Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home

Community Connections Winter 2014

In This Issue

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley - Where Education Leads the Way

Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease - What to Look for in a Facility

St. Monica Parish and St. Lucy's Church - Common Goals to Strengthen and Grow Under Pastor, Monsignor William Fay

FAQ: "When planning a cremation, what options are available for a service?"

"Before, During and

After A Loss"

Assistance Available for Seniors Who Ride

EZ Trans

Thanks to a Methuen Council on Aging grant, funded by the HUD, Methuen seniors who use the EZ Trans program can apply for reduced fare ticket books.

Available only through the Methuen Council on Aging office, EZ Trans Tickets can be purchased for half-price to income-eligible seniors.

To participate, residents must provide proof of age and household income. Call 978-983-8825 for more information or stop by the office at 77 Lowell Street.

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley - Where Education Leads the Way

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley is a private non-profit agency that serves elderly and disabled adults who live in Northeast Massachusetts. Elder Services' care managers and nurses work with thousands of people each day to help them make their own decisions, secure their independence, and continue to live safely in their communities and homes.

Associate Executive Director Anne Proli Cataldo says, "Helping people secure services in their own homes isn't just the mission of our organization; it is a national mission. We believe that individuals deserve a choice of where they get their services. Nursing homes serve an absolute need when individuals can no longer stay in their own homes, but it shouldn't be the first resort. Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley gives services around the clock; our more than 70 services providers support caregivers and cover weekends."

Anne said the most important service Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley provides is education. The ESMV Age Information Department handles 3,000 calls per month with answers to questions on a national, state, and local level. She explained, "You do not need to be a consumer of ours to get information. We believe consumers need to be empowered to make the right decisions for them- selves, but they need the right information. We don't tell our consumers what services we think they need; our job is to educate consumers and allow them to make their own decisions. Our social workers and nurses do an assessment and inform our consumers about their situations, risks, and the resources available to them, so they can make informed decisions. We act with elders and their families as problem-solvers."

Very often the services provided are supplemental in nature, such as having someone make meals, do laundry, clean the house, or provide medical transportation. Special equipment may be needed, such as a Hoyer lift to assist in getting in and out of bed. The home care program is based on State eligibility requirements that consider age, income, and need.

Anne emphasized, "We encourage everyone - consumers and family members - to call with questions. Don't censor yourself; if you are worried about an elder, call 800-892-0890 and ask for our Age Information Department. If desired, we'll send out a professional who is trained to complete an assessment to determine what the needs are and to create a plan to provide services for those needs. There is no obligation."

ESMV representatives often go to church groups, police departments, women's groups, councils on aging, and professional groups to present informational seminars on a variety of topics of interest. Anyone interested in learning more about having an Elder Services representative present a program to their group is invited to call Patty Fernandez, Director of Development at 800-892-0890.

The public is also invited to attend the 26th Annual Merrimack Valley Alzheimer's Conference, the largest conference of its type north of Boston. The conference will be held on Saturday, May 3rd at Northern Essex Community College Technology Center in Haverhill, MA. Anne stressed, "Although the conference is 4 months away, I urge all who might like to attend to save the date. The theme this year is 'Caregiving with Confidence ... where to start and how to continue.' This is a supportive and educational forum for caregivers and professionals who work with or care for those with Alzheimer's disease. It is free for the caregiver and on-site respite care is provided. More information can be obtained at our website as we get closer to the date."

Caring for a Loved One
with Alzheimer's Disease -
What to Look for in a Facility

An Alzheimer's Care facility should provide more than a safe environment for those suffering with Alzheimer's. An ideal care facility provides socialization and nursing care, and supports both physical and cognitive functioning with activities designed to exercise both body and mind.

The staff should be team-led by highly skilled professionals that involve family members in a creative approach to care giving. Look for support groups and ongoing education programs so that you and other family caregivers can learn to better understand Alzheimer's disease and other memory disorders. If you have a loved one who is dealing with dementia, Alzheimer's, memory loss, unsafe behaviors, confusion, or poor judgement, you may want to contact one of the Alzheimer's Care facilities listed below for more information.

Nevins Alzheimer's Family Care Center

12 Ingalls Court, Methuen - 978-682-7611

Halcyon House

175 Berkeley Street, Methuen- 978-685-5505

Methuen Village

4 Gleason Street, Methuen - 978-685-2220

Ashland Farm at North Andover

700 Chickering Road
North Andover - 978-291-5071

Atria Marland Place

15 Stevens Street, Andover - 978-475-4225

Haverhill Crossings

254 Amesbury Road, Haverhill - 978-228-5039

Monsignor William Fay

St. Monica Parish and
St. Lucy Church - Common Goals to Strengthen and Grow Under Pastor, Monsignor William Fay

While the history of St. Monica's Church dates back to the late 19th century, it wasn't until 1917 that it became an official parish in Methuen. Two years later, Rev. James J. Farrelly became the congregation's first Pastor. Fast forward thirty-eight years, in October 1957, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the construction of St. Monica School, serving grades K-8.

