Aug 12
Jul 09
Springwell searches for new CEO
After 19 years at Springwell including the past six as CEO, Ruth Beckerman-Rodau is resigning to explore the next chapter of her career. One of her important roles prior to being CEO was formalizing the annual and strategic planning process that supports ongoing quality improvement across the agency. Beckerman-Rodau’s mantra as CEO has been to [...]Jun 15
Partnership with Simmons University benefits multiple generations
Simmons University School of Nursing students, Christina and Sarah, volunteer weekly at the Brookline Senior Center. These second-year students are two of twenty-three participating in a “Nutrition and Health Promotion service- learning seminar” this semester. Service-learning combines community service with academic instruction. The students’ volunteer work at the Springwell-operated senior community dining program in Brookline [...]May 15
Malnutrition in the Elderly
Springwell’s Nutrition Program is helping seniors better understand the risks of malnutrition and make them aware of solutions to this common problem. Malnutrition is dangerous because it leads to bone loss which can trigger falls and fractures. Diets low in calcium, a lack of adequate sun and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to bone loss. Bone [...]May 07
Why are we concerned about older drivers?
Debra A. Kerrigan, MS, OTR/L, from the Drive Safe Program at Newton Wellesley Hospital, visited Springwell to discuss ways to help seniors and their families understand if it is time to curtail or stop driving. While many older adults are safe drivers, the majority of older adults will outlive their ability to drive safely by [...]Apr 24
Caring for LGBT Elders
Lisa Krinsky, LICSW, Director of the LGBT Aging Project at The Fenway Institute recently led a training to help Springwell staff maximize their professional capacity as an ally to LGBT elder adults. Clips from Gen Silent, a documentary on how the fear of homophobia from health workers or services impacts LGBT elders’ lives, served as [...]Apr 20
Elder Independence Fund: Filling in the Gaps
Robert and Debbie were enjoying their careers, their hobby of swing dancing, and long walks together, when Robert suffered a stroke in 2012. For months, Debbie worried because she had no idea how she would take care of him when he came home from the hospital. Debbie’s first contact with Springwell was with our Caregiver […]
Apr 18
Volunteering leads to a surprising connection
Volunteering is well understood to have benefits to both the community and to the volunteer. Sometimes the benefits can be surprising. As the Springwell Volunteer Appreciation event last year an unexpected surprise came in the form of a reunion of two childhood friends. Sherry and Ed, long-time volunteers at different Springwell Community Dining sites, saw [...]Apr 02
Diet Fads: Facts and Fiction for Seniors
For National Nutrition Month, Meghan Ostrander, Nutrition Director at Springwell, presented a special program titled, Fad Diets- Pros and Cons at Community Dining sites in Springwell’s service area. Ostrander succinctly laid out claims, as well as potential benefits and risks, of four of the new most popular diet trends. Before starting any new diet plan, [...]Mar 27
