Lesser turns to TV to bring “Thrive After 55” info to eldersDate: 6/10/2020 SPRINGFIELD - The coronavirus pandemic has caused many familiar things to adapt to a new way of doing business, and Sen. Eric Lesser’s Thrive After 55 fair for elders and their caregivers is no exception.
The event, which last June drew more than 1,000 people to the campus of Springfield College, is changing up its format for 2020, going from an in-person to a broadcast setup, available on local TV and through social media.
This year’s Thrive After 55 will take place as a one-hour program on June 19 at 11 a.m. on WWLP-TV 22 during the locally produced morning show, Mass Appeal. The fair will be rebroadcast at 1 p.m. on the CW. Berkshire Cable Channels 14 and 16 will also broadcast the event, and there are plans to offer the program as a Livestream as well as on Lesser’s Facebook and Instagram pages* and on his website, www.senlesser.com.
“It was very important not to just cancel and pack up and wait for next year,” Lesser said, emphasizing how much local elders have been affected by the pandemic from both a health and social standpoint. “Coronavirus has squarely gone after the senior population...We needed to do something that will get the resources to people, but balance it with safety.”
He said partnering with Mass Appeal – which last year did its broadcast from the live event – seemed the perfect solution when it became clear the traditional in-person event was neither feasible nor safe this June.
“We thought it was the best way to reach the most number of people,” Lesser said, noting that although there are elders who would be comfortable with a Livestream or other social media approach, that was not true of everyone who could benefit from the information Thrive After 55 would have to offer.
The program will include a mix of live segments with Lesser and the hosts of Mass Appeal, interviews highlighting important information for elders, and short, 60-second “commercials” from local agencies spotlighting the goods and services that can help viewers cope with aging and the challenges presented by the pandemic, and how to access those services.
Among the guest speakers will be Dr. Nancy Dell with information about nutrition, meal services and ways to stay well in the face of COVID-19, Heartsong Yoga owner Sheila Magalhaes with tips on at-home yoga practice and the importance of mindfulness and exercise as forms of self-care, as well as experts from the healthcare and mental health communities with information about telehealth options for medical appointments, coping with being away from family, and ways to connect online.
“Our goal is to make it very upbeat, very positive,” Lesser said of the broadcast. “I know a lot of the guests, they’re great people. It’s serious topics – health, wellness, mental health – but it is meant to be uplifting and a little lighthearted at times.”
A highlight of the broadcast will be a segment with state Attorney General Maura Healy talking about how elders can spot and protect themselves from COVID-19 related fraud scams, as well as other threats.
“We’ve been doing Savvy Senior presentations every year, usually with someone from her office. Because of the all-digital and remote format [this year] she can do it herself, and we are very grateful to her for making the time [to join us],” Lesser said.
Overall, Lesser said he hopes this year’s Thrive After 55 broadcast lets area elders know they have not been forgotten as the pandemic upends familiar rituals such as visiting the senior center, meeting friends for coffee at a local diner, or visiting with family and friends for weddings, graduations and birthdays.
“I hope they realize that they are not alone, that is really the most important thing,” Lesser said. “I hope they come away from the broadcaster watching it afterwards, knowing that there are a lot of people who care about their wellbeing and the government is proactive in supporting them.
“As we all navigate this very very challenging period together, I hope [area elders] learn that they are not alone and there are a lot of resources and a lot of people willing to help,” Lesser added.
Lesser’s Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/EricLesserMA, his Instagram page at www.instagram.com/ericlesserma/ and the website for Thrive After 55 can be found at www.senlesser.com/thrive.
|
