GET "WIRED" AT THE COA The Council on Aging courtesy of the town's IT department have installed a wireless system. We now have the capacity to accommodate seniors that would like to bring their own laptops and connect to the Internet. Users need to be sure that they are connecting to the "COA-Public" connection and no other. Lap tops 2 -3 years old should connect with no problem whereas older units may be problematic due to encryption protocol. If you are interested please inquire at the front desk Grounds/Garden Notes The winter robins have enjoyed all the red winterberries along the front entrance (including the berries that were in the pots.) The bird feeders have been active, as the ground has been covered with snow making it difficult for the birds to find food. About this time we all start looking forward to warmer weather and the daffodils. Bob Goodell; Building and Grounds Committee LUNCH PROGRAM We serve lunch every day at 12:00 noon in our dining room. We welcome all who would like to come. The food has to be ordered in advance. To avoid having to disappoint anyone, we request that reservations be made at least three days in advance of the day you would like to come. Your cooperation in this matter would be greatly appreciated. On Tuesday February 9th at noon we will be celebrating Valentine's Day. We will have a special luncheon featuring Emma's clam chowder, beef bourguignon, jardinière gravy, green beans, augratin potatoes, roll, raspberry filled cookies and chocolate candy kisses. Cost for the meal is $2.50. Please sign up at the front desk. On Tuesday February 16th at noon we will be having Mardi Gras trivia to win some beads, New Orleans Punch and French Quarter ice cream sundaes for desert. Please sign up in advance at the front desk. Meal cost is $2.50. Both days regularly scheduled meal for meals on wheels will be served. The Partners Home Care, Inc., in association with the Marshfield Board of Health, will administer H1N1 Flu shots to Marshfield Residents on: Saturday, February 6, 2010 9:00am - 11:00 am, Marshfield Senior Center 230 Webster Street, Marshfield, Ma. 02050 Please remember to wear short sleeves or very loose fitting clothing when attending a flu clinic. H1N1 flu shots will be offered to Marshfield residents age 1 and older. The VNA cautions that anyone who has had an allergic reaction to eggs, gelatin or a previous dose of influenza vaccine should not get a flu shot. People who have a fever, and those who have a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome should talk to their doctor before getting a flu shot. For additional information call Partners Home Care, Inc. (781) 681-1000

REVERSE MORTGAGE PRESENTATION Tuesday, February 16, 2010 @ 9:30 Paul Bowers, Manager of the Rockland Trust in Marshfield and Joe McParland, Investment Professional and Reverse Mortgage Specialist will be presenting the basic elements of a reverse mortgage such as how it works, who could benefit, recent enhancements to the program, costs and common misconceptions. There will be a question and answer session and a continental breakfast. Advanced sign up is recommended.

Ask the Pharmacist Michael Spiro, Pharmacy Manager for Osco Pharmacy will be here once a month to answer any questions you have about any pharmacy related issues. He will be here on Thursday, February 18th from 10:00 - 12:00pm. Mike will also take blood pressures.

"WRINKLES 7" OPENS FEB. 27th Coming soon to the Senior Center is the COA Drama Group and their show "Wrinkles 7: We're Off Our Walkers". Each winter our performers, artists and volunteers create an original comedy under the direction of Marci Littlefield. This show will follow the tradition of the previous "Wrinkles" shows by including singing, dancing and a lot of laughs. Marci has written "We're Off Our Walkers" in the style of Chamber Theater, a theatrical form which integrates acting and reading. The show consists of two one-act plays. Act One, "Lost on Aisle Three", centers around the comedic action in a grocery store as characters try to find something to cook for dinner. Act Two, "The Walkers", is the story of five women who leave everything behind and go for a long, long walk on Cape Cod. Show Dates: Sat., Feb. 27th @ 1:30 Tues, March 2nd @ 1:30 Thurs., March 4th @ 1:30 & Sat., March 6th @ 1:30 Last year's show sold out, so purchase your tickets early. If you leave your name and a phone number, you will be contacted in case of a storm cancellation. The doors open 30 minutes before the show begins. Tickets are on sale at the Front Desk beginning Thurs. Feb. 4th, $6 each.

