The Raynham Channel

Council On Aging 02/03/2026

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0:00 | 33:45

(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)

A routine meeting turned into a masterclass in community resilience. We open with the essentials—budget approved, February newsletters slowed by snow but quickly shared online and in print—then move straight into the pressure points: fuel assistance delays stretching back to October and a tax season so packed that towns around us are full. We added a third volunteer preparer and crossed 120 appointments, giving older residents a much-needed path through forms, credits, and deadlines without extra stress or cost.

Legal preparation took a meaningful step forward with a free estate planning clinic offering simple wills, powers of attorney, and health care proxies through income-based services. On the lighter side, a Cultural Council grant brings live Irish music to a St. Patrick’s lunch, proving that small grants can create big moments of connection. We also share why the Friends of the COA needs fresh board members to unlock funds for programs, and how one invite to a neighbor can restart a group that supports everything from socials to wellness events.

March brings two timely pilots: a men’s-only exercise class designed to lower social barriers, and a three-week caregiver support series developed with the Alzheimer’s Association to offer resources, strategies, and community to spouses and adult children. We line up practical presentations on property tax exemptions, the Homestead Act, and the tax workoff program, because keeping people housed and financially steady is core to aging well at home.

Then the unexpected—an outdoor spigot line bursts, flooding a closet. Firefighters shut water, plumbers add a critical valve, contractors dry out walls, and staff move fast to salvage supplies and reset the kitchen. We shift a lunch by a week, keep programs running, and work through the insurance deductible decision with the town. It’s a real look at how a small team and a responsive community keep a senior center open and useful when the plan goes sideways.

If this kind of practical, people-first work matters to you, listen and share your take. Subscribe for updates, send this to a neighbor who could use these services, and leave a review with one idea you want us to tackle next.

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SPEAKER_07:

Calling to order the council on aging board meeting on Tuesday, February third at 937 a.m. And I guess that's the call to order. And then we need to do the roll call. So we're just trying to take a carrot.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I think that's it.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_07:

All right. And I guess we start with the treasurer's reports.

SPEAKER_00:

Treasure in there.

SPEAKER_02:

Um there's anything. Is that probably good? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01:

The town's down there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Um I don't think there was anything crazy. Um I think last time I said the trash changed to Carney Brothers, Carney Disposal. I think I said that last month. So now you'll see on there they like they charge for three months. So it was like$40 every month, but now you'll see like three months, four months, or whatever.

SPEAKER_07:

That's every other week. Um every week. Every week.

SPEAKER_04:

Every week comes.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. So that's new. Move in there last month, I forget. That's like the third one in the last few months. Oh no, what else? I think that's it. It wasn't too much.

SPEAKER_07:

Any questions? Okay, we need a motion to accept the budget.

SPEAKER_00:

Motion.

SPEAKER_07:

Any discussion?

unknown:

I think all right.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, all in favor? Yeah, now we've got the director's report.

SPEAKER_04:

All right. So February's newsletters, we're running late. We got them out on Saturday. We got them late from the snowstorm, from the wherever we get them. Um so hopefully people have them by today. I posted it online and on Facebook, and then we printed out like the February calendars and had them over there. Um, so I think people got the word. We should have them by now. We sent them out Saturday morning. Maybe today. Um a little bit late. Um fuel assistant is way behind. Um still on October's applications. Um, so if you have an emergency, they'll pull it the application, which is an eighth of a tank or a shutoff notice for gas, which they don't do shutoff notices right now this time of year. But if you have an eighth of a tank for oil, they'll do the emergencies. Um they're just running way behind. So please be patient. Or is there just black with the that the shutdown screwed them up in the beginning so they were on pause and then yeah, it's just been kind of a mess. So they're trying to catch up with low staff. Um, tax appointments are now completely full as of yesterday afternoon. Um we are currently taking a week waiting list for our taxes. Um, so we're hoping to get people filled in. We're getting calls from other towns. Taunton's full, Lakeville's full, um, everywhere's full. But I think last meeting I did tell you we only had two preparers. We do have three. So we were able to add um our full appointments, but they also filled up. But yeah, right before we opened the appointments, um, a third was added. So that was helpful. Um, so we were lucky with that. Um, we have over, I think it's about 120 appointments total for the taxes. Um we held our first free um estate planning clinic on January 29th, the South Coast Um County Legal Services. Um, they had six people um that were there. Um we'll host it again, probably then in the spring or early fall, and hope for some more people. That's just doing a simple will, power of attorney, healthcare proxy forms, um, with a free lawyer. It is income-based um program. But that was good. That was last week. Um, some events this month are Valentine's Day lunch, um, which is next Thursday, February 12th. Um I have the spotlight of Tuscany trip presentation on also on February 12th. And the Friends meeting will be February 12th. Because it's a busy day. Um and I'll go more about the Friends group uh later. Um this month is the last two singles um on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We're hoping next March we have the Lions Club already booked to do just Wednesdays again um going forward, maybe until next winter, as long as the snow cooperates, because we we can't they don't plow as good over there, so the parking lot wouldn't be it wouldn't be plowed. So we're hoping by March, singo that we're back over there once once a month. So we'll see what happens. Um in March, we're also gonna try a men's only exercise class and we'll see how it goes with attendance. Um that will be on Thursday mornings. Um today's instructors from a karate studio in um Norton, and I talked to the Norton COA and we actually do it there, and it was pretty successful. So we're gonna give it a go. What's gonna happen? It was just a couple guys that reached out and said they're gonna give it a try. So I know there's not much for guys, it's hard to get them out, but we'll try it.

