Council on Aging

The Shrewsbury Council on Aging (SCOA) is a human service department of the town, which serves the needs and issues of Shrewsbury's seniors, age 60, and over, or families with senior issues. The department is overseen by the Town Manager who appoints a seven-member board, made up of volunteers, who meet monthly and work with the Director to continuously evaluate and update programs and senior needs.

If you are seeking assistance for a senior citizen, please read our Caregiver Information and call our office for help.

We work closely with:

Elder Services of Worcester, Inc. (our regional Aging Service Access Point: ASAP)
Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Boston (the Commonwealth of Massachusetts oversight office)
Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging, West Boylston (our regional Area Agency on Aging:AAA)

We also work closely with departments and agencies within town, such as Parks and Recreation, the Health Department, Shrewsbury Community Services, Shrewsbury Public Access, and the Police Department.

Funding

SCOA receives funding by:

local tax dollars appropriated at the Annual Town Meeting
grants, the largest being an annual grant given by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs in Boston where a dollar amount is given per senior in town
donations received through the Friends organization
donations received through area business and individuals

The Friends of the Shrewsbury Senior Center, Inc. is the fundraising arm of the organization that can also supplement the department's budget and offer other support. This vital organization allows the Senior Center to mail the Council on Aging Newsletter to every senior in town, purchase equipment and pay for other special events or needs.