Alzheimer's Education Series Returns to Elder Services on May 12

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Elder Services of Berkshire County, in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association, will present a six-part caregiver education series on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.  

The dates are May 12, 19, and 26, and June 2, 9, and 16.  All sessions are from 2 to 4 p.m.  

Sessions 1, 2, 4 and 6 will be facilitated by Marcia McKenzie, M. Ed., Manager, Western Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association, and Roberta “Bobbi” Orsi, MS, RN, CCP.  These sessions include:

1.“The Basics of Dementia,” addressing normal aging vs. dementia, related disorders, how to obtain a diagnosis and how to talk to your doctor.

2. “Behavior and Communication,” addressing different ways to approach and speak to an individual with Alzheimer’s disease, common behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s and how to prevent wandering and restlessness.


4. “Caregiving at Home”, addressing how to structure the day, how to help with personal care, and safety issues in the home and concerning driving.

6.“Care for the Caregiver,” addressing the warning signs of caregiver stress, respite and coping strategies.

Session 3, “Asking for Help,” presented by Caregiver Coordinator Bea Cowlin, LSW, will address the best time to ask for help, local resources, and how to select appropriate care services, and Attorney Pamela Green will present Session 5 on “Legal and Financial Issues,” addressing legal and financial matters and advance care planning.

More and more family members are becoming caregivers to their loved ones.  We know that caregivers have unique needs that if not addressed can lead to caregiver burnout.  This series offers important information on Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias, and allows for discussion on what caregivers need and how they can better cope with the increased stress that comes with caregiving.  Caregivers are encouraged to attend all of the sessions, but may attend only those that interest them.  

To register for the Alzheimer’s Care Partners Education Series, call Elder Services at 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242.

 


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EPA Lays Out Draft Plan for PCB Remediation in Pittsfield

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requested the meeting be held at Herberg Middle School as his ward will be most affected. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have a preliminary plan to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls from the city's Rest of River stretch by 2032.

"We're going to implement the remedy, move on, and in five years we can be done with the majority of the issues in Pittsfield," Project Manager Dean Tagliaferro said during a hearing on Wednesday.

"The goal is to restore the (Housatonic) river, make the river an asset. Right now, it's a liability."

The PCB-polluted "Rest of River" stretches nearly 125 miles from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the river in Pittsfield to the end of Reach 16 just before Long Island Sound in Connecticut.  The city's five-mile reach, 5A, goes from the confluence to the wastewater treatment plant and includes river channels, banks, backwaters, and 325 acres of floodplains.

The event was held at Herberg Middle School, as Ward 4 Councilor James Conant wanted to ensure that the residents who will be most affected by the cleanup didn't have to travel far.

Conant emphasized that "nothing is set in actual stone" and it will not be solidified for many months.

In February 2020, the Rest of River settlement agreement that outlines the continued cleanup was signed by the U.S. EPA, GE, the state, the city of Pittsfield, the towns of Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Sheffield, and other interested parties.

Remediation has been in progress since the 1970s, including 27 cleanups. The remedy settled in 2020 includes the removal of one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and floodplain soils, an 89 percent reduction of downstream transport of PCBs, an upland disposal facility located near Woods Pond (which has been contested by Southern Berkshire residents) as well as offsite disposal, and the removal of two dams.

The estimated cost is about $576 million and will take about 13 years to complete once construction begins.

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