SPEAKER_03:

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02:

It's at 9 15. I know.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, that's different. So sorry, yeah. Okay. So that's the exercise class. Um that will start in March, so I put it in the February newsletter, get the word out. Um, also in March, um, which is new, we'll be hosting um a caregivers support series. This will take place on Tuesdays from 10:30 to 12. And I think I give everybody a flyer. Um, it will be three Tuesdays, um, and it will help caregivers who are supporting either their spouses or even um children supporting their parents. Um, the Alzheimer's Association opened tons of resources for them. Um, plus other people that are going through the same situations. So if anybody wants flyers, I'll print more. If you want to bring them to Pine Hill public or pass them around, um, I put it on Facebook to all the pages. I'm gonna do that again. This will be in March. Um, hopefully that will be successful. They do not have to come if anybody asks, they don't have to come to every session. Come when you can. Um, yeah, so that's something new coming in March as well. Um, last newsletter we put in for interest for bridge. Um, we didn't get any phone calls, so we kind of took that out. There was one guy that wanted to start it up, but we haven't gotten any interest for it yet. Um, but if there's any other programs anybody has I can put in there for interest, um, I don't mind that. And then not on here, because it happened yesterday. Um, if you guys don't know, we had a major issue happened yesterday with the pipe first. Um in the front room is a pipe in the ceiling. Um so the pipe goes to a spigot outside. That was it was shut off, the valve was shut off. But that pipe runs all across to the front to the other side of the building. So it was just pressuring because they don't have another shut off on the other side, which the other side goes goes to the rest of the building. Um, so they just put a new shutoff yesterday morning on that side so that it won't go all the way across. So it's just been beating against to where it's closed and well it burst and it's freezing. Um that was a mess. But the plumbers were here. The fire department came to help us shut off the water. So we shut off all the water yesterday morning to the whole building just until the plumbers got here. The plumbers put the other valve in, other shutoff valve now on the other side of the building. So hopefully it doesn't happen again. Um we need to have contractors here yesterday afternoon. Um, the closet's all torn apart, the insulation, everything was soaked um straight through. Um, we lost some plates and stuff. We kept what we could. Um any box in there was destroyed, like the boxes for the chafe and dishes. Um we had a mess to clean. Um for the next two days, they have to dry it out so they have the fans going there, so they can't do any work until it's dry. We're hoping 48 hours or so. So we have heat kind of blasted in the front room. Um, yeah, so we're hoping the contractors will be back on Thursday. And then we'll go from there. We might have to cancel some stuff in the large room as needed because they're gonna do sheetrock and all that stuff, and it's just dusty and um, it's a mess. Um, but right now we're back up and running. Um, we did cancel um the lunch for today and we moved it to next Tuesday um just because the kitchen is full of stuff. Um I did wash everything, like all the pans and stuff, everything was just dirty. You could call us. Yeah, it was kind of it was a mess. But it's all done. It's all back to the lunch. Just I just can't do lunch today. It's too much to go shopping yesterday. So we called everyone, they're all gonna come next Tuesday. So it'll be fine.

SPEAKER_03:

What is available in the building today? Because I mean we usually play five.

SPEAKER_04:

That's fine. Everything's available today.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay. Everything gonna be on. Exercise.

