LifePath’s Dean Lagrotteria on WHAI
On June 10, 2024, Dean Lagrotteria, LifePath Elder Protective Services Regional Program Director for Berkshire and Franklin counties and the North Quabbin area, spoke with Nick Danjer on radio station WHAI.
Aging in Place Workshop Series Recordings
In Spring 2024, LifePath partnered with Greenfield Community College to offer a series of virtual programs on Aging in Place. Here are the links to the recorded versions of the workshops. (To view, click on the YouTube image on the lower left side of the screen.)
A Poem By Caregiver K.G.
I give you my spirit
I give you my strength
I give you my will
To go any length
I give you my prayers
Along with everyone else
I give you my tears
Too many to count
I give you my eyes
So you can once again see
The things that
LifePath’s Community Engagement Center—A Place of Kindness and Caring
Imagine starting your day with a big smile and a warm hug from a friend. Viviane, a woman of few words, fills the room with joy as she warmly welcomes the other ten people who come together twice a week to spend time together at the Community Engagement Center (CEC).
As people settle in around the
Community Engagement Center (CEC) Donations: What We Need
Donations of the following items for the Community Engagement Center are welcomed.
Different textured balls (dryer balls, tennis balls, wiffle balls, etc.) Different textured fabrics Art supplies Yarn Beads and jewelry-making supplies Large buttons for sorting Larger nuts and bolts for sorting, screwing together Musical instruments (bells, maracas, shakers, etc.) Simple adult coloring books Scarves for waving, dancing Table easels CDs with music from the 40s, 50s
How Long-Term Care Ombudsman Volunteers Support Residents
Linda Ackerman, a Long-Term Care Ombudsman Volunteer for the last 9 years, said she chose to introduce me to Christopher Shepard and Mark Niemela because they are “such fun.” Chris, 80, and Mark, 69, both enjoy chatting and share a love of music, which makes them excellent roommates at RegalCare, a long-term care facility in
What Is Emotional Abuse of an Older Adult?
June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a day recognized to highlight awareness of elder abuse. As I reflect upon this upcoming World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I wish to discuss emotional abuse, a type of abuse that is often underreported. Unlike physical abuse
The Stonewall Generation Listserv: News You Can Use
LifePath’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Director Trevor Boeding speaks passionately about building participation in the Stonewall Generation Listserv, saying, “The Listserv is a free email service that delivers highlights of local and global LGBTQIA+ news and events into your inbox. By positioning the community front and center, the Stonewall Generation Listserv normalizes the LGBTQIA+ experience
Rainbow Elders Pride
My favorite definition of the word pride is “Consciousness of one’s own dignity.” I have been attending Pride marches for the LGBTQIA+ community for over 35 years. This year’s Greenfield Pride march and rally will take place June 15. So much has changed in our world, especially since the pandemic, but I always find it
Assessing the Last Year with Gratitude
As I write this article, I have recently passed my one year anniversary at LifePath. Reflecting on LifePath’s achievements over the past year brings a profound sense of gratitude toward the volunteers, staff, organizations, and community members that made it all possible.
Just over a year ago, in May 2023, we began an initiative to help
Nutrition Notes: Wild Food Foraging
Consider a spring dinner that starts with an appetizer of black locust flower fritters, followed by a dandelion and violet leaf salad sprinkled with violet flowers, pasta with garlic mustard pesto and boiled fiddleheads, wild leek and stinging nettle miso soup on the side, and a crisp of knotweed and wild blueberries for dessert. Creating
Education Isn’t Enough
The Healthy Living Department at LifePath serves people who are trying to make changes to improve their chronic condition. We must try to manage weight, avoid foods that make our conditions worse, figure out how to exercise, how to advocate for medical care, etc. Making these changes can be harder for some of us than