Submitted by Alison Cservenschi, Director, Council on Aging
We all certainly deserve this lovely June and I hope our letter finds you enjoying the glorious sunny days before the heat of the summer sets in.
Take this opportunity to get out this month and attend another great calendar of events at the Bedford COA. You are welcome to stop by and see us. We have special grant funds available, through September if you need financial assistance to help remove excess clutter from your home. Please see page 2 of the latest COA newsletter for more information on this unique Clear the Clutter service program.
Another program for qualifying households is for real estate tax assistance through the town’s Taxation Aide Fund program. Applications are being accepted through Oct. 1 through the Assessor’s Office in Town Hall. People can also donate to this program to support this effort by calling 781-275-0046.
June is Brain Health Awareness Month and the COA has two programs for you. All of the programs, especially the intellectual programs, keep your brain active and healthy. Attending two or three of any program each week keeps your brain sharp. You are never too old to engage with others or learn something new.
The Memory Café is provided for those in the community living with memory loss as well as their caregivers. Other Memory Cafes in the Greater Boston area can be found at www.jfcsboston.org/MemoryCafeDirectory.
Bedford is recognized by the state as a Dementia Friendly Community due to the work of a small group, led by former COA Board Member Cindy Tulimieri. This group is focused on advocacy, awareness, and making the town easier to navigate. The Bedford library is also involved with this group and is actively engaged in dementia-friendly efforts. I am grateful for the time, care, and efforts of this group. If you are interested in participating, please reach out.
June is also national PRIDE month where we remember the 1969 Gay liberation movement in the United states. I thank our partners: Hilary Viola and Jennifer Stiff of Minuteman Senior Services, Lisa Krinsky of The Aging Project of Boston, host Julie Novak, Bedford Embraces Diversity, and Lexington Human Services for their efforts in helping to promote, lead, and expand our LGBTQIA+ events. Through this partnership, we have successfully supported a wider, more diverse group of local seniors this year who have enjoyed time together in a supportive space with opportunities to connect with others. Attendees feel safe, welcome, and included as this is the goal of this program. Details on the next LGBTQIA+ event are listed on page 10 and all are welcome to attend. The COA’s social worker, Danika, also lists helpful resources and information on page 3 on this topic to learn more.
Other programs of note this month include an important Medicare Savings Program on the June 5 and a welcome back to State Rep. Ken Gordon on June 13. Please sign up for these events.
In June, we also vote for our 2024/2025 officers on the COA Board and the Friends of the Council on Aging, 501c3 Non-Profit fundraising arm. If you are interested in learning more about how these groups work with the COA, or interested in joining either of these groups, please attend these meetings in June.
I hope you enjoy the month and I hope to see you soon.
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