Rafael Espinoza, Director of SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), has been working in Health Care administration for more than 30 years. Rafael came to JCA in 2017 from an agency that secured Medicaid coverage for self-paid hospital patients. He saw how everyone benefitted from this service - patients were able to get the care they needed, and hospitals got paid for the services they provided. With this background in government-funded healthcare programs, Rafael was able to easily navigate the complexities of Medicare. Now, as SHIP's director, Rafael presents workshops on the ins and outs of the various Medicare options and oversees a team of volunteers who work one-on-one with those seeking to choose the coverage that is best for them. "We are providing a public service. Our clients are better equipped to deal with Medicare issues. They find a source of relief, moving from confusion to understanding. SHIP changes the lives of the people it serves."

On April 25, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) welcomed grant recipients to a Grantee Best Practices Forum. COG hosts this program every two years at the start of their next Enhanced Mobility grant cycle. The audience consists of new recipients and is also a great networking opportunity for all grant recipients. Sara Fought, Senior Director of Mobility Management & Information & Referral Services, was one of 3 presenters at the forum. She spoke about lessons learned from implementing COG grants that have funded the VillageRides program. The presentation stressed the importance of partnerships for grant success. In the case of VillageRides, this has meant establishing an advisory council to identify volunteer program best practices, using lessons learned from the pandemic to improve virtual training, and recognizing that different villages have different needs. JCA also staffed a table that shared VillageRides program materials with grantees across the region.

The JCA Blog, Information for the Sandwich Generation, shared some noteworthy news this month. Dementia care partners may want to sign up for a study introducing an online tool to help with care strategies and manage dementia-related symptoms. Also, the University of Maryland has opened a technology helpline to provide free one-on-one tech support to all Maryland residents and bring digital equity to Maryland. Check back often for more useful articles and resources of particular interest to older adults.

Come learn about the impact JCA has in our community in a 45-minute Zoom “tour of our mission.” You might be surprised at what you hear as we introduce you to our CEO, board president, Career Gateway graduate, Interages volunteer, and Kensington Club activity leader. Reserve your spot for June 14 at 9:30 a.m. or June 22 at 4 p.m. We really would love to meet you! 

Visit us at AccessJCA.org.