AOASCC News & Notes
Spotlight on Volunteering

Ms. Conrad had always been busy and hard-working, so retirement left her feeling a little uncertain and afraid of what was going to happen next in her life. Then she attended an informational meeting on volunteerism and heard about the Foster Grandparent Program. She was very excited because she had always wanted to work in a program that helped children. The opportunity to influence a child’s life was so important to her because she hadn’t received much guidance from her family growing up.

Ms. Conrad didn’t hesitate for a moment and was happy when her application was accepted. She told us that being a Foster Grandparent has helped her in so many areas of her life. Being involved as a volunteer has helped her improve her mental well-being as she feels she has a purpose in life and “keeping up” with the kids has improved her general health. She also said that the small stipend she receives helped her to catch up on some of her bills. It is not about the money though, she added, it is about the welfare of the children.


Find out about volunteering
through AOASCC!

May is Older Americans Month - Celebrate with us!
Are you a painter or photographer? 

We are looking forward to our annual art exhibition
to be held May 17th-June 21st.
There is no entry fee and prizes will be awarded.

Save the Date!

Opening Reception
May 17
4:00-7:00 p.m.
Thank you to our platinum sponsor.
Caregiver Corner  

If you care for someone who has sleep problems, you know how difficult it can make the day for both of you. Perhaps you work during the day and the person you care for is awake all night and can’t get up and moving in the morning when you’re trying to get the day started. Lack of sleep can make people irritable and argumentative. Sleep deprived people have little interest in activity and can be very negative. None of this makes for a pleasant caregiving situation.

It is important to take sleep loss seriously and find a solution. There are several things you can do. Prescription medications or over the counter medications may be necessary and effective. They both come with potential risks, so discuss them with your loved one’s healthcare provider before making any decisions. In the meantime, you may be able to improve the sleeping problem by using a few tips for better sleeping.

No naps after 3PM. No exercise or large meals in the evening. Avoid caffeine after the morning cup. Do something relaxing in the evening. Don’t watch late night news. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Keep the bedroom dark. 
Upcoming Opportunity

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a self-care education program for family caregivers, designed to provide you with tools and strategies to better handle the unique caregiving challenges you face. Join us for the next FREE six-week program being held in the evenings starting on May 23.
Did You Know?  

There were 2.7 billion reports to the Federal Trade Commission in 2017
  • Top complaints: Debt Collection, Identity Theft and Imposter Scams.
  • Of 1.1 million fraud reports, 21% involved a loss. Median loss - $429
  • 70% of fraud reports included phone call as the method of contact
  • Wire transfers are the most frequently-reported payment method for fraud.

Older Adults & Fraud 49% of fraud reports included the consumers' age, of these:
  • 35% were 60 and older.
  • Those aged 20-29 reported losing money in 40% of reports - people aged 70 and older reported losing money in just 18% of their complaints. 
  • While younger consumers reported losing money to fraud more often, when individuals 70 & over had a loss, the median loss was much higher.

Did you know our Information Library has a lot of helpful resources - including an article on what to do if you have been a victim of identify theft.
CHOICES 

You probably know people who are receiving Social Security survivors’ benefits because they're a widow or widower. At present, there are about 5 million widows and widowers receiving monthly Social Security benefits based on their deceased spouse's earnings record.

Whether or not a surviving spouse is eligible for Social Security survivor benefits depends on age and circumstances. In general, a widow or widower age 60 or older (age 50 or older if disabled) is eligible provided (s)he was married at least nine months.

It is far preferable that both spouses learn what the survivor will collect in Social Security benefits while both are living. ... After the first spouse dies, the survivor can then collect 100 percent of the deceased spouse's benefit as long as (s)he is also at full retirement age.

The survivor benefit amount is based on the earnings of the person who died. The more (s)he paid into Social Security, the higher the benefit will be. The monthly amount one receives is a percentage of the deceased's basic Social Security benefit.
In June 2017, the average Social Security benefit was $1,404 per month. The maximum possible benefit for a worker retiring at age 66 in 2018 is $2,788. But to get this amount, the worker would need to earn the maximum taxable amount, currently $106,800, each year after age 21.

Many divorced or widowed seniors receive Social Security through their former spouse’s Social Security account, and remarriage can affect benefits. ... However, if you are a widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse who remarries after age 60, you are entitled to benefits on your prior deceased spouse's Social Security earnings record.
SNAP - Getting help with the cost of groceries

It’s not easy to manage a budget when the cost of living goes up, but your income stays the same. Thankfully, seniors can turn to programs like SNAP to help them afford food without making cuts somewhere else.

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