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Date: 3/27/2020
HUNTINGTON – Kathleen Peterson, chairman of the Huntington Council on Aging (COA), said the town responded quickly to COVID-19, closing all public buildings and coming up with a plan of action, working closely with the town’s Emergency Planning Team.
Peterson’s focus is on the 500 seniors which comprise 25 percent of the population in town.
She started with a robo call letting the whole community know of a plan to help seniors stay home and stay safe and seeking volunteers to help with this program. She said she received offers from five volunteers to help on the first day.
“I was very grateful when we had five volunteers sign up,” Peterson said.
The COA has created a flyer of available services to go out on the Franklin Regional Transit Authority van, with Meals on Wheels and in Brown Bag food boxes and posted them at the senior housing unit.
“I made personal calls to seniors at risk just to check on them,” Peterson said.
The COA is also working closely with Moltenbrey’s Market, the town grocer who is stocked, open, and busy, and will also give out the informational flyers to customers.
“If we all work together to help each other and our communities, this will pass quickly,” Peterson said.
The flyer outlines instructions for residents over the age of 60 who become incapacitated by illness, are disabled or have an underlying medical condition.
Prescription Pick-up
One of the services includes prescription pick-up, as there are no pharmacies in Huntington or in any of the surrounding hilltowns. Through the COA, volunteers will pick up prescriptions based out of Westfield Pharmacies two days per week.
In order to use this service, seniors are asked to call in their prescriptions as needed, pay over the phone with a debit or credit card, and call the Huntington COA to arrange pick-up. They are asked to allow a maximum window of four days for delivery.
Food Security
Monday through Thursday, the COA volunteers will assist in delivering basic groceries from Moltenbreys Market.
Seniors are asked to call Moltenbrey’s at 667-3426 no later than 9:30 a.m. with a reasonable order, pay with debit or credit card, and call the Huntington COA to arrange pickup. Delivery will be from a volunteer late afternoon porch side.
Peterson said that the market is being swamped by people wanting delivery, but they don’t have enough people to accommodate delivery.
“They will offer curbside service, which is much easier for them. Better to call in the morning and pay in advance for the order,” Peterson said.
Huntington Food Pantry
The Huntington Food Pantry, located in the Pioneer Valley Assembly of God Church on Old Chester Road will be pre-bagging pickups for eligible patrons on Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
Brown Bag
Items are still being distributed for eligible Brown Bag patrons on the third Friday of the month, March 20 this month. Volunteers bagged up the food items, and delivered them to people in their cars outside of Stanton Hall from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Meals on Wheels
Seniors over 60 who have become ill are encouraged to contact Highland Valley Elder Service Meals on Wheels at 586-2000, to find out about meal delivery service.
?Additional Information
People who need insurance counseling or caregiver support, may call Southern Hilltown COA Consortium at 354-6540 or Hilltown Community Health Center to sign up for mail order prescriptions and food delivery at 667-2203, ext. 310.
Trash Pick-up
People with trash pickup needs may call the COA on Mondays or Fridays for volunteer pick up. The COA Contact Number is 512-5205.
Peterson said the town is also concerned about mental health issues with people who are isolated, disabled or unable to leave their homes. She said volunteers are calling to chat with older adults to make sure they are ok.
Peterson said she would like to remind seniors that they should stay in place and avoid group activities to prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and/or contracting it. Any visitors entering your home, should wash their hands prior to and after exiting.
On March 17, the Emergency Team, including the Board of Selectmen, Board of Health, Hilltowns Ambulance Association, Fire Department, Highway and Emergency Management held an online update, which is posted on the town website at huntingtonma.us.
One of the changes reported at the meeting is the town will follow the Department of Public Health guideline of gatherings no larger than 10 people.
Peterson said the town should be thinking of the emergency as having “60 feet of snow.” She has also shared the Huntington plan with COA’s in surrounding communities.
“I’m glad to be part of the process with the town. They are working very hard in the best interest of the community, and we continue to stay vigilant. This will pass quickly if people will just stay home,” Peterson said.