Tina Gorman, Director, Westfield Council On Aging
Older adults tend to be a frugal lot. They cut coupons. They shop for bargains. They differentiate between what they truly need and what they simply want. That’s because many lived through the Great Depression when jobs and homes were lost, food and clothing were scarce, and survival became a way of life. Back then, their families learned to “make do” on a shoestring budget and today the staff at the Westfield Council On Aging works with seniors who are forced to carry on the same tradition.
The stories of those who walk through our doors vary. Some face job loss, failing health, and foreclosures. Some must choose between food and medication. Some live in homes that are freezing in the winter and stifling in the summer. Some live with families that are physically, psychologically, emotionally, or financially abusive.
Our staff provides health insurance counseling, volunteer companions, and affordable meals. We loan medical equipment to those whose insurance doesn’t cover it. Our wellness nurse reviews medications and provides valuable one-on-one health care education. Support groups are available for those adapting to vision loss, as well as seniors who are experiencing any number of physical and emotional challenges. We work with local agencies to assure that Westfield’s older adults don’t “fall through the cracks” of the service delivery system.
Our two primary funding sources are the City of Westfield and the State Formula Grant which is administered through the Executive Office of Elder Affairs. At the Westfield Council On Aging, the State Formula Grant money is used to partially fund the Dining Program Coordinator and Companionship Program Coordinator positions. In addition, the Formula Grant fully funds our part-time Wellness Nurse and a part-time Program Associate whose telephone reassurance program, low vision support group, and caregiver initiative grant program continue to expand.
Finally, the State Formula Grant money is used for office, kitchen, janitorial, and wellness supplies; staff education and training; the department’s photocopy machine contract; staff transportation for home visits and grocery shopping for the congregate meal program; volunteer recognition; and organizational dues.
The Formula Grant is calculated on a “per elder” basis and was set at $7 per elder in Fiscal Year 2009 based on the 2000 census. In truth, when the 2010 census figures were considered, the actual amount per elder had actually dropped to $6.25 by Fiscal Year 2012. With support from both Senator Michael Knapik and Representative Donald Humason, the $7 per elder figure was restored in Fiscal Year 2013.
The Massachusetts Association of Councils On Aging is advocating for an additional $1 per elder in the Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Last week the Massachusetts House of Representatives committed to that $8 per elder figure. Kudos go to Representative Humason for signing on as a co-sponsor of the amendment. During the next two weeks, it will be the Senate’s turn to consider the $8 per elder figure. Senator Knapik has long been a staunch supporter of services and programs for older adults. Last month I participated in a meeting with Senator Knapik and the Council On Aging Directors from Holyoke, Chicopee, and Easthampton. We explained how we utilize the Formula Grant funding and the services that could be developed or expanded with the additional $1 per elder. I will continue to advocate on behalf of Westfield’s older adults, but the time has come for the seniors themselves to go to their telephone or computer and contact Senator Knapik. Let him know that each older adult in the Commonwealth is worth $8. He can be reached at (413) 562-6454 or [email protected].
By Tina Gorman
Director
Westfield Council On Aging
