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After six months of retirement, Steve Bellmont, of Lynnfield, had a desire to continue contributing to a cause. He discovered our friendly visitor/shopper program and thought it would be a good match for his skills and interests. Five years later, Steve is known as the program’s “step up” volunteer because Diane Kessler, the Home Care…
Hoarding is a progressive and chronic condition. According to the International OCD Foundation, hoarding is a complex disorder made up of three connected problems: collecting too many items; difficulty getting rid of items; and problems with organization. Hoarding is not about the stuff someone has in their home. The stuff is a result of many…
We’ve been fortunate to have community members who have stepped up and helped out social services agencies like ours since the start of the COVID-19. Now, four months into the pandemic, the need for volunteers continues. “Initially, we received inquiries as to how a person could help,” says Sheila Hewitt, our Volunteer Coordinator. “People had…
Most of us have experienced the sensation of time passing more quickly than we realized. “Was that really three years ago? Seems like yesterday.” Or, the exact opposite; a faded memory of something having happened years previously, when in fact it was a more recent event. We are into this COVID period for close to…
By now all of us have heard the guidelines and recommendations put forward by the experts regarding safeguarding our mental health. During the past months I feel I have experienced a range of emotions amongst my own circle of friends and family. “How are you managing?” “How are you feeling?” Questions which elicited answers…
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15th as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. The day shines a light globally on the problem of neglect, physical, emotional, and financial abuse of elders. The intent of the day is to educate people on the challenges and opportunities presented by an aging population. It brings…
June is the month for which I reflect on missing my mother, gone six years now. Words I never thought I would hear myself think, let alone say aloud; thank god both my parents are already deceased. I have shared that sentiment with other friends who have lost their parents and with my siblings. Everyone…
When you live in New England, spring is anticipated with bated breath. Well, what a spring it has been. Coronavirus came along and at the least, ruined many plans, and at its worst, left dizzying numbers of sick and precious lost souls and a trail of economic destruction. No one is immune from escaping the…
Between 2-6% of the population struggles with hoarding behavior making it a highly common mental health issue. Because this is such a common and often misunderstood mental health diagnosis, Governor Baker has proclaimed May 25 – May 29, 2020 Massachusetts’ second annual Hoarding Disorder Awareness Week. Eileen Dacey, Program Manager and Clinical Specialist for the…
In looking back, was it only a few months ago that we would describe life as being ‘normal’? How is it possible that we are experiencing nostalgia for things that happened only a few weeks ago – things that may not have even mattered that much. It seems embarrassingly trivial to recall what I was…