Executive Director Chris McLaughlin reflects on the agency's growth over the past half century.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Elder Services of Berkshire County has assisted the aging local population for 50 years, growing exponentially from its roots with three employees on Wendell Avenue.

Hundreds gathered at the Country Club of Pittsfield on Friday for the agency's annual meeting. 

"We have been very busy since the last time we got together and we have a lot to celebrate ... For 50 years, Elder Services has been providing services to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers throughout Berkshire County," Executive Director Chris McLaughlin said

"Today, we are a $28 million organization supported by 140 employees and 260 active volunteers, working with community partners and our home care providers to provide support and services to the residents of the cities and towns throughout Berkshire County."  

Over the summer, the agency moved into a modern, more accessible office at 73 South Church St. (the Clock Tower building.)  Formerly the Wayfair call center, the two-story workplace offers a street-level entrance for those with mobility issues — compared to the fourth-floor office at 877 South St.

Mayor Peter Marchetti is glad to see Elder Services downtown.

"The downtown not only hosts a variety of places to eat, shop, and play but also it is the heart of our human and social service agencies to prioritize meeting people where they're at," he said.

"As many of you know, Elder Services recently moved into the Clock Tower building. I applaud Chris and the entire team for a space that will be more accessible to the people you serve. It is vital that our residents have access to social service agencies and organizations so they can access the services and programs that impact daily life. Thank you for choosing downtown as your home, and we are happy to welcome you there again."

Since a commercial kitchen was established in 1994, the agency has served more than 7 million meals to isolated or homebound Berkshire County residents.  

"We are proud of being one of only three organizations like ours throughout the entire commonwealth that operate our own commercial kitchen," McLaughlin said.

Peter Mirante, vice president of business development at Adams Community Bank, said the Meals on Wheels program provided a much-needed peace of mind when his parents could no longer prepare food for themselves.

"My mother and father in their late 80s battled with dementia and the Meals on Wheels program was the perfect option for my family to keep my parents at home during the day while we all went to work," he said.

"In life, we never know where the next helping hand will come from but in my case, Elder Services came through for the family when we needed that helping hand."

Mirante said that reaching half a century is no small feat and speaks volumes to the agency's strength, mission, and resilience within the community.  Adams Community Bank sponsored the event.

"Today, we celebrate not just the past but the future ahead, confident that the next 50 years will be just as impactful, elevating the lives of our elders even more and ensuring they continue to receive the care, respect, and support they deserve," he added.

Elder Services was incorporated in 1974 as a private, non-profit home care corporation with three staff members on Wendell Avenue. Today, it is an  Aging Services Access Point and the Area Agency on Aging responsible for providing services throughout Berkshire County.

McLaughlin said they are the trusted conflict-free resource for older adults and their caregivers, supporting their desire to remain safely at home.

"Whether it's a referral to one of our many programs or a referral to a community resource, it is our job to meet people where they are and to help them create a path forward," he explained.  

"It is our job to have our pulse on the community's needs, creatively addressing those needs through partnership and collaboration in a continuous cycle of bridge building and problem-solving."

Citations were issued from state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and the office of state Sen. Paul Mark.

Farley-Bouvier said Elder Services is a great example of how public dollars are spent.

"When we celebrate something like a 50th anniversary, we not only celebrate the people in the room today and the work that goes on every day in Berkshire County now, we have to acknowledge the true 50 years of service, the founders of this, the work that's been done each and every year," she said.

"We say we stand on the shoulders of others, and this is a time to really acknowledge the work that's been done over that amount of time and the changes that have happened in the Berkshires to people who are aging."

State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli was recognized for serving the Berkshire delegation for 22 years.  He is not seeking re-election this fall.

He explained that his father died of vascular dementia five years ago. This gave the representative a newfound appreciation for Elder Services, which he always loved and respected.

"My mom was legally blind so she couldn't cook and my father never knew how to cook so we brought meals on Meals on Wheels in and then after a few times, my dad was saying, 'Why are we using taxpayer dollars to deliver meals to older folks?' I said, 'Dad, you started this program,'" Pignatelli explained.

"He was a county commissioner. He started the Meals on Wheels program and he would be so proud today, as you mentioned 7 million meals have been delivered to people at home. I think that speaks volumes but that was a sign that my father was having some Alzheimer's issues and I said, 'Dad, you started this program,' and he said, 'Oh, I did? Must be a pretty good program.'"

There was not a dry eye in the room as he told the story of his mother and father passing 29 days apart after 65 years of marriage.

Several service awards were given out during the event. Michelle Daly, Susan Hanson, Victoria Linscott, and Jill Lebar were recognized for five years with Elder Services. Kathleen Eddy was recognized for 10 years with the agency and Steve Shallies was recognized as the longest-tenured employee, serving meals at the commercial kitchen for 30 years.

Dr. Cynthia Murphy and Dr. Diana Michalczuk of The Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vt., were the event's keynote speakers. They discussed memory health in the aging process and early signs of Alzheimer's.