SPEAKER_04:

We have it on, yeah. I think she's turning up again. We have all the heat on. Everything is as normal today, as normal tomorrow. Um, the contractor's gonna come back Wednesday, check the walls, see if they're dry, whether he can come Thursday or not. Um, we'll make that decision tomorrow. Um but yeah, so we're just gonna play it by year. But they were all very quick, thanks to the highway department. They helped squeegee the floor out there. Um, they kept coming back and checking. Greg um at the town hall, he came and helped me clean out the closet. Um Bob was great, he got the plumber here, and then the contractor. So everyone was super helpful. So we got it under control pretty fast. Um, we don't think that it happened much earlier than we got here. Then Paula got here at 7:30 yesterday. Um, we don't think it happened much earlier than that. Um, so we're hoping that that was all the damage. Um, but yeah, everybody in town was super helpful. Um so that's what's going on with that for now. Yeah. Whose budget covers the expense? So it depends on how much it's going to cost, but it will come, I believe it's coming out of the town, or depending on the price um point, they have a ten thousand dollar deductible for the insurance. So ten thousand dollar deductible? Yeah, for the town insurance. So if it's under that, they're not gonna go through insurance. If it's more than that, then they might have to go through insurance. So then the town will pay for towns. Yeah. Yes. So which way I'm not sure where it will go yet. But so we'll see. But yes, yeah. Greg's well aware he's being super helpful with it all and budgeting wise, and I think he's taken the excellent response from you in the town. Yeah, and so it was a good quick response from everyone in town, so which was helpful because it could have been worse. It could have gotten to the floors, which I think the floors are fine. Um, so I think we've got it under control. We're back to normal ish until we need more work done. But yeah, so that was yesterday. That was a new day. Yeah, so that's not on here because I did these last week. Um, but yeah, that's the update for that.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, uh motion accepted director's report. Motion, second, second. Any discussion? All in favor? All right. Okay. Do we have any correspondence?

SPEAKER_00:

Um no, they have none this time. No correspondence.

SPEAKER_07:

Uh we did look at the minutes from January 6th.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I finished these this morning. I had half of it done last week, but I finished it this morning, so you might want to double check smelling and punctuation and double-check a little bit.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I think it's all on there.

SPEAKER_04:

Um, the only thing that Paulette might be a little bit surprised on. Nothing crazy. Um, last meeting they nominated you um to be a full member instead of an associate member, pending your acceptance to that. So I'm gonna just make a note of that for um next one.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's kind of more so.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay. Any amendments, comments?

SPEAKER_04:

I was gonna say I copied and pasted it this time.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, motion to approve the minutes from January 6th.

SPEAKER_06:

Motion all in favor?

SPEAKER_07:

Aye.

SPEAKER_06:

Okay.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, moving on old business. I guess first thing old business um ballet has been uh submitted as to be a full member of the board, and uh made a motion to have a vote accepting her as a full member.

SPEAKER_01:

It's contagious in the sign that says no, it's a cold air.

SPEAKER_03:

Full member.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, second.

SPEAKER_03:

Second.

SPEAKER_07:

All in favor, aye. Welcome to the board as a full member. Okay, and then um we did uh there was a meeting of the friends of the COA last week, which I attended um looking for members, and um in order to keep it going, we need to get some more members involved, but the two ladies that were have been involved um were having really trouble getting it going. There is some money uh in the account to sponsor events, and uh maybe you have a better memory about it than yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

So there was a few people there. Um they still we couldn't form a board. We didn't have enough to fully form a board still. Did all the members of the board? The previous board? Yes, they all resigned. Um and the two members that came from the previous board, they don't seem like they want to be on the board anymore.

SPEAKER_07:

They don't want to, yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

They don't want to be on the board, so we still don't have enough. So we're hoping there was a couple people that were seemed to be go-getters.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, Pat Riley attended, and um she put forward some names of people who might be interested in being board members that are connected with the community. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05:

Um they couldn't make it to the last meeting, I believe.

SPEAKER_07:

Right. So the first thing to do is to get enough people there to form a board.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Um and then that that's when they can change like the meeting times or the bylaws to make them not so restrictive.

SPEAKER_07:

Right.

SPEAKER_03:

Um where did all those people leave? What was going on that everybody didn't want to be on it anymore?

SPEAKER_05:

Um, they just felt like there wasn't support from the town. Yeah. Yeah, enough interest.

SPEAKER_07:

We need to get members uh members to sign up. Um I think there was only what, six bucks to join or something. Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, for the dues, ten or dues.

