News and Updates for August 2023

News & Updates

August 2023 | Issue 11

Upcoming Events

Registration for The Caregiver Luncheon and Expo is now open. Call 774-519-6287. This event is free but space is limited. Door prizes! Reiki and massage! Download the flyer HERE.

NEW from SENIOR PLANET! "Money Matters" is coming to Brewster.

Senior Planet instructor Elenita Muñiz has been prepping the Money Matters curriculum this summer. “It’s not enough to be able to use your computer for email,” she says, “After taking this class, people will be able to use their computers to manage and save money, safely and without being inundated with ads.” Learn more here.

Elder Services offers Senior Planet programming because there is increasing evidence demonstrating a strong relationship between digital literacies, broadband access, and positive health outcomes.But internet service is uneven across the Cape. The Cape Cod Commission is collecting speed test data to build baseline information on existing conditions of fixed and mobile broadband networks. Cape-based internet users are encouraged to take the speed test as often as possible and across different devices and connection types.

Take the speed test: HERE.

New Program Empowers Transitions with Resources, Support, and Services

Program Manager Connor Breslin with CLTP team members (from left to right) Gina Pires, Caroline Donovan, and Samantha Mohan

This month marked the roll out of Massachusetts’ new Community Transitions Liaison Program (CLTP) at Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands. The program provides support for adult residents of long term care facilities who wish to transition back to living in a community setting.

As we live longer, healthier lives, it's become more common to experience time spent in a nursing facility as an interruption in routine rather than as the start of inevitable decline. Even when that interruption lasts for days or even weeks, transitioning back into our homes and communities can pose challenges, but these challenges multiply exponentially if the nursing home stay extends for months or even years.

In the United States, people who are able to live in the community with appropriate supports have a right to do so. But having a right doesn't guarantee having the means to exercise it. That’s where ESCCI’s Community Transition Liaison Team comes in. The team helps connect residents to the support and resources they need to transition out of a nursing facility.

Among other things, the program offers:

Personalized Advocacy: Our program takes a person-centered approach, advocating for your needs and preferences throughout the transition process.
Comprehensive Resources: We provide access to essential resources, including housing applications and public benefits, to help ease your transition.
End-to-End Support: From planning to implementation, our caring team is committed to supporting you in this goal to discharge back to the community.
Connections in the Community: We can connect you with local agencies and organizations that can provide additional support and services to ensure a smooth transition.

Although this program is only weeks old, it already has a small caseload of individuals who are eager to transition back to a community living environment. Our dedicated CTLP team makes regular weekly visits to nursing facilities in the area. During these visits, they engage with residents, families, and nursing facility staff to provide information about the program and answer questions. Adults who have resided in a nursing facility for at least 45 days are eligible for this program regardless of age or insurance coverage.

MassHealth Renewals Are Underway

To prevent a gap in your MassHealth coverage, please take these steps now:

Update your information with MassHealth. Make sure MassHealth has your most up to date address, phone number, and email so you do not miss important information and notices from MassHealth. Call 800-841-2900 (TDD/TTY: 711) to update your contact information.
Read all your mail. MassHealth will be sending your renewal form in a blue envelope. Additional important notices or request for information may arrive in white envelopes.
Respond to MassHealth before the deadline. Your notice will have a deadline. Make sure you fill out and send all needed information to MassHealth by the deadline.

More about the Blue Envelope:

At the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the federal government implemented continuous coverage requirements for Medicaid. In response to these requirements, MassHealth put protections in place in February 2020 that prevented members’ MassHealth coverage from ending.

The federal government ended these continuous coverage requirements on April 1, 2023 and MassHealth returned to its standard annual eligibility renewal processes. These renewals are taking place over 12 months, from April 2023 – 2024. This means that members could get their renewal forms in the mail at any time during this 1-year period.