Region VII Area Agency on Aging
Caring
in Our Communities
What's New in the Region
Current Events
Seniors, is your power about to be shut off? Call Region VII for assistance or click here for a list of energy assistance programs.
Executive Director's Monthly Report
The Digital TV Transition, Are You Ready for June 12, 2009?
• What is the Digital TeleVision Transition about?
• What are the benefits of DTV?
• Will your TV set receive DTV?
• What is the TV converter box coupon program
For more information about the DTV Transition or assistance with obtaining
and installing the converter box, please contact Region VII Area Agency on
aging 1-800-858-1637
Click here for information on assistance with obtaining and installing the converter box.
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PATH (Personal Action Towards Health)
- Lean How to Better Manage Your Chronic Condition
Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are the
leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Chronic
diseases account for 70% of the 1.7 million deaths each year in the U.S.
The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, or Personal Action Towards
Health (PATH), is a patient education program designed to help adults learn
to better manage their chronic conditions. PATH is for anyone with a long
term health condition, family members, and caregivers. Trained leaders
conduct the workshops, which meet for 2 ½ hours each week for six
consecutive weeks. The sessions are fun and interactive and topics include:
*Ways to deal with frustration, fatigue and pain
*Goal setting and problem solving
*Managing your medications
*How to plan visits with your health care provider
*Ways to talk with family and friends about your chronic condition
*Using the power of your mind to help manage symptoms
This program was developed to help manage your health and lead a better
life. It does not replace regular medical treatment. For more information on
PATH or to sign up for the 6-week workshop, please contact at Region VII Area Agency on Aging, 1-800-858-1637. www.mipath.org
Public Presentation of Senior Services
Every third Tuesday of the month - Bay County Human Services Committee presentation at the Bay County building in Bay City.
Public Input Forum - March 16, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. located at the Farwell Dining Center.
Health and Safety Fair - April 18, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Located at the Farwell High School.
Senior Expo - April 22, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. lLocated at the Midland Mall
Public Hearing - April 28, 2009 at Synergy Medical Education Alliance in Saginaw.
Medicare Part D open enrollment - November 15 - December 30, 2009 by appointment.
1615 South Euclid Avenue
Bay City, MI 48706
Region VII Increases Services
Region VII continues to show an increase in seniors served utilizing state/federal and local funding. For FY-06, an aggregate of 41,598 seniors were served which is an increase of 9.1% over the 38,129 served in FY-05. State/federal/local funding supports our seniors with services through our core programs of:
Access Services which includes Care Management, Case Coordination and
Support, Information and Assistance, Medicare/Medicaid Assistance, MI Choice
Medicaid Waiver, Outreach and Advocacy, and Transportation.
In-Home Services which includes Chore, Emergency Respite, Homemaker,
Home Delivered Meals (HDM), Personal and Respite Care and Tobacco Settlement
Respite Care.
Community Services which includes Adult Day Care, Caregiver Supplemental
Services, Congregate Nutrition, Elder Abuse Prevention, Home Repair, Legal Assistance,
Long Term Care Ombudsman, Medication Management, Senior Community Services Employment
and other services.
In FY-06 Region VII also utilized $40,000 of local funding to support seniors
with their Slip/Fall/Safety and Unmet Needs programs and an additional $20,000
to assist our ten county service area in the delivery of Home Delivered Meals
when gas prices went up so drastically. In FY-07, Region VII has allocated $50,000
of local funds for senior services: $20,000 for continuation of our Slip/Fall/Safety
Program and $30,000 for Unmet Needs which includes minor home repair throughout
our ten county service area.
The Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) served over 5,414 beneficiaries
with Medicare Part D compared to 2,669 in FY 2005, 103% increase. The
changes in Medicare health care and prescription options was a huge undertaking
for MMAP counselors. Many residents of the ten counties used senior services
for the first time.
Region VII recently received a certificate from the United States Administration on Aging for the part Region VII played helping people navigate the Medicare Prescription Drug Plans.The Assistance Secretary on Aging along with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Systems expressed their heartfelt appreciation for Region VII staff's extraordinary efforts in helping older Americans. They went on to say that they appreciated the huge investment of the agency's time, energy and talent it took to implement the most major legislative change in the Medicare program in over forty years. This was a historic time and Region VII made a difference for countless older Americans.
Homemaker services increased 32%, Respite Care 63%, Personal Care 40%, and Caregiver Supplemental Services 25%.
Region VII continues to explore new programs to meet seniors' needs.
