19

THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 29, 2023 Page 19 THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 18 vocate for six years and nine months now, I am making a renewed commitment to offer our readers an interesting and informative newspaper which always strives to be a force of good in the community – seeking to spotlight town people and events that lead to the betterment of Saugus. Our primary task is to provide useful information that keeps residents informed on important issues that aff ect the community as a whole and residents individually. We feel it’s important to shine a light on town and local government – including public schools, the town’s chief employer and the agency that affects the most lives in the community on a daily basis – when things break down and when the government needs to step up to address various challenges or problems. At the same time, we think it’s important to shine a public light on the many great things that are happening here, whether by individuals or groups. I recently turned 70 and I’m finishing my 50th year as a newspaper journalist since I began my career during my junior year at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, working weekends in the Northampton news bureau of The Springfi eld Union and fi ling stories I developed while living on campus during the week. My personal gift to the people of Saugus is that I will continue to work hard to provide Saugus a well-balanced and respected hometown newspaper as long as my publisher wants to keep me as the editor. I have no immediate plans to retire. I’ve told close friends and colleagues that I will continue reporting, writing stories and headlines, taking photos and editing stories relevant to Saugus as long as I am blessed with good health. Whether it’s fi ve to 10 more years – or longer – I plan to continue doing what I’m doing, as long as there’s a place for a real newspaper (not onBEACON HILL | FROM PAGE 15 WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. line paper) in Saugus. We are Saugus’ hometown newspaper. We are the only newspaper that covers Saugus people and events exclusively. Right now, I am blessed to have people like Laura Eisener (“Saugus Gardens”), Bill Stewart (the “Old Sachem” columnist who writes about sports), Joanie Allbee (sketches/photos/essays/articles), Jay DeMarco (“Small Saves” cartoon), Janice Jarosz (articles and photos), Tom Sheehan (articles) as a core of nonpaid, frequent contributors who help make The Saugus Advocate the paper that it is. And, of course, we have part-time staff ers Tara Vocino (who takes photos and writes human interest stories) and Dom Nicastro (who covers Saugus sports). And publisher Jim Mitchell oversees the paper as it’s put to bed in Everett on Thursdays. So, a lot of hard work goes into putting out the paper every week. So, I feel honored to coordinate our coverage and collaborate with our paid staff ers and unpaid contributors to put out the paper every week. My personal challenge is how can I make The Saugus Advocate more user friendly and relevant to its readers? Stay tuned. Compost/Recycling DropOff Site winter hours The Town of Saugus Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site is closed for the winter. But it will reopen for recycling on the third Saturday of January, February and March 2024 weather permitting. Please note the following dates that the site will be open during the period from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Saturday, January 20, 2024 Saturday, February 17, 2024 Saturday, March 16, 2024 Please contact Scott Brazis, Director of Solid Waste/Recycling, with any questions at 781-231-4036. What’s new at the Saugus Public Library? There’s always something interesting going on. Below They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been fi led. They note that the infrequency and briefl ength of sessions are misguided and lead are a few activities worth checking out. The library will be closed next Monday (Jan. 1) In observance of the New Year’s holiday. $5 for a bag of books: If you love reading, here’s a great deal. Buy a New Friends of the Saugus Public Library mesh book bag for $5 and fi ll it with as many books as you’d like. Proceeds benefi t the New Friends so they can support public library service in Saugus. Town Meeting Sessions: Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian is off ering quite a Christmas present for Saugus citizens who want to learn the basics about Town Meeting – the legislative body of Saugus town government. Manoogian is a veteran of about four decades in local town government at various levels – including many years as a Town Meeting member. The three sessions Manoogian will be leading next year are tailored for newly elected Town Meeting members or veterans who want to refresh themselves about Robert’s Rules of Order or how to put forward an article for consideration. But the sessions that Manoogian is planning are free and open to the public – for all interested citizens. The sessions will take place on four nights in 2024 – Jan. 29, Feb. 16 & 29 and March 25 – from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library at 295 Central St. Adult Coloring Group: Here’s an invitation to grown-ups to