City of Pittsfield Helps Seniors in Need
The City of Pittsfield, through its Human Services Advisory Council, has granted $18,060 to Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., to be used to provide funding for Pittsfield seniors served from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 by the agency’s Enhanced Elder Intervention program.Elder Services created the Enhanced Elder Intervention program to address the needs of at-risk seniors who, due to a variety of personal challenges, are unable to live safely in the community without specialized intervention. The majority of the seniors served are low-income. Some are homeless. Almost half are age 80 or older. In many cases, the senior exhibits extreme self-neglect, has undiagnosed or untreated mental health issues, denies having a problem, or resists receiving help. Such challenges often require Elder Services’ Enhanced Elder Intervention Specialists to make several visits to build trust and develop rapport before these seniors will consider accepting help.
The Enhanced Elder Intervention program benefits Pittsfield and other Berkshire communities by providing a safety net for at-risk seniors and by providing support to police and fire departments and other community organizations when they become involved in situations requiring interventions for which they may not have the resources. The Enhanced Elder Intervention program frees municipal workers, such as members of the police and fire departments, to focus on their primary job descriptions: fighting crime, responding to emergencies, and putting out fires.
The invaluable support provided by the City of Pittsfield’s Human Services funding will help Elder Services fulfill its mission to provide Berkshire seniors the opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and self-determination, and to achieve the highest possible quality of life.
To learn more about Enhanced Elder Intervention or other Elder Services programs, please call 413-499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242.