SPEAKER_07:

So the money is still in the yeah, I think they have about fourteen hundred and how many of us those um they just felt they were they were beating a dead horse trying to get it going. So I need more town involvement. I think Pat would be a big help. And um a few of the people that she had mentioned in the in the community would be involved. It's a great thing if you can get it going. Yeah. Um I know uh in Planeville they had sponsored that dance up at Lake Pearl for years and years. You know, and then COVID hit and boom, it was it went away. So but uh fantastic.

SPEAKER_04:

Um we told everyone at the last meeting to bring a friend. So we're hoping that there's a couple of more people. Um basically that's all we can do right now.

SPEAKER_06:

Right.

SPEAKER_04:

And we'll go from there and see what happens next next Wednesday. Uh next Thursday, 2030. 230. Next Thursday at 230.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah. Okay, I guess you have cultural council brand updates.

SPEAKER_04:

Yep, I got um I got one back so far. I um I applied for a couple for entertainment. Um, so it's get your Irish on. It's a guy singing um Irish music. So we're gonna have um St. Pie's Day party on March 10th. Um, because that's the day I could get the music and BP to do um our lunch. So BP is gonna do the corned beef and cabbage whole dinner, and then we'll have Get Your Irish on music, and um he's all paid for through the Cultural Council grant. Um so we just have to pay for food, that's it. Um any luck with the assessors on.

SPEAKER_05:

To the assessors office. They're busy right now with taxes, but this spring, summer, they're gonna put a presentation together.

SPEAKER_06:

Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07:

They said they can't do it right now. Now's the time.

SPEAKER_05:

I know. Yeah, they said they can't do it right now.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay.

SPEAKER_05:

They're slammed.

SPEAKER_07:

Today was the last yesterday was the last abatements for real estate. You can still file for the uh statutory exemptions.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, so I talked to um Jessica, who's gonna set something out for the spring or summer, and that's when they're quieter over there. So statutory.

SPEAKER_07:

Based on age and income, you can be exempt from a certain amount of your property taxes. You can go down there today and get an application, talk to them, they're gonna tell you what you may or may not qualify for. Based on income and age. And there's a number of different qualifying um qualifiers for different exemptions at different amounts of taxes. So maybe um next year in December, November, December, prior to the bills going out, we can do something more people aware of it. Okay. Any other old business anybody you can think of? Okay, new business.

SPEAKER_04:

Um I didn't know if anybody had new um presentation ideas. Um I talked to the state about the Homestead Act, um, so I'm hoping to get them out here. Um she's working on like the actual program, but she thinks should be good for the spring. I didn't know if you guys knew of any other kind of helpful other than the assessors, helpful presentations for people to be aware of type things. Um prevention, stuff like that, but what else is needed, I guess.

SPEAKER_00:

I could do one on that.

SPEAKER_04:

Um I have applications, but I could do one on that to explain it more. Yeah. What is it?

SPEAKER_03:

The state program is the tax workoff program where they do the 67 hours and they get the thousand dollars off their real estate taxes. Did you have a did you have a I remember you talked about this a long time ago.

SPEAKER_07:

I applied and long time ago.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, so it's done. No, some of the things. You applied for the safe release? Before my time?

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah. Before your time.

SPEAKER_05:

I was gonna say we should get everybody in.

SPEAKER_07:

I'd be glad to do it.

SPEAKER_04:

I can give you an application. Sure. Um yeah, I could do a little presentation on that about it. I don't know. Yeah, anything else for a presentation or anything like that. Any other departments around, yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So that people know about it pretty next year.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, like now. Yeah, maybe I'll do it in the spring or something. But yeah, if there's anything else uh people would be interested in. I'm gonna try to get Bristol Elder services back here. I had them here last year in the spring. I'll try to get them out here again. So they can explain what services they do. They do the home care, they're the protective services. They'll go through all of it. Um get them back.

SPEAKER_07:

I know a friend of mine was uh I don't remember what council and agent it was. They had a program of a ride. Oh no, um, I know my response time has slowed down.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_07:

And uh that might be a good time too.

SPEAKER_02:

That's why your insurance goes up. That's why your insurance goes up because there were so many accidents with older people at marking. I have a young friend who's in his early twenties, and he is a great proponent of taking our licenses away. I said, at what age and are you gonna start driving your parents who are heading to 60? Are you gonna start driving your parents every day they have to go? Well, there are so many accidents at the number one. Give me a break.

