BRIDGTON — Stanley (Stan) Cohen, Medicare advocate volunteer for the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, assisted his 1,000th client at Bridgton Hospital on Feb. 9.

To reach this milestone, he has had more than 2,000 sessions in the last five-and-a-half years to reach his 1,000th unduplicated count of Lakes Region people served.

According to the agency, “His contribution to older adults and their Medicare and health insurance counseling decisions is huge.” Cohen assists the elderly with Medicare issues, free of charge, explaining, educating and assisting eligible patients in the region.

Pam Smith, Bridgton Hospital director of development and community relations, said, “This is such a very valuable service that he graciously provides our service area and he has been doing so since May 2004. Virtually every Tuesday, Stan has been available in our lobby to provide this excellent assistance.”

Cohen was recognized by Gov. Baldacci at the State House Hall of Flags in June 2009 as one of the Governor’s Volunteer Awardees for his State Health Insurance Program/Medicare and Health Insurance Counseling volunteer work.

In 2008, the MetLife Foundation awarded him a Silver 2008 Older Volunteers Enrich America Award. That award ceremony took place at The Rotunda at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

Advertisement

Cohen, a retiree, has been trained by the Southern Maine Agency on Aging for his volunteer role. Educated at Boston University, Cohen had a long career as a marketing executive in Cambridge, Mass. Since moving to Maine in 1977, he has been a marina owner on Sebago Lake, a school business manager in Gorham and in 2000, he retired after a 10-year stint as director of financial operations at a local preparatory school.

In addition, he writes a column for a local newspaper called “Medicare Nuggets.”

His organizational experiences include several board memberships in Massachusetts and Maine: School Administrative District 61 (chairman), State Adult Education Advisory Panel, Bridgton Hospital, Bridgton Historical Society and LEA.

He has also been a longtime teacher in adult education programs. He lives in Bridgton with his wife, Barbara. They have six children.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.