Senator Jason Lewis to Host Forum on Senior Citizen Issues and Services

Continuing his “Community Conversations” issue discussions, Senator Jason Lewis is excited to announce the sixth forum in the series, which will focus on issues uniquely facing senior citizens and caregivers in our communities.  Held in every community of the district, “Community Conversations” are issue discussions delving into a different topic at each forum, with ample opportunity for residents to share feedback and have their questions answered by experts on the given topic.

This upcoming event – Community Conversations: Challenges Facing Elders in Our Communities – will take place on Monday, February 22, at 1:30pm.  It will occur at the Stoneham Senior Center, located at 136 Elm Street in Stoneham.

This forum will offer the chance to hear directly from leaders and advocates on the issues at hand.  Featured presenters will include: Massachusetts’ Secretary of Elder Affairs Alice Bonner, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and AARP Massachusetts Advocacy Director Jess Costantino.  There will be ample opportunity for Q&A from audience members.  Representatives from Mystic Valley Elder Services and Minuteman Senior Services will also be on hand with information regarding services available to seniors.

“From an increase in our population of individuals living with dementia to telephone scams targeting senior citizens, there is a wide variety of issues that are of unique concern to our elders.  I’m eager to host this opportunity for folks to hear the latest developments directly from leaders on these issues,” said Senator Jason Lewis.  “The conversations I have directly with constituents across the district are the best source of information and guidance to help me do my job in the legislature.  I’m excited about the ‘Community Conversations’ series as each forum provides us with a good opportunity to engage in a substantive dialogue on a timely and important topic.”

The forum is sponsored by Senator Lewis in coordination with Stoneham Town Administrator Dave Ragucci, State Representative Michael Day, Mystic Valley Elder Services, Minuteman Senior Services, and the Councils on Aging for all six communities of the 5th Middlesex state senate district.

“Community Conversations” forums held in 2015 included: a lively discussion in Malden in April on what would be involved in a Boston-hosted Olympic Games and what impact it would have on our communities north of Boston; an informative presentation in Melrose in May on demystifying our state budget; an enlightening panel discussion in Wakefield in June on public transportation that featured the General Managers of the MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services; an October forum in Winchester on energy policy and environmental priorities for the region and the Commonwealth; and, a December discussion in Reading updating residents on efforts at the state, regional, and local levels to combat substance abuse and opioid addiction.