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adult foster care

Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. hires Talainya Thames for its Kingston, MA office

KINGSTON, MA…

For more than 40 years Nonotuck Resource Associates has helped transform the lives of hundreds of people with intellectual and physical disabilities by offering the personalized service of shared living and Adult Family Care.  The ever increasing demand from families for these non-traditional, value based services recently led Nonotuck to add staff at several of its regional offices.

Talainya Thames is one of Nonotuck. A case manager, she works out of Nonotuck’s office in Kingston, Massachusetts. An experienced case manager and dormitory attendant, Thames, a resident of Malden, Massachusetts, will spearhead the opening of Nonotuck’s Boston office later this summer.

“We are delighted to welcome Talainya to the Nonotuck family and look forward to expanding her role as we open our Boston office,” said George Fleischner, executive director of Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. “Our regional offices cover quite a bit of territory in several parts of Massachusetts. As we continue to grow, it’s critical that we bring in professionals of Talainya’s caliber to continue to offer the high level of service that the families we work with are accustomed to.”

Nonotuck offers Shared Living, Adult Family Care and Day Services for families who choose to care for their loved ones suffering with Alzheimer’s, autism, brain injuries, cancer, muscular dystrophy and other intellectual and physical disabilities at home. Based in Florence, Nonotuck has offices in Central and Western Massachusetts as well as on Boston’s South Shore and on Cape Cod. An office in the Boston area will open later in 2013.

For complete information on Nonotuck Resource Associates, including office locations, you can visit www.nonotuck.com or call Nonotuck’s main office at 413-586-5266 x104.

Caregiving with Love –  Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc.

Founded in 1972 by a group of parents who had the courage and foresight to seek community care for their loved ones, Nonotuck has since helped transform the lives of hundreds of people with intellectual and physical disabilities by providing the personalized service of Shared Living and Adult Family Care.  Each day Nonotuck addresses the ever increasing demand from families for these non-traditional, value based, in home services with love and care.  If you are interested in finding out more about this unique service and our locations please visit www.nonotuck.com or call 413-586-5256 x 104.

Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. hires Talainya Thames for its Kingston, MA officeRead More

Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. continues growth with multiple new hires

FLORENCE, MA…

For over 40 years Nonotuck Resource Associates has helped transform the lives of hundreds of people with intellectual and physical disabilities by offering the personalized service of shared living and Adult Family Care.  To meet the ever increasing demand from families for these non-traditional, value based services Nonotuck addressed this need by recently welcoming several new key staff members: John “Jack” Kelleher, Ashley Beauregard and Jared Bourassa.

Kelleher, an Orange, MA resident, will serve as the director of human resources. In this newly created position, he will work out of Nonotuck’s Florence, Mass. headquarters. Kelleher has worked as a human resource professional for not-for-profit organizations for the past 20 years.

Beauregard, a Hubbardston, MA resident, will work out Nonotuck’s Auburn office in the Adult Family Care program. She holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Fitchburg State University. Beauregard has experience in delivering holistic care through the use of nursing skills, assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation.

Bourassa, a Lenox resident, will serve as the assistant program director in Nonotuck’s Lee office. Bourassa brings a legal perspective to the agency, having worked as a paralegal and being chosen as an intern at the US Supreme Court. Bourassa earned a juris doctorate from Cardoza University Law School.

“We are delighted to welcome Jack, Ashley and Jared to the Nonotuck family,” said George Fleischner, executive director of Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. “The growing demand for our services has created tremendous growth in our organization. We are fortunate to be able to bring professionals of their caliber into the fold.”

Nonotuck offers Shared Living, Adult Family Care and Day Services for families who choose to care for their loved ones suffering with Alzheimer’s, autism, brain injuries, cancer, muscular dystrophy and other intellectual and physical disabilities at home. Based in Florence, Nonotuck has offices in Central and Western Massachusetts as well as on Boston’s South Shore and on Cape Cod. An office in the Boston area will open later in 2013.

For complete information on Nonotuck Resource Associates, including office locations, you can visit www.nonotuck.com or call Nonotuck’s main office at 413-586-5266 x104.

Caregiving with Love –  Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc.

Founded in 1972 by a group of parents who had the courage and foresight to seek community care for their loved ones, Nonotuck has since helped transform the lives of hundreds of people with intellectual and physical disabilities by providing the personalized service of Shared Living and Adult Family Care.  Each day Nonotuck addresses the ever increasing demand from families for these non-traditional, value based, in home services with love and care.  If you are interested in finding out more about this unique service and our locations please visit www.nonotuck.com or call 413-586-5256 x 104.

Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc. continues growth with multiple new hiresRead More

Old Colony Elder Services Staff & Caregivers Attend Public Hearing on MassHealth Cuts

More than 162 elderly and disabled individuals in the Adult Foster Care (AFC) Program of Old Colony Elder Services will be affected by the Patrick Administration’s proposed cuts to MassHealth.

In January, the Patrick Administration released news of MassHealth budget cuts to the Adult Foster Care Program which provides daily assistance with personal care and care management oversight in a caregiver’s home on a 24/7 basis. The proposal would decrease the payment rates for all AFC services by 6.2% effective March 15, 2011.

In light of this, 29 individuals, including Old Colony Elder Services AFC staff, AFC caregivers and clients recently attended a public hearing held at the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy in Boston. Caregivers had an opportunity to voice their concerns and spoke about the level of work and commitment involved in their 24/7 role as caregivers. Many testified that they would receive better pay and benefits working outside the home. AFC Level I caregivers receive approximately $25 per day and AFC Level II caregivers receive approximately $50 per day.

AFC staff and other professionals in attendance, including Al Norman, Mass Home Care Executive Director, explained to the audience that AFC actually keeps frail and vulnerable citizens living at home and out of more expensive institutional settings.

AFC Level II enrollees, often requiring care similar to those in nursing homes, have an annual cost of $30,327.00. In comparison, the annual cost of a skilled nursing facility is at least $58,765.00.

“It just doesn’t make fiscal sense. Cutting the AFC rates will ultimately result in fewer caregivers and an increased number of elders entering skilled nursing facilities. It will cost the state almost twice as much as it would if the program remained intact,” said Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of Old Colony Elder Services. She continued, “The decrease in AFC rates will make it difficult to attract caregivers. This would be unfortunate in light of the fact that AFC is a growing and thriving housing and care alternative that enables seniors to remain at home while providing tremendous savings to the commonwealth.”

About Old Colony Elder Services
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Old Colony Elder Services offers a number of programs to serve seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

Old Colony Elder Services serves elders, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts: Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 140 employees. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

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MassHealth Services to be Cut by $15.5 Million

Old Colony Elder Services, an agency that serves elders, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in the Brockton and South Shore area, shares insight on the impact of the proposed budget cuts which were recently announced by the Patrick Administration.

The Patrick Administration is set to make a series of rate cuts to several key MassHealth programs and services. These cuts will ultimately affect the area’s most vulnerable residents – low-income seniors.

Approximately $3.25 million will be cut from programs in the remaining months of 2011, plus another $12.3 million is slated to be cut from the 2012 budget.

According to Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the MassHealth cuts are proposed for the following.

Adult Foster Care – a program that provides daily assistance with personal care and case management oversight in a caregivers home on a 24/7 basis. The proposal would decrease the payment rates for all adult foster care (AFC) services by 6.2% effective March 15, 2011. Reduced rates would not be enough to attract the additional caregivers needed to expand this program and may even reduce the number of existing caregivers. Fewer caregivers will result in the state’s taxpayers paying for more costly living arrangements for these elderly and disabled individuals. Currently OCES has 162 people in this program.

Adult Day Health – a community-based day program providing nursing, therapeutic services and oversight for seniors in an effort to postpone nursing facility placement. Services provided also include nutrition, dietary counseling, case management, activities, and assistance with activities of daily living. The proposed cuts decrease the payment rates for adult day health (ADH) services by an average of 7.8%. Mass Home Care estimated that Adult Day Health enables nearly 7,000 individuals to remain living in the community, which saves taxpayers millions of dollars annually. According to Mass Home Care’s Executive Director Al Norman, “If these seniors had to be institutionalized due to lack of ADH services, the cost would be roughly $408.8 million annually, whereas the entire cost of the ADH program is only about $90 million.”

Group Adult Foster Care – a program that provides daily assistance with personal care services and case management oversight by the provider in an elderly/disabled housing complex or Assisted Living Residence. The Administration has proposed cutting this program’s rates by 7.6%.

“The proposed funding cuts to MassHealth’s Adult Foster Care, Adult Day Health and Group Adult Foster Care programs will affect those most in need. Their only other option is expensive institutional care. These MassHealth programs and services are essential because they enable seniors and disabled individuals who are financially needy to remain living at home longer and with a better quality of life. A reduction in funding for these program will most certainly increase the number of people living in nursing homes,” explained Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES.

Ironically, these same programs and services are critical to the success of Governor Patrick’s Community First initiative to enable people to live as long as possible in the least restrictive setting possible.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES offers a number of programs to serve seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts:

Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization. In 2009, OCES was honored with the Metro-South Chamber of Commerce’s “Economic Impact Award”. The agency has 140 employees. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

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