History of Hawthorn Services, Inc.

Founded in 1979, Hawthorn Services is recognized as an innovative and compassionate elder care organization. We pioneered the placement of institutionalized elders in nurturing and therapeutic community settings and proved that frail and difficult-to-manage older adults with significant psychiatric needs could be well served by non-institutionalized agencies in their communities.

Our mission is to treat all older adults with dignity, respect in a stable and nurturing community. We understand that people’s health and happiness are best promoted by maximum integration into community settings, daily interaction with others, and by having meaningful and satisfying activities to pursue.

In the beginning, Hawthorn Services provided a residential program for twelve older adults. Within a short period of time, our client base doubled to twenty-four. As the elders served by Hawthorn grew in number to thirty-six and their needs evolved, Hawthorn grew to meet these needs by enhancing our residential program with the construction of fully handicapped-accessible houses, expanding our day program space, and developing an outreach program.

It has always been Hawthorn’s goal to work toward an integrated service delivery system for elders with mental health and medical needs. To this end, we work closely with primary care physicians as well as psychiatrists in providing clinical and medical services, with considerable support and oversight from our nursing staff.

With 15 years of experience in the field of mental health, it became clear that many of the services designed for residential clients could be beneficial for other needy elders in the community. In response to a regional growing demand for Adult Day Health and elder outreach services, Hawthorn Services shifted its mission to include all older adults in need of support. In 1996, Hawthorn’s existing day program, known as “The Club” became licensed as an Adult Day Health center and began to accept non-resident clients. The Adult Day Health model proved to be successful and additional sites were opened in Easthampton in 1999 (now located in West Springfield), a third center in Springfield in 2001, and most recently Hawthorn was asked to take over the program in Ware, previously managed by Baystate Mary Lane Hospital. Hawthorn now serves over 200 elders through these centers.

Hawthorn’s innovative and successful Adult Day Health program has also been recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). n SAMHSA’s 2005 publication, Community Integration for Older Adults with Mental Illnesses: Overcoming Barriers and Seizing Opportunities, Hawthorn’s program is one of only two adult day health centers nationwide cited for exemplary service.

Since 1996, other community services have been offered and expanded. Our community-based effort to treat alcohol abuse among older adults who lived alone through home-intervention services, group treatment sessions, and substance-abuse counseling was awarded the honor of “Promising Practice” in 2002 by the Department of Health and Human Services. This success inspired Hawthorn staff to generate new services by partnering with local senior centers in providing Peer Support Programs for mild to moderately depressed elders living in the community, and on-going bereavement groups. Other programs include a caregiver respite program and homemaker program through the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Our newest program provides free community trainings on Elder Suicide Prevention sponsored by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.