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Celebrating the Holidays at Coastline

December 22, 2011 By

     Even thought it has been unseasonably warm outside, people are still stringing up their lights, strapping Christmas trees to their cars, and enjoying around-the-clock holiday music. Here at Coastline, we are also in the holiday spirit. From November through the New Year, we are busy planning parties and feasts in many of our programs.

Project Access

     The ladies in the Project Access program enjoyed a festive night out, complete with a Thanksgiving feast and entertainment in late November. Hosted by the Association for the Relief of Aged Women (the program’s funder), all 180 women were invited to White’s of Westport to enjoy a family-style Thanksgiving meal and the music of Bobby Justin, a local entertainer. 

     Project Access’s goal is to provide elderly women, who live alone, with trips and events so they can socialize with their peers. Project Access holds a variety of trips and events each year, ensuring they accommodate women of all ages and mobility levels.

     To learn more about Project Access, you can visit their page here, or call the Program Coordinator, Sharon O’Malley at 508-999-6400 ext. 107.

Meals on Wheels

     Every year, hundreds of dedicated volunteers come together to cook and deliver homemade Thanksgiving meals to more than a thousand local seniors. Volunteers meet at Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School to prepare a mouthwatering menu. This year’s menu included turkey & gravy, dressing, whipped potatoes, butternut squash, peas & carrots, rolls, cranberry sauce, and apple crisp (made from scratch). From there, hundreds of volunteers pick up the packaged meals and deliver them to homebound seniors.

     We are grateful to, and wish to thank all of the volunteers who came out, and our community partners, including the Dartmouth Council on Aging, New Bedford Housing Authority, New Bedford Council on Aging, Supportive Housing at Tripp Towers, New Bedford Board of Health, GNB Vocational Technical H.S., Yellow Taxi, Long Plain Baptist Church, District Court Officers, and E.L. Sylvia Farms of Dighton.

     Elderly Nutrition is now gearing up for our Christmas Day program, which isn’t as big as the Thanksgiving meal program yet, but grows larger every year. Almost 500 homemade meals are prepared and delivered to seniors on Christmas Day, made possible by the Bristol County Sherriff’s Department, Holy Name Church, the New Bedford Council on Aging , several area nursing homes, and private donors.

Foster Grandparents Program

     With Christmas right around the corner, the Foster Grandparents enjoyed their annual holiday celebration. Decked out in their best holiday clothes, the Grandparents enjoyed a morning full of food and fun, including a lighter, alcohol-free egg nog prepared by our dietitian Kim Ferreira. You can find the recipe below:

8 cups of vanilla soy milk

3 oz package of sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding

1-2 tsp. of vanilla extract

1-2 tsp. of rum extract (optional)

Cinnamon & nutmeg (to taste)

     The Foster Grandparents devote hundreds of hours a year to mentoring children throughout the community, and they are greatly appreciated by the children and teachers that they work with. The Foster Grandparents Program is currently recruiting new volunteers. To learn more about this opportunity, call Christine Voss at 508-999-6400 ext. 198.

Money Management Program

     The Money Management volunteers also gathered in Saxon Hall for their annual holiday party. Volunteers enjoyed a feast of breakfast pastries, bagels, coffee, and tea. Volunteers were recognized for their years of service and were all entered into a raffle where they won gift cards, books, gift baskets, and other great prizes. The Money Management volunteers work with dozens of seniors across the Southcoast to help them organize and pay their bills.

     If you are interested in becoming a Money Management volunteer, please contact Jan Bergeron at 508-999-6400 ext. 180. Jan does her best to match volunteers with seniors who live in the same town as volunteers.

Holiday Giving Wreath

     Every year, here at Coastline, the staff who work closely with seniors, ask many of them if they have any Christmas wishes. Case Managers and other staff members gather up the requests and attach them to our Giving Wreath (a twist on our past Giving Tree), and then many staff and Board members go out and purchase and wrap the gift so staff can deliver it for Christmas. It’s a great way to give back and to give seniors something to open on Christmas morning.

