Roseann Robillard, Director

Advocacy

The Council On Aging works to protect and support the interests and rights of older people. It joins efforts with older organizations to monitor important legislation, programs, and access to services.

Reading is a pastime of many retirees. The Council On Aging provides a daytime book group that meets once each month for book selection and discussion.

The Council On Aging offers a variety of day trips for older adults. All senior citizens and their friends are invited to participate. No reservations are confirmed until full, non-refundable payments are received.

Financial Planning Seminars The Council On Aging hosts quarterly presentations that address issues such as: Financial Strategies you can use today

Money Management

• Investment Basics
• Advanced Investment Strategies
• Tax Planning
• Estate Planning
• Charitable Giving

Friends of the Newburyport Council on Aging

The Friends of the Newburyport Council on Aging is a private nonprofit organization committed to raising the funds necessary for the development of a new senior center, and to create an endowment to address the needs of Newburyport's elders into the future. Donations to 'the Friends' can be sent to:

Friends of the Newburyport Council on Aging
PO Box 550
Newburyport, MA 01950

Health and Beauty Blood Pressure Checks - Nurses are at the Council On Aging twice each month to provide confidential medical counseling, monitor blood pressure readings and provide presentations on a variety of medical issues.

Foot Care - A podiatrist visits the Council On Aging once each month to provide care for nails and calluses.

Exercise to Music - This is an on-going individualized fitness program for older adults. One hour classes are held at the Elks Hall on Low Street at 9:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The program is set to music, and includes stretching, hand weights, no-impact and low- impact aerobic movements, and cool-down. The program is suited to wheelchair users, post- mastectomy patients, arthritic elders, and others. A $2.00 donation per class is requested.

Hearing Checks - Two hearing service programs are offered each month to clean and check hearing aides and provide hearing evaluations.

Health Insurance Counseling

S.H.I.N.E. (Service Health Insurance Needs of Elders) provides an insurance counselor once each week at the Council On Aging. The S.H.I.N.E. counselor can assist with applications for prescription drug programs, food stamps, Medicare and Mass Health. The counselor also provides information about the benefits of health insurance programs and HMOs and can help seniors with their Medicare paperwork.

Links:

Medicare Mass Advocacy Project, (800) 323-3205

Mass Division of Insurance, (617) 521-7777

Medicaid Customer Service, (800) 841-2900

Housing Assistance - The Council On Aging provides a handbook of information about the senior housing facilities available in Newburyport. The handbook lists the facility addresses, contact information, and residency requirements. The COA staff will assist with completion of applications. Newburyport Housing Authority (978) 465-7216 nha@nhahousing.com

James Steam Mill (978) 465-5166

Heritage House (978) 462-4039 heritagehouse@worldnet.att.net

Merrimack Place (978) 462-7324

Knitting Group

Yarn, needles and directions for making hats, booties and afghans are available at the Council on Aging. The Knitting for Newborns group provides caps, and afghans for every baby born at the Seacoast Birth Center at Anna Jaques Hospital.

Legal Assistance

Information about Health Care Proxies, Durable Powers of Attorney, and Wills is available at the Council On Aging office. Senior citizens can receive free help with many legal problems through a referral to Merrimack Valley Legal Services, Inc. If they are unable to assist you they will try to find someone who can.

Links: Merrimack Valley Legal Services, Inc.

Lawyer Referral Service, and Mass. Bar Assoc.

Newsletter

The Senior Citizen News is a free monthly publication from the Council On Aging. The newsletter provides current information about new programs and services. It includes the lunch menu for the month, and a calendar of activities for the month. It is available by mail, and it can be picked up at the senior housing facilities, the hospital, the chamber of commerce and at City Hall.

Nutrition Services Meals On Wheels are delivered every weekday to home-bound senior citizens who are unable to provide a mid-day meal for themselves. A small donation is requested, payable monthly. Lunch at the Council On Aging is served at 11:30 AM every weekday. Reservations are required and should be called in at least 2 days ahead. The lunch menu is included in the monthly newsletter.

Merrimac Valley Nutrition Program, 1-888-820-5423 or 978-868-1422

Support Programs Low Vision Support - The Peer Empowerment Project helps legally blind seniors with peer support at the Council On Aging. The group meets once each month for lunch and discussion.

Tax Assistance Income Tax - AARP provides the Council On Aging with trained volunteers to help senior citizens fill out their state and federal tax forms. The tax volunteers are available by appointment from February through April 15th each year.

Property Tax - Programs providing property tax exemptions and tax deferrals for older citizens and surviving spouses are set forth in the General Laws of Massachusetts. Contact the Newburyport Assessor's Office and the Council On Aging for more information.

City of Newburyport Assessor's Office
Mass State Department of Revenue

Telephone Reassurance An outreach worker telephones every Newburyport elder eighty years old and older to offer ongoing contact via the Telephone Reassurance program. Telephone reassurance calls are made by a team of volunteers to frail, at risk, or home-bound elders for friendly conversation and informal welfare assessment.

Transportation Shuttle van transportation to any Newburyport location is available to senior citizens and disabled residents of any age. A 24-hour notice and a donation of $1 per ride is requested. The Council On Aging operates several vans, all of which can accommodate wheelchairs. The most requested destinations are medical offices, banks, grocery stores, and hair dressers. Transportation to out-of-town destinations is available through the Northern Essex Elder Transport program (N.E.E.T.). Drivers for the N.E.E.T. program are volunteers who use their own vehicles to drive senior citizens to medical appointments. A $0.30 per mile donation is requested. You can reach Northern Essex Elder Transport at (978) 388-7474.

Volunteers

Every Council On Aging is dependent upon a good team of volunteers to support the many programs and services required. Volunteer opportunities include: Meals On Wheels deliverers, N.E.E.T. drivers, crafters, friendly visitors, telephone reassurance callers, office helpers, and newsletter team members.