About Us

Mission

The mission of Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. is to provide Berkshire elders, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and self-determination, and to achieve the highest possible quality of life. Elder Services practices nondiscrimination in employment practices and service delivery. Embracing diversity, our in-home and community-based services are available to all without regard to race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle.

Statement of Inclusion

Elder Services embraces diversity and practices nondiscrimination in employment practices and service delivery. Our in-home and community-based services are available to all without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, age, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

In 1974, Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. was established as a private, non-profit Home Care Corporation, and in 1975 was designated as an Area Agency on Aging in accordance with the Older Americans Act. In 1997, Elder Services was designated by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to be the Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) for all of Berkshire County. Services offered to seniors include Information and Referral, Care Management, Respite Care, Homemaker, Home Health Assistance, Healthy Aging Programs, and MassHealth Nursing Home Pre-screening. The agency also offers Housing Options, Long Term Care Ombudsman, and Money Management. The Volunteer Program serves more than thirty-six hundred elders annually with a corps of over 200 volunteers.

Every four years the agency identifies the priority needs of Berkshire County’s seniors and plans and develops services to address these needs. Each month, more than 1,000 elders receive in-home services, authorized by case managers. Each day approximately 950 meals are prepared in Elder Services’ own kitchen. Each year, over 45,000 meals are served at our 15 senior meal sites, while over 220,000 Meals on Wheels are hand-delivered to Berkshire seniors. The agency publishes a bi-monthly newspaper, the Berkshire Senior, which is circulated to 11,000 individuals throughout the county.

In pursuing our mission, we collaborate with local Councils on Aging, senior centers, certified home health agencies and social day care programs, mental health agencies, long-term care facilities, and all area hospitals.

Elder Services, Berkshire County’s Aging Services Access Point, allows convenient access to such resources as enhanced seniors nutrition, housing options, in-home and nursing home ombudsman, and information on senior programs and services throughout the county and state.