Consortium founded to combine efforts, communication

Five local agencies in the Worcester County area are teaming up to make sure elderly residents or those with disabilities can easily access the resources they may need.

The Aging and Disabilities Resource Consortium of Central Massachusetts (ADRC) has been formed with the combined efforts of the staffs at Tri-valley Elder Services Inc., Elder Services of Worcester, Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging, The Center for Living and Working, and Montachusett Home Care.

“We are working together on a regional basis to coordinate community-based services to elders and younger disabled people,” said Gregory Giuliano.

Giuliano believes that many people are not aware of the services available to them, especially with the homeand community-based programs. The goal, according to Giuliano, is to make the system they currently have stronger.

“The services and programs are not tough to access if you know who to call,” said Giuliano. “This is (to create) more coordination and more awareness about services that are available.”

The consortium is fairly new, and has met over the past few months to get some of the groundwork in place. Each agency still has its own phone number, and will redirect those that call to another agency if need be, however the eventual goal is to have one phone number that clients can call to be connected to all of the help they need.

This consortium is just one of several being formed in Massachusetts and throughout the country, according to a press release from the consortium.

“The ADRC concept is a national and statewide initiative sponsored and federally funded by the Administration on Aging (AOA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); the goal is to empower elders and people with disabilities to live with dignity and independence by expanding, strengthening and integrating communitybased systems,” states the press release.

The local organization has received some money from the state, but is hoping to receive more, so they can make the program more visible, Giuliano said.

“It has become the overriding mission in Massachusetts to help residents stay in their homes by connecting them to the proper agencies and services they need, and to fully fund programs that provide those services,” said Robert Dwyer, executive director of the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging, in the press release.

With more money for the program, more staff members may be hired. Currently there is only one person working part-time for the consortium.

“We are a relatively new initiative. We are looking forward to working together and improving our services,” said Giuliano.

Whether someone is at home and in need of services or in a nursing home and wishes to return home, a call to any one of the following agencies will connect them to a person who will provide assistance. Montachusett Home Care, (800) 734-7312; the Center for Living and Working, (508) 798-0350; Central Mass Agency on Aging, (800) 244-3032; Elder Services of Worcester, (800) 243-5111; and Tri-Valley, Inc., (800) 286-6640.