Easton Council on Aging 508 230-0690

THE cOOrdinator

Newsletter Locations:

Ames Free Library

Bank of Easton (all)

Big Y Supermarket

Bill’s House of Pizza

COA Office—Frothingham Hall

CVS—549 Washington St.

Easton Post Office (all)

Easton Town Hall

Easton YMCA—Elm St.

EHA—Elise Circle

EHA—Parker Terrace

Emmy’s Hair Salon

North Easton Savings Banks

Roche Bros. Supermarket

Shaw’s Supermarket

7-11 Food Shop

If you would like the newsletter

mailed or e-mailed to you, please

fill out the form inside and mail it

to the: Council on Aging

15 Barrows Street

North Easton, MA 02356

July 2020

Summer Fun—Social Distancing Style!

Summer is upon us, but due to the coronavirus, it will most

likely be very different. Taking this into consideration, here

are some ideas for staying busy, entertained, and connect-

ed while also continuing to be cautious and practice social

distancing.

Gardening. This is a great way to spend time outdoors

and also get a little exercise. If space is limited, consid-

er a window box or container for your deck, porch, or

walkway.

Sunrise Coffee Time. Grab your cup o’ joe and head out-

side to take in nature’s beauty at dawn.

Lawn Games. Think croquet, badminton, horseshoes, or

even lawn bowling. Great fun while also maintaining so-

cial distance.

Get Creative. Whether you dabble in drawing, painting,

or photography, bring your paints, sketchbook, and

camera outside to gain perspective from nature.

Take a Stroll. Walking is one of the most pleasant

forms of exercise. During the hot weather, walk in the

early morning or evening, when it is cooler.

Read a Good Book. Many libraries are offering audio-

books and ZOOM book discussion groups.

Puzzle Mania. Whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle or the daily

crossword puzzle, these are great brain games. It’s fun

to work on a crossword puzzle with a friend, too!

Toe-Tapping Tunes. Music is a powerful mood booster.

Listening to upbeat music can bring joy.

Virtual Tours. Many popular places, such as museums,

parks, aquariums, and zoos, are offering tours and vide-

os online.

In these challenging times, maintaining social connections

is key. Above all, stay positive and enjoy the sunny days

ahead!

—Provided by Old Colony Elder Services

Page 2 The Coordinator

Memorial Day 2020

In observance of Memorial Day 2020, the Town of Easton Department of Health and

Community Services offered the opportunity to honor and remember our military heroes

from a safe distance by encouraging all residents to decorate the windows and/or front

doors of their homes or businesses. The photos above were sent to Cory Ahonen,

Veterans Service Officer.

JUNE 2020 Page 3

Mosquito Spraying

The Bristol County Mosqui-

to Control is now accepting

requests for free residential

spraying. The goal of this

spraying is to control nuisance or disease-

carrying adult mosquitos. Request for

residential spraying can be made by

calling Bristol County at 508 823-5253,

Monday through Friday, between the

hours of 8am and 2pm. You can also

email your request to them at

requestbristolmcp@comcast.net. All

requests must include the home owner’s

name and address, including town and

zip code. Spraying is normally done on

Mondays between the hours of 2am and

sunrise. If you are having an outdoor

event and would like a special spraying

on a specific date, you must submit that

request two to three weeks in advance.

Please note that spraying is weather

dependent.

Zoom Meetings

If you are looking for a way

to connect, consider trying

Zoom. This is a free service that allows you

to connect with a group of people at the

same time. You can join a Zoom meeting by

using either a smartphone or a computer.

To attend a Zoom meeting or group, the

group leader will send you a code and a

password that you will enter to be able to

join. Once connected, you will be able to see

and hear the others in the group. This is a

fun and free way to stay connected, whether

it’s a Zoom book club, fitness class, or just

a way to chat with friends!

ECAT Fitness Classes

We know many of you miss

the fitness classes at the

COA.. ECAT, Easton’s cable

TV channel, and the COA

have teamed up to bring

these classes back to you! We are happy

to announce that ECAT will televise the

following classes weekly: Sit & Fit class

with Kim Eaton on Mondays at noon,

Gentle Chair Yoga with Dorene Kominsky

on Wednesdays at 11am, and Tai Chi with

Vince Jornales on Thursdays at 11am. ECAT

is on channel 9 if you have Comcast, and

channel 22 if you have Verizon.