MI Choice Waiver Program-Your Choice of Staying at Home
Region VII offers older adults and disabled persons over the age of 18 the option of staying out of the nursing home with this important program. In fiscal year 2007, 514 clients were able to remain in their homes and maintain a sense of independence. MI Choice Waiver provides in home care for those who meet financial criteria and are medically eligible for nursing home placement.
Expansion and Training
An addition to the building was designed for special trainings, storage of files and medical records and to house future new programs. Compliance with federal HIPAA (Privacy) guidelines has increased the volume of paperwork that must be retained and requires additional security measures to protect client confidentiality. Secure medical record storage is large enough to meet increased program volume.
The conference room, with internet hookup, is used for provider meetings such as Alzheimer's and Mental Health workshops, Medicare Prescription Drug Counseling, and in-house trainings and committee meetings. This space is available for trainings and small conferences for agencies in the aging network.
Three-Point Plan for Long Term Care Reform
Region VII is working with other regions to encourage legislation of the following reforms:
Money Follows the Person - Over three-fourths of Medicaid long-term care dollars goes to nursing homes. This has come about because of governmental policies restricting people’s choice of care, lack of awareness about choices, and ineffective screening. This proposal would increase the client’s care options and eliminate some of these issues. Restrictions would be lifted and public education to inform consumers about choices would be emphasized.
Most people still don’t know about long-term care options. A nursing home is not the only answer for a loved one who can no longer live independently. Many can be helped by in-home and community based services or assisted living.
Another option is long term care insurance. For information about planning ahead for long term care, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services is partnering with Michigan and five other states in an "Own Your Future" awareness campaign. A Long Term Care Planning Kit is available to help make those important decisions about future care needs, resources for insurance, home modifications, and legal issues. Download these materials on www.aoa.gov/ownyourfuture.
Stable and Respected Workforce Frail elders and people with disabilities need committed, competent, and honest workers to provide them with assistance. There is an alarming shortage of people willing to take these jobs. A state wide data base, a home help provider registry, has been developed. Call the Michigan Quality Care Council Home Help Registry at 800-979-4662 or www.mqccc.org
Single Points of Entry - Designates existing community agencies to serve as a first point of contact. Each region would have one place where a person can call for information to make an informed choice about long term care services. The first four pilot programs are:
Detroit Area Agency on Aging with The Senior Alliance, 211, Wayne County Department of Human Services, and area nursing homes - serving Wayne County
Region IV with 3A, 3B, 3C Area Agencies on Aging - serving 8 counties
HHS and Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan - serving 11 counties
U.P.C.A.P. with DHS, hospitals, and nursing facilities - 15 counties, the entire Upper Peninsula
Link to Related Website
Can
We Prevent Aging?
Can we prevent aging is a question many people, young and old, ask
themselves. People are living longer with the average life expectancy in
2030 to be estimated at 85 years and older, up from 76 years in 2000.
Unfortunately, we cannot avoid aging but we can prevent or delay the
onset of diseases that greatly affect us as we age. Below are tips to
aging healthy and ways to prevent or delay diseases.
1. Physical Fitness - Regular exercise is even more important for
seniors than other age groups since the risk of disease is greater and
the positive effects are realized more quickly. Walking or swimming is
an excellent way to exercise. Please consult your physician to find out
what type of exercise is best for you.
2. Healthy Foods – What we eat affects how we feel, how we look, and how
healthy we are. Eating regularly, especially breakfast, will make us
more alert and have more energy. Many times people think healthy foods
are plain and tasteless but there are many tasteful, healthy foods that
older adults can eat. Air-popped popcorn, fruits or vegetables, and
cheese are just a few healthy snacks.
3. Social Wellness – Research has shown health benefits of laughter
ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings
to increasing one's threshold for pain. So, getting together with
friends or family and telling a few jokes can be a great avenue to
staying healthy.
4. Mental Wellness – Most of us experience memory loss as we age, but we
can take steps to delay or even prevent serious memory loss. It is very
important to continue to challenge our brains by doing crossword
puzzles, playing games, or watching game shows.
Aging is part of life. There is no way around it but there are ways to
age healthy. By staying physically fit, eating healthy, and being
socially and mentally active you can reduce your risk of a serious
health condition and age gracefully.
Older Americans Month 2009
“Living Today for a Better Tomorrow”
May is Older Americans Month, a great time to bring attention to the
issues that affect older adults. This year’s theme “Living Today for a
Better Tomorrow”, brings awareness to the Nation that we must work
together to give older adults the tools they need to make healthy
decisions. By working together, our communities can improve older
adults’ overall quality of life by helping them:
• Make behavioral changes in their lifestyles that can reduce risk of
disease, disability, and injury.
