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AASCC's Monthly News and Notes





Independence


July 2015 Issue


 

Thank you to all of our wonderful artists who participated in the Art of Aging Exhibition 2015.  We were inspired by your work!

 

Congratulations to our winners:

First Place: Caroline Musmanno 
Second Place: Jean Comcowich

People's Choice: Marylee Bachhuber

 

 

Visit our website for more pictures.

Volunteer Spotlight

Did you know?  AARP Experience Corps volunteers continue to help children learn to (love to) read all summer long!

 

During the school year, Experience Corps volunteers tutor young students in reading and writing.  During the summer, those same volunteers tutor literacy with summer school students in Hamden and New Haven and at New Haven Reads. 

 

Watch for the purple shirts! Experience Corps volunteers are also busy at community sites.

  • Distributing used children's books at Connecticut Food Bank mobile food pantry sites in Hamden and New Haven from July to September.
  • Passing out books at the Hamden Night Out event in August. 
  • Collecting & swapping used children's books and offering literacy-related crafts at Hamden Farmer's Markets (Town Center & Spring Glen Church).

  

 Before we know it, Experience Corps volunteers will
be  back in classrooms helping student
s. Volunteers are needed!  Find out more.

 

 


One Last Book!

 

Experience Corps Volunteer Carolyn Paul goes all the way to get that last donated book.  Carolyn recently received the 2015 Sarkady Award for her dedication to Experience Corps.  As Experience Corps Manager, Sheila Greenstein, described as she presented the award to (a very surprised) Carolyn, "Carolyn always goes above and beyond to help Experience Corps."

Upcoming Events
  

Caregiver Workshop - July 21 & July 28

 

 "New to Medicare" Seminar, July 22

 

CHOICES Corner: 

 

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is an infection that attacks the liver and can cause major liver disease. Inflammation over long periods of time (usually decades) can cause scarring, called cirrhosis. Cirrhosis prevents the liver from performing its normal functions  which leads to liver failure. People with Cirrhosis are more prone to developing cancer and liver failure leads to serious complications, even death. HCV is reported to be the leading cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, and a primary indication for liver transplant in the Western World.

 

Medicare will cover screening for HCV for eligible beneficiaries when ordered by the beneficiary's primary care physician or practitioner within the context of a primary care setting and performed by an eligible Medicare provider for these services. 

 

Eligible beneficiaries who meet either of the following conditions: (1) Adults at high risk for HCV infection. "High risk" is defined as persons with a current or past history of illicit injection drug use, and persons who have a history of receiving a blood transfusion prior to 1992. (2) Adults who do not meet the high risk definition as defined above, but who were born from 1945 through 1965. A single, once-in-a-lifetime screening test is covered for these individuals. 

In the Community

What would you do with an additional $148 for groceries?

 

Currently in Connecticut, 62,000 older adults are receiving assistance with their grocery bill through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.  Another 27,000 older adults are eligible, but have not applied.  AOASCC recently received a grant through the National Council on Aging to help close this gap by 500 individuals. 


 

Many don't apply for SNAP because they think that they will only receive a small amount in benefits. The truth is that the average benefit in Connecticut is $148 per month.  Some don't think they are eligible. Actually, the eligibility limits have increased, so even if you had applied previously and been rejected, you might now be eligible.

 

AOASCC is here to help, call 203-785-8533 or contact us through this online form.  You can meet with us at locations throughout the New Haven area (please contact us for an appointment).

 

Mondays: Fair Haven Branch Library
Wednesdays: Cornell Scott Hill Health Clinic
Thursdays: Wilson Library

Fridays: Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut

 
 

Find out more about SNAP on our website.

 Caregiver Corner

 

 

Many adult children find themselves having to deal with becoming a long-distance caregiver. Long-distance caregiving is difficult and expensive. It is estimated that long-distance caregivers spend about $392 a month on phone calls, travel expenses, medicine, medical supplies, meals, and home maintenance, as well as other necessities.


 

Along with the financial costs, there's also the cost of time. About 80% of all long-distance caregivers are employed, and many of them have had to rearrange their work schedule and miss work in order to conduct caregiving duties.

There are some things you can do to make long distance caregiving manageable.

  • Get a case manager to help decrease the pressure that's on you, since they can work with services available in your loved one's area, like personal support, nursing services that can come to your loved one's home, delivery of meals, or help with personal hygiene.
  • When you return to your own home, be sure and stay in touch with the friends and neighbors you've met.  Talking to them will make you feel less guilty about not being there, and also less afraid for your loved one's well-being.
  • Investigate the options for a personal emergency response system for your loved one's home.  This will allow 24 hour assistance for your loved one in the event of an emergency.
  • Create a "communication book" where care providers can make note of concerns or questions for you, then you'll have the ability to follow-up on a weekly basis.
  • Prioritize the tasks that you want to accomplish with each visit; in order to stay focused and less confused on visits, keep a list of people you'll need to speak with; and make sure that care providers know where and how to reach you, wherever you may be.
  • Discuss legal and financial issues - these topics may be difficult to talk about, but they help ensure that the older person maintains decision-making authority even when incapacitated.
  • Know where to find all legal, financial, and insurance documents, including birth certificates, social security cards, marriage or divorce decrees, wills, and power of attorney before an emergency happens.
Dr. Beverly Kidder, AOASCC's Director of the Aging and Disability Resource Center, recently shared what she knows about caregiving both from experience and as a professional on WPAA-TV. Click here to see the interview.

 



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Did You Know?


9% of Older Adults experience food insecurity in America.

Feeding America


 

SNAP Benefits can help, but approximately 3 out 5 who are eligible don't apply. 


 

Why? Myths about this program abound.  Here are 5 myths busted:

 

Myth #1: SNAP is only for families with children.

SNAP is for everyone who qualifies, including seniors.

 

Myth #2: Other people need SNAP more than I do; I don't want to take away food from a hungry child.

Everyone who is eligible for SNAP and enrolls in the program will get help. A senior who gets SNAP does not take away money or food from a household with children.

 

Myth #3: SNAP is not worth applying for because I will only get $15 a month.

$15 is the minimum monthly amount that a senior can receive through SNAP. Roughly 80 percent of seniors get more than that.

Myth #4: I don't want everyone to see me using SNAP in a grocery store.

SNAP comes loaded onto an EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card. You use the EBT card exactly like you would a credit or debit card, so most people will not know the difference.


 

Myth #5: Applying for SNAP is too difficult.

Depending on where you live, you can apply online, by mail or in person and get one-on-one help if you need it. 

(See the article above).

Read the whole fact sheet: National Council on Aging

 


 

Care Network Link is a one-stop resource for aging in place, serving all towns in Connecticut and those above the eligibility thresholds for programs offered by AOASCC. This new non-profit business offers a wide range of services and ensures that all the companies in the network are trustworthy, quality focused with well-trained employees. Membership is free and entitles you to discounts from the providers in the network. Whether it is housekeeping, personal care, meal delivery, chores or modifications to make your home safer, Care Network Link has the trustworthy providers to take care of your needs. Visit our website & find out more.


 

 

Copyright Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut.

1 Long Wharf Drive, Suite 1L, New Haven, CT * (203) 785-8533 * www.aoascc.org*