Membership News

by Martha Chamberlin, Manager of Membership

“I am not afraid of storms,

For I am learning how to sail my ship.”

–Louisa May Alcott

And learn you did. This time last year we were all sailing into uncharted waters, and I know many of us felt adrift. However, with steady hands on the wheel and composed thinking you sailed through the storm and into calm waters. Now, with things slowly starting to open up, I hope you will have some time to take that deep breath everyone has been telling us to take and maybe actually go sailing for real, or perhaps just sit by the water, in the mountains or your own backyard and enjoy summer.

Important COVID-19 Updates

Even though life seems to be returning to a new normal, Mass-ALA is continuing to work closely with the state departments of EOEA, DPH and EOHHS to advocate on behalf of ALL assisted living communities in our state and to keep you informed of any new changes. All of this important information be found here on our website, www.mass-ala.org.

Assisted Living Communities’ Updates

On May 25 we met with representatives from Mass-ALA member ALR communities on the South Shore, South Coast, and the Cape and Islands at our latest Regional Connection meeting. Topics of conservation centered around improving censuses, the resumption of recertification surveys, vaccine acceptance and hesitancy plus much more.

The next Regional Connections virtual meeting is scheduled for July 13, from 9:15-10:30 a.m. This meeting will be for the Berkshire and Western Massachusetts regions. We will be sending out more information in the next few days. If you want to “avoid the rush” you can sign up here.

The lucky residents of Armbrook Village recently “traveled” to Italy through their Passport Destination Program. They enjoyed Italian coffee and pastry tasting; happy hour featured arancini risotto balls, limoncello and Italian wine. Sounds like a deliziosa (delicious) trip.

Congratulations to Mass-ALA member, management company, Brightview Senior Living on being ranked on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® 2021 list for its exceptional company culture.

The team at Nashoba Park Assisted Living is finding new ways to give back to their local community. They recently delivered chef-made lunches to the Ayer Police and Fire Departments. Nashoba Park’s own culinary team prepared the meals, which included pastrami on rye with Swiss cheese, garbanzo bean salad, chips, and cookies.

For the past five years Mass-ALA member, The Goddard House Assisted Living Home, located in Brookline, has been helping older adults living with dementia express creativity through a program called Opening Minds Through Art. This award-winning intergenerational program pairs younger people with those diagnosed with memory loss and focuses on creativity. Now, through a grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Goddard House plans to expand this program to help older adults living with dementia in under-served communities in nearby Boston.

New Members

Two new Business Partners recently joined us:

Norscit Jaynes Specialty Financing – provides a ‘concierge’ financial service for seniors and their families who are transitioning into independent living and assisted living communities. They have over 40 years of lending experience. It is their mission to make the ‘bridge loan’ process as seamless as possible. www.TheNJSF.com

Prescott Pharmacy LTC – is a Long-Term Care Pharmacy committed to catering to the specific needs of individuals residing in assisted living communities, intermediate care facilities, rehabilitation programs, and other forms of congregate living. www.prescottpharmacy.com.

We also welcomed back a former Mass-ALA member assisted living residence this quarter:

Brookside at Regency located in Centerville, offers a fresh approach to memory support. They are nestled in a quiet setting with 29 elegantly appointed, spacious units, magnificent woodland views, and access to a beautiful, secure outdoor terrace. Their residents experience gracious living along with the beauty and comfort of the outdoors in a safe and stimulating environment. www.athenahealthcare.com/brookside

Welcome to our new members! We are excited to have you as a part of the Mass-ALA community!

Mass-ALA has a Helpline and a Career Center

I wanted to remind you of two important member benefits provided to you by Mass-ALA.

The first benefit is the Mass-ALA HelpLine to help you with those questions that pop-up about regulations or procedures at your community. You can reach the HelpLine by calling Mass-ALA at 781-622-5999 x103 and talking with our Director of Education, Laurie Cashman, or via email at lcashman@mass-ala.org, or please reach out to me at mchamberlin@mass-ala.org.

The second member benefit is our Job Board which can be found on the Members Only page of our website. Once you have logged in, click on the Career Center link at the top of the page and follow the directions to post a job at your community. If you need assistance with logging in or posting your job give me a call at 781-622-5999, ext. 110. All jobs that are posted on our Job Board can be viewed by all job seekers by simply going to our website and clicking on Career Search at the top of the home page on our website, mass-ala.org.