This year marks the tenth year for Plympton and Carver TRIAD a group of local elders working together with fire and law enforcement to meet the needs of seniors.
Among the many who attended the event were both Plymouth County D.A Timothy Cruz and Sherriff Joseph McDonald along with local fire and police chiefs.
Plymouth County D.A. Timothy Cruz addressed those in attendance.
“Great job everyone. The seniors, law enforcement and fire working together… it really is a collective group who work together,”
On his public website the TRIAD efforts are described: The Plymouth County TRIAD is a cooperative effort that consists of the district attorney, the sheriff, the local police chief, the local fire chief, the council on aging director, S.A.L.T. council members, seniors, and representatives from the supportive services that assist seniors in their community.
TRIAD assesses the needs of each community separately. Every community that adopts the TRIAD approach is able to tailor the needs of TRIAD to their seniors.
Sheriff Joseph McDonald commended Janine Eaton liaison for the TRIAD program and Resident Service Co-coordinator for Hallkeen Corporation at the Woodlands.
“We appreciate the cooperation and help for all the group has done and the hard work of Janine Eaton because without her there is no us,” said McDonald.
Keynote Speaker Alice Bonner Secretary of Elder services at the executive office of Governor’s affairs said their vision and mission is promoting the independence and empowerment of older adults and people with disabilities and their care givers so they will have access to the resources they need to live well and thrive in their community.
She has been traveling around the state in honor of Older American’s month, which was established by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960’s to recognize the value and importance of adults in our community.
The theme this year is Blaze a Trail.
“There is no better example of blazing a trail than the Duxbury Police chief getting an idea and having you guys really make it happen…then sustaining it for the last ten years,” she said of the TRIAD members.
Bonner urged those in attendance to keep thinking about positive aging… “One of the really important things is being protected from elder abuse, financial exploitation and we need to build communities like this where people are looking out for one another,” she said.
Eaton also thanked longtime group members and founders of Plympton Carver TRIAD Plympton police Sergeant Steven Teri, Heidi Bassett (retired Carver police)Barbara Faherty of D.A .Cruz’s office and Lissa Budge Johnson along with numerous others who have helped run all the programs over the last decade.