SPEAKER_03:

A 20-year-old is saying that about all the I can't.

SPEAKER_02:

No, he's he's adamant, adamant, adamant that we should not have our licenses. And I said at our age. And I think that very young and their licenses say that.

SPEAKER_07:

Well, I was just gonna say my experience has been uh not involved with older people, my age.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Well, I think what I've seen with older people is um sometimes something happens, an event happens, and they hit the gas instead of a break. And it might be a medical event, but it might just be that they were in a hurry that day. You know, it does happen, but I don't, like you said, I don't think it's as frequent for other reasons.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah, I just think it, you know, it's something just to stimulate more awareness. I know I'm trying to be more aware when I'm pointing out. I look up that way, I look that way, by the time I've done looking that way, the guy down the street has driven down at 60 miles an hour.

SPEAKER_03:

And so you watch do you look at your cell phone while you're driving?

SPEAKER_06:

Oh no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_03:

So there's a lot of that that still goes on. I can't understand why because we all have um yeah, you don't need to hold your phone and look at it. Not the older cars. The older cars don't have to be.

SPEAKER_02:

That would be a good, I don't know who would present that.

unknown:

Yeah, I think driver safety. I'm just gonna try one.

SPEAKER_07:

I I just mail them one money, I get my license.

SPEAKER_02:

So no, I think they used to have after seven we didn't have a little test before. Is there a law on the books now, or is one that is? I don't know what the thing is, I thought was the magic number, but I've heard after eighty. I'll do something about it.

unknown:

Well, that's right.

SPEAKER_02:

Nobody knows, so I think we put it in.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, these are good ideas. I'll get these.

SPEAKER_07:

Any other ladder should take up?

SPEAKER_02:

I just thought of um something that's been on my mind. And you said that there's a false prevention program. Yeah, we usually have the firefighters. Firefighters.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh yeah, the lockbox. I got uh Mike McCray's doing that. But we have a list for the lockbox. Oh, do you? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Um we can put your name on the list. Paula has the list. I've had a lockbox in one time. So that's the one. Yeah, when did they mention that? They mentioned that last time the kid, maybe just the presentation on that.

SPEAKER_02:

If there's something in the presentation and a couple box that you could have done the program. And the other thing is just safety in the home as we age. I know that I spent a lot of time educating elders, never knowing I was going to become one.

SPEAKER_07:

Here we are.

SPEAKER_02:

Here we are. And there's a lot we can do in our home, but I don't know who would do the presentation. Okay. I wanted to call a friend of mine, a PT, who's still actively working a bit and say, we should do this presentation. We could take this show on the road. And also the safety in the morning. The what? We can talk about the calls you do in the morning. Yeah. Yes. A lot of people don't know.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, they were the arguments. For people who live alone, it's good.

SPEAKER_04:

And we have the um, like I don't know if any of you guys, I don't think any of you guys are on it. Um, we have the elder watch list from the last storm. Uh-huh. Fire called them on Saturday before the storm. Police called them on Monday after the storm to make sure they're all.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, one of the ladies at the breakfast had said that she got like a couple or three different calls one day after the next.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, so we have the elder watch list, especially when there's a storm to check on those people. Um I think Paul explained.

SPEAKER_02:

I think it's there's certain requirements to meet to meet eligibility to be on those lists. Yeah, yeah. So I think she said she can't. Oh, maybe she can't call everybody every morning. I call. You do. Yeah. Well, you wouldn't call me if you wanted me to, I would. I know someone who is very much afraid of living alone and something happening to her. And so I put her in touch with Anne so that she could call her each day and make sure she was okay. No, I think I think it's important. I just didn't know who met the re eligibility for being on the list. Well, for either one. Well messed. But she will not get children up for school who are supposed to be up in the movie. Right.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah. Those are just like our programs within town.

SPEAKER_07:

How many calls do you make?

SPEAKER_05:

I only have four.

SPEAKER_01:

Except for the weekends. I see I'm gonna do that. Every day, no matter what. Yeah. Monday through Friday. Except for weekends. No matter if there's no snow or anything. No rain. Yeah, that's just are you okay?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh. It's just a joint. The elder watch list is more storms. It's two different lists.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah. Yeah, see that that would be good information to get out. Yes. Oh could be all in the same presentation. Yeah.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_07:

Well, I can't think of any other thing to deem necessary, so yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

No, those are good.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, I guess we need a motion to adjourn.

SPEAKER_03:

Motion to adjourn.