NORTH SMITHFIELD – With efforts to launch a town-based entity to provide comprehensive services to seniors in North Smithfield still in planning, Town Administrator Scott Gibbs said this week that ongoing classes and other offerings at Scouter’s Hall will continue as a part of town operations.
The plan comes in a year of transition for the town’s senior programing, which has long been offered at Scouter’s under the auspices of Woonsocket-based Aging Well. Senior Advocate Linda Thibault has run a variety of exercise and other classes at the facility while serving as the co-director of Aging Well’s wellness program, a position she held for some 16 years.
That arrangement changed when Thibeault left the organization in April, but at Scouter’s, activities continued. Thibault said the facility currently offers classes every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
“We have a very robust schedule going there already,” she told councilors at their meeting on Monday, July 21.
The plan for how to serve North Smithfield’s seniors was something of a concern for councilors during budget deliberations last month. Last year, the town allocated $40,000 to Aging Well with the help of a $20,000 grant as part of a long-standing partnership that saw offerings at both Social Street in Woonsocket and satellite classes in town, with Thibault splitting her time between the two.
After her abrupt departure in April, Thibault approached the Budget Committee to request that funding be kept in town and used to begin a North Smithfield-based program. But with the details as to how that program might operate still in planning, some were skeptical of what could be done with the limited funding.
In June, Aging Well Executive Director Ryan MacLeod clarified to NRI NOW that North Smithfield residents are still welcome to use the organization’s services, noting that in past years, the town’s contribution helped to offset the cost of senior meals, but was not critical to operations.
Councilors ultimately approved a donation of $5,000 to Aging Well this year, money that is also used to support a meals program at The Meadows apartment complex.
Another $40,000 stayed in town to be dedicated to seniors, paying for staff to run the various classes at Scouter’s Hall.
“Essentially it’s a part of town operations,” said Gibbs. “Linda and her group will be paid stipends.”
Gibbs compared the arrangement to how the town runs Camp Phoenix.
“We can continue to do that within the budget that the town appropriated,” said Gibbs. “I think it’s a really nice simple way to get going, not lose any headway right now.”
Meanwhile, Thibault will continue her work to launch a new nonprofit to takeover the services next year. She has already found several people who want to serve on the new organization’s board – including the former president and treasurer of Aging Well.
“My hope is that we can create an internal or an external organization that works for the town,” said Gibbs, noting the organization can take over operations of the new Halliwell multi-generational center, once it’s built. “That’s the goal. We have enough time now, we can start putting the pieces together on that.”
“People have to understand – and I’m not saying this for any other reasons other than clarity – that Linda is the one who developed the senior wellness program for Aging Well,” said Gibbs. “She set it up. She ran it.”
Councilor John Beauregard pointed out that the person she tapped to run Zumba classes at Scouter’s is a former rockette.
“Now she’s at Scouter’s Hall doing Zumba,” he said.
Thibault said she has plans to add three more classes at Scouter’s in the coming months through collaborations with organizations including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the University of Rhode Island at no cost to the town. In addition to a quilting and mahjong groups, there will be courses on things such as cooking and nutrition. She also plans to start offering meals a few days a week at a cost of $3 each, just as she did with Aging Well.
“Wednesday will be education day,” she said.
In September, the Scouter’s group will celebrate National Senior Center Month and they’ll also host a veterans appreciation dinner in November.
“I have funding for that already, and a place,” Thibault said. “We’re moving forward.”
Councilor Rebecca DeChristofaro was one of several to thank Thibault for her work. In addition to planning for the launch of the new organization, Thibault has been coordinating instructors and running classes at Scouter’s on a volunteer basis since the change in April.
“I would love for us to have our own senior program, and I think this is getting us much closer to having that in house,” DeCristofaro said.
Aging Well will also continue to serve North Smithfield residents, with meals, as dictated by state law, sold for $3 to anyone who meets the requirements and is age 60 or older.
“Anybody can go into any senior center in Rhode Island,” explained Thibault. “You don’t need to be a member to have a meal.”
She said that although it was sad when she left the Woonsocket organization, some of the people have followed her.
“We have Woonsocket people that come to Scouter’s Hall,” Thibault said. “Lots of people have stepped up to say they want to help me. It’s a work in progress.”
“I think people are starting to realize what I’ve known for a long time: That we’re lucky to have you,” said Beauregard.
Thibault, now 81, is also co-chairperson of the Halliwell Multi-Generational Building Committee working on the project to build the town’s new center at the former Halliwell School property. Once complete, the multi-generational center will satisfy her longtime goal of creating a space and consistent in-town services for North Smithfield’s older population.
“As soon as that new center is built we can just move right on over there,” she said. “I think it’s going to be great, and the center we’re going to have to house this is going to be the best in the state.”
So if nothing is written on the progress of the center, then ppl balk. If progress is reported, by the very persons who are out to see it to fruition, ppl balk. She is not tooting her own horn, but rather wanting to see a center happen. Suggestions.
How many of us left a job because of differences of some kind? Look into what ppl in Woonsocket are saying about the new changes, many not happy. So, unless one wants to step up to the plate and do better, or anything at all for that matter, accept those that are living and breathing wanting a better life for NS seniors, for YOU. Appreciation and respect goes a long way!
I have looked into it. The only people who are not happy about La Placita at Aging Well are people who seem to disagree with the whole concept of even offering programming catering and embracing the culture of Spanish language speakers. You know, bigots.
