2018 theme,
"Engage at Every Age," emphasizes that you are never too old (or young) to take part in activities that can enrich your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a difference in our communities.
Participating in activities that promote mental and physical wellness, offering your wisdom and experience to the next generation, seeking the mentorship of someone with more life experience than you - those are just a few examples of what being engaged can mean. No matter where you are in your life, there is no better time than now to start. We hope you will join in and Engage at Every Age!
For 55 years, Older Americans Month has been observed to recognize older Americans and their contributions to our communities. Every May offers opportunity to hear from, support, and celebrate our nation's elders. This year's theme emphasizes the importance of being active and involved, no matter where or when you are in life.
As an agency dedicated to serving and advocating for the needs of older adults, caregivers and persons with disabilities, BayPath Elder Services, Inc. is proud to recognize the value and dignity of older adults throughout the nation and is pleased to continue working with and for older adults this and every month.
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Recognizing Nurses' Vital Roles
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National Nurses Week provides opportunity to appreciate all the contributions nurses make to BayPath and nation
 National Nurses Week was also part of the busy month of May, taking place from May 6 through May 12 - Florence Nightingale's birthday.
National Nurses Week is supported by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and provides an opportunity to give recognition to nurses and educate the public about the impact nurses have on health and the prevention of disease.
"I wanted to take a minute and thank all of the nurses in BayPath for all of their hard work and recognize the various efforts that go into each one of our different areas of expertise," wrote BayPath Nurse Manager Moe Lewis-Wolf, RN in recognition of National Nurses Week. "We have a team of nurses in home care, in nursing facilities, in PCA and in AFC. Without all of their efforts, consumers cannot access programs or remain in a program. In addition, they have great senses of humor, believe in the healing powers of chocolate, and are fierce in their advocacy on behalf of both our consumers as well as BayPath.
"A very big thank you to each and every one of you for all of your hard work and efforts on behalf of the consumers you serve," added Lewis-Wolf.
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Spring Events a Hit at Supportive Housing
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Nutrition Supervisor Anne Pike LaMarche (left)), Tenant President Mary Ryan (center) and Kitchen Coordinator Karen Basinet at the pizza party.
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Pizza party, blood pressure clinic among the activities organized for Marlborough Supportive Housing residents
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Senior Whole Health nurse Van Dam (right) checks tenant Rosalie Ercolani's blood pressure. |
On Thursday, May 3, the BayPath Elder Nutrition Department hosted a pizza party luncheon at our Marlborough Supportive Housing site located at 240 Main Street.
This was to celebrate the return of bingo to the site and to thank all our tenants who faithfully attend our congregate meal. Everyone enjoyed the fabulous meal served by BPES Nutrition Supervisor
Anne Pike-LaMarche, BPES Kitchen Coordinator
Karen Basinet, who were also assisted by Marlborough Tenant Association President
Mary Ryan.
In addition to fun events like the pizza party, the Marlborough Supportive Housing program provides an array of supports and services that add to the quality of life for the tenants. Each month, our community partner, Senior Whole Health, hosts a free monthly blood pressure clinic for tenants. The participants are greeted by Senior Whole Health Marketing Specialist
Hellen Moreia and Senior Whole Health Nurse
Van Dam, RN, who check the residents' blood pressure and blood sugar levels. April's clinic was well attended and very appreciated by all who attended.
-- Submitted by Jane Rourk, Marlborough Supportive Housing Coordinator
Have news from your department or a staff member worthy of some recognition? Let us know about it for next month's BayPath Bulletin. Send us your updates.
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Volunteer Opportunity in Ombudsman Program
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BayPath Long Term Care Ombudsman Program seeks volunteers, will hold its next training in mid-June
BayPath Elder Services' Long Term Care Ombudsman Program needs volunteers to visit Long Term Care facilities to make sure residents are getting the care and service they expect.
Volunteers work with residents, staff, and families to achieve this end. The initial time commitment is a three-day certification training, then up to 2-3 hours a week in the nursing home.
There is also a monthly volunteer meeting to discuss issues and best practices.
There will be certification training at BayPath Elder Services in mid-June.
Call Mary Brooks, Ombudsman Program Director, at 508-573-7200 x235 to arrange an interview and learn more about this great opportunity.
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Thank you for taking the time to look through our newsletter, and please check out our website,
www.baypath.org. Have news, information or feedback from a client that you want to see in our next newsletter?
Let us know.
BayPath Elder Services, Inc. is a member of the MetroWest ADRC,
a partnership with HESSCO and the MetroWest Center for Independent Living.
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Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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