With generous funding from The Dana Home Foundation of Lexington, Massachusetts, The Arc of Massachusetts will be offering an Educational Series for Aging Caregivers of Individuals with Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities during the months of October and November.  These sessions will focus on topics of interest to families and caregivers including overviews of legal and financial planning, medical issues and supports for individuals with disabilities as they age, Options Counseling and various available community supports.

All sessions will be held at the Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road in Room 139 from 10:00 – 11:30 AM on the following dates:

Sessions are open to the public. Please register in advance of the session date.

This project is supported by a grant from the Dana Home Foundation which is dedicated to providing for the care, comfort and wellbeing of senior citizens, with a special emphasis on serving, directly or indirectly, the needs of those who reside in or have connections to the Town of Lexington. 

Department of Developmental Services Presentation on Meeting the Needs of Older Caregivers presented by a panel of DDS Leadership staff
Tuesday, November 15 | 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road, Room 139

This session will be in person only and not available on Zoom.

Liz Sandblom: Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Operations
Ellen Kilicarslan: Statewide Family Support Director
Rebecca Anderson: Northeast Regional Family Support Director
Michelle Vercellone: Merrimack Valley Area Director
Lynnlee Jordan: Central Middlesex Area Director
Ken Underwood: Central Middlesex Assistant Area Director

DDS Leadership will provide an overview of supports at home and in the community for older caregivers living with a family member with I/DD. DDS will share information about an exciting pilot program in Northeast region focused on older caregivers. They will also share the results of a needs assessment completed by Center for Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Research at UMASS for DDS on meeting the needs of older caregivers

Local Transportation and Options for Community Access
Susan Barrett, Transportation Manager, Town of Lexington
Tuesday, November 22 | 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road, Room 139

This session will be in person only and not available on Zoom.

This session will share information on a range of options for accessing local public transportation including LexPress Bus Service, The Ride, The FISH program, private transportation, GoGoGrandparents and other community resources as well as how to request MBTA travel training. Even though the speaker will present specific information on Lexington, similar resources are frequently available in other towns, so this session will be helpful to all Massachusetts residents.

Overview of Supports Offered for Aging Individuals with Disabilities and their Caregivers
Lesli May-Chibani, Asst. Director, Minuteman Senior Services, and Maura Donahue, Community Living Advocacy Program Coordinator, Boston Center for Independent Living
Tuesday, November 29| 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road, Room 139

This session will be in person only and not available on Zoom.

This session will provide an introduction to short- and long-term services, many of which are state or federally funded, that are offered through these two agencies which serve as the Aging and Disability Resource Consortia (ADRC) for the Metro Boston area. This overview will explain how to access services, the scope of services, and how they can support you and your family through the aging process as needs change. This will include information on the Minute Man Caregiver program, Options Counseling and other helpful resources.