attend the adult coloring group. It’s a great opportunity to take time to unwind, be creative and have fun. No experience is necessary. Pencils, gel pens and coloring pages are ready and waiting. Spaces are limited, so please call to register at 781-231-4168. The next session is set for Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Brooks Room on the second floor of the library. to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session.. During the week of December 18-22, the House met for a total of 22 minutes and the Senate met for a total of 27 minutes. Mon. Dec. 18 House11:01 a.m. to 11:14 a.m. Senate 11:12 a.m. to 11:33 About The Saugus Advocate We welcome press releases, news announcements, freelance articles and courtesy photos from the community. Our deadline is noon Wednesday. If you have a story idea, an article or photo to submit, please email me at mvoge@ Sa comcast.net or leave a message at 978-683-7773. Let us become your hometown newspaper. The Saugus Advocate is available in the Saugus Public Library, the Saugus Senior Center, Saugus Town Hall, local convenience stores and restaurants throughout town. Sa ior Sa nior y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Tips on Caring for an Aging Parent Dear Savvy Senior, Where can I turn to for caregiving help? I help take care of my 80-year-old father and work too, and it’s wearing me out. Worn Out Wendy Dear Wendy, Taking care of an aging parent over a period of time – especially when juggling work and other family obligations – can be exhausting. But help and resources are available. Here’s what you should know. Identify Your Needs To help you determine and prioritize the kinds of help you need, a good fi rst step is to make a detailed list of everything you do as your dad’s caregiver and the amount of time each task takes. Identify the times when you need help the most and which tasks others might be able to do for you. Then list the types of care needed, such as simple companionship or doing active chores, like shopping or running errands. Once you determine this, here are some tips and places you can reach out to for help. Care Helpers If you have siblings or other loved ones close by, start by asking them if they could come and help with specifi c tasks. And see if friends, neighbors or faith group members could help too. You also need to check into local resources that may be available. Many communities off er a range of free or subsidized services that help seniors and caregivers with basic needs such as home delivered meals, transportation, senior companion services and respite services, which off ers short-term care so you can take an occasional break. Call your nearby Area Aging Agency (800677-1116) for referrals to services. There are also a bevy of online services you can use to help you save time on certain chores. For example, online grocery shopping and home deliveries, and online pharmacy medication refi lls and deliveries. You can also order meal-kits or pre-made meals online through numerous meal service delivery companies and arrange needed transportation with ride sharing services like Lyft or Uber. Or, if you can aff ord it, you may want to consider hiring someone a few hours a week to help with things like cooking, housekeeping or even personal care. Costs can run anywhere from $12 up to $25 per hour. Care.com or CareLinx.com are two good websites to help you fi nd someone, or you can work with a local home care agency. Financial Aids If you’re handling your dad’s fi nancial chores, make things easier by arranging for direct deposit for his income sources, and set up automatic payments for his utilities and other routine bills. You may also want to set up your dad’s online banking service, so you can pay bills and monitor his account anytime. Or, if you need help, consider hiring a bill paying service like Silver Bills (SilverBills.com), which charges a fl at fee of $150 per month. Benefi tsCheckup.org is another excellent tool to look for fi nancial assistance programs that may help your dad, particularly if he’s lower income. Technology Solutions To help you keep tabs on your dad when you are away at work or if he lives alone, there are affordable technology devices that can help. For example, there are medical alert systems and smart speakers that help with communication and allow him to call for help if needed. Home video cameras with two-way speakers that allow you to monitor and talk to him when you’re away. Electronic pill boxes that can notify you if he has taken his medications. And to help you coordinate his care with other members of his care team there are websites like LotsAHelpingHands.com. Other Resources There are also a number of other organizations you can draw on for additional information like the Family Care Alliance (Caregiver.org), which provides a stateby-state listing of caregiving programs and services; the Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ.org/ help-support/caregiving) that provides information unique to the challenges of dementia caregivers; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Aff airs (Caregiver.va.gov), which off ers caregiver support services to veterans and spouses. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nr

20 Publizr Home