• Obtain the tools they need to make informed decisions about, and gain
better access to, existing health and long-term care options in their
communities.
• Have more options to avoid placement in nursing homes and remain at
home as long as possible.
Americans of all ages and backgrounds can celebrate Older Americans
Month and Region VII is celebrating by hosting the 4th Annual “Walk for
the Walk of it”. Please join us on Wednesday, June 3rd between 1:30 p.m.
and 3:30 p.m. at 1615 S. Euclid Ave. in Bay City for Senior Health and
Fitness Day. By working together, we can improve the health and
well-being of our Nation’s older adults and pave the way for future
generations.
Energy Assistance Programs
for Seniors & Low Income Individuals
Winter is officially here and your heating and electric bills are on the
rise. The best thing you can do is make your home as energy efficient as
possible. But even purchasing a programmable thermostat or placing
plastic around drafty windows may not keep the cost down enough. So what
can customers who have problems paying utility bill do? There are a
number of energy assistance programs that may have funding available to
help.
1.
Budget Billing
- Investigate options such as utility budget billing plans. With this
plan you pay the same amount year round so in the summer you are
building a savings for your higher winter bill. Call your utility
company for more information about this plan.
2. Winter Protection Plan – This plan protects senior and low income customers from shut-off and high utility payments between November 1 and March 31. The plan allows eligible customers to make monthly payments of at least 7% of their estimated annual bill November through March and catch up on the money owed between April and November. Call your utility company for more information.
3. Home Heating Credit – In order to find out if one is eligible for this credit, obtain the booklet titled, “2008 Michigan 1040CR-7 Home Heating Credit Claim.” The filing deadline is September 30, 2009.
4. Weatherization Assistance Program – This program provides free weatherization services for the homes of low income owners and renters. The services could lower your heating cost by as much as 20 to 25%. Please contact your local Community Action Agency for information about this program.
5. Military Shut-off Protection – A customer or the spouse of a customer on active duty with the military may apply for shut-off protection for electric and natural gas service. The shut-off protection can be provided for up to 90 days and may be extended. The customer is required to pay the balance after the 90 days or when the extension is over.
6.
State Emergency Relief Program
– This program may help pay for part
of your utility bill and help keep your utilities from being turned off.
Contact your local Department of Human Services for more information.
Please remember that the best thing you can do is make your home as
energy efficient as possible. Doing even one of the following can make a
difference in your utility bills. Caulk and weather-strip windows and
doors, dial down the thermostat, clear or replace your furnace filter
once a month, and install compact fluorescent light bulbs. For more
information on the programs and plans listed above, please call Region
VII Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-858-1637.
For further information about services, contact Region VII Area Agency
on Aging, 1615 S. Euclid Ave., Bay City 1-800-858-1637
www.region7aaa.org
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County Agency Programs
Bay County
The Bay County Division on Aging, in collaboration with Outpatient Rehabilitation Services for Bay Regional Medical Center - West Campus, sponsors periodic six-week classes that focus on strength training for the older adult. The class meets twice a week for an hour each session, and the course fee includes instructor costs, materials, use of the room, and lunch for the day. Class size is generally limited to 10 persons per class, to assure adequate time for the instructor. Before the class begins, each registrant is scheduled for an interview with the Instructor, who completes an assessment of each individual to determine strengths and limitations before class begins.
These sessions are completed by appointment at the West Campus of Bay Regional Medical Center. The classes are held at the Bay County Community Center, 800 J. F. Kennedy Drive in Bay City. Individuals who are interested in getting their name on the waiting list for the next class session are asked to please contact Debbie Keyes at 893-5834. There are reduced fees for Bay County residents age 60 or older, because the Bay County Division on Aging receives grant funding under the Health Promotion/Disease Prevention funding awarded by Region VII Area Agency on Aging. Senior citizens on a limited income also have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship for the class. Individuals under age 60 may enroll, but pay a higher fee because they are not age-eligible for grant funding. Classes are generally held in the fall, winter, and spring. Due to high demand, the Division on Aging maintains a waiting list and notified prospective candidates for class enrollment when the dates are scheduled. For more info, you may contact Debbie Keyes at (989) 893-5834. www.baycounty-mi.gov
Clare County
The File of Life™ is a program available in Clare County, along with 1400 cities in 49 states, which enables emergency personnel to obtain a quick medical history when the patient is unable to offer one. A large red, highly visible magnet with a plastic pouch that holds important medical information is posted on the outside of one's refrigerator. In an emergency, the file can easily be found and used by EMTs and emergency rooms.
