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 nearly 40 years' 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 clients and programs, and this past month witnessed another addition to our staff.
Kara Donahue joins the agency as a Nurition Specialist.
Congratulations and welcome aboard.
In addition, two members of the agency's Executive Management Team have received new titles.
Mary Lou Sheehan is now the Director of Clinical Operations and
Liz Tretiak is the Director of Client Services.
Congratulations to them as well.
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Praise for Powerful Tools for Caregivers
"I have tools to use and know I am not alone now."
"I will take better care of myself. I have a better understanding of emotions."
"I am more aware of my needs and the possibility of help."
Those were just a few of the comments made in the class evaluation surveys from BayPath Elder Services, Inc.'s Powerful Tools for Caregivers class this fall. The six-week course was hosted by the Hudson Senior Center and ran from October 13 to November 17, with BayPath Caregiver Specialist Alicia Rego and Caregiving MetroWest Program Manager Douglas Flynn teaching the class.
Some 14 caregivers began the course, and 10 completed it by attending at least four of the six classes, with seven attending all six of the 90-minute sessions.
"The individual topics are exactly what caregivers deal with and [the class] leaders are so knowledgeable," wrote one respondent. "I'm more equipped to take specific actions. It prompted me to initiate [getting] respite for myself and [to hold] another family meeting."
BayPath staff certified to lead Savvy Caregiver
In December and January, BayPath Elder Services hosted a pair of two-day sessions to train professionals from around the state in the Savvy Caregiver program. Elder Services of Merrimack Valley coordinated the training, with master trainer Ann O'Sullivan of the Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging providing the instruction.
MetroWest Regional CDSME Coordinator Silvia Bodie completed the training in December, while Rego and Flynn took the training in January and were certified as class leaders.
The Savvy Caregiver program is an evidenced-based, six-week caregiver training specifically developed for family caregivers of those living with Alzheimer's and related dementia.
Caregiving MetroWest seeks user feedback
Caregiving MetroWest is seeking feedback from users to help us better serve the needs of area family caregivers. Please take a couple minutes to fill out our survey to let us know how we are doing and how we can be even more helpful. Thank you very much.
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Using Music to Spark Memories
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New Music & Memory program at BayPath offers help to individuals with Alzheimer's and other diagnoses
BayPath is participating in an exciting new program designed to bring personalized music through digital music technology to improve the quality of life for people suffering from memory loss or other physical diagnoses.
Music & Memory is a national non-profit organization with a goal to "enable those struggling with Alzheimer's, dementia and other cognitive and physical challenges to reconnect with the world through music-triggered memories."
BayPath's Music & Memory program is coordinated by Director of Client Services
Liz Tretiak, who was trained and certified in the program in the fall. With that training, BayPath became a certified Music & Memory agency, and Tretiak is qualified to train additional BayPath staff as necessary.
With grant funding, BayPath was able to purchase 40 iPod Shuffles, which can hold approximately 250 songs each, as well as a number of iTunes gift cards for the songs. There are already 10 participants in the program who have received iPods, with a number of additional referrals being processed. Donations of iPods and iTunes gift cards are welcome, and would enable us to expand the program to even more people.
Once referred to the program, Tretiak conducts an assessment and the individual and their caregiver make suggestions about the kind of music or specific songs or artists they enjoyed when younger. An individualized playlist is then created, tailored to the participant's personal history and preferences. No two playlists are the same, and participants can bring the iPods back to have them refilled with different songs.
"We've had a really good response," said Tretiak. "The people who have gotten it love it, and the case managers are thrilled with it."
While primarily designed for individuals with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, people who have other chronic illnesses, have suffered a stroke, have Multiple Sclerosis, suffer from anxiety or depression, are undergoing dialysis or chemotherapy could benefit from participation in the program as well. Participants do need to be in the Home Care Program at BayPath to be eligible.
For more information about the Music & Memory program, contact Tretiak at 508-573-7371 or
[email protected].
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Healthy Living Completes Another Banner Year
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Department conducted 36 workshops and posted completion rate well above the state average in 2016
The Healthy Living department enjoyed quite a busy but prosperous year in 2016.
The program received funding from the following agencies to continue our work in the community in 2016: the MetroWest Health Foundation, CHNA 7, HESSCO Title III, BayPath Title III and the City of Worcester.
The program offered a total of 36 workshops in the following towns: Ashland, Clinton, Dedham, Foxborough, Framingham, Franklin, Harvard, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Northborough, Sudbury, Walpole, Westborough, Worcester and Wrentham. The workshops had 449 people who attended at least one session and 383 who completed the workshops. That put the program's completion rate at 85 percent, well above the state average of 76 percent.
Below is the breakdown of the workshops:
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BayPath's Workshops in 2016
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Attended
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Completed
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Matter of Balance Workshops 11
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153
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141
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My Life, My Health Workshops 4
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40
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29
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Chronic Pain Workshops 4
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47
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37
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Diabetes Workshops 8
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87
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71
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Cancer Workshops 3
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28
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25
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Tomando Workshops 4
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64
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57
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Healthy Eating Workshops 2
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30
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23
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TOTAL 36
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449
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383
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Our completer rate is 85%
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The Healthy Living Department is looking forward to the New Year and will continue with its efforts to promote Healthy Living in our communities in 2017.
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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Connecting Across a Century
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Young Isaak, 1, shows his teddy bear to Mary, 101, then scampers back to his proud mother while Mary prepares to open up her gift (below).
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BayPath's annual Light Up the Holidays program brings together special pair whose lives began 100 years apart
 A hundred years separated young Isaak, who turned 1 in November, and young-at-heart Mary, 101. But when Isaak accompanied his mother, BayPath Caregiver Specialist Alicia Rego, as she helped deliver gifts for the annual Light Up the Holidays program last month, a century of life experience couldn't keep the pair from forming an instant bond.
"It was such a great experience delivering this gift and having these two spend a little time together," said Rego. "With 100 years between them they were the best of friends."
Light Up the Holidays distributed 100 gifts to our consumers this holiday season, with the employees at TJX and Philips Lifeline providing the gifts. Our thanks go out to all of those generous employees, as well as all the BayPath staff who volunteered their time to make the program a success once again this year.
Every delivery was special, but Rego's little helper made this encounter particularly heartwarming.
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BayPath Ombudsman Program seeking volunteers
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 and then up to three hours a week. There is also a monthly volunteer meeting to discuss issues and best practices.
The Ombudsman Certification training will be held at BayPath on March 16, 17 and 18. March 21 is set aside as well in case of a need for a change due to weather or illness.
The training is three full days and includes the following topics: Ombudsman Basics, Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest, Resolving Concerns-resolution strategies, Documentation, DPH-regulatory process, Resident Rights and more.
If you have a few hours a week and are interested, please contact Mary Brooks, Director of Ombudsman Program at 508-573-7200 x235.And please do so soon as possible as there is a process before training which includes an interview, CORI check and visits to a couple of facilities.
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| BayPath Options Counselor and TBI Specialist Courtney Cassels (above), along with Nutrition Supervisor Allison Park, shared information about the agency and its programs at A Day of Health and Healing at the Common Spiritual Center in Natick on January 7. |
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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 © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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