WILMINGTON, MA — Patti Meehan was recently hired as an Assistant Caseworker for the Town of Wilmington. She splits her time between the Elderly Services and Veterans Departments.
Meehan recently took a few moments from her busy schedule to answer five quick questions from Wilmington Apple.
What attracted you to this Assistant Caseworker position?
I worked for the Woburn Senior Center for 17 years. When I heard about this position at Wilmington’s Annual Town Meeting, I thought to myself — “this is what I do now!” I was the Outreach Coordinator in Woburn. Woburn does have a different focus than Wilmington — Woburn’s focus was bringing people to the Senior Center, while Wilmington focuses more on going out into the community. So, a little bit of a different focus, but similar positions.
The Wilmington Senior Center has an excellent reputation. While working in Woburn, I got to know Terri. She is well respected in the Massachusetts Council of Aging (MCOA). The Wilmington Senior Center is up there.
You started August 12. How has your first month gone?
The people are amazing. They’re so kind. [Elderly Services Director] Terri Marciello and [Case Manager] Laura Pickett are wonderful. [Assistant Clerk] Lisa Fankios and [Senior Clerk] Paula Mirabella have been so welcoming. I’m loving it! I look forward to starting the Veterans piece of my job shortly. I’ve already met Lou and Mike. They’ve set a nice space up for me at the Veterans Office.
This is a new position. We’re just starting to flesh it out. Lou, Terri and I will be a team. I will be the link between the senior side of services and the veteran side of services. Here in Wilmington, there are a lot of seniors who are veterans, and a lot of veterans who are seniors. I look forward to meeting and helping so many of these extraordinary people. Laura has already been introducing me to her clients who are veterans.
The favorite part of my job thus far is being able to meet people where they live and get a true sense of who they are. Veterans are fascinating. I love listening to their stories.
Right now, I’m just trying to get to know the seniors and build trust so they let me into their homes and into their lives. Working with people is a process.
How did you get involved with working with seniors?
I fell into it. I was actually going to be a teacher. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in English from UMass Amherst. I passed my licensure exam. While I was substitute teaching, I took a job as a van driver at a senior center to help pay the bills. I discovered I liked seniors more than I liked students!
What are some of the major issues confronting seniors & veterans in Wilmington?
Transportation and housing are the two biggest challenges. And finances, of course. Trying to figure out how to pay the bills. We all face it, but seniors are typically on a fixed outcome. I assist folks with all sorts of paperwork — SNAP (food stamps), Fuel Assistance, Tax Abatements and Deferrals, Housing Applications, and more. And now that applications are moving more online, that’s a huge struggle for a lot of seniors.
What was your first impression of the Senior Center building?
The Wilmington Senior Center is small. That was my biggest adjustment coming from Woburn to Wilmington — the lack of space.
Both Senior Centers are old school buildings. Both are one level. But Woburn’s is much larger. The Woburn Senior Center has a dining room with a capacity to seat close to 200 people. The scope of their events was much larger. In Woburn, I had an office with privacy. Here in Wilmington, my desk is sandwiched behind a photocopier. Look, we’re sitting in the Nurse’s Office right now to conduct this interview.
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