Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services

10/17/2025

Last week, SCES’ Communications and Public Affairs Manager Eliza Adams attended a legislative briefing event organized by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless on House Bill 4015/Senate Bill 475, An Act promoting housing stability for older adults across the Commonwealth. If passed, this legislation would expand the bridge subsidy program for low-income older adults, allowing them to receive rental assistance and remain in place while they await approval for long-term subsidized housing. We're fortunate to have a pilot program already underway in Somerville, where we've seen firsthand the powerful impact it has in helping older adults remain stably housed.

Thank you to the day’s legislative hosts and lead sponsors, Senator Pat Jehlen and Representative Shirley Arriaga! Kudos to the team from the Somerville Office of Housing Stability for offering key data and insights from Somerville’s pilot program. We’re also deeply grateful for the older adults who shared their powerful stories with us.

Thanks so much to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless for your strong advocacy on such an important issue!

10/15/2025

We were proud to celebrate Hispanic and Latine heritage this past month!

While we celebrate Hispanic and Latine communities year round, this is a special time to recognize the histories, cultures and contributions of people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

SCES is dedicated to providing culturally competent services to Hispanic and Latine older adults in our service area. One way we achieve this is through Caribbean home delivered meals, catered by City Fresh Foods. Meals are delivered each weekday and can include dishes like beef picadillo, pernil, Caribbean fish curry and much more!

View our latest menus and request home delivered meals here: www.eldercare.org/find-what-you-need/nutrition_and_meals/home-delivered-meals/.

10/10/2025

We were honored to welcome Secretary Kiame Mahaniah from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Secretary Robin Lipson from the Executive Office of Aging & Independence, and senior staff members to Cambridge Court, one of SCES’s Supportive Living sites. We discussed the importance of this model in enabling older adults to age with dignity and choice in the communities they call home.

We were also thrilled to be joined by Vincent McCarthy, Director of Client Services at the Cambridge Council on Aging, who led a calming meditation and mandala drawing session for attendees and building residents. The day was complete with a delicious lunch catered by the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center, one of our Home Delivered Meals vendors.

Thank you to meeting attendees as well as the Cambridge Court team who provide person-centered care every day!

10/09/2025

SCES’ President & CEO Marta Corvêlo, Chief External Affairs Officer Colleen Morrissey, and Communications and Public Affairs Manager Eliza Adams were pleased to attend this week's “Solutions to Massachusetts’ Healthcare Workforce Challenges” event. The day began with powerful opening remarks from David Seltz of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, who shared compelling data that underscored the urgency of the workforce crisis.

The first panel featured leaders from Johnson & Johnson, the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, and Massachusetts General Hospital, who discussed the real-world impacts of the crisis and highlighted potential solutions. The second panel brought legislative insights from State Senator Cindy Friedman and Representative John Lawn, who outlined efforts underway at the State House to address these systemic challenges.

Thank you to the day’s speakers for such an engaging, thought-provoking discussion, and thanks to State House News Service, MASSterList, and Johnson & Johnson for putting on this timely and important event!

10/07/2025

SCES’ Giovannie Betrand, Community Support Services Team Leader, and Eliza Adams, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, were thrilled to table along with Nora Willcutts, Director, Information, Referral and Intake at Mystic Valley Elder Services, during last weekend’s Tufts University Community Day event! The event brought together community organizations, Tufts student clubs, faculty departments, and more for a day of activities, music, performances, and delicious food.

Thank you to Tufts University for including us in this year’s event!

10/06/2025

We’re excited to recognize Digital Inclusion Week! This week is a time to celebrate and amplify efforts that close the digital divide. Technology access is important for people of all ages and plays a critical role in our lives, helping us stay connected and engaged in our communities.

SCES’ Tech Access team is proud to offer virtual workshops that can be accessed anytime, anywhere! The easy-to-follow videos cover useful skills, like setting up an online social security account, using accessibility features and avoiding scams.

Visit www.youtube.com/-cambridgeelders8907 to learn more!

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services' Technology Access Program (TAP) offers older adults technology training with opportunities for skill building, informati...

10/03/2025

Thanks to Mass Aging Access for hosting another great Fall Conference! SCES joined other aging services professionals to learn about and discuss the policy shifts, challenges and evolving consumer needs that face our network.

During the conference, SCES Chief Clinical Integration Officer Annie Fowler presented on developing a client code of conduct alongside Deb Nugnes from Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands and Danielle Williams from South Shore Elder Services.

10/02/2025

The Cambridge Public Health Department is hosting public clinics for flu and COVID-19 vaccines this month!

CPHD urges all residents who are eligible to get vaccinated this fall against flu and COVID-19. Everyone aged 6 months and older is eligible to receive both flu and COVID-19 vaccines in Massachusetts.

Check the vaccine clinic schedule and register for an appointment on the CPHD website: www.cambridgepublichealth.org/services/get-vaccinated.

09/30/2025

Last week, we held a pizza party social at one of SCES’ Supportive Living sites to celebrate Good Neighbor Day! SCES staff along with our partners at Action for Boston Community Development's Foster Grandparents Program built connection among residents through food, music, and engaging conversational activities.

Celebrated each September, Good Neighbor Day cultivates a culture of kindness and belonging through organized activities statewide that foster connections across communities. Thank you to the Coalition to Build Community and End Loneliness in Massachusetts for leading this annual campaign!

We’d like to give a big shout-out and thank you to our friends at Sacco's Bowl Haven at American Flatbread Somerville for donating pizzas and salad for this event!

09/29/2025

September is National Senior Center Month! Did you know that more than 11,000 senior centers support over 1 million older adults across the country every day?

Here at SCES, we are lucky to work alongside both the Somerville Council on Aging and the Cambridge Council on Aging! Through these partnerships, SCES brings programming, meals and educational opportunities to the Cambridge and Somerville senior centers and local residents. Programs like congregate meals help promote food security and provide opportunities for socializing. Skills workshops and drop-in sessions hosted by our Tech Access Program build tech proficiency and promote social connection in a fun, low pressure environment.

Thank you, Cambridge Senior Center and Somerville Senior Center for all you do to make our cities great places to live!

09/26/2025

Looking for a way to brighten someone’s day? There’s still time to support our Home Delivered Meals program by purchasing an $11.99 Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet at the Stop & Shop located at 105 Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville! $1 from each Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet sold in September will be donated to SCES.

SCES offers home delivered meals that are culturally appropriate and that suit a variety of dietary and medical needs. In a recent consumer survey, 86% of respondents said that the meals support their independence!

09/24/2025

September 22 marked the beginning of , a national effort to raise awareness on falls and their prevention. Here at SCES, we are committed to ensuring that the older adults in our community have access to fall prevention resources, especially because older adults are particularly vulnerable to dangerous falls.

Stay Strong, one of our many in-home programs, is a one-on-one service aimed at improving strength and balance to reduce the risk of falls and increase the participant’s ability to safely leave the home.

Facts about falls and older adults in the U.S.:
• 1 in 4 older adults fall every year in the U.S.
• Over half of all falls that occur in the U.S. each year take place at home
• Every 11 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency room for a fall-related injury, making it the leading cause of injury among older adults
• Falls are the most common cause of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Falling once doubles your chances of falling again

Together, we can raise awareness about falls prevention and ensure that our older adult population has access to the resources and support they need to remain safe and fall-free. If you have any questions or concerns, SCES is available to help in any way possible.