People completely ignoring that Woonsocket is 25% hispanic. People that are completely ignorant of the fact that Woondocket was at one point a very French-speaking city. Some of those same people saying that Aging Well should be offering English classes instead, literally reminissed about all the old French speakers. It’s bigotry.
I love it. The diversity makes it wonderful and fun. Cooking, making things unique to a culture, teaching, sharing, enriching each other in so many ways, who can complain about that! Funny how ppl deny themselves happiness due to closed minds and hearts, and prejudice.
Reading about the center and the new inclusive changes taking place in Woonsocket, ppl need to embrace the forward thinking and positive growth. But NS has a hard time with that it seems.
Ms. Thibault has said and has been quoted as saying that she left Aging Well due to “philosophical differences.” Everyone that has been associated with Aging Well, past and present, understands that those differences include that organizations new design philosophy to become more culturally inclusive. One need only watch the Halliwell Multi-Generational meetings to see Ms. Thibault’s chagrin at including a food pantry in that new facility. Now, the town feels the need to bring in all of Ms Thibault’s former cohorts at Aging Well, including the former Executive Director? Preference should be given to those that understand that the world has changed as have the needs of all seniors.
Funding sources including federal government programs, private foundations and business entities more generously fund programs that focus on inclusion and diversity and this needs to be clearly demonstrated by data. Our efforts should focus on bridging and building cultural inclusiveness as exemplified by our neighbors in Woonsocket.
Can you explain more about the ‘differences’ Thibeault had regarding inclusivity? I have not heard or seen anything about this yet.
Please review the meetings of the Halliwell Multi-Generational Committee and all the recent articles posted in both this website the Valley Breeze. A new much younger Executive Director was hired at Aging Well within the last six months and took that organization in a very different direction, diversifying programmatic activities as noted again, by Fred Kent.
Linda Thibault should stop with all this self-promotion and get off her high horse. All that I hear in these articles is about her and her legacy. Who is her public relations firm? Where does she get off with all this bashing of Aging Well & the new leadership there? All that I’ve heard about is the new welcoming vibe, the fun NEW programs being offered there and how great that the space looks. Someone even told me that they are even having a pickle ball court built! How exciting for the Woonsocket Seniors The new Spanish Program looked amazing on the Channel 12’news. Linda Thibault should focus her time and energy on getting the new senior center built for the North Smithfield seniors and less time on patting herself on the back. It would be nice to see an article about the new recreation area being built at Aging Well or the new Spanish Program there versus repeating this same old story every few weeks.
Thanks!
FK
I’m a little confused by those saying they have seen this story before as the point of it is an update on the town’s effort to create a new organization serving North Smithfield seniors including the latest decision on allocation of resources – and that’s all new information from the last meeting. It is somewhat flattering toward Linda because we quote town officials – who all had positive things to say about her efforts. Also, it is worth noting that I have not heard her say anything negative about Aging Well. To my knowledge she has only said she left due to the change in leadership. And we have not written about everything happening at Aging Well because this publication does not cover Woonsocket at this point. Some Woonsocket-related news inevitably gets in, of course, because they’re our neighbors, but a feature on the changes would not take priority over what’s happening in North Smithfield.
Sandy, other than Linda taking over programming, what is new, and what has changed? The same individuals that are providing services to seniors now, are the same people that have been providing services to seniors both in Woonsocket and at Scouter’s Hall for years. There is absolutely no difference in services. Additionally, the programs offered by URI School of Pharmacy, BCBS are also offered in Woonsocket and will be added here, as they are in Woonsocket, at no additional cost. The only change, I can personally note, is more liability. I do applaud the TC and TA praising the effort, however, none of them, except John has either participated in, nor served in any capacity in the field of aging. Having served in the field and having been a member of the Board of Directors of both Senior Services and Aging Well and numerous other Aging related organizations, the field is evolving constantly and the same cannot be said about this effort.
While this is kind of a silly thing to respond to, here’s some of the information that had not appeared in this publication previously:
– The Town Council budgeted $40,000 toward in town senior services and approved a $5,000 donation to Aging Well.
– Senior advocate Linda Thibault has continued to manage and schedule ongoing senior programming at Scouter’s Hall without pay since April
– Progress has been made toward creating an in-town program to handle senior services on a more permanent basis, but it is not up and running yet and the funding that has been allocated will be used for stipends to pay staff that continues to offer classes.
– New classes and meals will soon be coming to Scouter’s
– Former executives at Aging Well have expressed interest in serving on the board of the new North Smithfield entity
Have read this story way too many times….
Pls stop repeating story…..Senior services used by way too few to warrant its apparent importance…
Just my opinion as a 77 year old Senior who will probably never make use of these programs….thx
I encourage you to attend one of the classes held at Scouters Hall on M,T, R, and F. When you see the attendance by all the seniors I believe you will look at this very differently.
My late parent sure would have loved to go. Had there been transportation and knowledge. Not all seniors have computers, heck even cell tels are hated by some even though issued free by the state. Flyers given of activities other than via computer? That would be nice. Just a thought……
You can sit home and vegetate as they say, but it’s good to mingle. Keep the brain active and the muscles limber! Just as Mr B suggested, you just might love it outside of the home a wee bit! Change of pace! More friends! Laughs!