An Update from us on COVID-19
The welfare of our consumers and staff come first!

BayPath Elder Services is in close contact with the  MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs , the  Department of Public Health , and other state and local agencies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We are following their guidance as well as the  CDC  recommended best practices. We are also in close communication with our extensive network of in-home service providers and community partners during this crisis.
BayPath is an essential service
We are continuing to provide services and thank all of our consumers for being patient with us as we made the necessary adjustments to enforce all possible precautions to safeguard wellness. 

While the stay-at-home advisory is in place
As we mentioned in our last update, our staff began operating remotely on March 18, and the office will be staffed by a few individuals daily. Governor Baker announced that the state’s stay-at-home advisory and mandatory closure of nonessential businesses has been extended through May 4.

While we continue to work remotely, we want to remind our consumers that our staff may make or return calls to you using their personal cell phones. Therefore, you may see a call from a Blocked or Unknown Caller.  
Home Delivered Meals
Great news! We are resuming meals next week to all consumers who are part of the Meals on Wheels program. Please note that at this time, meals will be delivered on Tuesday and Fridays ONLY to minimize the health risk to consumers and drivers. But we will be providing three meals on each delivery day so that our consumers are covered for the days in between deliveries.

BayPath staffers rally to deliver meals
Shelf-stable and frozen meals delivered our consumers this week by volunteers made up of BayPath staffers who gathered in our office parking lot yesterday to pick up the meals (while practicing proper social distancing) and then deliver to a meals on wheels route. The delivery effort was a 3-in-1 mission – food delivery, a wellness check on the consumer, and notification of meals resuming next week on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thank you to all who went above and outside their regular roles to make our consumers a priority!

Meal Delivery Volunteers
We also want to send a shout out to our existing volunteers and our new members (many of whom are teachers who will deliver meals while schools remain closed.) We could not do this without you, and we all greatly appreciate you!

Keeping our consumers informed
As the state of affairs changes, we will update our website and social media platforms as rapidly as possible. This is a very concerning time for all of us. It is hard not to worry. But our best advice is to listen to reliable news sources.

The following websites offer valuable and up-to-date information.

Take care of yourself both physically and Mentally
If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is important to ask for help. You can contact our
Elder Community Care Triage Coordinator, Edmilse Diaz, who is available to speak with you and just listen or offer counseling options. 508-573-7237 or ediaz@baypath.org.

To help reduce feelings of isolation and improve overall wellness while staying at home and practicing social distancing, our ECC Program has developed some helpful tips. Click here to see the flyer .

If you are feeling extremely hopeless, Call2Talk  is a mental health, emotional support, and suicide prevention program provided by the United Way of Tri-County , and run by Mass211. It operates 24/7. CALL 2-1-1 OR (508) 532-2255.

We are all in this together, and it is TOGETHER that we will also get through this crisis.
Sincerely,

Christine Alessandro
Executive Director
BayPath Elder Services
BayPath Elder Services | Website