Clare County also offers Individual Patient Assistance to receive free or reduced price medications from manufacturers. This is prescription drug counseling for persons with no prescription insurance. Help filling out applications is available at the Council on Aging in Farwell at 800-952-3160 or 989-588-9816. www.councilonagingcg.org
Gladwin County
The File of Life™ is also available in Gladwin County. The Gladwin City Housing Commission makes the File accessible to all public housing tenants. Call for help to fill out applications for these programs at 800-952-0056 or 989-246-0740. www.councilonagingcg.org
Gratiot County
The Gratiot County Commission on Aging offers three programs that stress safety: free emergency cell phone distribution, free reflective numbers at the end of driveways, and the Beacon Porch Light at the cost of $5 a bulb. Residents are encouraged to post reflective house numbers so their homes can be found quickly in an emergency. The Commission on Aging helps with installation. The Beacon Porch light blinks on and off when the switch is flipped twice. It helps to draw attention to a house in a crisis situation. For more information please call 989-875-5246. www.co.gratiot.mi.us/coa
Huron County
Huron County has an anual "Walk for Warmth", February 24, 2007. This is an opportunity to raise funds to help with fuel and utility emergencies.
An ongoing senior volunteer program in Huron County is the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a part of the Senior Corps supported by funds from the Office of Services to Aging, Corporations for National and Community Service and local donations. These volunteers are involved in adult literacy, food collection and distribution, support to families in emergencies and friendly visiting. Call the Human Development Commission toll free at 800-843-6394. www.hdc-caro.org
Isabella County
The Isabella County Commission on Aging spearheads the Foster Grandparent Program and the Senior Companion Program in Clare, Gratiot and Isabella Counties. These volunteer programs work with children or frail adults. The older adult must be over 60, meet income guidelines and be able to give 20 hours of service per week. The volunteer receives a small stipend and transportation reimbursement. Please call the Commission on Aging at 800-878-0726 or 989-772-0748. www.isabellacounty.org/dept/coa
Midland County
Senior Services understands the special needs of those with Alzheimer's/Dementia and their family members. Specialists in Alzheimer's care; Senior Services provides services, support and resources to enhance the quality of life for those affected and their families. "A Family Centered Approach to Alzheimer's Care" is a resource manual available to families working with Senior Services. Please call 800-638-2058 or 989-835-3041. www.seniorservicesmidland.org
Saginaw County
The Saginaw County Commission on Aging has an expanded, successful Kinship Care Support Service. If you are 60 or older, living in Saginaw County, and are the primary caregiver for a minor child, please call the Commission on Aging 's number 989-797-6884 or 866-763-6336. Help with legal issues, respite care, relief from emotional stress and financial and health problems is also available. www.saginawcounty.com
Sanilac County
Sanilac County's yearly fundraiser, "Walk for Warmth". is an opportunity to raise funds to help with fuel and utility emergencies.
Adult literacy, friendly visiting, support to families in crisis, food collections and distribution and many more projects are part of the Senior Corps, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Sanilac County. Dedication by senior volunteers help keep neighborhoods strong. If you are at least 55 and interested in giving to your community, please call the Human Development Commission toll free at 800-843-6394.www.hdc-caro.org
Tuscola County
Daily reassurance calls to isolated seniors are made by senior volunteers "to just check on how things are going". Calls are made from the volunteer's own home. They are trained in emergency contact procedures and resource information so they can offer support and assistance. This is one of the many programs in the Thumb that is supported by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). RSVP volunteers receive assistance with mileage, liability and supplemental insurance, training, and ongoing recognition.
The yearly fund raiser to help all ages, "Walk for Warmth" uses funds to help with utility emergencies. More information is available at 800-843-6394.www.hdc-caro.org
CELL PHONES FOR SENIORS
Donated cell phones to be used for 911 emergency calls are available free to seniors. If you would like to donate your cell phone or if you are a senior who needs an emergency phone, contact your senior center:
- Clare County Council on Aging: 1-800-952-3160
- Gladwin County Council on Aging: 1-800-952-0056
- Gratiot County Commission on Aging: 1-989-875-5246
- Isabella County Commission on Aging: 1-800-878-0726
- Midland County Commission on Aging: 1-800-638-2058
- Saginaw County Commission on Aging: 1-866-763-6336
- Thumb Counties-Call your local Triad (Police) Organization
Reach us at our nationwide toll free number:
1-800-858-1637
or
E-mail: region7@region7aaa.org