Programs and Services

Computer Classes: Internet, Word Processing, and Email will be offered beginning in mid-March at the high school. These classes will help you upgrade your skills but no previous experience necessary.

If you have some computer knowledge and would like to help the teachers, please let us know. With 4 – 5 monitors per class, the teacher will be more effective.

Mah-jong, Scrabble, and needlework groups will be starting soon. Please show your interest in these new offerings by registering by February 18.

Come to the Senior Center between 11 am and 1pm to listen to our team of pianists. Request music or sing-a-long, but enjoy this new feature.

SHINE is a state program that represents "Serving Health Information Needs of the Elderly". It is a counseling program that offers people assistance with matters such as choosing a HMO that is right for them, applying for the Pharmacy Program, Food Stamps or other programs,advocacy on a billing problem and more.

SHINE counselors offer assistance over the phone, as well as in one-on-one appointments. To make an appointment to speak to a SHINE counselor, simply call the COA. To learn more about the SHINE program across the state, call 1-800-AGE-INFO.

Purpose:

• To provide the town with qualified volunteer workers for approved positions within the town departments.
• To provide a convenient method for Shrewsbury residential homeowners who are 60 years old, or more, to help them reduce their real estate tax burden.
• To enhance the ability of town departments to extend their services beyond the scope of what can presently be achieved with current staffing levels and appropriations.
• To enable Seniors to be self sufficient and productively occupied in a worthwhile effort.
• To enable the town administration to keep up with its day to day activities while regular employees are on vacation, or on extended sick leaves, or when staffing is incomplete.
• To increase involvement of Seniors in town administration, so they can gain an appreciation of the wide range of services that their tax dollars pay for, such as police, fire, water, sewer, schools, health, library, recreation, senior center, etc.
• To promote the independence, dignity, and self worth of Shrewsbury Seniors.

Guidelines:

• For a single person, applicants must have an annual income from all sources of no more than $23,500, or no more than $32,000 for a family, not necessarily a married person. Married applicants whose individual annual income, separate from their spouse, is no more than $23,500 are also eligible. All information regarding income will be kept strictly confidential.
• The types of work contemplated are clerical, such as typing, filing, answering phones, and similar administrative support, as well as light maintenance work, either indoors, or outdoors. People with engineering, electrical, and mechanical backgrounds are also encouraged to apply. Small projects that cannot be completed due to lack of man power could also be considered.
• Acceptance is subject to the applicants qualifications and the available positions in the various town departments. To be more specific, placements are based on the skills and interests of the applicant and on the staffing needs of the town. Applicants have the right to refuse placements, as does each Department Head. However, each applicant will be given a maximum of three interviews. If none of these is accepted, there can be no guarantee of other placement.

Requirements:

• Applications must be filled out completely and accompanied by a photocopy of the applicants most recent Shrewsbury Residential Property Tax Bill.
• Upon completion of 97 hours of service, a Payroll Check for $500.00, minus the required deductions mentioned earlier, and payable to both the Town and the Participant, will be prepared and given to the volunteer.
  

Directions:

• To volunteer , please fill out a Property Tax Work Off Application carefully. Click here to print out application
• When finished, please double check your entries for accuracy, then sign and date it.
• Include your photocopied Real Estate Tax bill. It can be photocopied for you at the Senior Center free of charge.
• Bring or mail your completed application to Sharon Yager, Director of the Senior Center at 98 Maple Ave, Shrewsbury, MA, 01545.
• Please call the Senior Center at 508-841-8640 for more information, or for another Application Form.

R.U.O.K. ("Are You OK?")Telephone Reassurance Program

History
This program was established as a result of an Eagle Scout Project in 1994 by Shrewsbury Eagle Scout Matthew Grady. The program had been successful in other towns, and the need was certainly valid for such a program to exist in Shrewsbury. This program is available to all Shrewsbury residents FREE OF CHARGE.

How R.U.O.K Works
A special computer is located in Shrewsbury's police station with the R.U.O.K program software. When a participant begins the program, information from their R.U.O.K. application is inputted into the computer. The computer then generates a phone call to the participant's home on a daily basis at the time they designated on the form. Once the phone is picked up, the computer assumes the participant is well, hangs up and proceeds to the next call. If no one answers the phone at the requested time, the computer makes a print out to alert the police that the person should be checked on.

Who Benefits From R.U.O.K.
R.U.O.K is a lifesaving, beneficial program for everyone. However, people in the following situations may find the program especially helpful:

• A caregiver who cares for someone who would not be able to call for help if the caregiver suddenly became ill or got injured,
• A homebound person who does not have daily contact with someone,
• A busy person who sees and talks to many people each day, but does not have consistent daily contact with one person who could alert others if something was wrong, and
• Adult children or other relatives who do not live nearby and are not able to call their parent or relative on a daily basis to check on them.
  

Drawbacks To Be Aware Of In The Program
Although this is an excellent program, the participant should be aware that there are two disadvantages to R.U.O.K:

• You do not talk to a live person. Therefore, if you are able to answer the phone, but need to report you are having a problem, the computer will not be able to convey the information to the police. If you experience such an instance, where you can answer the phone but can not dial out, you should not pick up the phone if you need assistance.
• If you have an answering machine, the computer will assume you are fine if the answering machine picks up. You may want to consider a daily routine of turning off your machine before you get your call and turning it back on afterward. One participant in the program makes a habit of turning off his machine when he goes to bed and turning it on after he receives his call in the morning.
• You should also remember that you will get the call every day at the designated time unless the police are told otherwise. Therefore, if you have an appointment during the time you receive your call, or will be going away, you will need to notify the police so that they will not be getting you help unnecessarily.
  

