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Date: 6/13/2023
SOUTH HADLEY — A year ago the South Hadley Council on Aging took initiative to bring in more resources and information for the community’s aging population, and this year, with a little revamping, are ready to do the same and more with a bigger and better version of the Aging in Place: Health and Wellness Fair.
On Wednesday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the public is invited to the Senior Center on 45 Dayton St. to check out the 40 different vendors and elder care providers available to learn more about aging in place. Overall, the event will provide attendees with comprehensive information on a variety of aging in place options, equipment, devices, services and resources. There will also be free raffles and giveaways.
South Hadley Council on Aging Executive Director Leslie Hennessey told Reminder Publishing that after previous year’s roll out of different resources and information sessions for seniors on aging in place, they were looking to bring everything together for more accessibility for all in catching the different resources or information available. The fair’s first run had feedback that was overwhelmingly positive and gave her and the council the idea to bring the different resources together once again for this fair.
“It was really out of that we wanted to provide a one stop shop. It was so successful last year we said ‘you know what, let’s do this again,’” Hennessey said.
Hennessey added the 40-plus vendors expected this year is an increase from last year as she noted staffing out of the coronavirus pandemic made it challenging to secure as many previously.
“It’s going to be an even bigger fair with really some of the great stuff that we were hoping people would be able to bring last year,” Hennessey said.
Different vendors and providers at the Health and Wellness Fair will be able to help attendees with things like gathering important information provided by health care professionals all under one roof, signing up for a home safety check performed by the South Hadley Fire Department personnel or even receive a free grocery bag courtesy of the Friends of the South Hadley Seniors.
Hennessey added town support is behind the fair as many of the items presented within it could be resources that people don’t know they can have done or have access to. She said the fair will also be, “a showcase of the different community and departmental services.”
According to Hennessey, the “valuable outreach” from the fair hopes to impact more than just seniors themselves as families of a senior or caregivers could benefit from the information available.
“It’s all about information and awareness. We really wanted to present something that would help family members, caregivers and seniors themselves, to provide them an opportunity to really know what’s out there,” Hennessey said.
Hennessey reiterated she and the Council on Aging hope to see more family members come through this year’s event and take advantage of the access to the different vendors. She also said it would be a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the Senior Center and its weekly programs.
“We really want people to go away having a full bag of information and just feeling like they have gone someplace, and they feel a little better and more informed coming to the center,” Hennessey said. “Last year’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive, ‘please do this again, it was a great event. I got a whole bunch of information, and I never knew that this device was out there,’ and so we’re hoping to do that again.”
For more information those interested can call the Senior Center at 413-538-5030.