"no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness"

"These “breakthrough” infections occurred among people of all ages. Just over 40 percent were in people 60 or older, and 65 percent occurred in women. Twenty-nine percent of infected people reported no symptoms, but 7 percent were hospitalized and just over 1 percent, 74 people, died, according to the CDC.

Public health officials have said breakthrough infections were expected, since manufacturers have warned loudly and often that the vaccines are not 100 percent protective. The Pfizer and Moderna versions have consistently been shown to be above 90 percent effective, most recently for at least six months. Studies have also shown they are nearly 100 percent effective at ensuring that the small fraction of vaccinated patients who do contract the virus will not get severe cases or require hospitalization."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/how-did-that-happen-catching-covid-19-even-after-being-vaccinated/2021/04/23/a31983a6-a21b-11eb-a774-7b47ceb36ee8_story.html

For more info on this from the CDC:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-departments/breakthrough-cases.html

Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children Hosts Virtual Flower Arranging Class

Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children Hosts Virtual Flower Arranging Class – A Wonderful Present for Mother's Day

Looking for an amazing idea for a Mother's Day gift? Something that your mother has never received before? The Greater Attleboro Area Council for Children is hosting an hour-long virtual Flower Arranging Class on Zoom Thursday, May 13 at 6:00 PM.

The class will be led by Debbie Bottomley, who has won multiple awards for her flower arranging skills. Participants will learn simple tips and ideas to make flowers last longer and look beautiful in any kind of container.  

Virtual Flower Arranging Class

Included in the ticket price are all of the flowers needed to follow along with Debbie to make the arrangement. Participants will need a container of about 4 inches in diameter, such as a teacup, coffee mug, or mason jar to hold the arrangement.

Tickets must be purchased by May 9. A maximum of 50 tickets are available and the participants must live within the Greater Attleboro Area to pick up the flowers or have them delivered.

Amy's Flower Studio on Rt 1 in North Attleboro is partnering with the Council for Children to create each bunch of flowers to be picked up on site the day before the event.

A gift certificate will be sent out via email with the confirmation. A Zoom link will be sent to each ticketholder before the event.

Please visit the Council for Children page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/184901089990406) or www.councilforchildren.org to purchase a ticket as well as for registration instructions and delivery information. 

Contact info@councilforchildren.org with questions. 

 

Community centered senior living can answer the question: "Where will we live as we age?"

"Community-centered senior living works for seniors and communities" 

"The coronavirus pandemic shined a spotlight on nursing homes in Massachusetts, with more than 5,500 residents dying of COVID-19 (down from 6,722 after the state revised how it reports deaths in long-term facilities). The deaths underscored the risks for residents who live in a communal setting, especially for those who share a room. A design developed decades ago for hospital-like efficiency, the shared room can contribute to substandard care and a dehumanizing, undignified end of life. It must disappear.

This will require investment in new models that support seniors’ right to thrive in life-enhancing environments that are far superior to conventional institutional living. This funding initiative must motivate the developers and owners of nursing homes to create private living spaces for residents. It must also motivate them to include an invitation to “community-centered living” in their nursing home redesign of common space."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/26/opinion/community-centered-senior-living-works-seniors-communities/

"Where will we live as we age?"

"The concept that Boston could possibly become the Silicon Valley of aging is a fascinating idea. There are, however, questions to be addressed and misconceptions that need to be put aside before we can claim the title. For example, where and how will the older generation live as we age? Who will provide support when needed? Is there the political will to help us answer these questions?

As of July 2019, people age 65 and over represented nearly 12 percent of Boston’s population — and that number is growing steadily. According to a 2018 AARP survey, 76 percent of Americans age 50 and up stated that they wished to remain in their own homes, or at least their own communities, as they aged. Yet the same survey revealed that only 59 percent felt that they would be able to age in place. Respondents cited obstacles including uncertainty about how to access support and services, and how to maintain a sense of community, with increasing age."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/26/opinion/where-will-we-live-we-age/

FISH Of Franklin Is Resuming Services!

Good News Franklin! 

The Steering Committee and volunteers of FISH of Franklin are pleased to announce that, after more than a year of suspended services due to COVID-19, our volunteer service of providing rides to medical appointments for Franklin residents will begin again in May.

There will be some new requirements in order to keep our volunteers and clients safe:

• all clients must be fully vaccinated and finished with the two-week waiting period following vaccination in order to receive a ride
• all drivers will also need to be fully vaccinated and finished with the two-week waiting period
• drivers and clients will be required to wear masks
• clients must be able to walk and to enter and exit vehicles and doctors' offices without assistance

Any Franklin resident who wishes to access this service should call the FISH line to request a ride, and leave a message with name, phone number, date and time of the appointment, and location of the appointment. The client will receive a call back from a volunteer. FISH is not an emergency service, and anyone with a medical emergency should dial 911.

FISH phone number: (508) 528-2121

FISH of Franklin is a service provided by volunteers age 21 or over, and more are always welcome! Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Chris at 508-553-3023.

We have missed you and look forward to resuming our services!

"we found ticks pretty much wherever we looked”

"Disease-carrying ticks, commonly associated with wooded areas, are also abundant near beaches in Northern California, according to a study. They weren’t found on beaches themselves, but in the brush and vegetation beachgoers may walk through to get to the sand.

Daniel Salkeld, a research scientist at Colorado State University who led the study, said researchers wanted a “bird’s-eye view” of where ticks are found in Northern California and what they are infected with, such as bacteria that causes Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

“We were looking at coastal scrub and looked at redwood forests and oak woodlands and that kind of thing, because everyone tends to look at the same kinds of places,” he said. “And we found ticks pretty much wherever we looked.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/25/ticks-lyme-beaches/

Franklin Health Director Cathleen Liberty recorded a session last week that you'll get to hear shortly. We discussed several non-COVID-19 items and among them were ticks. One session from 2020 was focused on ticks and you can listen to that here  https://player.captivate.fm/episode/afe173c3-294e-49c5-9bec-ecf19105c9be

"The new term from this conversation is “questing”. Questing is the term for the tick looking to jump to a food source."

Reminder: St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1

St Mary's Women's Faith Formation is pleased to announce that Fr. Flavio from La Salette Shrine will be speaking at our May meeting about "Making Mary Part of Our Lives". 

Our meeting will  be held Saturday morning, May 1, starting at 9:30 AM on Zoom. There will be time for discussion.  This meeting is open to all women. 

If interested in attending this 45 minute meeting, please email Deacon Guy (deaconguy@stmarysfranklin.org) for Zoom link contact information.  

This will be our last session until we restart again in the fall.  

 

Reminder: St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1

Franklin Girls T&F take 2nd at Hockomock Championships

"Congratulations to our amazing team of girls for finishing 2nd overall at the Winter Track Hockomock Championship!! 

Results from the meet are posted on the Franklin Track and Field Website

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ykcN-RrpCnWmNTUTg5AoGjit8khuWt_/view?usp=sharing 

An amazing way to finish off the season!! 🥈🏆"

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/FHS_girlsXC/status/1386367534270763010

Note the FHS boys results are not yet posted.  https://www.franklintrack.org/

https://www.franklintrack.org/