![George Selanis](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/blog-images/george-selanis.jpg)
LifePath’s Home Safety Program Partners with Pella Windows and Doors of Greenfield to Make 97-Year-Old George Selanis’s Home More Accessible
“Being independent is very important to me,” said George Selanis, age 97. “I like to keep moving and doing something. That’s my work ethic.”
In his youth, George was always moving. After finishing his junior year in high school, he enlisted in the navy, where he remained for two years as an aviation machinist mate, second
![Gary Yuhas](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/about/gary-yuhas.png)
Counteracting Loneliness at a Potentially Difficult Time of Year
Loneliness is a frequent topic of conversation at LifePath. The 2023 release of the Surgeon General’s public statement, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, confirms what we are seeing every day in our work and in our communities.
The Surgeon General’s statement
![Robin Chabot with her parents, Barbara Welcome and Lawrence G. Welcome, Jr., in fromt of a bridge.](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/blog-images/IMG_20230516_144606690_HDR.jpg)
Celebrating National Family Caregiver Month: Robin Chabot’s Caregiving Story
As a caregiver, Robin Chabot refers to herself as “a minute piece of the puzzle that tries to facilitate physical, spiritual, and emotional support.” She supports her parents, Lawrence G. Welcome, Jr., and Barbara Welcome, in “culminating their continuous hearts’ desires and projected moment-to-moment goals.” She shares an anecdote: once, when she asked her father
![Action plan cover](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/Capture-1.jpg)
Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan Released
An age- and dementia-friendly community is a place that makes it easy for older people to stay connected to people that are important to them. And it helps people stay healthy and active even at the oldest ages and provides appropriate support to those who can no longer look after themselves. LifePath, together with its
![Collage of lgbt elders](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/Capture.jpg)
Aging as LGBTQIA+: Two Stories
It is imperative that we take a stance to work towards equity, and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community. The short video below displays the disadvantages and discrimination older adults who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community face throughout their livelihoods. Our civic duty calls us to acknowledge these disparities, and actively engage all older
![James, 9, with his Grandma, Phyllis Sinclair](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/blog-images/James-and-Grandmajpg.jpg)
Older Relatives Raising Children: Many Local Options for Support Available
According to Jan Doody, Parent Educator & Grandparent Resource Coordinator at The United Arc, it is estimated that there are over 150 families in Franklin County in which an older relative is raising a child. Grandparents are often called upon to bring a grandchild into their home when the child’s parents are not able to
![Gary Yuhas](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/about/gary-yuhas.png)
Volunteer Ombudsmen: Problem Solvers Helping Residents in Facilities
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Pamela Porter. Pam retired from LifePath after serving as a Home Care Program Director. She now volunteers in our Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. Pam agreed to connect so that I could hear more about her perspective as a volunteer ombudsman advocating for long-term care residents.
Long-term care ombudsmen work
![Two women seated on a brick wall, a younger one providing support to the older one by gently clasping her elbow.](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/caregivers.jpg)
Understanding Caregiver Respite Scholarships: Support for Those in Need
Caregiver Respite Scholarships are a valuable form of support provided by LifePath directly to unpaid caregivers who provide assistance to support individuals to remain in their homes. The caregivers might be caring for a person with a developmental disability, dementia, or complex medical conditions. Caregivers may also be grandparents caring for grandchildren. The scholarships aim
![](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/PXL_20230622_190939893-1.jpg)
Three Years of Work Culminate in Launch of Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan
An Age- and Dementia-Friendly Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy developed by a community to ensure that its infrastructure, services, and policies are designed and implemented in a way that supports and accommodates the needs of people of all ages, particularly older adults. These action plans are specifically focused on creating environments that are accessible,
![person with socks](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/livi-po-r3M0uRuELdA-unsplash.jpg)
Foot Care for Fall
As the crisp weather signals the change of seasons, and floors become cold in the morning, let’s give our feet some special attention to prepare for the winter months ahead. Feet are literally the foundation for our body: they allow us to be mobile, they pump blood back to our hearts, and they connect us
![Person on a beach at sunset drinking water from a bottle](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/Unorganized/bluewater-sweden-vTEqYBgqcmM-unsplash.jpg)
Staying Hydrated From the Inside Out
Hydration status manifests on the skin. At FootCare by Nurses, we spend time helping elders understand the importance of hydration, along with personalized strategies to do that. Hydration is not only about how much water you drink. Human bodies need the right combination of fluids and salts to function. Broth soups, lemonade, drinking milk, and
![Trevor Boeding, MPH, Director, LTC Ombudsman Program/Rides for Health](https://lifepathma.org/wp-content/uploads/blog-images/TB-Head-Shot-Sept-2021-1-e1696619429528.jpg)
Celebrate Residents’ Rights Month!
October is Residents’ Rights Month, an annual event designated by Consumer Voice to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities. It is an opportunity to focus on and celebrate the dignity and rights of every individual receiving long-term services and supports.
This year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme, Amplify Our Voices, emphasizes a community of long-term