How To Get Started

• Call the COA at 508-841-8640 to have an application mailed to you, or stop by to pick one up.
• Call the Shrewsbury Police at their business line at 845-8577, and specify that the call is to set up R.U.O.K service.
• Explain that the application for R.U.O.K. has been completed. The staff will either take the information from the application over the phone and/or request that a hard copy be mailed/faxed to them.

E911 Disability Indicator Program Available for Disabled Shrewsbury Residents.

Registration form available at the Senior Center, Police Station, and online at:

For more information contact:

Lt. Daniel Sklut
Shrewsbury Police Dept.
508-841-8433
dsklut@pd.ci.shrewsbury.ma.us

Shrewsbury Senior Center
508-841-8640

Commission on Disabilities
508-841-8448

This notice courtesy of the Shrewsbury Commission on Disabilities, Shrewsbury Council on Aging and Shrewsbury Police Department.

The File of Life Program will replace the Vial of Life program that had previously been in use. The file is a small red vinyl pocket with a magnetic strip for your refrigerator. A form inside summarizes your medical condition for emergency personnel should they be called to your home. Get additional copies for your car or purse! The forms and Files are available at the Senior Center, which you can take and update whenever you need to. Be sure to come by the Senior Center to get yours, or call to have one sent to you.

Elaine Baskin Volunteer Coordinator

Who Does it Serve?
The program serves isolated, homebound seniors. Some seniors may live with families members but see no one else, others may live in an Assisted Living facility or elderly housing. Many seniors in town are over 80, have lost friends and relatives, or have health problems which don't allow them to get out or maintain old friendships.

How do I Get A Friendly Visitor? What if I know someone who needs one?
Call the Council on Aging at 841-8640. A referral will then be made to the Friendly Visitor Program Coordinator.

How can I become a Friendly Visitor?
Call the Council on Aging so that your name and number can be given to the Friendly Visitor Coordinator. A Friendly Visitor form will be sent to you to fill out.

Does a Friendly Visitor go through any training or screening?
The Friendly Visitors go through a training outline similar to the one used in Worcester used by the Age Center. The references of each Friendly Visitor are checked and a criminal background check is run in compliance with the Massachusetts CORI check law.

Are there any fees or compensation?
The Friendly Visitor is strictly a volunteer program. The Friendly Visitors are trained volunteers and there is no charge for the service.

How do I get more information?
Simply call the Council on Aging at (508) 841-8640. Our voice mail system is on 24 hours a day, so please call at any time.

The Shrewsbury Council on Aging Program Designed to Provide Protection for Seniors From Scams, Fraud, and Deception.

What is the CARES Program?
"CARES", a free consumer awareness program, exists to serve all Shrewsbury Seniors.

Why Does the CARES Program Exist?

• It has been estimated that seniors lose $40 billion each year to scams, frauds and deception.
• There are also many legitimate products, services, investments and charities that may not be appropriate for any given senior.
• Most people have difficulty figuring out if an offer, request, advertisement, commercial, or other attempt to separate them from their money is legitimate.

CARES exists to help sort out the offers that come by mail, telephone, television, radio, Internet and by people who come to your home. CARES wants to help protect you from scam artists and other trying to sell you what you don't need or trying to get you to donate to fraudulent charities.

Who are the CARES Counselors?
CARES Counselors are community volunteers with training and expertise in various areas affecting consumers.

What are the components of CARES?
One on One assistance is provided by request:

• At the Senior Center
• At someone's home
• Over the telephone
• Community education through:
  • newsletter articles
  • cable TV (SPAC)
  • public talks and presentations
  • referrals to other experts for free advice
    

How Do I Find Out More About CARES?
Simply Call the COA at (508) 841-8640

Following are Some Typical Areas Where Scams, Fraud, and Deceptive Practices May Exist:

• "Free" prizes , sweepstakes and vacations which require you to send money
• Magazine offers which stress additional benefits.
• "Guaranteed" investments that offer high yields and/or high interest returns with little or no risk
• Insurance agents who keep approaching you to switch policies or buy new ones
• Loan offers received in the mail, by telephone, etc.
• Opportunities for "instant" wealth and success
• Chain letters
• Investments in options, commodities, gold and jewelry, gas/oil futures, foreign lotteries, etc.
• Home repair and driveway paving offers that you did not initiate
• Work at Home Opportunities

Telephone and door-to-door requests for donations to charity (including on behalf of local police, fire and veterans organizations)

Television infomercials for
- Exercise equipment
- Health and beauty aids
- Home and auto products
- Wealth and success (must send for course materials)
- Psychic intervention

Why Do so Many Seniors Fall Victim to Scams, Fraud, and Deceptive Practices?
Seniors tend to be very honest and trusting. These traits are easily exploited by Seniors, living alone and lacking meaningful contact with others, tend to be easy targets.

Fear of losing independence keeps many seniors from seeking help once victimized when confused about a sales pitch.

Resourceful, informed and intelligent seniors have been victims. Con artists are very good at what they do.

What Should I do if:
- I receive mail or telephone calls that I am not absolutely sure of?
- I am unsure about any offer I see on the television, on the Internet, or that I hear on the radio?
- Somebody comes to my home and asks for a donation or offers to provide a home repair service or pave my driveway?

• Talk to someone you know and trust
• Call CARES at the COA: 508-841-8640
• Call the Shrewsbury Police: 508-845-8577
• Call the Better Business Bureau: 508-755-2548 or the Office of the Attorney General 508-754-1176 for information and advice