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Town of Reading RECEIVED <br /> 0 Meeting Minutes TOWN CLERK <br /> READING, MA. <br /> ioard - committee - commission - Council: 2021 APR 27 AM 10: J_ <br /> Council on Aging <br /> Date: 2020-11-17 Time: 6:30 PM <br /> Building: Location: <br /> Address: Session: <br /> Purpose: Version: <br /> Attendees: Members - Present: <br /> Jacquelyn Behenna (Associate Member),Barbara Carney, Joan Coco, Jolyn <br /> Ek, Karen Fotino (Associate Member), Margaret Havey, Sally Hoyt, John <br /> Parsons, Karen Pinette, Thomas Procopio, Sandra Shafer, Marilyn Shapleigh, <br /> Members - Not Present: <br /> Brenda Cashman (Associate Member), Pooja Parsons (Associate Member), <br /> Marie Perrot (Associate Member), Deborah Small <br /> Others Present: <br /> Kevin Bohmiller, Maria Puglielli, Kerry Valle <br /> Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Marilyn Shapleigh <br /> Topics of Discussion; <br /> Note: Meeting was conducted via a Zoom video conference call (Open Session - Remote <br /> Meeting). <br /> Cali to Order by Thomas Procopio at 6:30 p.m. <br /> Acceptance of Minutes from October: Accepted by unanimous roll call. <br /> New Business: <br /> • COVID update - Kevin Bohmiller reported on town efforts to keep residents informed <br /> via the town website and Reading's Mask Up program, emphasizing the need to <br /> comply with the Governor's rules. <br /> • Dementia Friendly Reading's neighborly notes program has been launched to help <br /> keep people connected. The mailbox to the right of the Pleasant Street Center <br /> entrance may be used to drop off notes. <br /> Human & Elder Services Report: <br /> • Kevin Bohmiller reported on the results of the Elder & Human Services survey. The <br /> online survey was distributed via email to residents on the Pleasant Street Center <br /> list; copies were also distributed at the library, Christopher's Restaurant, to <br /> recipients of Meals on Wheels, and other locations. There were 235 responses; all <br /> but 15 via the online survey. The largest number of responses came from people in <br /> the age 65-74 group. Emotional stress and isolation were most frequently identified <br /> as having affected respondents. An open-ended question about the impact of <br /> COVID-19 generated an outpouring of responses which reflected the emotional pain <br /> being experienced by Reading's senior population. Pleasant Street Center staff <br /> members are following up with individuals who provided contact information on the <br /> survey. In response to the question about when people would return to the Pleasant <br /> Page i 1 <br />