     All in all, it’s been a great year here at Coastline, and we look forward to ringing in 2012 by continuing to provide older adults and individuals with disabilities, living throughout the Southcoast, with programs and in-home services that meet their needs and allow them to continue living independently.

     And don’t forget, it’s not too late to make a  donation to Coastline to receive a tax deduction for 2011. You can donate through our homepage by clicking on the “donate” button, or by mailing a check, made payable to Coastline Elderly Services, Inc. to 1646 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA 02740.

    And, from all of us at Coastline, we hope you enjoy a happy and healthy holiday and New Year!

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Elderly Nutrition Newsletter, Foster Grandparent, Foster Grandparents News, Money Management News, Project Access Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

How You Can Support United Way and Coastline

December 12, 2011 By

     Every year United Way holds their Workplace Pledge Campaign where employees can sign up to donate to the organization of their choice through payroll deduction*. United Way helps fund dozens of local organizations each year, including Coastline. Specifically, our United Way funding allows us to provide elders in need with emergency assistance. We use the money to help them cover their rent, pay costly heating bills in the winter, pay for much-needed prescriptions, or help in other emergency situations.

     We all know how stressful it can be when an unexpected cost pops up, and because so many elders live on limited incomes, this money is vital to helping them make ends meet in an emergency.

     It’s a simple process to donate. You fill out the form once, give it to your payroll department to set up, and your donation is then sent with each paycheck throughout the year. And any donation, small or large helps.

     If you are interested in signing up to donate to Coastline through this program, please contact Abigail Maxian by phone at 508-742-9175 or by email at amaxian@coastlineelderly.org. You can also always donate directly to Coastline through our website’s homepage – just click the Donate button.

     You can watch the videos below or visit United Way’s website to learn more about how the United Way supports organizations like Coastline through their Workplace Giving program.

United Way Presents Sarah Waltz

*Donations are tax deductible.

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Mass Home Care, Project Access, Senior Scope Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Enjoy 3 Nutritious & Delicious Fall Recipes

November 25, 2011 By

     Just because the Farmer’s Markets have come to an end, doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy local, nutritious produce. There are many delicious and healthy fruits and vegetables that are harvested in the fall, many of which can be stored throughout the winter months. Our resident dietitian, Kim Ferreira, has highlighted a few, and detailed their nutritious benefits. She scoured the web and found some simple and tasty recipes featuring each veggie, as well.

     Apples

     Apple – picking season begins in late August/early September and lasts through November. Because apples keep well in cold storage, they are available all year long. Apples provide an excellent source of fiber, so make sure to eat fresh or baked apples with the skin!

Apple-Fennel Slaw (courtesy of the Mayo Clinic)

Ingredients

1 medium-sized fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

2 carrots, grated

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, combine the fennel, apple, carrots, and raisins to make the slaw. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and refrigerate.

In a small saucepan, mix together the sugar and apple juice. Place over medium heat and cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup – about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the cider vinegar. Pour the apple juice mixture over the slaw and stir to combine well. Chill thoroughly. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Butternut Squash

      Butternut squash – as well as other varieties such as winter squash, pumpkin, and acorn squash - is at its best from early fall through winter. This hardy squash can be kept for up to three months in a cool, dry place and does not need to be refrigerated. Butternut squash provides 460% of your daily vitamin A and beta-carotene, and 50% of your daily vitamin C per serving, and is an excellent source of vitamin E.

Butternut Squash and Kale Soup (courtesy of MyFirstKitchen.net)

Ingredients

4-6 links of spicy Italian Sausage, cut into pieces

1 butternut squash, cubed

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

4-6 cups of chopped kale

4-6 cups of chicken stock

salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes

In a large pot, cook the sausage over medium-heat until nicely browned on all sides. Take out the cooked pieces, drain them on some paper towels. Add onions to the pan of sausage drippings, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook for about four minutes or until the onions start to get just a bit of color. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the squash and cook for a couple minutes. Add a couple pinches of red pepper flakes if you’d like. Add the kale, and carefully stir everything around just to coat the greens in some of the fat. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper, too.

Add the chicken stock. The liquid should cover the vegetables. Add the sausage back into the pot, add a little extra salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for about an hour.

