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Old Colony Elder Services appoints Kelly Walsh as Geriatric Support Services Coordinator

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), a non-profit Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) which serves residents in 23 towns in the greater Brockton and Plymouth areas, has recently appointed Kelly Walsh as Geriatric Support Services Coordinator.

In her new role as Geriatric Support Services Coordinator, Ms. Walsh will assist elders in gaining and retaining their ability to live independently in their own homes. She will conduct home visits and assessments as well as coordinate the necessary long term support services that will help ensure that elders remain living safely and independently at home in the community. Ms. Walsh will also be responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the services provided and maintaining communication between nurses and the community resource coordinators.

Ms. Walsh recently graduated from Bridgewater State College and holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Her experience includes six years serving as a Sales Representative for Jordan’s Furniture in Avon.

Ms. Walsh is a native and resident of Brockton.

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

Old Colony Elder Services appoints Kelly Walsh as Geriatric Support Services CoordinatorRead More

Read Seth Jacobson’s article “Proposed cuts will not affect South Shore seniors’ emergency fund”

Read more about Old Colony Elder Services Emergency Fund and the $15.5 million in cuts to MassHealth services – http://bit.ly/gtyQdB

Read Seth Jacobson’s article “Proposed cuts will not affect South Shore seniors’ emergency fund”Read More

Appearing in South Coast Today: Elder care service warns of impacts if state cuts budget

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 including Middleboro and Lakeville, shares insight on the impact of the proposed budget cuts which were recently announced by the Patrick Administration.

Continue reading…
http://bit.ly/fRlyrH

Appearing in South Coast Today: Elder care service warns of impacts if state cuts budgetRead More

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

MassHealth Services to be Cut by $15.5 MillionRead More

Old Colony Elder Services’ Emergency Fund Appeal – Read more in The Patriot Ledger

Old Colony Elder Services, which provides home care services to people age 60 and older in many South Shore towns, needs help to keep its emergency fund going strong this year. Requests from elders for crisis assistance have increased.

Continue reading Sue Scheible’s article – http://bit.ly/f9JmAG

Old Colony Elder Services’ Emergency Fund Appeal – Read more in The Patriot LedgerRead More

Old Colony Elder Services Needs Emergency Fund Sponsors

Last year, through its Emergency Fund, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) helped 202 low–income seniors remain in their homes. These seniors ranged from 60 to 93 years old and most of their needs were fuel, medical transportation and utility bills. The number of elders needing emergency assistance has increased greatly this year and OCES is seeking sponsors.

OCES’ Emergency Fund provides assistance to meet the needs of elders in crisis or emergency situations that threaten their health or living status and cannot be addressed through the use of any other resource. In other words, there is no other funding source or agency available to address the need identified. These needs include fuel assistance; new stoves/oil burners; utility bill payments; short-term emergency shelter; medical transport; medications; air conditioners for individuals with breathing difficulties; hot water heaters; plumbing, food and more.

According to Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES, “It is through the generous donations of individuals and businesses that OCES is able to continue to provide critical services to elders in the community who are most at risk. As we begin a new year on the heels of ‘Blizzard 2010’ with a growing number of elders in crisis situations, please consider sponsoring our Emergency Fund.”

Examples of elders who have received assistance from OCES include:

  • A 75–year–old single female living alone in her own home on a fixed income whose hot water heater was leaking and needed to be replaced. She could not afford to pay for the entire replacement. The cost to replace the hot water heater was $900. She was only able to pay $300 towards the new heater. OCES’ Emergency Funds assisted her with the balance.
  • A 63–year–old female, living alone in her own home and suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, neuropathy, anxiety and depression and who has a history of stroke. She lives on fixed income and was in need of fuel. OCES’ Emergency Funds helped provide her with oil delivery.
  • An 80–year-old woman living with her spouse in their own home on a fixed income. They were in need of a furnace replacement, but did not have the funds to pay for it. They received funding assistance from two other resources to help cover the cost, but not the total amount. OCES’ Emergency Funds were used to help pay for the balance on a new furnace.

Historically, almost half of all the Emergency Funds dispersed have assisted elders with fuel/heating and plumbing.

Donations may be made to:

Old Colony Elder Services

144 Main Street

Brockton, MA 02301

Attn: Emergency Fund

Old Colony Elder Services provides a number of programs to assist seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. Although these programs are partially supported by government funding, the agency’s Emergency Fund, a fund specifically established to meet the needs of elders in crisis or emergency situations, is funded by individual and corporate sponsors.

For questions about the Emergency Fund, please contact Lucille Dallaire at

OCES (508) 584-1561.

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.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

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

Old Colony Elder Services Needs Emergency Fund SponsorsRead More

$5 Fundraising Calendars Help Local Seniors in Crisis Situations

In an effort to raise money for seniors in crisis situations, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), a private, non-profit Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) located in Brockton, is now offering Fundraising Calendars for $5 each.

Fundraising calendars are available throughout November, December and January. Proceeds from the calendars go towards food, fuel and medications for seniors who are on a fixed income and in a crisis situation. A total of $1,700 in cash prizes will be awarded beginning in February. One winner will be selected per day. Cash prize values vary. Winners will be notified by phone and posted online at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

To obtain a Fundraising Calendar, contact OCES at (508) 584-1561 or send an email to LDallaire@oldcolonyelderservices.org.

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; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services; Home Care and more.

OCES offers these programs in the towns of 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.

$5 Fundraising Calendars Help Local Seniors in Crisis SituationsRead More