Sharon Health Department Journal

Sharon Board of Health Partners with Care Solace to Support Resident Mental Health

The Sharon Board of Health is pleased to announce a partnership with Care Solace, a centralized care coordination service that connects residents with mental health care and other supportive services.

When you or someone you love needs mental health support, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Searching for care can add stress during an already challenging time. No matter what you're experiencing, there is hope and help available. Through our partnership with Care Solace, Sharon residents now have access to a network of more than 700,000 licensed mental health providers and substance use treatment services. Care Solace helps individuals find the right care at the right time, regardless of insurance coverage.

Care Solace's coordination services are free, confidential, and available to ALL Sharon residents and their families, all municipal employees and their families, and to all local business owners and their families via:

• Phone: 888-515-7881 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; support is available in 200+ languages).
• Online: caresolace.com/townofsharon (search anonymously by answering a few brief questions).

The Sharon Board of Health encourages residents to take advantage of this resource if you or someone you care about needs support.

Residential kitchens are private home kitchens that have been approved by the Health Department to prepare specific low-risk baked goods for public sale. Although they operate in a home setting, they must follow strict rules to ensure food is produced safely. Because these kitchens do not have the same equipment or controls as commercial kitchens, they are limited to non-hazardous baked items such as baked goods, jams, jellies, roasted coffee beans, and other shelf-stable goods.

Mass.gov provides a guidance document Residential Kitchen Questions and Answers to assist individuals in complying with state regulations related to the production and sale of food made in a kitchen of a residence.

If the food products you wish to produce are potentially hazardous, then a Commercial Kitchen Permit is required. These types of food include: cream-filled pastries, cheesecake, custard, cut fruit and vegetables, tomato sauce, barbeque sauce, pickled products, relishes, garlic in oil, and salad dressings. It may be easier to join a shared commercial kitchen rather than building out your own commercial kitchen. To discuss further, you can contact the Health Department!

Steps to be taken to become a licensed Residential Kitchen

1. Obtain your certifications:

• Food Manager's certification

Berger food safety https://servingsafefood.com/

Eastern food safety https://www.easternfoodsafety.com/index.php

Servsafe https://www.servsafe.com/ServSafe-Food-Handler/Get-Certified

• Allergen Awareness Certification

Berkshire Area Health Education Center https://www.berkshireahec.org/

Massachusetts Restaurant Association https://www.themassrest.org/

Mass.gov https://www.mass.gov/doc/food-allergen-awareness-faqs-0/download

2. Contact our office to set up an inspection of your residential kitchen

3. Apply online for a residential kitchen permit https://sharonma.viewpointcloud.com

Additional Resources to Opening a Residential Kitchen

Residential Kitchen Questions and Answers | Mass.gov

Food Label Brochure

Minimum Requirements for Packaged Food Labeling

Food Allergen Awareness Training and Regulation | Mass.gov

HESSCO is the Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) and Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for South Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Our mission centers around helping older adults and individuals living with disabilities remain safe, respected, and independent in the setting of their choice.

Aging can bring changes, challenges, and sometimes uncertainty. No one should have to navigate that alone.

HESSCO serves 12 towns in Southern Norfolk County, which include Canton, Dedham, Foxboro, Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Sharon, Walpole, Westwood, and Wrentham.

As one of the 24 ASAPs across Massachusetts, HESSCO provides free, trusted access to resources for adults age 60+ and their caregivers. We serve as a central connection point - offering guidance, support, and practical solutions when families need them most.

Our services include:

• In-home care assessments and care management
• Meals and food security programs
• Transportation support
• Options counseling and long-term planning
• Respite for caregivers
• Adult day health services
• Protective services
• Housing guidance and referrals

We believe in a "no wrong door" approach. One call to HESSCO connects you to real people who listen, understand, and help you find the right next step.

A Community of Support

HESSCO works closely with local Councils on Aging, physicians, hospitals, Visiting Nurse Associations, home health agencies, transportation providers, and community partners to ensure individuals receive coordinated, compassionate care.

We are also proud members of the MetroWest Aging and Disability Resource Consortium (ADRC), working together to ensure that anyone seeking help is met with clarity, dignity, and support.

Why Families Turn to HESSCO

• A trusted, local source of aging information
• Compassionate, knowledgeable professionals
• Personalized care management
• Meaningful support for caregivers
• Flexible volunteer opportunities for those who want to give back
  
  

If you, or someone you love, could benefit from our services, please reach out. Whether you need immediate assistance or simply have questions about what options are available, we are here.

At HESSCO, we believe every person deserves to age with dignity, connection, and the highest possible quality of life. It is our privilege to walk alongside the older adults and caregivers in our communities - offering guidance, reassurance, and support every step of the way.

HESSCO Elder Services

545 South Street, Suite 300

Walpole, MA 02081

P: 781-784-4944

F: 781-784-4922

https://hessco.org/services/

https://www.facebook.com/HESSCO/

https://www.instagram.com/hesscoelderservices

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hessco-elder-services

The old food pyramid, and later MyPlate, emphasized grains as the foundation of the American diet. In the pyramid, grains filled the entire bottom layer, meaning people were encouraged to eat more bread, pasta, rice, and cereal than anything else. Fruits and vegetables were important but placed in the middle, while protein sources like meat and dairy were recommended in smaller amounts.

MyPlate simplified the image but kept a similar idea: half of your plate fruits and vegetables, while the other half split between grains and proteins, plus a small portion of dairy on the side. These older tools were based on promoting balanced eating but tended to focus on carbohydrates and low-fat foods.

