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Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD The 17th annual Life Enrichment Expo had a visitor on Thursday who had never attended the event before the state's secretary of Elder Affairs Michael Festa. Festa was among the thousands of visitors who came to the Expo at the Basketball Hall of Fame to learn about products and services for both Baby Boomers and senior citizens. Over 70 exhibitors ranging from medical services to wholesale clubs were at this year's show, according to its coordinator, Nancy Posnick. Although attendance figures were incomplete at press time, Jewish Community Center (JCC) Executive Director Mark Danas said attendance at the show was "absolutely wonderful." NovaCare Rehabilitation, CBS 3 Springfield and Peoples Bank sponsored the Expo. It was presented by the Springfield JCC and by PRIME Magazine. Festa said Massachusetts has over a million senior citizens and has been visiting Councils on Aging throughout the state to assess what seniors need and to help prepare the state for the impact of the aging Baby Boom generation. He's been impressed with the level of activities at senior centers and noted with a smile many have the new Nintendo Wii gaming system. The number of seniors who volunteer has also impressed him. "They get more out of it than the ones they help," he noted. The Patrick Administration, he said, is examining the cost of long-term care in Massachusetts and how the state should support it. He said that in 20 years, the role of nursing homes would be changing as it's expected the average age for nursing home residents will be 90. Rather than being someplace where seniors go to live, Festa said it would be more like a hospice care. What will replace nursing homes as a residential program are efforts to keep seniors in their own homes as long as possible. "More seniors want to stay at home longer," Festa said, and the home and community support programs will help older residents accomplish that goal. "The governor is very consciously trying to move funding into those support programs," he said. Festa expects Baby Boomers "are to be very active and will be supporting each other" as they grow older. "There's a lot living to do. I really think there's a lot of opportunity in the future," he added. Posnick said that Baby Boomers who haven't thought about their future from career, financial and health perspectives as seniors should do so as soon as possible. Forastiere Funeral Homes in East Longmeadow emphasized planning ahead. Administrative Assistant Andrea Cassesse was speaking to people about the advantages of planning ahead one's final expenses. Something at her booth, though, caught the eye of many of the Expo's attendees: an urn designed for Red Sox fans. Cassesse said the company that manufactures these authorized Major League Baseball urns also makes coffins with team logos. And yes, Yankee fans, they have an urn for you as well. | ||||||