Page 4 The Coordinator

JUNE 2020 Page 5

Elder Abuse

If you or someone you know is in a bad

situation, please consider reporting it to

the Massachusetts Elder Abuse Hotline at

800 922-2275. You can also call the Old

Colony Elder Services at 508 584-1561

or 800 242-0246. Please know that help

is available and that all calls will be

anonymous.

Senior Law Project

The Justice Center of Southeast

Massachusetts, LLC, and South Coastal

Counties Legal Services, Inc. offer the

Senior Law Project, which provides free

legal consultation to elders. For an

appointment or to obtain a list of all

dates and locations, call 508 586-2110

or 800 244-8393.

Veteran’s Corner

A message from our

Veterans’ Service

Officer: You may be

eligible for Chapter 115

benefits if you are a veteran or a surviving

spouse of a veteran with a single income

below $2,081 per month and assets

below $5,000, or if you are a married

veteran with income below $2,818 and

assets below $9,800. If you would like

more information, please contact our

VSO, Cory Ahonen, for more details. This

benefit may help with monthly medical

and dental costs as well as a monetary

benefit to help cover daily living costs.

Please call the COA at 508 230-0690,

Ext 3 (private message option) for more

information.

Transportation Information

The COA can take you grocery shopping or take you to medical appoint-

ments. (At this time, due to Covid-19, it is essential medical rides only.)

To schedule a ride, call us at 508 230-0690. The cost is $4 round-trip to

destinations within Easton and $6 round-trip to other local destinations.

(We travel only to towns that border Easton.) Discount shuttle punch cards are available

for purchase from the COA or the shuttle driver. Medical rides are scheduled on a first-

come, first-served basis, so make sure to call us to book your ride as soon as you book

your appointment. Please call our office with any questions.

Construction Update

Roadway construction and permanent

paving will continue on Foundry Street

and proceed to Robert Drive. Paving

operations will include both branches of

South Street, as well as Pocquanticut Ave.

The replacement of driveway areas and

other follow-up road work will be ongoing

on these roads. The Foundry Street detour

will remain in effect for several weeks,

while paving work is performed. West-

bound traffic will be maintained 24/7 on

Foundry Street between the Five Corners

intersection and Robert Drive,. During

working hours, westbound traffic on

Foundry Street will be shifted around

the work zones as necessary. Minor

delays are to be expected. Motorists are

encouraged to plan accordingly and use

caution when traveling through the work

zone. Eastbound traffic will be detoured

down Highland Street.

Page 6 The Coordinator

“What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?”

“What has four wheels and flies?”

“What goes up but never goes back down?”

“The more you take the more you leave behind. What are they?”

“Who can shave 25 times a day but still have a beard?”

(Answers on Page 9 )

JUNE 2020 Page 7

SHINE Reminder

Just a quick reminder that our dedicated

SHINE volunteers are still available

via phone to help with any Medicare

assistance you may need, such as

enrollment, parts A (inpatient hospital),

B (outpatient services), C (Medicare

Advantage plans), D (drug plans),

supplement plans and open enrollment.

Just call the COA, leave a message, and

one of our SHINE counselors will get back

to you.

SNAP (Food Stamps)

The Dept of Transitional

Assistance is currently

closed to the public, but is

available to assist clients

by phone. Please note the DTA is extending

recertification periods by six months for

anyone who was due to recertify in March

or April. The senior assistance line for

anyone 60 years of age or older is 833

712-8027. Clients are urged to use the

DTA connect App at this time.

File of Life

The File of Life is a mini

medical history that you

keep handy in your home or

wallet that lists all of your

medications, ailments, and allergies

in one place. It is easy to use and

immediately recognized by police, fire

departments, and EMTs. Having this

information handy could help first

responders treat you and could save your

life in a medical emergency, when every

second counts. These are available at the

COA.

Easton Food Pantry

The Easton Food Pantry is here

to help all Easton residents.

Proof of residency (lease, utility

or tax bill, etc.) is required.

The hours of operation are

Mondays from 12pm-5pm. The food pantry

is located at 136 Elm Street in the Town

Hall. You will need to call them at 508 230-

0670 by Sunday at 5pm and leave a voice

mail with your name, phone number, and

the number of people in your household.

Currently all clients need to remain in their

cars at all times. Volunteers will come to

your car, check you in, and bring your food

out to you. Please note that no reusable

bags can be used at this time and no self-

help is available. We ask that you have

patience during this process—everyone will

get their food. It may just take a little extra

time.

