The Sandwich Council on Aging
The Sandwich Council on Aging is an active community resource which has been in existence for more than 30 years. While the COA, with its well established programs and activities, is now an accepted and functioning segment of the town’s population, its beginnings were quite modest.
The following report is a distillation of information furnished by annual Council reports to the Sandwich Board of Selection. It represents a timeline of plans and events as the Council on Aging and its programs evolved and broadened during the 30 year period.
COA 1972
The Sandwich Council on Aging was created at the annual town meeting on March 1972. The purpose was to coordinate and carry out a program designed to meet the problems of the aging and to help make a better life for them in their leisure years and a sum of $1000 was appropriated to carry out the mandate. A follow-up meeting was held on April 14, 1972 at which officers were elected from a slate of seven appointed advisory council members.
Their initial program dealt with four programs or functions:
In late October 1972 a drop-in center was set up at Clark-Haddad Building but its hours were limited to 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Council engaged an answering service to handle calls during off hours and plans were made to establish a referral center and meeting room on Pleasant Street.
COA 1973
With the two-day-per-week Drop-in Center in operation, the program began almost immediately to expand its offerings. Aside from the informal social programs where attendees could simply meet with friends and neighbors for a coffee, or to attend one of the four very successful parties or suppers given during the year, many more organized activities began to develop. The Council bought two sewing machines for craft projects and had meetings involving a number of different needlecrafts. An art class was scheduled each day, games and cards were offered, and slide shows and guest speakers covered a number of topics of interest to Seniors. The Social Security office assisted residents monthly with retirement issues and the town nurse provided a monthly program on health and nutrition. Representatives from a variety of political offices and social service agencies, including the State Office of Elderly Affairs, offered their advice and services. Flu shots and an eye clinic were also presented.
During this period, the now longstanding tradition of volunteers as the primary source of help for seniors was born. Also, it was during this year that the first COA newsletters were sent to local residents and in-town businesses and organizations.
COA 1974
Almost all programs started in the previous year had become well established and new programs were added. Yet, despite the fact that the town now had 1380 residents 59 or older, many town residents seemed to be unfamiliar with the COA. A concerted effort was made to get the word out about programs and events through local and regional publications, particularly the daily and weekly newspapers, and via local radio stations. In addition, the services of the town nurse and local clergy were used to spread the news.
The COA continued to solicit ideas for new programs but often they had to be set aside because of the limited hours of operation. However, almost every week, weather permitting, a group of residents of the Fraser Nursing Home were invited to enjoy the offerings of the Drop-in Center.
And a new set of local and regional travel offerings was established. The Spring flower show trip was well attended as were a number of late Spring and Summer trips. Foliage and shopping trips were heavily subscribed as was the Christmas trip to Edaville. A well attended Christmas capped a very successful year.
COA 1975
The number of senior residents in the town rose slightly to 1418. The COA drop-in center continued to attract new visitors with its array of program offerings but its Social Services programs were run out of the Dunbar House. An emphasis on travel developed and the drop-in center became a jumping off place for such trips. Shopping trips increased in popularity with 5 trips to 3 different off cape shopping malls attracting 200 people. But entertainment was a greater focus and included the annual Flower show, (48), 2 Chateau-de-Ville trips (33 & 40), 2 Melody Tent trips (51), a Bicentennial tour of Boston, Lexington and Concord, 2 Cape Cod Canal trips (41 & 39), Martha’s Vineyard tour (81), and the fall foliage trip to Deerfield (86).
But 1975 also saw the beginnings of a new direction for the Council. In concert with the Social Services Dunbar Office, the COA began to reach out to isolated seniors in the community by offering friendly visits to shut-ins supplemented by daily, weekly or monthly telephone reassurance calls. Friendly visits averaged 19 per month and 137 persons were called under the phone Reassurance program. Transportation to hospitals, doctors and shopping averaged 8 trips per month and approximately 20 hours per month were devoted to personal interviews and counseling.
COA 1976
The number of senior residents in the town rose by 101 individuals to a total of 1418. The year saw a continuation of the previously established programs at the drop-in center, though its use was still limited to 2 days per week.
The COA Director, along with an aide provided by Elder Services, plus 12–14 volunteers, contacted different 132 persons living alone with reassurance calls, 24 of whom had daily calls. In addition the Director made 223 friendly visits to elderly shut-ins, arranged transportation for 77 others during the year and accompanied 294 elderly to special lunch programs at the Vocational school. In addition, a special lunch program at the new high school for the elderly finally got under way late in the year and from September through December saw an average of 25 people in attendance per day.
Trips continued to be popular and 13 tours were arranged, involving 597 people. This total included 146 new attendees. These programs were all self supporting through nominal fee charges.
This was the year that the members of Council Board attended a number of meetings related to their Board service. Members attended meetings held by the State Department of Elderly Affairs, Elder Services of Cape Cod, Sandwich Housing Authority, Social Security Administration, Massachusetts Housing Assistance Bureau, Cape Homecare, and the Barnstable County Rural Transportation Project.
COA 1977
The town owned Clark-Haddad building continued to be used as the center for COA recreational, educational and preventive health programs but referral, reassurance and supportive services were handled from a small office in the Dunbar House. However, the COA had to share use of the Clark-Haddad building with ten other community organizations severely limiting the numbers of hours it could be used. This was the year that the first suggestion was made that the efficiency and breadth of offerings could be increased if the COA had its own facility.
Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands received federal funds for nutrition program and the proposal was made for some of these funds to be used for a Meals on Wheels program in Sandwich. The service was implemented in April for 22 seniors to receive meals three days a week. Civic and church groups were solicited for volunteers to deliver the meals. Later in the year, the deliveries were expanded to five days per week. No town funds were needed for this program. During 1977, 33 volunteers delivered up to 119 meals per week to 48 different recipients for a total of 3302 meals delivered during the short time the program was in operation.
Council Board Members assumed more active roles in the administration of the programs as individuals assumed specific responsibility for particular facets of the program’s operations. During 1977 trips continued to be popular with 11 taken by a total of 700 participants. Reassurance calls were made to 135 seniors on a regular basis by 12 volunteers. In addition, 273 friendly visits were undertaken and volunteer drivers ran errands and delivered 281 individuals to medical appointments.
COA 1978
The Council received its first 12 passenger mini-bus In January. It began servicing Sandwich seniors in February on a limited basis using volunteer drivers. It was found that 75% of the users were widows.
Early in 1978 a series of meetings was held with Selectmen, the Public Health nurse and concerned citizens following the March vote to seek "the implementation and procurement of a multi-purpose senior citizen’s center for Sandwich." A draft proposal to apply for funding was prepared and presented at a public meeting in late April. Since the establishment of the COA in 1972, and considering the growth of its programs, the need to have the COA office and programs all under one roof in a new facility was identified as a paramount need. In preparation for such an eventuality, the COA office was moved from the Dunbar House to the Clark-Haddad House in April. Unfortunately, they learned in September that their request for building funds had been denied.
Meals on Wheels continued to expand, delivering 5588 meals, a 70% increase over the previous year. Thirty-two volunteers spent 2365 hours packaging and delivering meals to 37 different participants.
When the Broadsider changed to a subscription service, many seniors no longer received news about COA programs. In June the Council voted to authorize publication of a newsletter for the town’s 1714 seniors. The first issue was sent out in September and based on the response, another was planned for early in 1979.
During the year, social programs continued to expand. With the takeover of the Clark-Haddad House, programs could be scheduled on an increased basis.
Trips continued to be a popular draw for participants. Eighteen trips were conducted, including a 4-day Cherry Blossom trip to Washington in the Spring and a 2-day foliage trip in the Fall. Also, reassurance calls and friendly visits were up slightly from the previous year with regular reassurance calls to140 recipients and 280 friendly visits. In addition, 290 errands were run for seniors.
COA 1979
The Council’s annual report showed 1825 seniors now living in the town of Sandwich and a total of 9491 participants in COA activities programs during the year. With the management of activities and the activities themselves now located in the Clark-Haddad Building a total of 500 persons also sought advice and information on problems related to being senior citizens. Much of the information was related medical and supportive services essential to their maintenance and security outside of institutional settings.
Under the auspices of Elder Services, Meals on Wheels continued to expand. During 1979. Forty-two volunteers delivered 7098 meals to 51 participants expending a total of 2300 volunteer hours. An increase of 27% over the previous year’s record participation.
Trips continued to attract many participants. Short shopping excursions or on cape travel, courtesy of the mini-bus, served 2000 riders. The highlight of the off-Cape trips was a 4-day trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country with 49 participants. Special trips each month served a total of 929 persons through the year.
A total of 1500 reassurance calls were made during the year and friendly visits numbered 225. In addition, 149 errands were run for seniors for a range of reasons.
Center activities included a variety of classes in Arts and Crafts and each Wednesday and Friday afternoon the center was open for social activities and games. Every two months a well attended covered dish luncheon was held which was enjoyed by all participants.
COA 1980
As in previous years, the Council on Aging continued to increase the number of participants in all categories without a concomitant increase in Town expenditures. None of this expansion would have been possible without the dedication to the volunteers who participated. Meals on wheels continued do be among its most prominent programs and used 50 volunteers on a five day schedule. It was noted that their social visits to shut-ins were as important as the meals they delivered. Reassurance calls, daily, 2 or 3 times a week, and weekly, totaled more than 3750 for the year. Friendly visits and other services were up substantially. This was the first year a fuel assistance program was offered for needy seniors.
All categories of social activities attracted more residents than previous years, helped by the 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., five day schedule at the center. Bus tours continued to be one of the most attractive programs and more than 2000 seniors used the mini-bus for shopping, doctor’s visits, museum trips and errands.
COA 1981
The Sandwich Senior Citizen count now exceeds 2100 and the COA office is open five mornings a week to serve their needs. It would be ideal if the hours could be extended to cover a full working day five days a week, but at present the afternoon hours are covered by an excellent telephone answering service. It is also obvious that another aide in the office would be beneficial to augment the large number of volunteers who keep the programs functioning.
Most social programs continued to attract new numbers and bus tours continued to provide needed mini vacations for participants while mini-bus trips delivered participants to more local functions. While social programs proved to be very popular and well subscribed, much more attention was focused on individual needs in the community as the COA continued to be a focal point for solutions to problems encountered by elderly and home bound individuals. To identify and meet those needs and Outreach Program was initiated with the valuable assistance of a number of community volunteers.
Meals on Wheels continued to expand and served 59 residents with 52 volunteers, delivering 7470 meals to shut-ins, contributing 2695 hours and covering 10,043 miles in doing so.
Though programs were squeezed by time and space limitations, all individuals involved looked forward to the completion of the Human Services Building at which time many of these restraints would be alleviated.