BERNARDSTON — The Bernardston Senior Center will soon extend a helping hand to seniors in neighboring towns thanks to a $25,000 Service Incentive Grant from the Massachusetts Councils on Aging and state Executive Office of Elder Affairs. 

The grant pays for Bev Boykan’s services as the senior center’s program assistant for 15 hours per week, in addition to Matt Aversa’s salary for 10 hours per week, according to Bernardston Senior Center director Jennifer Reynolds. Aversa, a retired social worker and Bernardston resident, started as an outreach coordinator on Aug. 1. He is helping seniors connect with resources like fuel assistance, the Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders or “SHINE” program, support groups, and Meals on Wheels along with other LifePath resources, Aversa explained. 

So far, he has met with directors of Councils on Aging in Northfield, Greenfield, Gill, and Turner Falls to discuss the specific needs for local seniors and pick the best times for him to visit and meet with senior residents. He plans to visit Leyden as well within the next week.

Aversa said reminding seniors that they are not alone will support their independence.

“People are able to pay for fuel and still live in their home … One thing I’ve learned as a social worker is it’s much cheaper for people to be able to stay in their home and get services than it is for them to go into a nursing home, so I’m trying to keep people as independent as possible in their own homes,” he said. 

“It basically is to develop outreach offerings to increase the number of people that we can help,” Reynolds said. 

Both Reynolds and Aversa agreed that the outreach will lift some weight off the shoulders of local Councils on Aging directors and fill gaps in support in towns without senior centers like Leyden.

“I noticed a great need for it in the community… As directors, we get busy, so it’s nice to have somebody else assist with these things, and sometimes it’s just more comfortable when you have a few choices of who you can talk to,” Reynolds said.

Referring to senior center directors, Aversa said, “It gives them an opportunity to call on somebody.”

Considering that the Bernardston Senior Center already has an outreach coordinator, Donna DePretto, Reynolds said Aversa will work until the end of next June, but she hopes to receive more grant funding in the meantime to continue his position.