1 week Ago
GROVELAND — Groveland Council on Aging Assistant Director Nisha Burke has devoted her career serving the community. Proof came this summer when friends and co-workers celebrated her 20th year at the Groveland COA where she has been welcoming presence to the town’s nearly 2,000 older adults. Irene Thomas, a member of the Council on Aging’s board of directors, called Burke “gentle, warm and compassionate.
” Thomas should know: she has known her since she was Burke’s sixth-grade teacher at Bagnall Elementary School in Groveland. Even then, Burke displayed the kindness and intelligence she brings to her work with older adults. Groveland COA Director Alyssa Lee works in partnership with Burke to bring a variety of much-needed services to the community’s older adults.
“Nisha always puts our community members first,” Lee said. “She listens to what the community wants, and she’s caring, compassionate and genuine.” Burke came to the Groveland COA by way of the town’s Langley-Adams Library, where she worked part time during college and eventually became the assistant children’s librarian.
She worked under the tutelage of Lynne Stanton, who became a mentor and friend. When Stanton moved over to the Council on Aging as its director, Burke followed, working her way up from 10 hours per week to full time. Starting as the COA’s transportation coordinator, Burke found that she loved the work and valued the opportunity to help older adults get out of their homes for medical appointments, shopping, and other activities.
Over time, Burke took on greater responsibility and became a treasured fixture for Groveland’s older adults. As the COA’s assistant director since 2022, Burke wears an impressive number of hats. She continues to coordinate transportation services; Groveland COA has one 15-passenger, handicapped-accessible van that is used for two or three recreational trips per month as well as transporting older adults to appointments and shopping.
According to Burke, the COA’s van provided 510 rides and deliveries in the month of September alone. She also works with Northern Essex Elder Transport and the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority to organize larger groups for motorcoach trips. Burke coordinates social programming for the COA, and in the role has organized numerous social activities and trips, including “mystery rides” to surprise destinations.
She solicits input and feedback from community members, and welcomes suggestions and new ideas. Burke also oversees approximately 85 volunteers who help with all facets of the center’s operations. Social isolation is a critical issue for older adults everywhere, and Burke values her role in helping to combat this problem through social programming, outreach, and the provision of transportation.
She points out that Groveland is the only community in the area that doesn’t have its own senior center, so lack of space is an ongoing challenge for the COA, which operates out of two offices in the Town Hall. In spite of the challenges, Burke “is always pleasant and accepting and patient, even with constant interruptions,” board member Irene Thomas said. Burke grew up in Georgetown, the daughter of a single mother who modeled compassion and caring in her career as a nurse.
Burke came to the U.S. at 3 months old after she and her sister were adopted from India.
The 41-year-old has recently acquired Coco, her Jack Russell terrier pup. Burke keeps busy with travel, photography, and attending live concerts. Next month, she will be traveling to Las Vegas to attend an Adele concert, and hopes to get back to India within the next two years.
In the meantime, Burke plans to continue what she calls her “really rewarding, valuable work” at the Grovelend Council on Aging. Groveland’s older adults can count on Burke to continue being a welcoming, warm, and helpful presence in their lives. “People come in looking for Nisha; they look forward to being able to talk to her,” Thomas said.
.
