Resources

Commission on Aging

On May 15, 1985, the Town of East Lyme passed an ordinance that created the Commission on Aging.  The Commission is a 7 member Board consisting of interested residents of the Town which must have minority representation.

The purpose of the Commission is to:

  1. Review and analyze the needs and conditions of the elderly persons of the Town in relation to housing, nutrition, employment, health, recreation, social services, transportation, and other matters and problems within the jurisdiction of the Commission.
  2. Plan, coordinate, develop and implement programs to meet the needs and to improve the conditions of the elderly persons of the Town, upon the Board’s own initiative or on the recommendations of the Senior Citizen Administrator.
  3. Through the Senior Center Director and others, as necessary, provide coordination of such plans and programs among all related services.

The monthly meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of every month starting at 5pm. The meetings are held at the Senior Center and the public is welcome to attend. If a member of the public has a concern and wants to address the Board, there are two ways in which this can be handled. At the Board meeting, a person can address the Board during the Delegations section of the meeting. Or, a person can ask the Senior Center Director to add an item to the monthly meeting Agenda.

The current makeup of the Board is:

John Whritner            Chairperson

Michael Bekech          Vice-Chairperson

Ilene Harris                 Secretary/Treasurer

Marge Caste                Board Member

Margret Hughes         Board Member

Joan Bengston            Board Member

Joe Palazzo                 Board Member

Roseanne Hardy        Selectman and Ex-Officio

 

The East Lyme Senior Center can assist you or someone you know with regards to services available within our community. If you have questions, please call at 860-739-5859 for an appointment.

 

    Tuesdays, April 20, 27, May 4 and May 11, 2021- Cook Well with Diabetes is a FREE cooking class via LIVE VIDEO

    COOK WELL—EAT WELL LIVING WITH DIABETES

    Cook Well with Diabetes is a FREE cooking class via LIVE VIDEO Conferencing, providing hands-on, creative, fun activities, professional instruction, interesting experiences, a wonderful cookbook, and all the fresh ingredients you need to make delicious meals! This program is perfect for adults with diabetes and/or their partner/spouse or caregiver. All experience levels welcome!

     

    Topics include: healthy eating, weight management, label reading, modified diets, diabetes self-management, cooking for one or two, limited mobility, budgeting and much more. Talk with a Registered Dietitian and Health Educator, who work by your side throughout the program.

    Location: Live Video Conferencing (You will be invited via email to join us!)

    Dates: Tuesdays, April 20, 27, May 4 and May 11, 2021

    Time: 11:00am – 1:00pm includes eating lunch together!

    Sponsor: Ledge Light Health District Class size is limited.

     

    Call today! To register, or for more information contact Ledge Light Health District – 860-448-4883. (space is limited) This program is funded by the CT Department of Public Health and based on the Cooking Matters    Program and the Live Well with Diabetes Program.

     

    Hartford Healthcare: Webinars- How to Make the Most of Your Doctor’s Appointment on Wed, March 10th at 10:30am

    On average, doctor appointments are only 15 minutes long. Learn how to make the most of your appointment through various tips and strategies to ensure the optimal visit with your physician. In this free, LIVE webinar session, join Nicholas Arsenault, transitional care nurse to learn more!

    Q&A with the speaker will follow the presentation.

    https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health-wellness/classes-events/conifer-registration

     

    Be Ready for the Recovery – Content by Judy

    Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine. We currently are living, working, and shopping in ways we never dreamed of. And these new ways too will change quickly as we readjust to a whole new “normal” as we come out of this lockdown.

    We will mourn the loss of many things, as we start consuming services and goods in different ways. We will be discovering what companies and businesses have survived. What new businesses have emerged.

    Stopping for a coffee can be a good example. How many of us stopped daily for that great cup of Joe? Couldn’t live without it…. Until….. Our lives changed. The habit got broken because we were no longer leaving the house every day. The question becomes how many cups of coffee will that business sell as we all come out of this pandemic? Will the local shops even reopen?

     

    Companies must adjust quickly if they plan to survive and be profitable over the next 5 years. Marketing trends have been heading in new directions for a while but the COVID19 is really pushing that envelope into horizons we cannot even imagine.

