By Nicole Long, MSW, LICSW,
CEO of Old Colony Elder Services

In 50 years, what can be achieved?
OCES is commemorating our “50 Years of Care and Collaboration” by highlighting others who also are striving to create a better community. We urge you to nominate a colleague or organization who deserves recognition.
OCES helps keep individuals healthy, safe, and independent so that they can thrive at home and in their community. Last year alone, OCES provided essential services and supports to more than 25,286 older adults and people with disabilities living in greater Plymouth County.
For example, older adults in need of light housekeeping, laundry, and grocery shopping may receive homemaker services. Personal care assistance is available for those who need help with bathing and dressing. Older adults who are having difficulty balancing their checkbook and keeping track of monthly expenses and bill paying may receive Money Management Program assistance. Homebound individuals who are unable to prepare their own meals or who need medically tailored meals (low sodium, cardiac, etc.) can benefit from nutritionally-sound home delivered meals through Meals on Wheels.
These are just a few in-home services that OCES, in collaboration with our service providers, offers to consumers in need.
OCES provides life-supporting care through a broad range of services and programs such as Adult Family Care, Behavioral Health, Caregiver Support, Community Housing Options, Adult Protective Services, Health Insurance and Budget Guidance, Life Planning at Any Age, and Nutrition.
Milestones
Founded in 1974, OCES continues to grow and evolve. There have been many milestones over the years, including creation of the Greater Brockton Area Hoarding Task Force; establishment of the first supportive housing program in Brockton; and formalization of an internship program with Bridgewater State University. In 2013, the first annual elder abuse awareness event was held in Brockton.
In the years that followed, healthy living workshops, “Buried in Treasures” workshops, caregiver support, and other programs were established. OCES opened a second office in Plymouth that features a dedicated volunteer center for recruitment for OCES, other nonprofits, schools, and agencies in Southeastern Massachusetts. And in 2023, OCES established a behavioral health and wellness program with an Elder Mental Health Outreach Team (EMHOT) that provides behavioral health and wellness supports to older adults and people with disabilities who may be isolated or encounter barriers that limit access to behavioral health care.
Creating better futures
OCES is dedicated to creating better futures for everyone we serve and the larger communities.
As OCES celebrates “50 Years of Care and Collaboration,” we will recognize others who are also striving to create better futures. OCES will spotlight outstanding individuals and organizations whose actions and/or leadership have exemplified care and collaboration.
We invite you to nominate any individual or organization that has positively impacted any community in OCES’s service area; whose actions and/or leadership align with OCES’s mission and vision; and that exemplifies one or more of OCES’s core values.

For full details and to nominate an individual or organization, please visit ocesma.org.

About the Author: Nicole Long is the Chief Executive Officer of Old Colony Elder Services (OCES). Founded in 1974, OCES is a private, non-profit organization proudly serving greater Plymouth County and surrounding communities. OCES is designated as one of 25 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’s mission is to support the independence and dignity of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency offers a number of programs to serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call 508-584-1561 or visit www.ocesma.org.