Sixty Seconds Newsletter 
A Monthly Update from Senior Resources of West Michigan  
An Area Agency on Aging Serving Muskegon, Oceana & Ottawa Counties
In This Issue
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National Area Agencies on Aging
 

 


Golf and support Senior Resources!
Bill Saylor Open 
golf tournament  
benefiting 
Senior Resources
June 17, 2016
Chase Hammond Golf Course
Click here for registration.


Speak up! Anytime day or night. Report abuse and neglect.
855-444-3911

Senior Resources' Elder Care Specialists are available to assist with Options for Long Term Care
Call: 231-733-3585
or Toll Free:  1-800-442-0054
June 2016
Senior Resources earns CARF accreditation!

Senior Resources was recently issued 3-year CARF accreditation for its case management, and home and community services programs. This is the first accreditation that the international accrediting body, CARF, has awarded to Senior Resources.

The accreditation is effective May 3, 2016, through May 31, 2019. CARF accreditation is an indication of Senior Resources' dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served, according to the letter announcing the accreditation. "Services, personnel, and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of conformance to standards."

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization's substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality. 

Staff members Amy Florea and Kim Vazquez led the CARF accreditation effort, with support from the entire staff.

"The CARF accreditation is the very positive outcome to two years of commitment and teamwork by the Senior Resources staff," CEO Pam Curtis said. "Could we have pulled it all together faster?  Probably, but this feels better. We always felt we provided good quality services to the people that we serve and this process has given us the opportunity to see what we really had in place, where we were doing really well and what areas needed tweaking. Because CARF is an ongoing process, we will always be striving to improve the quality of the services we provide and enhance the lives of the people we serve."  

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.
Senior Advocates Coalition meets June 13 at Tanglewood Park
The Senior Advocates Coalition meets on Monday, June 13, 1:30-3 p.m. in the training room at Tanglewood Park. 

Federal Congressional aides will be in attendance to share updates from Congressman Bill Huizenga and Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters. A PowerPoint overview of aging America, the Older Americans Act and appropriations will also be shared.

For more information, contact Pam Curtis at 231-733-3521. The Senior Advocates Coalition will meet again Sept. 12.
 
Reviewing the presidential candidates' views on older adults
While it doesn't get a lot of press attention . . . . the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates HAVE taken positions on issues directly affecting older adults and people with disabilities. The official campaign websites for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders reveal each candidates' stance on Social Security, Medicare and other issues.
 
Amy Gotwals of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., shared this little-known information at the AAAAM Annual Conference recently. Among her findings:
 
Donald Trump's website ( www.donaldjtrump.com/positions) indicates that the candidate opposes cuts to Social Security and is against raising the retirement age. On the subject of health care, Trump would like to repeal Obamacare, institute free market reforms, block grant the Medicaid program and allow more freedom to import cheaper prescription drugs from other countries. Veterans' care is a subject of great importance for older adults since many older men are vets. President Trump would overhaul the Veterans Administration to improve the care it delivers, and would allow vets to choose non-government private providers for their health care services. He would also eliminate the federal estate tax.
 
Hillary Clinton's website ( www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/ ) shows the candidate opposing the privatization of Social Security, against raising the retirement age, and opposing cuts to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Clinton supports expanding Social Security for those who need it most, including widows and women who left the workforce to care for children or aging parents. She would raise the cap on Social Security taxable income and tax other income not taken into account by the Social Security system. President Clinton would fight Medicare privatization and reward provider quality using health system innovations tested under the Affordable Care Act. On caregivers, Clinton would promote a 20% tax credit for caregivers up to $6000, and also a Social Security credit for caregivers. Clinton wants to cure Alzheimer's Disease by 2025 by investing in research.  In her years as a U.S. Senator, Clinton supported respite care for caregivers, the Older Americans Act, and other discretionary programs that support community living.
 
Bernie Sanders' website ( www.berniesanders.com/issues/ ) says the candidate would increase appropriations for the Older Americans Act (OAA) by 12%. As a U.S. Senator, Sanders' advocacy for OAA reauthorization and increased appropriations is well-documented. President Sanders would oppose cuts to Social Security, oppose raising the retirement age, and also oppose privatization. He would increase funding for the program by raising the taxable wage base from the current $118,500 to $250,000.  Sanders has gotten some attention from the media for his "Medicare for all" proposal to provide a single-payer national health care system for all Americans. He would allow Americans to import drugs from Canada, require Medicare to negotiate drug prices and reinstitute drug price discounts for low-income seniors. On pensions, the candidate would provide more pension protection by closing tax loopholes for the wealthy.  
 
Note that Gotwals' highlights are a brief overview and not a thorough summary of the candidates' positions.  For more details, visit the candidates' websites.   
 
Article reprinted with permission from The Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan Associate Member News 

Senior Resources of West Michigan Inc