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Contacts for Older Adults and People with Disabilities Needing Non-Medical Emergency Assistance

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: 
Sonja Sheasley, Communications Manager
508‐375‐6896
sonja.sheasley@capecod.gov

Barnstable, Massachusetts, March 30, 2020 – The Barnstable County Department of Human Services, in service to the Barnstable County Incident Command COVID-19 response, wishes to bring to the public’s attention the following information for seniors and disabled persons needing non-medical emergency assistance:

For all medical emergencies call 911.

Older adults or people with disabilities needing non-medical emergency assistance and who cannot contact family, friends, or neighbors for help are advised to contact the following agencies:

Older Adults (Age 60+):

**Elder Services of Cape Cod & the Islands (ESCCI):

800-244-4630 or 508-394-4630, Monday through Friday, or email: info@escci.org.

Designated as an essential business, ESCCI is open and fully operational and is continuing to provide all of our services to the community including Information and Referral (I&R), Meals on Wheels, Home Care, Family Caregiver, and Protective Services.

The I&R Department is a central source of information on all services available to older adults on the Cape and Islands and is the entry point for referrals to Elder Services programs.  I&R staff can receive calls from seniors themselves, from their family members or neighbors, from service providers and healthcare providers, and from the staff of Cape and Islands’ towns.

For referrals to ESCCI programs on general information on community resources, please contact the ESCCI Information and Referral (I&R) Department: 800-244-4630 or 508-394-4630, X 281, Monday through Friday, or email: info@escci.org.

**Your town’s Council on Aging (see list with contact numbers below).

During this public health emergency period, many Councils on Aging are providing information and referral and some important services to older adults in their communities, even though the Senior Centers are closed to the public.  Please contact your COA to find out what resources may be available in your town.

People with Disabilities:

**Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD):

800-541-0282; 508-775-8300 (V/TTY); cordinfo@cilcapecod.org; https://www.facebook.com/pg/cordcapecod/posts/?ref=page_internal

CORD is the non-profit organization that advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities on Cape Cod and the Islands and provides services and advocacy.

CORD provides:

—Information and referral services for people with disabilities about disability-related issues, resources, and benefits;

—Peer Support: Support and assistance with problem-solving among people with disabilities;

—Advocacy: CORD provides individual and systemic advocacy to assist and better equip people to confront barriers, such as discrimination, lack of access, and unresponsive service systems.

—Options Counseling: CORD provides short-term decision support to people with disabilities needing information on long-term care services. Options Counseling is a service of the ADRC* of Cape Cod & the Islands.

—Technical Assistance: CORD provides technical assistance to the general community, including businesses, agencies, and governments on services, resources and the rights of people with disabilities.

* Aging and Disability Resource Consortium (ADRC): CORD and Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands (ESCCI) have joined together to form the ADRC of Cape Cod and the Islands, a “no wrong door” point of service for people with disabilities and elders on the Cape and Islands.

The COAs, ESCCI, and CORD work collaboratively to identify and serve the spectrum of needs among Cape Cod’s seniors and disabled residents.

For current information on the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) please visit the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment’s website:  barnstablecountyhealth.org. If you have questions or concerns, please email COVID-19@capecod.gov.

Town COA or Senior Center Telephone
Barnstable Adult Community Center 508-862-4750
(Leave message)
Bourne Council on Aging 508-759-0600
(Extension 5226)
Brewster Council on Aging 508-896-2737
(Press 6)
Chatham Senior Center 508-945-5190
Dennis Senior Center 508-385-5067
Eastham Senior Center 508-255-6164
Falmouth Senior Center 508-540-0196
Harwich Council on Aging 508-430-7550
Mashpee Senior Center 508-539-1440
(Press 2)
Orleans Council on Aging 508-255-6333
Provincetown Council on Aging 508-487-7080
(Press 0, Leave Message)
Sandwich Council on Aging 508-888-4737
Truro Council on Aging 508- 487-2462
(Press 3)
Wellfleet Senior Center 508-349-0313
(Leave Message)
Yarmouth Senior Center 508-394-7606
(Dial x1335)
Nantucket Senior Center (Saltmarsh) 508-228-4490
(Leave message)
Edgartown Council on Aging 508-627-4368
(Leave message)
Tisbury Senior Center (508) 696-4205
(Leave message)

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Creating a Healthy Connected Cape Cod The Mission of the Department of Human Services is to plan, develop, and implement programs which enhance the overall delivery of human services in Barnstable County and promote the health and social well-being of County residents through regional efforts that improve coordination of services