Old Colony Elderly Services Nominates Family Caregiver - Donna Dibbern Receives Award from State

DATELINE: BROCKTON AND HALIFAX, MA… Old Colony Elderly Services, Inc. (OCES) one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the state, recently nominated Donna Dibbern, a resident of Halifax, MA, for the Massachusetts Family Caregivers Award.

Ms. Dibbern is a family caregiver who cares for multiple family members. In addition to meeting her loved ones’ needs, she passionately advocates for all caregivers in need of support services.

On November 15th, Ms. Dibbern was honored at the Family Caregiver’s Awards Ceremony held at the State House. She was recognized for her dedication to caring for her family members as well as advocating for caregivers with a citation from the Secretary of Elders Affairs, Mike Festa.

“Donna cares for several of her family members and is very much a positive force in seeing that caregivers receive support from their communities. She has firsthand knowledge of a family caregiver’s challenges and is committed to helping others cope. Donna is well-deserving of this award,” explained Diana L. DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES.

The Family Caregiver Awards event marks “Family Caregiver’s Month” in Massachusetts and is sponsored by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and Mass Home Care.

According to the National Family Caregivers Association & Family Caregiver Alliance (2006), there are at least 650,636 caregivers in Massachusetts who dedicate a total of 697 million caregiving hours per year.

About Old Colony Elderly Services
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The organization’s mission is to provide services which will support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 110 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oc-elderly.org.