    Trends show we will continue to hold virtual meetings which will become a more efficient use of time. We will socialize in every different ways. We have found we do not like social distancing so much. Clubs will pop up and memberships will increase. Facebook groups will evolve and start gathering in person. Established groups such as VFWs, The Elks, The Moose will attract new members. Senior Centers, the Y, Park n Rec and similar organizations will experience a surge in activity as people discover their new routines.

    The public will spend months perhaps years looking for and discovering their new day to day habits. And when creating this new life, they will select the parts they liked and discard what they will not do again, and businesses need to be where the consumer can find them such as SeniorCenterCt.org. This collective site is trusted and contains trusted information. This cutting-edge resource is that place where users find what they are looking for, mark their calendars with activities and though clickable ads find services and products they are looking for. Plus, then can relay all this information to their family and friends.

    Businesses need to:

    • Be that trusted advisor/service/site/provider
    • Strengthen existing customer relationships
    • Identify real opportunities and shift accordingly
    • pinpoint key priorities
    • determine their brand and do extensive brand building so their company is easy to recognize
    • Be ready for the recovery

    And all businesses need to be very aware of the senior population. As a group they will be for the most part the least affected by all of this. For the most part their income will continue to be very stable. And they still will be purchasing and consuming at the rate they were.

    Resources like SeniorCenterCt.org will grow in popularity as the senior population, their friends and families are looking to establish and get back their “new” ordinary lives.

    AARP TAX-AIDE 2021

    Update:

    If you have not already contacted the   Senior Center office, there are no available appointments.

    You can contact T.V.C.C.A. and inquire about their V.I.T.A. program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) to see if they have any available appointments.

     

    The AARP Tax-Aide program provides free tax counseling and preparation for middle to low-Income taxpayers with special attention to those people aged 60 and over.  Because of COVID-19 concerns, the process will be different this year. Please call the Senior Center at 860-739-5859 for details.

    Taxpayers must provide their:

    1. Personal Identification and Social Security Number,
    2. Copies of your 2020 Federal and Connecticut tax returns, and
    3. All 2020 income reports that have been received: (SSA-1099, all 1099s, all W-2s, Unemployment Compensation forms), Brokerage Statements, and all  other forms that indicate Federal and/or Connecticut income taxes were paid in 2020.

     

     

    So, What’s Going on at Senior Centers during COVID – Content by Judy


    People continue to be surprised on what is still happening in Senior Centers as we continue dealing with COVID and all of those restrictions.

    Well first off, the Senior Center Staff is still working. They are just as helpful as they were when you were there. They miss you, too!! They cannot wait for you to come in those doors!

    The staff is just as committed to serving you – it’s just that things are different

    The Senior Center phone lines are manned, and you can still get your questions answered. Call and let them know what you need help with.

    You can still sign up for Meals on Wheels, Fuel Assistance, Elderly & Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program, AARP income tax assistance, and other programs. Or get the information on how you can apply.

    You can find out which of these programs you are eligible for. Plus, any others you might be able to take advantage of.

    You can get Meals on Wheels delivered to your home.

    Most Senior Centers are still providing transportation.

    Many Senior Centers have meals you can order and pick-up curbside.

    If your local Senior Center is not distributing food, they can tell you where your closest location is.

    There are lots of virtual and Zoom classes available. The beauty of those is that you can attend events that are well out of your area. There is no need to travel to a Senior Center across the state. Just register and login on the day and time the event is happening.

    SeniorCenterCt.org has a Zoom calendar on the main landing page. Just click on the Zoom Calendar icon and you’ll find any number of things you can do.

    Here is an example of some of the virtual and Zoom classes that you might find: Tai Chi, Genealogy, Sing Along, Trivia, lectures on a number of topics, paint night, bingo and more!!

    So, call your Senior Center and see if you can pick up jigsaw puzzles, books from the Senior Center Library, or maybe even craft kits. Who knows, give them a call, and ask!!

    So even though, you might have thought your Senior Center is CLOSED, it’s not really…. It’s just that the public cannot go into the building.