New Leadership Onboard at Sr. Center

Left, Danielle Hopkins, right Christina Larose.

After a few tumultuous weeks, the Senior Center is getting back on track, said Danielle Hopkins, the new director. The former director left after Thanksgiving and problems were compounded in December when staffing issues hit the cafe. Indeed, for a time, Town Manager Jamie Hellen and Alecia Allyne, Assistant to the Town Administrator, were on site much of the time to keep things running smoothly.

Hopkins, who grew up in Franklin and graduated from FHS in 2006, says she went on to earn a degree in music therapy and is a certified musical therapist. She has worked with adults and children with disabilities as well as in hospice facilities, she said. “More importantly, I've worked with geriatrics, some in and assisted living setting; that's kind of where my forte has been,” she explained.

Hopkins noted that she was the engaged life director at an assisted living facility and then recently held a position as the Alzheimers director. “Now this is my new adventure,” she added.

For her part, Christina Larose, noted that she grew up in nearby Blackstone, before earning master's degree in social work. Before coming to Franklin, she was a social worker at the Council on Aging in Foxborough. Although she said she has “had her hand in a lot of other pots,” her primary focus has been social work with geriatrics and people with chronic and persistent mental illness. Larose currently lives in Mansfield now.

“We're kind of trying to get back to normal while keeping the seniors safe and encouraging some new programming,” said Hopkins. “We have a wonderful team that makes the senior center what it is,” she added.

Finally, she noted, staffing remains a problem with the cafe, but they are targeting a mid-February reopening date.