Council on Aging 2005 Annual Report

                        REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ON AGING (COA)

The Council on Aging is a Town department which serves residents age 60
and older. The "Baby Boomers" start turning 60 this year, and we expect the
number of Seniors to grow by at least 200 people annually. Today we count
nearly 3,000 Abington folks in this age group. The C.O.A. operates part-time,
(9-3, M-F) in an office in Town Hall, 2nd floor. (There is an elevator for your
convenience.) The Council on Aging communicates with Seniors via a monthly
newsletter, "The Senior Informer", (expanded to 8 pages in '05). We also
provide a news page to those attending the Senior luncheon. We serve
mainly as advocates for Seniors and their families. To foster Senior
independence and well being, we concentrate on the areas of transportation,
nutrition and outreach/communication.

Transportation: The Council on Aging van travels throughout Abington and the
surrounding Towns. Our van drivers Alice Dumas and Jean LaCamera, with 32
combined years of service to the Town, convey Seniors to medical
appointments, banks, grocery shopping, hairdressers, errands, etc. etc. etc.
On Friday mornings, Jack McGrath transports Seniors to malls and
department stores.

Nutrition: Nutrition is a strong link to health - both mental and physical. We are
grateful for the collaboration with and being subsidized by the Abington
School Nutrition Program. Though limited space + place - wise, we manage to
sponsor a once-weekly Senior luncheon on Thursdays in a rented hall in the
community. A speaker or entertainer sometimes follows the meal. This is
known as a "congregate meal" and the subsidized price to Seniors is just
$2.50. (increased in 2005.) The socialization aspect is, as the TV commercials
say, "priceless". One may reserve a Thursday meal by calling the COA
(781-982-2145) by Monday of the same week.

Meals on Wheels, also known as "home delivered meals" are for our
home-bound Seniors, delivered at noontime by a different volunteer each
Mon-Fri. The daily visit by the volunteer is reportedly the best part of the
program! (We thank the volunteers of St. Vincent DePaul organization's Food
Pantry, based at St. Bridget's, who cater to Abington Seniors who need a little
bit of help keeping stocked up with healthy foods.)

Outreach describes a wide variety of services provided by the Council on
Aging. Outreach funding was increased a bit to 19+ hours weekly. Outreach
involves assessing a Senior's needs (in office, or home visit), helping
complete forms for help & entitlements, making referrals for services,
troubleshooting and general advocacy.

Thank you with appreciation to the wonderful 2005 Council on Aging staff!

Office Staff: Norma Clark, Rita Estey, Eileen Maraget (Senior Aide)

Drivers:        Alice Dumas, Jean LaCamera, Jack McGrath

Luncheon:    Kay Cotter, Ginny Coburn, Marianne Crooks, Joe lacobucci,
                 Joan Jolley, Liz Norling, Esther Paquette, Stan Shura

Our unpaid staff consists of 124 volunteers! We encourage folks of all ages to
consider volunteering with us - a very rewarding use of your valuable time.

Many thanks to the Council on Aging Board of Directors, Senior Center
Committee, (brand new) Building Committee, Veterans Agent Joe Colantoni,
and all the other organizations and individuals serving Seniors; all have made
an investment in the lives of Abington's greatest citizens - her Senior citizens!

                                       Respectfully submitted,

                                       Linda Elliott
                                       Council on Aging Coordinator

                             The C.O.A. Board of Directors 2005
                                                Betty Berry
                                                Ted Butler
                                                Norma Clark, Secretary
                                                Joanne Curtis
                                                Mary Donlan
                                                Joe lacobucci
                                                Kate Kelley
                                                Bill Kendall, Vice Chair
                                                Jack Libby
                                                Ellie Peck
                                                Florence Severin
                                                George Whiting, Jr., Chair