Brussels Sprouts

     Brussels sprouts are at the peak of their season from September to February. Choose small, bright-green sprouts that are compact and blemish-free, and avoid those that are wilted or have loose, yellowing leaves. One cup of cooked brussel sprouts contain only 56 calories, yet are an excellent source of folate and vitamins A, C, and K. They are also a great source of fiber, iron, potassium, thiamin, and B6.

Brown Butter & Dill Brussels Sprouts (EatingWell: September/October 2010)

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add brussels sprouts, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until the butter turns a nutty brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and scrape into a large bowl with a rubber spatula.

      Remember that cooking with vegetables can be simple and almost always nutritious. And check out some of the upcoming classes Kim has scheduled, including Holiday Eating where Kim gives participants tips and healthy alternatives to avoid weight gain over the holidays.

     Holiday Eating will be held Tuesday, December 20th at the Mattapoisett Council on Aging. Click on our Calendar of Events to see what other health and wellness classes Kim has coming up.

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Elderly Nutrition Newsletter Tagged With: , ,

Do you enjoy working with children? Are you looking for some extra cash? Check out this paid volunteer opportunity…

November 22, 2011 By

     Do you want to earn some extra spending money while helping a child succeed? Who would not love an extra $212.00* each month? If you are over 55* years of age, YOU can help us! The Foster Grandparent Program is looking for 20 classroom volunteer grandparents – from around the New Bedford, Dartmouth, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Wareham, and Plymouth areas.

     If you know of a friend, neighbor, or relative who enjoys the company of children and has some free time during the week, and who would like to make a real and lasting impact on a child’s education, please pass the word along!

     For more information, call Christine Voss, Program Director, at 508-999-6400 ext. 198.

*Income and eligibility guidelines apply.

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Foster Grandparent, Foster Grandparents News Tagged With: , , , ,

Before you grab that turkey – At Home newsletter

November 22, 2011 By

Dear Readers,
 
The At Home December 2011 newsletter is just a click away. Before you settle in for the Thanksgiving holiday, read some unsettling news about The Super Committee, plus the following headline stories:

  • 3,000 seniors and union workers pack the Wang Auditorium to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
  • Seniors are sending Turkey-Grams to Senator Kerry: Don’t “gobble” up entitlement programs
  • The state’s new ICE plan favors nursing facility care over community care
  • There won’t be enough federal fuel assistance this winter to keep Massachusetts warm
  • Hearing held on the future of Adult Day Health programs
  • New study says U.S. is losing ground in providing affordable health care
  • Fountain of Youth? Mayo Clinic researchers say senescent cells could forestall aging
  • Going Like 90: America Hits 2 million seniors over the age of 90
  • DPH Issues New Safe Driver Rules: But reporting is optional
  • Feds Award “Care Transitions” Grant to Mass Home Care Member

It’s all in this month’s At Home December 2011.

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Rally Draws Thousands to Decry Cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

November 17, 2011 By

Roberta Tripp & Ann Wallace of Mattapoisett

     Over 2,200 supporters flooded the Wang Center last week to voice their concerns on the potential cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, echoing that these cuts would be devastating for those who depend on this assistance. Supporters from Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine arrived in over 40 buses to have their voices heard.

     Herb Ollivierre, long time elderly advocate from New Bedford, said he wanted to be a part of this rally because Congress needs to be aware that folks won’t sit back on their laurels and allow a cut that would target their hard-earned benefits.

     “Why should we give up what we have worked hard for our whole lives? Seniors depend on these benefits for essentials,” said Ollivierre. “We have sacrificed enough and we say cut wasteful spending, but not programs and services that protect the rights of elders to live in dignity.”

     The rally was sponsored by more than 30 labor unions, members of Mass Senior Action Council, AARP, Mass Home Care, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and many other organizations. These players were the driving force that brought all these people together, noted Daria Gere, coordinator for the Bristol County Chapter of Mass Senior Action Council.

     “It was great to see those seniors and others who turned out in full force to let the Super Committee [US  Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction] know to stop these federal cuts,” said Gere. “It was important for them to take a stand and remind Congress that preservation of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is the engine that helps to keep us afloat.”

