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Tom Maguire/THE SUN CHRONICLE |
Agreement to aid senior
citizens
Attleboro Council on Aging Director Madeleine McNielly, left,
examines an emergency food kit during Thursday's official signing of
a "Memorandum of Understanding" to designate Christopher Heights at
South Main Street in downtown Attleboro as a safe haven The
agreement was signed by Mayor Kevin Dumas, center, and Executive
Director of Christopher Heights Walter Ohanian,
right. | |
ATTLEBORO: With the signing of a
"Memorandum of Understanding" Thursday by Mayor Kevin Dumas and Executive
Director of Christopher Heights Walter Ohanian, "Designated Safe Haven for
Frail Seniors" is officially in place. <br><br>Dumas and
Ohanian signed the memorandum at Christopher Heights at the reques of
Council of Aging Director Madeleine McNielly, who has spearheaded the new
program on behalf of the Council on Aging.
McNielly said she
initiated the program shortly after Dumas called her last year about the
possibility of a local dam giving way, and the possible need to evacuate
senior citizens.
Cosidering the needs of the city's more frail
senior citizens, McNielly said she began to search for a way to
accommodate those seniors in need of special care.
Through grants,
donations and an offer from Christopher Heights to provide shelter and |
assistance for up to 30 frail senior citiens for up to two weeks, the
program will provide that special care, should the need
arise.
Hopefully, it's something we'll never neeed, but if there is
something that we do neet it for, at least we know w have the facilities
for it, and now we have the proper equipment for it too, which is nice,"
Ohanian said.
Ohanian was referring to the air bed and emergency
kits that McNielly has been able to purchase with the grant funding she
has receive for the program.
"We appreciate Christopher Heights as
a member of the community coming forth," Dumas said to Ohanian.
"Madeleine's been a great advocate for senirs, and so have you to come
forth for such a great cause that in the case of an emergency, we are
prepared. |