Tax Deadline Extended

The 2019 state and federal

individual income tax filing

and payment deadline has

been extended from April

15 to July 15 due to the ongoing COVID-

19 outbreak. This income tax relief is

automatic. Taxpayers do not need to file

any additional forms to qualify. Although

it may resume in other towns, the AARP

tax program will NOT resume at the

Easton COA this tax season.

Page 8 The Coordinator

Did you know that coloring can be relaxing and even relieve stress? Break

out your colored pencils, markers, or crayons and enjoy this coloring page!

JUNE 2020 Page 9

Frothingham Memorial Hall Staff

Kristin Kennedy—Director of Health and

Community Services

Kelly McMorrow—Administrative Assistant

Anne Daley—Recreation Program Director

Nicole Falcon—Administrative Assistant

Cory Ahonen—Veterans Service Officer

Lisa O’Hearne—Administrative Assistant

Bruce Henshaw, Jr—Full Time Shuttle Driver

Ted Beavers—Part Time Shuttle Driver

Steve Costa—Part Time Shuttle Driver

Tom Fobert—Part Time Shuttle Driver

Russ Gouldrup—Part Time Shuttle Driver

John Ippolito—Part Time Shuttle Driver

COA Board Members

Jean Shearing

Marie Graca

Frank Spillane

Donna Welch

Lynn Cleveland

Kathleen Heery

Friends of Frothingham

Barbara Beaudoin

Doe Robinson

Barbara Spidle

Christopher Kone

Christine Kone

Maureen Papineau

Hazel Varella

Home Organization Tips

Now that we all have a bit more time on our

hands, a good way to spend that time is to

get organized. It’s always a great feeling

when everything is in its proper place!

Start in one place. Take on areas, not

whole rooms. Don’t overwhelm yourself.

Allow plenty of time. Work on this a few

hours a day.

Clean house. Purging feels good! Get rid

of items you are not using anymore

Look for wasted space. Be creative, use

spaces like over doors and under beds.

The three rules of organization are visi-

bility, accessibility, and flexibility. Choose

storage containers that are transparent

or that you can label, so that you can im-

mediately identify the contents.

Make sure that the items you use most

are the easiest to access.

Select a storage system that can adapt

to your changing needs (example, con-

tainers on wheels.)

Use color to organize your bills or other

important paperwork.

Nostalgia is not helpful when in organi-

zation mode. It might be tempting to sit

and look at old letters and photos, but

stick to the task at hand.

Once you are organized to your liking,

remember that everything has its place.

Return it to its proper home when you

are done using it.

Medical Equipment Available

Just a reminder to call us before you go out

and buy medical equipment!

We often have wheelchairs,

walkers, rolling walkers, shower

chairs, and canes that we would

be happy to loan out to you!

RIDDLE ANSWERS

1.) Silence

2.) Garbage Truck

3.) Your Age

4.) Footsteps

5.) A Barber

Page 10 The Coordinator

This newsletter for Easton Seniors

is supported in part with state

funds from the executive Office of

Elder Affairs

Web page: www.easton.ma.us

PRSRT STD

U. S. POSTAGE PAID

N. EASTON, MA 02356

PERMIT #13

Easton Council on Aging

15 Barrows Street

North Easton, MA 02356

Address Service Requested

We’re on the Web!! Come visit us at:

http://www.easton.ma.us/departments/council_on_aging/index.php

Ames Free Library Happenings

While the library is currently closed to the public, they do have some online classes that

you may find interesting. They will also be setting up a summer reading challenge for

adults. You can find out more about these fun programs by checking out the calendar

page on the Ames Free Library website.

They have also started a Mystery Book Club on ZOOM. The July book will be:

Friends in High Places

by Donna Leon

When Commissario Guido Brunetti is visited by a young

bureaucrat investigating the lack of official approval for the

building of his apartment years earlier, his first reaction, like any other

Venetian, is to think of whom he knows who might bring pressure to bear on the

relevant government department. But when the bureaucrat rings Brunetti at work,

clearly scared, and is then found dead after a fall from scaffolding, something is

obviously going on that has implications greater than the fate of Brunetti's apartment.

Library ZOOM meeting IDs and passwords needed to join this ZOOM group can be found

on the library’s website. You can also sign up on the website for their Mystery Book Club

Email Newsletter as well!