Welcome to MarshfieldCaregivers.org, a website for anyone in the Southeastern Massachusetts area caring for a dependent older adult, whether you are a family member, friend, neighbor or professional dedicated to improving quality of life for older adults and their caregivers.The purpose of MarshfieldCaregivers.org is to enhance or implement services for caregivers and older adults that strengthen the continuum of care.

We hope that this website helps you find some of the support and assistance you need that will help direct you to the most appropriate resources for you and for those whom you provide care. Our goal is to assist you and the older person receiving care to achieve and maintain the best quality of life and dignity possible throughout the caregiving experience.

This website contains topics and resources both in the Southeastern Massachusetts area and nationally. This includes articles, research and current trends, and an events calendar that lists conferences, workshops, seminars and training. We also provide website links to local and national organizations that offer educational information and services to caregivers and dependent adults.

If you need a starting point for all types of information and referral services for senior citizens in Massachusetts please call -
1-800-AGE-INFO(1-800-243-4636)
www.800ageinfo.com
TDD/TTY 1-800-872-0166

Mission Statement
The Marshfield Council of Aging is a human service agency whose mission is:

* to provide and coordinate services to the senior community of Marshfield

* assist seniors to live within the community with dignity

* to enhance their quality of life.

To accomplish this, the Council on Aging provides:

* Information about community resources that can offer assistance for caregivers

*Personal Assistance identifying the caregiver needs, options and referrals to services and programs

*Links to training and support services

As advocates, we believe that our community can postively affect the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers and encourage development of needed services that complete the continuum of care.

Most caregivers are unpaid, and care for a dependent adult 7 days a week. The Marshfield COA operates with a nine member Board of professionals from the public and private sector that meet on a monthly basis to plan activities and community events. In addition to our services Board members, staff and community volunteers make available a series of educational programs throughout the year. These programs include:

* Ongoing conferences for caregivers and professionals covering in-depth topics on caregiving, health and aging.

* A support group (link to support group)

* Educational forums for professionals and community members presented to update on current research, trends and new information on caregiving, health and aging.

The Marshfield Council on Aging planned and developed this website as an information resource for family caregivers and professionals in Massachusetts.

Funding for the development of this website has been generously provided by the Old Colony Planning Council. We would also like to thank our regional partners and collaborators that help make these services possible.

Marshfield Council on Aging
230 Webster Street
Marshfield, MA 02050
781-834-5581

COMING UP IN MARCH/APRIL 2010 SAVE THE DATES

LIFE LONG LEARNING AT THE SENIOR CENTER "Engage your mind and satisfy your curiosity". The Council on Aging will be forming a committee to explore the possibility of offering Life Long Learning Courses at the Marshfield Senior Center. The program would consist of various academic courses with no tests, papers, or academic credentials required. Life Long Learning would consist of a lecture or a small seminar offered by instructors with various expertises. It will offer seniors and adult learners the opportunity to gain knowledge about a new topics, sharing ideas and actively participating in the program. We are very excited at the prospect of such a program and if you are interesting in participating on the committee or as a student please sign up at the front desk.

HEALTHY EATING WORKSHOP STARTING IN MARCH Are you interested in learning more about healthy eating? Have you thought about improving your health by eating a variety of nutritious foods? If you are interested in learning more, then this class is for you. Starting on Wednesday March 24th, 2010 and continuing weekly until April 8th, 2010 we will be having a Healthy Eating for Successful Living class. We will be learning tips and tricks to improve our health. This class is FREE!!! Included in this class will be a trip to the grocery store where we will look at nutrition labels trying to understand all the confusing information. In addition we will wrap up the class with a trip to the Brass Lantern at South Shore Vocational High School and have a low cost nutritional meal provided by the Culinary Arts department. This will be discussed further during the class. For more information contact Gayle Clark MSW Intern in the Social Service Department X17

SAVE THE DATE: CANDIDATES FORUM FOR THE ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION ON APRIL 10, 2010 FROM 1:00 TO 3:00 AT THE SENIOR CENTER.