Council on Aging (COA)

Programs

Services

New Senior Center

Activities

Seasonal Activities & Events

Spotlight - Nutrition Team - Dawn and Rita

Continuing Education

Volunteers

Friends of the Council on Aging

Did You Know

Related Links          Hanover Happenings

About Us

Contact Information

Henry S. Newcomb Senior Center
624 Circuit Street
Hanover, MA 02339
 

Director: Robyn Mitton

Phone: 781-878-6361
Fax: 781-878-8665

Email: coa@hanover-ma.gov

Click here for a pdf view of the Council on Aging Brochure
 

Background

The home of the Hanover Senior Center began in 1889 as the King Street School. The building was in use as a school until 1953 when the Center Elementary School was opened. Following a period of disuse, the building became the meeting place of the Hanover Grange and eventually the Golden Age Club (1969). The Hanover Council for Aging, (more lately referred to as the Council On Aging),was formed in 1966 with five members appointed by the selectmen “for the purpose of providing information and services to elder residents of the community” and an office was provided in the building. In 1987, the building was dedicated by the Hanover Board of selectmen as the Henry S. Newcomb Senior Center. Henry Newcomb, a lifelong resident of Hanover, was the founder of Hanover Council for Aging, an active member at 91 years of age, recognized for his contributions to the Council for Aging, Golden Age Club, and senior citizens. Mr. Newcomb passed away in 1993 at the age of 96. At one hundred and eighteen years, the building is still serving residents of the Town of Hanover, by providing a meeting place for seniors to enjoy, as well as a community resource for services, information and referrals for the older adult population and their families.

Mission

The mission of the Hanover Council On Aging, interchangeably known as the Senior Center, is to provide services, programs and activities to maintain and increase independence and quality of life for residents sixty years of age and older. The Council identifies and assesses the needs of elders, and offers services to meet the challenges of aging. There are 2,375 residents of Hanover who are 60 years of age and older as of Fiscal Year 2005.
 

Administration

The Senior Center office has a five person paid staff: Elderly Services Director, full-time position; Outreach Coordinator, full-time position; one full time position shared among four drivers; and a Custodian, 24 hours a week. The Senior Center has a Meal Site Manager who is paid through Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) and a Volunteer/Transportation Coordinator who is partially paid through a grant from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Staff

Director: Robyn Mitton

Outreach Coordinator/Assistant Director: Joyce Wilson
Nutrition Manager: Dawn Kelly
Transportation Coordinator: Christine Abboud

Volunteer Coordinator: Susan Talkowski
Custodian: Brian Golemme
Drivers: Robert Cirino, George Shanahan, Bob Teetsell

Chair: Joanne Cure

Vice Chair: Donald Buckley

Secretary: Joan Picard
Treasurer: Eleanor Kimball (Building Committee Rep.)
Property Overseer: Elmont Mickunas
Property Overseer: James Gallant
Property Overseer: Richard Farwell  

The Senior Center is host to: two AARP tax assistants (seasonal); SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders) and Ask-A-Lawyer and Ask-A-CPA. All are volunteer services and are free of charge. Call COA – 781-878-6361. Other services: Blood Pressure Check - Foot Clinic – Massage.

The COA Van is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm daily for medical appointments, shopping, activities at the Senior Center and other social events.
 

The New Senior Center

The Senior Center Building Committee has spent the time since last Town Meeting re-studying and revising the plan for a new Senior Center.  A combined effort of the Committee, Architect and Engineers has resulted in a new building plan and modified site plan.

Pictured is the design concept of the new Hanover Senior Center offered by architect Josef Rizza

Building

The Committee has adopted a two-phase approach to reach the eventual goal of a 10,500 sq. ft building as was previously presented. The newly proposed building is 7,250 sq. ft and is designed so that an addition can be constructed in the future when the Town is ready to go forward with a larger
building.

The new building will meet the present needs, without some of the features that would be desirable, but not essential at this time.

The most important feature of the building, retained from the prior plan, is the large multi purpose room. This room has a capacity of two hundred, seated at tables, has adjacent kitchen facilities, and can be divided into three smaller sections, which for day to day use will provide needed activity space.

The large room also provides the Town with a hall with capacity for other uses. Functions where food is to be served or other group functions could be scheduled during the hours when the Center is not in use for Senior programs, generally evenings or weekends.

Pictured is the floor plan of the new Hanover Senior Center by architect Josef Rizza
 

Site Development

The developed site has also been reduced due to the reduction in the size of the building, which also affects the size of the septic system and drainage.  The parking lot, with one hundred-car capacity, has been retained. This is considered necessary due to the capacity of the multi purpose room.

Access Road

The access road from Center Street is necessary to reach the developable portions of the property. The land abutting Center Street is not buildable.  Building the road serves not only the Senior Center but provides access for future development of ball fields. Installed along with the road will be water, electric and gas utilities.

The road and parking will be available for use by citizens desiring to hike the trails through this seventy-acre property. In the winter it would be possible to access the trails for cross country skiing.

Costs

The overall cost of the new plan is $3.7 million dollars, as compared to last year's $4.9 million dollars.