     According to AARP Public Policy Institute 2011, 88.9% of Massachusetts seniors, or 805,400 received Social Security in 2010. Medicare spent $10.87 billion on health care services in Massachusetts in 2010, and 1 out of 6 Massachusetts residents received Medicaid benefits in 2010. This Super Committee, comprised of six Congressman and six Senators, was given the task of trimming $1.2 trillion over ten years and bringing the federal deficit under control. One proposal would cut Social Security by $112 billion by changing the way the cost of living adjustment is calculated.

     “This is a crime against our elders and disabled, and we cannot stand by and allow this to happen,” said another advocate, George Smith (who also serves on our board of directors). Smith said he was very impressed with the great stand of unity and support from so many at the rally, and he commended those for rolling the rally to the offices of US Senators Scott Brown and John Kerry.

     “For many of our seniors and disabled, that Social Security check is the only check they will receive each month. We must stop the attack and say no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid,” Smith said.

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Councils on Aging, Mass Home Care Tagged With: , ,

New City Initiative Creates Healthier Options at Local Restaurants

September 20, 2011 By

     It seems like every time you read an article about healthy eating, the author makes a point to tell you to stay away from restaurant food. The portions are too big; there are too many calories; the ingredients are too rich and fattening; and the list goes on. Well, last week, Mayor Lang, along with restaurant owners, and community partners – including Coastline’s own dietitian, Kim Ferreira – held a press conference to officially announce the Healthy Dining New Bedford initiative.

     This initiative is part of the Mass in Motion program and any restaurant can join. To qualify, restaurants go through a basic application process. Oftentimes, restaurants already offer healthy choices, but may not advertise them on their menu. To be approved, restaurants need to do a few things like:

  • allow guests to substitute a side salad or vegetables for french fries
  • highlight low-calorie and low-fat menu items
  • offer low-fat or skim milk
  • allow diners to order “half a meal to go” (servers will serve half the meal and bag the other half up ahead of time)

     Many restaurants have signed on and been approved, including Cafe Arpeggio, Center Cafe, Churrascaria Novo Mundo, Cork, Destination Soups, Freestone’s City Grill, Ginger Grill, Lebanese Kitchen, Pizan’s NY Style Pizzeria, Rose Alley Ale House, St. Luke’s Hospital, and the Waterfront Grille. All approved restaurants will get to display the Healthy Dining New Bedford decal in their window.

     Even if your favorite restaurant isn’t on this list, remember you can always ask your waiter to substitute vegetables for french fries, to put your salad dressing on the side, or to bake your fish instead of fry it.

     To learn more about Healthy Dining New Bedford, become a fan of their facebook page here and check out the article the Standard Times ran about the program last week.

     And remember, you can always meet with Kim for one-on-one, personalized nutrition counseling, or you can visit our calendar to check out Kim’s workshops which focus on specific healthy eating topics like artificial sweeteners, bone health, portion control, brain health, pesticides, and food additives.

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Filed Under: Coastline News, Elderly Nutrition Newsletter Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Gang of Six gangs up on the elderly

July 27, 2011 By

Dear Colleagues,

With the temperature rising over 100 degrees—-the attached AUGUST issue of the AT HOME newsletter is literally HOT off the press.

To add some sizzle to an already outrageous heat wave, consider these items for your issues BBQ:

  • The Gang of Six gangs up on the elderly
  • Senator Bernie Sanders Lets Loose On Plans to Cut Social Security & Medicare
  • President Obama Tells A Nation To “Eat Your Peas”–But Seniors Are Not Swallowing
  • Did the White House Offer To Raise The Medicare Retirement Age?
  • The General Court Passes A Budget That’s Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up
  • Governor Patrick Rewrites A Couple of Outside Sections In The Budget
  • Federal Official Warns Congress About “Food Insecurity”
  • New Initiative Targets Better Working Conditions For Home Care Workers
  • $500 Million Federal Program Urges Hospitals To Reach Out To Community-Based Organizations
  • Advocates Tell Beacon Hill: Allow Spouses To Be Paid Caregivers
  • Senator From Melrose Gets “Home Care Hero” Award

So grab a lemonaide on the rocks, kick off your shoes, and enjoy this issue of At Home August, 2011!

Al Norman
Mass Home Care

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Filed Under: Legislation Alert, Mass Home Care Tagged With: ,

Foster Grandparents Volunteer 66,816 Hours

June 28, 2011 By

    

Volunteer Clifton Bulgar and CEO Paula Shiner

 ”Today a Reader. Tomorrow a Leader” by Margaret Fuller, was the theme for this year’s 29th Foster Grandparent Retirement and Recognition banquet which was celebrated on June 10, 2011. Over 150 guests representing 30 Foster Grandparent sites – from local elementary schools, day care & Head Start centers, special need facilities, after school programs, and health care centers – came together to recognize nine retiring volunteers and eight service award recipients.

     It was certainly a day of celebration for Clifton Bulgar and Myra LeValley who received a standing applause when they received their awards for 25 years of volunteering at North Star Learning Center and St. Luke’s pediatric ward.

     This year’s banquet theme had special meaning because the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) lost their mentor, Charles Sisson, whose vision 29 years ago launched the partnership between the Foster Grandparent Program and Coastline Elderly Services, Inc. In honor of Charlie’s memory, new children’s books were donated with an inscription: “A gift dedicated in memory of Charles N. Sisson. Our biggest supporter of the FGP.”

     Every Foster Grandparent volunteer was given the opportunity to choose a children’s book to take back to their site and share in their classroom.

     Continuing along the reading theme, every Foster Grandparent volunteer was surprised with a personalized book created by the students and their teachers. Students from 30 sites had the opportunity to write short sentences and draw pictures expressing what it means to them to have a Foster Grandparent volunteer in their daily lives: a volunteer who helps them in the classroom with their reading, writing, and math problems; a volunteer who gives them endless words of encouragement to try again; a volunteer who offers that extra hug when life seems so overwhelming.

     One local elementary school teacher recently wrote: “Grandma is a wonderful help in the classroom. She supports the students having difficulty with seatwork and is always willing to read with the students.” This sentiment was also recently shared by a Head Start teacher: “Words cannot express the impact Grandma has on both the children and the adults in our center! We love her!”

     To learn more about becoming a Foster Grandparent or other volunteer opportunities at Coastline, please call us at 508.999.6400.

     The Foster Grandparent Program is sponsored by Coastline Elderly Services, Inc. and funded by the Corporation for National & Community Service. It is also funded in part by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
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Filed Under: Coastline News, Foster Grandparent, Foster Grandparents News Tagged With: , , , ,

April Is the Cruelest Month?

March 23, 2011 By

Dear Colleagues,

T.S. Eliot began his 1922 poem The Waste Land with the phrase:  “April is the cruelest month” and said “I will show you fear in a handful of dust.”

This month’s issue of the AT HOME newsletter certainly has its share of dust. Actions by the Governor and by Congress threaten to convert programs for needy people into dust.
But in April, Eliot also promised “lilacs out of the dead land.” We have stories of new promises greening: a new ‘Money Follows the Person’ grant, plus a new report issued on end-of-life care.
Here are some of this month’s stories from the AT HOME newsletter:

  1. Governor Patrick Backs Off Rate Cuts for Elderly/Disabled—For Now 
  2. Congress Funds The Federal Government Two Weeks At A Time
  3. Senator Dick Moore Says: “Shame on Us” Over Adult Day Health Cuts
  4.  The CLASS Act: Will Everbody Get In The Pool?
  5. State Gets $110 Million For Money Follows the Person
  6. Governors Don’t Want to Maintain Effort For Medicaid Programs
  7. State Submits Plans For New Managed Care Plan For Medicare/Medicaid Recipients
  8. Menino Names New Commmissioner of Elderly Affairs
  9. End of Life Care Report Released

Click to view At Home – April 2011 

Al Norman
Editor
Mass Home Care

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Filed Under: Legislation Alert, Mass Home Care Tagged With: , ,
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