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RECEIVED
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TO: Lexington Board off Selectmen
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FROM. William R. Page, !hairman, Forum on Aging
DATE. January 13 , 1981
SUBJECT. RESPONSE TO THE ELDERLY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
At the Board of Selectmen' s meeting on January 5 , 1981,
it was suggested by the Board that the various committees ,
with concerns relating to the elderly, respond, in writing,
to the presentation by Beatrice Phear, her report, and the
discussion which followed it .
I'm writing these couuuents also from the perspective of
the Lexington Community Health Couuuittee, the Lexington Adult
Daytime Classes Committee, and the Cable Television Advisory
Committee.
In general, the Elderly Needs Assessment confirmed
several of the resolutions which were voted on during the
Forum on Aging and the questionnaire results obtained at each
of the Forum sessions . You will recall that the Forum sessions
voted unanimously for transportation services for the elderly
and for community nutrition and health education. Concerns
with the health were very evident in the passage of resolutions
on medicine reform, catastrophic illness , drugs for the elderly,
and gerontologic medicine. Action on these resolutions strongly
supported the following conclusion in the Elderly Needs Assess-
ment Report - "there is a significant need and desire among
Lexington' s elderly for the kinds of services and programs that
are offered by a multi-purpose senior center ."
The Elderly Needs Assessment survey question on clinic ser-
vices
received the greatest response (more clinic services
favored by 1 , 444 people) The response to the questions on
health care and clinic services tell the story, as did the Forum
on Aging, that health is of the uppermost interest to Lexington
elderly. (In the 1974 Elderly Needs Survey, health appeared
as the greatest concern, according to Mr Jacob Gardner . )
It is obvious from this continuing, strong, multi-year
signal (measured in several surveys and forums) that the
problems of health services , particularly screening, and of
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1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02173 • TELEPHONE (617) 962 0500
Lexington Board of Selectmen
'January 13, 1981
Page 2
prevention are not matters to be put on "hold" . Preventive measures
to reach a greater number of the elderly are still within the reach
of the resources of this Lexington community.
A senior center of the type described in the recommendations on
page 32 of the Elderly Needs Assessment report would have the
following additional advantages (consistent with the findings of
the surveys , the voting in the Forums , the work of the Community
Health Committee, the experience of the Daytime Adult Education
Committee, and the questionnaire by the Cable Television Advisory
Committee) •
1. Not only as a location for health clinics and a
daily lunch program, but as an early accessible location for
daytime nutrition and health (preventative measures) classes
and published information on health matters .
2. As a quiet location for adult courses on legal
assistance (a very popular subject) , and other courses of proven
interest, to improve the quality of life of the elderly.
3. A location for televising (through the Adams-Russell
Institutional Cable) the information and the activities referred
to in items 1 and 2 , and other local programming by and for the
elderly.
The Forums on Aging raised the community' s consciousness about the
elderly This new awareness had the effect of increasing respect for
the elderly who showed that they are an important functioning segment
of the community.
Now is the time to pay that respect rather than succumbing to the
disconcerting trend toward selfishness which is so much in evidence
these days
The people of Lexington need the opportunity to create feelings
of accomplishment in themselves by inspiring in the elderly feelings
of love, goodwill and gratitude. The return on the investment is
very high. We owe it to ourselves and to them.
WRP/mfh