In 1997, a new church was built on the same site as the school to accommodate the needs of a growing congregation. The church and school are located at 212 Lawrence Street in Methuen.

A ten-minute drive away on the east side of Rt. 495, is the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Lucy, which was established in 1958. Construction of the church building began in October of that year, just 12 months after
St. Monica's School.

Located at 254 Merrimack Street in Methuen, St. Lucy's celebrated its first Mass in December, 1959. Prior to that, services were held at the Chapel Furniture Store on Merrimack Street.

These two parishes, while independent, are united under Monsignor William Fay, who in June of 2013, was assigned by Sean Patrick Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, to serve as Pastor to both.

"I am currently in the process of learning how both parishes can work together, with two major goals in mind," said Monsignor Fay. "We need to reach out to those who haven't been active in the Catholic Church and to those who may have been away for awhile, to bring them into an active life in the church. We are forming a new evangelism to reach out to Catholics to help them strengthen their faith," he explained.

The second goal involves reaching out to men to highlight the priesthood as a vocation. Monsignor Fay added, "The heart of the Catholic community is the Sunday Mass or Eucharist. We need priests to celebrate the Mass - we don't have as many as we need to provide a pastor for every parish. More and more pastors are being assigned to two parishes."

To that end, two Discernment Retreats are planned. A Discernment Retreat is an opportunity for any man considering the possibility of a call to the priesthood to meet and talk with seminarians, see the seminary, and hear conferences and homilies by Cardinal Sean O'Malley.

Friday, February 7th, through Sunday, February 9th, Retreats are offered for men age 18 - 40 at both Connors Family Retreat Center in Dover, MA, and at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, MA.

A retreat is also planned February 7th through February 8th for men age 40 and older to be held at Blessed John XXIII Seminary in Weston, MA.

In addition, there will be a special gathering for young men and their parish priests, high school chaplains, campus ministers, or other spiritual leaders to join together with the Vocation Office, seminarians and Cardinal Sean O'Malley for dinner and a short presentation about the priesthood. The St. Andrew Dinner is planned for Tuesday, January 28th, at 6 pm at St. Andrew Parish in Billerica, MA.

Call Fr. Daniel Hennessey at 617-746-5949 or email dhennessey@rcab.org for more information about any of the Discernment Retreats or St. Andrew Dinner. Monsignor Fay commented, "We see more men coming to the priesthood at an older age than in the past. They are finding their calling later in life and we welcome anyone who wants to explore the priesthood as a vocation."

Monsignor Fay added, "Pope Francis is very much a welcoming Pope, who wants us to seek creative ways to get people back to the Church ... and to reach out to and inform those who may have a calling to the religious life of entering the priesthood or serving the Church as a nun. His Holiness is a good and charismatic man. People are excited about him and that is good for the Church."

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Frequently Asked Questions

"When planning a cremation, what options are

available for a service?"

One of the important things to remember is that choosing cremation does not limit your ceremonial choices in any way.

You can have a traditional funeral service if you desire and it can be held before or after the cremation. A service before cremation gives you the choice of whether or not to include a visitation with open casket. Many families choose to have a traditional visitation before cremation. Having the deceased's body present gives a sense of acceptance and closure and provides a way for the family to have a memorable final farewell.

You may prefer to have a funeral or memorial service after cremation with the cremated remains present in an urn or other special container. Many families choose to preserve their loved one's remains in an urn to keep at home and pass down to the next generation. The remains can be divided among several small urns and given to members of the family.

Some people prefer to bury the remains and others elect to spread the ashes in a special place that may be particularly meaningful. You can also use a biodegradable urn that can be placed in water. There may be laws that govern where, how, and when remains can be spread, so this option should be discussed with your funeral director.

In the recent past, other options have become available after cremation. One is to place a small amount of the remains in a piece of "memory" jewelry. A pendant or ring with a small opening is used to hold the ashes and can be worn by a family member.

Your funeral director can help you make these decisions and to plan a funeral service that is a meaningful and loving tribute. If you have any questions about cremation, please call a Charles F. Dewhirst funeral director at 978-687-1333. We'll be happy to discuss the options available to you.

About Us

The Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home in Methuen, along with its two other locations in MA and one in Salem NH, offer over 100 years of combined experience in meeting your family's emotional, spiritual and financial needs. We are available to answer your questions and welcome your call at 978-687-1333 or visit us at www.dewhirstfuneral.com.