AOASCC News & Notes
AOASCC Annual Meeting
Join Us on October 24, 2018

Keynote
Against All Odds
Attorney Sheldon Toubman
New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc.
 
Spotlight on Volunteering: There is nothing like meeting face to face!

During the last few weeks of summer, staff had a wonderful opportunity to meet with volunteers at local “Town Meetings”. It was wonderful listening to them share their stories and discuss the joy they receive from providing supports to others. Here are just a few excerpts from these conversation.

Connie, a volunteer of well over 13 years, spoke of the connections made with the individuals who come to the Hamden Senior Center.

Ruth, Janice and Louise from the Bella Vista Knitters, a group that has been together for over 13 years, shared the wonderful connection they have with the r ’Kids organization in New Haven.

Laura, a Friendly Visitor, said that when she heard her client say to someone on the phone, “her friend was here to visit”, she realized how important her visits were. 

Steve, Hedy, and Marianne, all Experience Corps Volunteers, talked about how much they love the program and especially the students, because it’s all about the students! 

Anne and Pat shared their experiences as Pen Pals with the students from the Branford Middle School. Intergenerational activities at their best!

Howie and Anne talked about the Benefits Check-up service they provide in East Haven and Wallingford. Both agree, folks just don’t understand that there are benefits out there for those who are income eligible.

Our RSVP Volunteer Program is so blessed to have so many wonderful volunteers providing service in all sorts of ways, autonomously throughout the Greater New Haven area.
Find out more about the opportunities available through RSVP.
Caregiver Corner - Mid-Stage Dementia  

The behaviors people associate most frequently with Alzheimer’s disease are those that appear in the mid-stages of the disease. It is important to remember that not all people experience all of the behaviors, but it is also important to be aware of them so that if they occur you are prepared to deal with them. Some of the typical challenging behaviors include anger, suspicion, repetition, wandering, fear of bathing, eating problems, hoarding, inappropriate sexual behavior, hitting, shouting, increased need for help with dressing, difficulty recalling words, loss of the ability to read, perform basic arithmetic, writing, and general loss of coordination.

The most important task in this stage of the illness is helping keep the person safe. It is always important to provide opportunities for the person with dementia to maintain maximum independence, but that is within the constraints of providing a safe environment. A person may fight relinquishing their car keys because of their desire to remain independent but risking their lives or others in the public because they can’t drive safely, isn’t permissible. The same applies to cooking or lighting the fireplace. Although the person with dementia may prefer to do these tasks on their own, it is irresponsible to turn these tasks over without supervision and risk burning down the house.

Another factor to reassess during mid stage disease is the ability to independently remain living at home. Although most people express the desire to remain living in their homes, irrespective of their illness, this isn’t always possible. Here is another place where an ongoing safety assessment is required. At some point in the development of the disease, an individual may no longer be capable of living safely on their own. Sometimes it’s sufficient to bring in long-term care services; in other cases it’s necessary to use residential services. Each situation is unique. There isn’t one right way to manage a long-term illness. The sooner you have discussions about these issues with the care recipient, the greater the probability that you will provide safe care that honors the wishes of your loved one to the maximum extent possible.
Fearless Caregiver Conference
AOASCC is pleased to again host this national conference. This conference provides practical information, advice and support for those caring for loved ones. The conference is designed to help attendees receive hands-on advice for his or her caregiving challenges.

Register at www.caregiver.com
CHOICES - Open Enrollment

The window for open enrollment into Medicare opens October 15, 2018 and closes December 7, 2018. The Medicare Open Enrollment Period is an annual period of time when current Medicare users can choose to  re-evaluate part of their Medicare coverage (their  Medicare Advantage  and/or  Part D plan ) and compare it against all the other plans on the market. After re-evaluating, if you find a plan that is a better fit for your needs, you can then switch to, drop or add a  Medicare Advantage  or  Part D  plan. Medicare Advantage is also known as a “Part C” plan. You cannot use Open Enrollment to enroll in  Part A and/or Part B  for the first time.
  • Anyone who has Medicare Parts A or B can join or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
  • Anyone with Original Medicare (Parts A & B) can switch to a Medicare Advantage plan.
  • Anyone with Medicare Advantage can drop it and switch back to just Original Medicare (Parts A & B).
  • Anyone with Medicare Advantage can switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan.
  • Anyone with a Part D prescription drug plan can switch to a new Part D prescription drug plan.

It’s important to re-evaluate your insurance coverage annually. Unfortunately, choosing health insurance is no longer a one-time decision for most Medicare beneficiaries. Each year, insurance companies can make changes to Medicare plans that can impact how much you pay out-of-pocket—like the monthly premiums, deductibles, drug costs, and provider or pharmacy “networks.” A network is a list of doctors, hospitals, or pharmacies that negotiate prices with insurance companies. They can also make changes to your plan’s “formulary” (list of covered drugs). Given these yearly changes, it is a good idea to re-evaluate your current Medicare plan each year to make sure it still meets your needs. 
Are You Part of the Aging Network?


The Interagency Council on Aging of South Central Connecticut , convened by AOASCC, is a consortium of representatives from non-profit, for-profit and government agencies in the south central region that serve older adults and caregivers. The mission of the Council is to bring together these providers for educational and networking opportunities. 

This Year's Topics
Community Resources
Elder Bullying
Intergenerational Education in Aging

Don't forget M-Team! M-TEAM meets October 18th!
A subgroup of the council, the Multi-Disciplinary Team is an opportunity for frontline staff to participate in case presentations about challenging cases, particularly cases with issues of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, hoarding, abandonment....all the difficult cases with few options.
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