The Aging Report

Join AgeGuide on December 1 at 1:00 PM for a discussion on ways to support employees who are helping a friend or family member continue to live at home. Learn how supportive employers increase workforce attraction and retention.

Caring for people at home and in the community avoids more costly long-term care placement, supports health and well-being and reduces the strain on our economy. Employees are caring for older adults in the community while also contributing to their communities and the workforce. They should be provided with additional resources and support.

Featuring guest speaker, Ellen Birchander, Gerontology Department Graduate Program Director, University of Massachusetts, Boston

This event is in partnership with AARP Illinois and FREE for attendees.

Celebrated every November, National Family Caregivers Month is a time to recognize and honor the millions of Americans who step into the role of family caregiver. A family caregiver is someone who provides unpaid care to a loved one. They are often invaluable to their care recipients because they provide some degree of ongoing assistance with activities of daily living such as feeding, cooking, bathing, and walking.

Each county in our service region (DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will County) has a specific caregiver service provider. To read more about each service and to find which agency provides that service in your area, visit the AgeGuide website.

Every year, Medicare gives 60 million beneficiaries a chance to review their coverage and make changes that will help them get the best health insurance program available. Now is the time for people with Medicare to review their coverage options and make a choice that meets their health care needs. Medicare beneficiaries have from October 15th until December 7th to review their health coverage options and make adjustments that will take effect on January 1, 2023.

The Veterans Independence Program (VIP) is a Veteran directed program available to Veterans of any age who are at risk of nursing home placement to receive the assistance they need to remain at home. This program provides more flexible options than traditional in-home services. A trained options counselor will determine the supports needed to maintain independence.

Using an approved amount of VA funds, the program can allow Veterans to

• Hire a family member or friend to help them with personal care and/or assistance around the house
• Utilize some of the funds to make their home more accessible
• Pay for meal delivery or transportation services

This program has changed the lives of many Veterans! Call AgeGuide at (800) 528-2000 or visit our website for more information on this Veteran's program.

The 2022 midterms took place on November 8, and the results thus far have surprised parties across the political spectrum. Many seats are still undecided, and there is still not a definitive answer on which party will control the Federal House and the Senate. However, millions of voters in Illinois used their political voice via the ballot. Here’s how things turned out.

On this episode, AgeGuide takes you live to its first Aging Summit, where we created a space for meaningful conversations around age, longevity, and inclusive communities. The “Creating the Care Economy We Need” panel explores how we can support informal and paid caregivers and grow this important sector of the Aging Community.

The panel was moderated by Marla Fronczak, CEO of AgeGuide, and featured aging experts Paula Basta, Director of the Illinois Department on Aging; Philippe Largent, State Director of AARP Illinois; Amy Brennan, Executive Director of the Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition; and Katie Fielmann, Owner of Comfort Keepers. Listen as panelists discuss the importance of preparing to care for others in their extra years and how we can support this care economy.

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November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country team up to bring attention to the disease. This year’s theme is taking control of diabetes by managing your health care team.

Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. It affects 37 million Americans, including adults and youth. Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart, and it can be linked to some types of cancer. 

If you are diabetic, working with health care professionals who can offer you the personal care you need may help improve your health. And while it takes a team to manage diabetes, remember that you are the most important participant in your care.

Listen to the US Aging podcast, Fall Aging and Health Policy Preview, to learn about the current activity surrounding the FY23 Older Americans Act federal budget. Listen here to learn more about the most recent update.

Project Act is still giving away free at-home COVID-19 test kits for some zip codes in the Northeastern area. Click here to see if free test kits are available for your zip code!

The University of Michigan released an article about ways to provide support for caregivers. Read the article to learn more.

At AgeGuide, we love getting social! Stay up to date with the latest news, updates and learn more about AgeGuide and our work advocating for older adults and the services they need on our social media pages!