The BayPath Bulletin                                         All the News You Need ASAP




 
Our Mission
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

   

Our Services
Our Service Area
BayPath Elder Services, Inc. serves the following communities:

Ashland
Dover
Framingham
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Marlborough
Natick
Northborough
Sherborn
Southborough
Sudbury
Wayland
Westborough  
Stay Connected

Like us on Facebook
 
Follow us on Twitter

LGBT Trainings
LGBT Initiative offering training workshops
Many LGBT older adults are wary of reaching out to service providers because they fear they will not be treated with respect. Most often, mistreatment occurs as a result of the lack of understanding of this community.

BayPath's LGBT initiative offers 90-minute Elders Cultural Competency Training sessions that can be held in any workplace in a relaxed, conversational atmosphere. Our trainers will be there to provide information about older adults in the LGBT community and offer insights into using affirming vocabulary and understanding some of the unique needs of this community. 

This training program is designed to help ensure that all consumers or constituents feel comfortable and welcomed by your organization and its staff, that all potential consumers are comfortable about approaching your organization for services and that all employees are accepting and understanding of their consumers. The program also helps your organizations in becoming more inclusive of a growing segment of the population. 

After one recent workshop at the Framingham-based Spirit of Life: A Catholic Community of Justice and Joy, BayPath LGBT Program Coordinator Julie Nowak received praised for her knowledge and patience, and for her skills as a presenter.

"I am writing today to share with you our Community's gratitude for the presentation offered to us by Julie Nowak," wrote Rev. Jean Marchant of Spirit of Life. "Julie's presentation provided us with much desired updated information on issues relative to the LGBTQ community. Julie is a dynamic presenter, who combined her passion for this topic with patience when answering the many questions raised, thus enabling all present to be both engaged in the conversation and to have good information in support of their relationship with those in the LGBT community."

For more information or to schedule a training for your organization, contact Julie at 508-573-7288 or [email protected].  
Caregiver Corner
November was National Family Caregivers Month, but those who dedicate so much time and energy to caring for their loved ones deserve recognition and appreciation every month of the year.

That's especially true at this time of the year, as the holidays can be especially stressful for caregivers.

Our new Social Media Coordinator, Debra McDonagh, has put together some helpful tips and links for further information for caregivers to help cope with the extra stress and pressure that can accompany the festivities on our Caregiving Chronicles blog. Check back for future updates on the blog, where Debra will be regularly adding new posts with information, insight, and resources for family caregivers.

While we welcome Debra aboard, we also wish to introduce our new Caregiver Specialist, Karen Trilligan. Karen joins the Family Caregiver Support Program from BayPath's Senior Care Options Program and will bring the same dedication and compassion to the caregivers we serve that she showed to her SCO consumers.

As always, we would also like to express our gratitude to Avidia Bank, our Community Partner whose generous support helps increase and enhance our efforts to support and assist area family caregivers.

For more information about our Caregiver Program, call 508-573-7239. Also don't forget to check out all the information and resources available for caregivers on our nationally-award winning website, Caregiving MetroWest.
Holiday Fun at BayPath
A good time had by all!

The team at BayPath gathered in mid December to celebrate the holidays and take a moment to spend some time with co-workers.

The delicious spread was graciously prepared by the talented students of the 
High School culinary program!   

Sharing a meal
Dessert Bar
Yankee Swap Gifts
A Group Selfie
The Yankee Swap begins!
Winter 2018
BayPath's Best
BayPath Board President Patricia Tabloski (center) presents Executive Director Christine Alessandro with a gift in recognition of 20 years of dedicated service to the agency.

Amy DeMichele honored as agency's Outstanding Employee of the Year at annual Board Meeting

BayPath Elder Services announced its 2018 Outstanding Employee of the Year at Wednesday's Board of Directors meeting.

Outstanding Employee of the Year Amy DeMichele (left) and Executive Director Christine Alessandro.
Home Care Senior Manager Amy DeMichele earned the honor for the dedication, passion, and compassion she has displayed to our consumers, fellow staff members and BayPath's mission to empower individuals across the lifespan to live with dignity and independence in the community of their choice.

In addition to DeMichele, Michelle Birdwell, Sean Johnson, Jenya Kru glyansky, Stefanie Larsen, Robin Logan, Amanda McAloon, Denise Menzdorf, Donna Murray, Claire Nagelschmidt, Diane Quigley, and Traci Robidoux were nominated for the award this year.

At the meeting, Board President Patricia Tabloski of Sudbury also honored BayPath Executive Director Christine Alessandro for twenty years of dedicated service to the agency.

The following day, BayPath employees reaching tenure milestones with the agency were also recognized at the BayPath Staff Meeting.

In addition to Alessandro's twentieth anniversary, Julia Schneiderman, Mary Durkin-Smith, Loretta Moynihan and Deborah Peters each reached ten years with BayPath this year, while Susan Cote, Sharlene Simonetti, Terri Falcone, Lori DiDomenico, Kris Briggs, Valeria Falstad and Denisse Gould marked their five-year anniversaries.