 

Activities

The Senior Center offers recreational activities such as exercise, line dancing, card games, bingo parties, health fairs and screenings. The Senior Center offers the following activities (And more):

• Hanover Travelers
• Sr. Men’s Discussion Group
• Walking Club
• Bowling
• Ladies Morning Out Group
• Cribbage, Bridge, Scrabble Whist
• Red Hat Society
• Movies
• Oil and Watercolor Painting
• Book Club, Writing Class
• Bingo
• Exercise
• Yoga
• Voices
• Coffee and Conversation
• Qigong
  

Monthly education classes on topics such as Legal, Health, Cultural and Social issues are provided. The Senior Center participates in events with neighboring Senior Centers. The monthly Senior Bulletin is mailed to over 1,500 seniors’ homes with information of all activities and services provided. You can also read your bulletin online thru link, “Hanover Happenings” at end of web page.

Seasonal Activities & Events

Check current schedules for daily and monthly activities/events in your online bulletin thru link, “Hanover Happenings” at end of web page or call COA at 781-878-6361.

Click here to view or download a listing of Council on Aging Seasonal Activities & Events.

Transportation to local medical appointments, hair appointments, to the Senior Center for lunch, events and activities, and shopping, etc., are available. Please call 781-878-6361 in advance for reservation. Check bulletin for normal scheduling.

****** Check your monthly bulletin for specially scheduled events. *****

(...or access “Hanover Happenings” online thru link at end of web page.)

We are in dire need of volunteer drivers for Meals On Wheels. This takes very little time; you’re reimbursed for mileage and meet some interesting people. We also need volunteer drivers to drive Seniors to out-of-town doctor appointments, etc. This is such a worthy service for the time spent. Again, once a week, once or twice a month or whatever time you can give would be tremendously appreciated.

Spotlight

The warmer weather has certainly added to the cheerfulness at the Hanover Council on Aging Senior Center these past few weeks. 

Carole Riley hosted a thank you party for all the Tuesday Morning ladies who work so hard all year long knitting and crocheting items for area hospitals, service men and women and charitable organizations.  Carole’s cranberry bread is always such a big hit.

A breakfast honoring and remembering Senior veterans and loved ones was well attended.  Betty Ingle, Susan Chapman and Nancy Tucker served the guests. Senior visitors were welcomed with a room flurried with colorful butterflies.  An indoor living butterfly garden adorned a table.  All the while our winged friends reminded us of how short and precious life really is. Claire Garrigan continues to tend the veterans butterfly garden. Judy Smaller enchanted us by playing the piano and everyone sang along.  Later that week, ladies from the Tuesday Morning out group made a wish and set the butterflies free.  There is a Native American legend that says “if you have a secret wish, capture a butterfly and whisper your wish to it.  Since the butterflies cannot speak, your secrets safe in their keeping.  Release the butterfly and it will carry your wish to the Great Spirit, who alone knows the thoughts of the butterflies.”

The first of June heralded  in the last Harbinger Tea of the year.  Joan Picard, Mary Wilkinson, Janet Kirby and Sue Chapman served.  The “Tea Room” theme this month was “In the Pink”.  Assorted shades of pink enveloped the room and rhododendrons decorated the tables.  Ladies dressed in various shades of pink as well. Lipstick, candy apple, cherry blossom, fuchsia and rose and other pinks were worn. Everyone was awash in its glow. Sandwiches from the British Beer Company were enjoyed.  Tea baskets to be raffled off on Hanover Days, June 20 were on display. It was a perfect day to end this past  years monthly Tea.

“In the Pink” refers to “Best of Health” and it’s the Hanover Council on Aging wish for you always!

Continuing Education

- a fortune cookie read; “the purpose of Education is …to fill an empty mind… with an open one” -

A Lifelong Learning Opportunity: An opportunity to continue your learning experience through a Lifelong Learning Institute sponsored by the Gerontology Institute, UMass Boston, with a satellite campus at Cordage Park, Plymouth. See website link below “OLLI at UMass Boston.”

Volunteers

The greatest energy of the Hanover Council On Aging is produced by our Volunteers. If it were not for them, it would be impossible to provide the programs and service that are currently available through the COA. They are the backbone of the COA and we appreciate the 90+ people who volunteer their time and talents by delivering meals, driving to Doctors appointments, serving lunch, preparing the online newsletter “Hanover Happenings” and mailing of the monthly news bulletin and the office workers, friendly visitors performing numerous other chores. We always welcome new volunteers.
 

Friends of the Council on Aging

The Friends continue to raise money to supplement the Town and State funds. All donations and monies raised go directly to services for our seniors. We could not provide many activities without them and are very grateful for their contributions.

Click here to view or down load a printable Membership - Contribution Form and become a member of the Friends of the Council on Aging.
 

Did You Know?

• You can read your Senior Center Bulletin “Hanover Happenings” online thru link at end of web page.
• We have a large selection of books, magazines, puzzles and videos in our COA Lending Library
• We have a drop-off box for old eyeglasses
• We have a drop-off container for food donations for the Hanover Food Pantry
• We have many informational pamphlets and brochures on various senior related topics
• We have applications available for many different programs
• Stop by to check these items out for yourself. You are always welcome!
 

Related Links

Board of Health
Board of Selectmen
Town Clerk
Massachusetts State Website
Massachusetts General Laws
Executive Office of Elder Affairs
Massachusetts Councils on Aging
U.S. Government Administration on Aging
Alzheimer's Association
American Association of Retired Persons
Access America for Seniors
ABCRx Access To Benefits Coalition
South Shore Community Action Council
Medicare + Part D Information
Social Security

Hanover Happenings

OLLI at Umass Boston