Beacons of Hope Around Us Help to Light Our Way
The other night I came across one of the great wonders of the summertime season. The flight of a firefly! I haven’t seen fireflies in my backyard in quite some time, so you can imagine my surprise when I spotted one last week. I am amazed at the simple beauty of a firefly as it
Nutrition Notes: Fortify Your Diet with Seeds
Seeds can be an important part of a healthy diet, providing essential nutrients that may be otherwise hard to get. Pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flax, and chia seeds are a few of my favorites that I use all the time. I always top off a spring salad with a sprinkle of seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, and
Self-Neglect: Recognizing and Reducing the Effect on Older Adults
Recently, I was assigned to a case in Adult Protective Services for a woman named Brooke*. Brooke had always been independent throughout the years. After her husband passed away unexpectedly, Brooke single-handedly raised her three children while working full-time and managing her home. After her children moved away and began their own lives, Brooke maintained
“One Big Beautiful Bill” Not So Pretty for Our Community’s Most Vulnerable
I‘m grateful for our caring community. There has been a real outpouring of support and frequent requests for updates since my last article. We oftentimes don’t actually have access to much more information than you do and while announcements keep coming, useful communication, guidance, and clarity are all minimal at best. I have learned in
Rethinking the Senior Center: Age & Dementia Friendly South County
When people hear “senior center,” they usually picture a place older adults gather for programs and activities. But what if a senior center became something more—a place that leads its community in asking bigger questions: What kind of community are we for older adults and people living with dementia? What kind of community do we
PRIDE = Safety and Connection
I have worn so many hats in my life that friends and co-workers have teased me quite a bit about it. I tend to have at least three jobs at a time, and now isn’t any different. Part-time, I am the facilitator for the LGBTQIA+ Rainbow Elders group for LifePath. Another hat I wear is
Birthdays, Milestones, and Reflection Points – A Wondrous Journey Along Life’s Path.
LifePath recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a wonderful banquet recognizing various community partners, special volunteers of note, and sustaining financial donors that have helped in part to make a significant contribution to our success over the past 50 years. We are truly grateful for the countless staff, volunteers, community partners, and donors that have
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week Spotlights How to Prevent Fraud
Medicare Fraud Prevention Week runs the week of June 2 (the date 6/5 was chosen as it represents age 65, when most people become eligible for Medicare). Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion per year. It costs Medicare beneficiaries in time, stress, their medical identities, and potentially their health. It costs families, friends, and
Damon Reynolds, with Support from LifePath CTL Peter-Michael Kinney, Is Moving Back into the Community
Damon Reynolds, 48, has been a resident at Quabbin Valley Healthcare (QVH), a nursing home in Athol, for about 4 years. With help from his LifePath Community Transitional Liaison (CTL), Peter-Michael Kinney, Damon will soon be moving to a group home in Shutesbury. “I’ll be able to be in a community and be able to
Prepare Your Feet for Summer
Some people believe that sore feet are an inevitable condition of aging—that bent toes, thick nails, corns, and calluses can’t be helped. I maintain that this isn’t true. Regular, evidence-based foot care, gentle exercise, and scrupulous shoe selection can result in happy and healthy feet at any age.
As spring and summer bring outdoor activities, people
Supporting One Another Through Challenging Times
By the time you read this, I will have reached my one-year anniversary with LifePath and I am so happy that I decided to join this amazing team of volunteers and staff last April. As national volunteer week has recently come to a close, we here at LifePath are so very grateful for our many
What Older Adults and Caregivers in Our Region Are Saying: LifePath’s 2025 Needs Assessment
Every four years, LifePath, the Area Agency on Aging for Franklin County and the North Quabbin areas, conducts a region-wide survey to understand the needs of older adults and caregivers. In response to LifePath’s 2025 Needs Assessment, we received 545 surveys in total—453 from older adults and 93 from caregivers. People from all over the