Mateus Heitz, Leslie Clark, Amanda McAloon, Susan Burns, Elaine Cahill, Moe Lewis-Wolf, Lauren Staples, Nicole LaDuke, Jennifer Zecco, Kimberly Sullivan, Sean Johnson, Jennifer Baker, Claire Nagelschmidt, Julie Nowak, Jacqueline Gundal, Cynthia Clark, Michelle Birdwell, David Leroy, Donna Campbell, Wanda Jimenez, Meghan Murray, Diane Reardon, Kathleen Cash, Jamie Fowler and Anu Rathore all completed their first year at BayPath.

Congratulations to Amy, Christine and all of the Outstanding Employee of the Year nominees and milestone recipients.

The 2018 BayPath Outstanding Employee of the Year nominees.
Caring For Our Community With Pride 
Kate Hogan speaking at the Pride Across Generations gala at Framingham State University Oct. 11 2018

Pride Across Generations Banquet

BayPath further extends its efforts in supporting the LGBT community by working with Framingham State University (FSU) to host the Pride Across Generations program.

The dialogue at this year's banquet was centered on the LGBTQ+ community in the workforce. Featured speakers in this year's program included State Representative Kate Hogan; Director of Community Partnerships for Seniors Helping Seniors Greater Boston and MetroWest - Doug Peck; Executive Director of MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce - Grace Moreno and Graduating Senior of FSU - Jace Williams.

The speakers talked about challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people in the workplace and their unique, creative solutions and contributions to the companies and communities which welcome their presence.

This program began in 2017 and had received such a positive response that it has become an annual event.
 Sharing the Love
BayPath continues to support the Subaru / Meals on Wheels Share the Love® program

For every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased through the 2018 Subaru Share the Love® Event, running through to January 2, 2019, Subaru of America will donate $250 to the customer's choice of the four national charities, including Meals on Wheels. 

As a member of Meals on Wheels America, the Elder Nutrition Program at BayPath is proud to be one of eight qualifying programs in Massachusetts asked to participate in the annual Subaru Share the Love® event.
Subaru of America and its retailers, including MetroWest Subaru, supports Meals on Wheels in its efforts to help millions of older adults to stay independent and healthy by delivering the support seniors need to stay in their homes, where they want to be. 

BayPath sends our thanks to Subaru of America and MetroWest Subaru for their continued support of Meals on Wheels programs. Since 2008, the Subaru Share the Love® event has donated the monetary equivalent of two million meals for homebound seniors nationwide. 

Locally, MetroWest Subaru enabled BayPath's Meals on Wheels program to raise nearly $5,000 during the 2017 holiday season, and we look forward to continuing the tradition!
 
Even if you are not in the market for a car, you can help our seniors by spreading the word! 

January 2, 2019, is fast approaching, so visit MetroWest Subaru or visit  Meals on Wheels America for more information.

 The gift of sharing lights up the holidays!
BayPath, with the support of TJX and Philips Lifeline, brings seasonal cheer through our annual Light Up the Holidays program 

BayPath is in the midst of wrapping up our annual Light up the Holidays gift drive, where we deliver gifts to many of our consumers who otherwise may not have received anything for the holidays.

The gifts are provided by the generous employees of TJX and Philips Lifeline, who fulfill the requests collected from consumers by BayPath case managers and other staffers.
 
We want to send our sincerest thanks to TJX and Philips Lifeline once again and their compassionate employees for all they do to help us brighten up the holidays for the consumers we serve! We also wish to thank all of our dedicated staff members who volunteered their time to collect, organize and deliver these gifts and bring a little joy to consumers in need this holiday season.

Based on the smiles of our consumers in the photos below, the positive impact of this special holiday program is more than evident! Thanks again to everyone involved.  
Pictured: (Top) Karl Skinner and (bottom) Aaron Gross, receive their gifts from the Light up the Holidays program. 
Those smiles say it all!
 Nutrition Program Awarded Grant
Foundation for MetroWest provides BayPath with funds for nutritional supplements for older adults

This month the Foundation for MetroWest made a generous $1,000 grant to BayPath Elder Services.  The money will be used by the nutrition program to purchase nutritional supplements for seniors in our area that are underweight.  Underweight seniors are at high nutritional risk and can benefit greatly from the addition to their diet. 

BayPath thanks the Foundation for MetroWest for their generous support for this worthy effort. 
 Grand Opening 

Food production facility opens in Southborough

Bateman Community Living, in association with the Central Massachusetts Nutrition Consortium (Lifepath, BayPath Elder Services, Minuteman Senior Services, Montachusett Opportunity Council, Cooperative Elder Services) celebrated the Grand Opening of our new 10,000 square foot Food Production Facility in Southborough, MA. The new facility is equipped to service Senior Nutrition & Child Care Programs throughout Massachusetts. 

Among those in attendance to help celebrate the gran d opening were State Senator James B. Eldridge, State Representative Carolyn Dykema and Shirley Chao from Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

(Pictured above, left to right: Rodney Knauf, Bateman Community Living; Jim Sullivan, Bateman Community Living; Magi Brettler, Bateman Community Living; Senator James Eldridge; Representative Carolyn Dykema; George Barrette, Vice-President, BayPath Board of Directors; Christine Alessandro, Executive Director, BayPath Elder Services; Lisa Jackson, Bateman Community Living.)

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.
BayPath Elder Services, Inc.| 508-573-7200 | http://www.baypath.org

Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter