December, 2016
In this Issue index

Protective Services Profile ProtectiveServices
Elder Services Protective Service Team:  Front Row (l-r)  Alyson Hurshman,  Laura Cuevas,  Diane Powell 
Monica Whitmore,  Second Row:  Claire Whitten,  Lena Sarunn,  Isalbi DelOrb,  Jennifer Ezeigwe
Bea Stankard,  Reina Francisco,  Back Row:  Scott Mousseau,  Jeremy Greany,  Joe Hannon

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley's Protective Services Team is called on to handle some of the most heart-wrenching and difficult situations the agency faces - elders who are being abused and victimized by someone else or in crisis due to self-neglect.

The types of cases referred to the Protective Services Team may include a pet-loving elder whose home is overrun by dozens of underfed cats, a senior whose grandson has emptied his checking account, or homeless elders who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction. They may encounter a veteran who refuses to move out of his car into supportive housing because it would mean giving up his dog, or get called when an elder falls asleep behind the wheel in the middle of a busy intersection.

"The mission of the Protective Services Team is to assess risk and then attempt to reduce it while at the same time keeping the focus on the needs and wants of the elder" said Monica Whitmore, Director of the Protective Service program. 

"We offer whatever help and resources we can bring to bear on the situation but it is entirely up to the individual whether they want to accept our help," said Whitmore. "Because our services are voluntary, our most important tool is persuasion. We meet people where they are at and try to make them see their situation puts them at risk. Then we try to help them get to where they want to be that is also less dangerous."

Diane Powell is a Protective Supervisor who has worked for Elder Services for 24 years. "Just when we think we have seen it all we get a situation that tries the imagination" Diane said, "but these are real people in tough situations and their pain and trauma is real."  She added: "We talk to people like we would want to be talked to."

The Protective Services Team is made up of 19 protective investigators and three community outreach workers. They handle 240 to 270 cases a month. Most protective cases fall into one of four categories - depression, addiction, risky life-style or strained finances, Powell said.

"Often the elder is dealing with more than one issue, which creates some very complex situations," she said. "And, because we are first and foremost advocates for the elder, we can come in conflict with local police departments and boards of health who have a different job to do."

For instance, the Protective Services Team was asked by a local Board of Health to help them evict an elder who was living in a house without heat or running water.

"The house was disgusting and the elder was refusing to let the Board of Health in," Whitmore recalled. "The Board of Health was ready to condemn the house which would have made the elder homeless. Our approach was to build a rapport with the elder, assess the level of risk, and work with them to get the necessary repairs done to avoid eviction.  Spending the time to gain the person's trust allowed us to work towards a solution, fix the house, and avoid more crises."  

Just as the Protective Services Team works to build rapport with the elders it serves, they also work hard to build relationships with city and town officials.

"Police are there to enforce the law but they also want to help people so when they have a situation that requires some negotiation, they will call us because we have a relationship with them," Whitmore said.

In the case of the elder who fell asleep behind the wheel, Protective Services staff convinced him to voluntarily surrender his driving license and instead hire a driver.
"He couldn't be happier," Whitmore said. "He still gets out in the community but he isn't going to harm himself or someone else."

Whitmore and Powell said they sometimes have to intervene to support vulnerable elders who might seem "more protected" in a structured setting. The team operates with respect for the individual's "dignity of risk" - a concept that can cause some discomfort among concerned bystanders to the situation.

"For example we have plenty of people who meet the definition of incompetence and the easiest thing to do would be to send them to a nursing home," Powell said. "But if that's not what the elder wants, we arrange to get them support so they can stay at home."
And while connecting elders in desperate straits with services and resources that make their situation better is satisfying, Whitmore and Powell have been at their jobs long enough to know their solutions don't always stick.

"We had an elder who fell for one of those Nigerian money scams," Whitmore said. "After we connected her to our Money Management team here at Elder Services and the team got her bank accounts straightened out, the elder turned around and called her scammer and asked how much money he needed.  She then wrote him another check.  Our best guess is that she was lonely."

So for these "frequent flyers," Whitmore and Powell will try assigning a different Protective Services team member to see if a different approach will work, but they never give up trying to find a solution.

"What keeps me doing this work is that I see our people as survivors," Powell said. "They do things out of the box and not necessarily in the normal, legal or approved way or in a way that is best for them in the long run but they are resilient and keep bouncing back. I love them for that."


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Profile in Giving: Eldon BerthiaumeProfileGiving

Eldon Berthiaume
In his own quiet way, Eldon Berthiaume has been transforming the horrors of war into small gifts that make the lives of dozens of Merrimack Valley elders better every day.

Every month, like clockwork, Eldon writes a $100 check to ESMV's Elder Care Fund from the $4,800 Prisoner of War pension he receives annually from the state. Those funds, in turn, are used to buy items requested by elders in need because their own resources fall short, e.g., a pair of shoes, a new comforter, fuel assistance or a replacement television.

"I was nearly 80 when I discovered I was eligible for a POW pension and by that time my wife, Corinne, and I were all set," Berthiaume, now 92, said. "I had a comfortable retirement from Western Electric, where I worked for 30 years and the house we have lived in for nearly 70 years had been paid off years ago. Our four daughters were off in the world with their own children and our needs are minimal. So I decided to pass the pension around."

Berthiaume, who also makes regular donations to Lazarus House and the St. Vincent DePaul Society, is a Lawrence native. After graduating from Lawrence High School, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 during WWII. But before shipping out, he visited his maternal grandparents in Prince Edward Island, where an aunt introduced him to his future wife.

Berthiaume served in the infantry in France and was captured in German-occupied Alsace- Lorraine four months before the war ended.

"When that German soldier put that gun to my head, I thought I was a dead man," Berthiaume said, recalling his capture as if it happened yesterday. "I survived because a German officer ordered his man to stand down because the buddy who was with me had saved his life by applying a tourniquet to a leg wound."

Liberated by his fellow American soldiers in the summer of 1945, Berthiaume returned home to a waiting Corrine. They married in Canada and then moved to Lawrence. Eldon set about clearing a small lot in South Lawrence and, with the help of a carpenter, built the tidy three-bedroom home where the couple still live.

Eldon worked with his father at the Shawsheen Mill in Andover and when the mill moved south, he joined his wife in working at the Western Electric manufacturing plant in North Andover. There Eldon was eventually promoted as Drafting Department supervisor, the position he held for 30 years until retiring in 1982.

"I chose Elder Services because of the work you do helping folks stay in their own home," he said. "Now that I am 92, I appreciate that more than ever."

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JOIN US
With the holiday shopping upon us, this is the perfect time to join us in supporting our Elders.

AmazonSmile  is a simple and automatic way for you to support Elder Services every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com , you'll find the exact same low prices, selection and shopping experience as the regular Amazon.com page - with the added bonus of giving 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases!
 
There are MANY items eligible for donations through AmazonSmile. You will see eligible products marked "Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" on their product detail pages.
 
On your first visit to AmazonSmile you need to select Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley as your charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation to Elder Services.
 
Start today!
Feel free to share this with anyone you think would like to participate!

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Spirit of Giving BackGivingBack

ESMV Staff brings quilting expertise & enthusiasm to elderly residents in Amesbury Supportive Housing.
If you know Sheila Hewitt, our Volunteer Programs Assistant, you know she's an avid quilter who loves to share her passion - and resources - with others. When Resident Service Coordinator Geannina Guzman-Scanlan asked about leftover fabric/material for Amesbury's Crafters' Group, Sheila responded with bags of fabric. Before long, Sheila and Geannina were setting up a mini-quilting class. Sheila's friend, Cathy Bellino, a very talented Quilt Instructor and Quilt Pattern Designer, enthusiastically volunteered to teach some residents at Heritage Towers in Amesbury. Cathy and Sheila met with the group one evening in their community room.

Although a little timid at first, the Crafters (ages 70 - 97) soon were "all in" and learning about nine patches, rotary cutting and seams. Some were a little intimidated by the sewing machine, but soon all were engaged; taking turns learning how to sew their quilt patches into a small table topper! All of the residents are active in making crafts to sell at Fairs or donate to local hospitals and nursing homes. Sheila and Cathy heard some great stories: one resident sewed her daughter's wedding gown and gowns for the wedding party; another resident shared a quilt her grandmother had made and passed down to her. A wonderful time was had by all - students and teachers alike!

Predictably, Sheila gives all the credit to her friend: "Cathy is a great teacher, and showed them all the safety methods of using a rotary cutter and how to use cardboard templates and scissors for those uncomfortable with the cutter. She was patient, informative and taught the group the basics of how a quilt is made, from picking out the fabric, to cutting it, to sewing it all together." 

Cathy suggested they start a "community quilt" with each person helping in their own way. Eventually they will have enough blocks to piece together in a large quilt. While one night is not enough to learn all the details involved in quilting, they made a great start and asked for more lessons. Sheila and Cathy hope to return after the holidays to help sustain the enthusiasm for their new found craft!



Salisbury Santa
Each year many of Elder Services' staff participates in the Salisbury Santa program. Now in its 40th year, the program helps 400 needy children and families get warm winter clothing, school clothes and shoes plus, their favorite wish list toys. This year, a total of 37 children will find happiness under their tree this year thanks to our Santa's Elves. 
(l-r) Home Care Staff Alica Vacirca, Arelis Latorella, Kate Silva and Joe Vacirca



Veterans Blanket Drive
During October and early November this year Elder Services and our Elder Network hosted a Blanket Drive titled "Let a vet know you've got them covered... Donate a Blanket". We collected 320 blanketsthat were presented to staff Randy Carter and Gail Hewins at the Northeast Veterans Outreach Center in Haverhill. The blankets will to be distributed to homeless veterans (including women) who have selflessly served and protected our country.




Cummings Properties Employee Directed Giving
Our sincerest thanks go out this holiday season to Cummings Properties Employee Directed Giving for their $1,000 gift to support older folks via Paul and Betty Loan of Methuen. 






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Check it Out!
Checkitout
Useful and Practical Gifts for Older People
Your parents, grandparents or an older neighbor don't want more stuff! The best gifts you can give to older people are ones that show you care and send a message of love... without cluttering up their home.

Don't buy gifts they won't use and remember that some folks don't drive anymore, so getting to the store is not easy. The following gift ideas for older people are a creative, thoughtful and practical way for you to say I love you or I care.

  1. Fresh fruit basket
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  2. Keep In Touch Basket - stationary, pens, stamps, all occasion cards
  3. Gift Card to their favorite take out spot - include enough for the delivery tip
  4. Keurig one cup brewer or Tea Basket with assorted herbal teas
  5. Be Prepared Box - include batteries for the remote, smoke alarms, flashlights
  6. Basket of Cheer - favorite cookies, crackers, candies, fudge
  7. A bottle or two of real maple syrup
  8. Adult coloring book with colored pencils or markers
  9. A scented surprise basket of soaps, lotions, shampoos, combs, brushes, tweezers, mirror
  10. Warm wonderful, colorful socks
These are 10 ideas for useful and practical gifts. However, the most appreciated gift is one of time. Offer a home cooked meal at your house, invite them out to their favorite restaurant, offer to take them shopping for anything or just drop by to enjoy homemade cookies and their company. These are gifts from the heart and are the moments most remembered!


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Recent EventsEvent

Annual Meeting
The Vision, Leadership and Service Award for 2016 was presented to Rosanne DiStefano, Executive Director at Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley. This award was established in honor of the primary founder of the agency, James P. Campbell. It acknowledges an individual who has shown remarkable vision, leadership and service in their dedication to serving elders in the Merrimack Valley.  Rosanne was honored for her never-ending same drive and passion to serve. She will be retiring as executive director at Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley in June 2017. Rosanne commented on her tenure at the agency stating "My journey at the agency may be coming to an end. However, my commitment to the larger mission will always remain strong. It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with the most dedicated and committed professionals across the Merrimack Valley and over the years have certainly appreciated your support and friendship." Rosanne was truly touched when long-time friend and art teacher, Sue Wang, MFA, Boston, presented Rosanne with an original art piece titled Meditation: Slow Walking 1,2,3,4.

Justin Jordan, Christine Cowden,
Frank Peditto, Marcie Gallagher, 
Rene Baker, Sheila Hewitt, Mayerly Astacio
Elder Services' Community Spirit Award celebrates the efforts of individuals or groups in the Merrimack Valley who demonstrate a unique commitment, initiative, creativity and excellent customer service with a positive influence that serves elders and makes significant impact on their lives. Our Board of Directors has selected Frank Peditto and his team from ReloTrans in Newburyport for their volunteer efforts, over the past two years, supporting the Elder Brown Bag Program. Each month this team helps pack almost 1000 bags of food to help elders stretch their Social Security dollars in the Greater Haverhill area.



Upcoming Events

Elder Network Meetings
The Elder Network Meetings are open to professionals who work with, care for or provide programs or services for older adults. Meetings are held weekly and begin at 11:45 am. Notices are e-mailed. To be placed on the e-list to attend a meeting please call Linda Dempski at 978-946-1429 or e-mail  [email protected].


Winter Gala  - Thursday, March 9, 2017 
Lanam Club
Snow Date: 3/16/17
Details to follow.


MA SMP Statewide Conference -  Friday, April 28, 2017
Seventh Statewide Conference on Preventing Healthcare Errors, Fraud and Abuse through Consumer Engagement
8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
  
This conference will focus on the best practices of:
  • The role of Engaged Consumers in Preventing Healthcare Errors, Fraud and Abuse
  • Detecting and reporting Fraud, Identity Theft and other Deceptive Marketing Tactics
  • Identifying, Reaching and Serving Diverse Communities
  • Ensuring that End of Life Wishes are Honored:  Which Documents Are Essential
  • Connecting the Dots Within the Healthcare Delivery System (Patient Family Advisory Councils, OPIOID Crisis vs. Pain Management, MassHiWay, Changes in MassHealth, etc.)
For more information contact Caroline Cole at 800-892-0890 ext.1256 or email her at [email protected].


Golf Classic - Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Haverhill Country Club
Details to follow.


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