The new food pyramid essentially reverses the old model. instead of putting grains at the bottom, the new pyramid places protein, vegetables, fruits, full-fat dairy, and healthy fats at the top and widest section, indicating that these foods should make most of the diet. The idea is to encourage Americans to eat more nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods such as eggs, fish, meat, yogurt, vegetables, fresh fruit, olive oil, and nuts.

Whole grains are still included but sit in the smallest part of the new pyramid, meaning they should be eaten in moderation rather than as the main component of meals. The new guidelines also strongly discourage ultra-processed foods and added sugars.

Even though the new pyramid emphasizes nutrient-dense foods, it's still possible to overeat within any category. Eating too much of a "good" food can become unhealthy over time. For example, foods like steak provide a great source of protein, iron, and vitamins, but consuming steak too often or in large portions can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease because of its saturated fat content.

The key is balance! Focusing on variety and moderation so that no single food overwhelms the diet or contributes to long-term health problems.

Here are the recommended number of daily servings of each food groups for adults based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet.

Vegetables

• Wide variety of vegetables: fresh, frozen, canned, or dried.
• 2.5 cups of vegetables daily.
• Women: between 25 to 28 grams of fiber daily.
• Men: between 28 and 34 grams of fiber daily.

Fruits

• Wide variety of fruits: fresh, frozen, canned, or dried.
• 2 cups of fruits daily.

Grains

• Whole grains rather than refined grains.
• 3-6 ounces of grains daily.

Dairy

• Low-fat
• Three servings or 3 cups daily.

Protein

• Mostly from plant sources (legumes and nuts), fish, seafood, and lean meat.
• Aim for 0.8-2 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight.
• Average sedentary adults should consume 0.8g/kg.
• Over age 40-50, recommended 1-1.2g/kg to maintain muscle.
• For those who exercise regularly, 1.2-2g/kg.
• Exceeding 2g/kg of protein daily may be dangerous as the body cannot use the excess protein efficiently.

Fats and Oil

• Polyunsaturated and monosaturated liquid plant oils. Avoid tropical oils (coconut, palm) and partially hydrogenated fats.
• Two to three servings of fat or oil per day (9 teaspoons).

Nutrition substantially impacts mental health through multiple mechanisms:

• Whole diet quality influences mood, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning.
• Healthy foods support brain and emotional function: eating nutrient-rich foods that also promote physical health - such as whole fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains - have been linked to better mood regulation, improved emotional well-being, and overall mental wellness.
• Good nutrition may help reduce risk of mental health challenges: diets high in quality nutrients and low in ultra-processed foods are associated with healthier brain functioning and may be protective against symptoms of depression and other mood disturbances.

Nutrition is not a standalone treatment for mental disorders but represents evidence-based factors that complement traditional approaches in mental health care.

Resources:

Abrams, Z. (2026, March 1). We are what we eat. American Psychological Association; Apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/03/nutrition-food-mental-health

Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borsini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ, 369(1), m2382. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2382

While not "officially" Spring just yet, the snow has been melting, the sun has been out, and it feels as though we've turned a corner. This was a long, dark, cold winter and I know that many of us struggled with our mental health as the months dragged on. Our physical health may have also taken a hit as we tend to eat more and move less during the winter months. As we inch closer to Spring, we are presented with an opportunity to implement small, but meaningful changes. Try adding one or more of the following wellness tips into your daily routine and see if you notice a difference in how it makes you feel!

• Go Outside! Soak up the warmth of the sun and breathe in fresh air. Try the practice of "grounding" by standing in the grass with your bare feet.
• Move Your Body! Go for a short walk, ride your bike, or practice yoga outside. Even rocking in a chair or sitting in a swing has mental and physical health benefits.
• Hydrate! While it is important to hydrate, it becomes even more important as the weather gets warmer, and we try to exert ourselves outside.
• Spring time is for new beginnings. Use free and confidential resources such as Care Solace to be connected to mental health help and essential services. This tool is available to all Sharon residents!

Walk-In Nursing Clinic, every Tuesday and Friday from 9:30AM-11AM at the Health Department.

Pop-In with the Public Health Nurse, second Wednesday of the month 10:30AM-12:00PM at the Sharon Council on Aging.

Prescription Advantage is a state sponsored program that provides financial assistance to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Massachusetts residents aged 65+.

GoodRx is a healthcare platform and website that helps consumers compare prescription drug prices at thousands of pharmacies and provides free coupons that can reduce medication costs.

DiRx Health is an online pharmacy that allows patients to order FDA-approved generic prescription medications at discounted prices, often without insurance, by working directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers.

TrumpRx is a federal website launched this year that allows Americans to view and access discounted prices on certain prescription medications by connecting patients directly with pharmaceutical companies offering lower pricing.

Do you have an old refrigerator or freezer that still works? Recycle your fridge or freezer at the Sharon DPW and get a $75 rebate from Mass Save. Add a dehumidifier and get an extra $30.

Call 508-409-5311 and have your electric account number ready!

Questions? Email MDenrich@townofsharon.org!

It's important to regularly check the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recall list because defective or unsafe products, including drugs, food, and medical devises, can reach consumers.

When you're aware of active recalls, you can act quickly - stop using the product, follow the manufacturer's instructions, and contact your healthcare provider or retailer of needed. Failure to do so can mean exposure to serious health risks or harm even when the chance may seem small.

Staying informed is a simple but powerful step in protecting your health and the wellbeing of those around you.