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-- Programs and Services -- Contact Information "Information needed? Call Carol Cizek and Sim Gaunt"
By Beth Hinkley, Elder Services Planner
As Elder Services continues to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, we are proud to introduce you to Sim Gaunt and Carol Cizek, who together comprise our Information, Referral and Intake Department. (I & R).
Simone Gaunt, or “Sim” as she is known to her family, co-workers and the elders she speaks with on the phone, joined Elder Services 23 years ago, first as a volunteer Meals on Wheels driver, when her youngest child was four years old, and later as a Nutrition Program case aide. In 1995, Gaunt was in on the initial development of “I & R,” the Information, Referral and Intake department. Two years ago, Elder Services receptionist Carol Cizek was named as the second I & R Specialist. The two have worked together seamlessly ever since.
In a recent interview, the duo was asked, “What makes this department work so well?” Their response was reminiscent of “Burns and Allen.” “It’s like a marriage” Gaunt said without hesitation, and as if on cue, Cizek added., “We finish each other’s sentences.” Then they added in unison “And you have to have a sense of humor, just like in a marriage!” This is how the two collaborate to handle the calls they receive as elders and others in the community call for information or to refer an individual to Elder Services.
I & R not only serves as an initial point of contact for referrals to Elder Services, but also maintains at their fingertips a data base of 600 agencies and programs as a resource for elders and the community. Two-thirds of their calls are from elders, often in crisis and not knowing where to turn. “We are grateful they know to call us.” Cizek said, and Gaunt added, “We have honest conversations, and provide them with the information they need to address their needs.”
Many times callers need Elder Services’ programs and services, generating an internal referral to Home Care, Protective Services, Money Management, or the SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders) program. Both Gaunt and Cizek are trained SHINE counselors, which is very helpful when callers need information about health insurance options, including Medicare.
Gaunt, originally form Holyoke, moved to Pittsfield with her husband, Jim, 37 years ago and they have three daughters. She attended Berkshire Community College and has been involved with the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life,” the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walks, American Heart Association Heart Walks, Sacred Heart School, and has worked with the Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) Holiday Elf project for the past seven years. She serves on the Berkshire Senior Editorial Board.
Cizek, originally from Long Island, arrived in the Berkshires 35 years ago. She attended Nassau Community College and has a background in the customer service field. She and her husband Dick have one daughter. She is active in the Dalton Methodist Church and also participates in the BCAC Holiday Elf project. Both the Gaunts and Cizeks joined other Elder Services staff and their families in building Elder Services’ float for the Fourth of July Parade and Hinsdale’s Bicentennial Celebration. Gaunt and Cizek summed up the rewards of being Information, Referral and Intake Specialists by stating that they believe the elders they speak with are a most appreciative group, and at the end of the day, they know they’ve helped people.
Their patient, calm and professional demeanor on the phone, with agency visitors, and with co-workers provides an optimal channel for the information and services needed by elders and their caregivers. There couldn’t be a better gateway to Elder Services!