Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have come up with an innovative way to proceed with the 8th annual Art of Aging. The Art of Aging exhibition has been “hung” on our website in a special online gallery. Please help us to spread the word! Everyone needs something to brighten their days during these uncertain times.
Have you visited our art gallery?
We have 151 works of art by 75 artists "hanging" in our virtual gallery. Some of our artists have pursued art from their first box of crayons and others began only after retirement. Come and visit, sign our guestbook and vote for your favorites. Voting closes on June 30 and
People's Choice Awards
will be announced July 6.
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From our Artists
"It all started with an art group at my local senior center. I have discovered that we are never too old to learn and to grow."
"I love the art of sharing my art."
"Retirement brought time to play with art materials."
"I am incomplete when I am not able to create."
"I enjoy seeking new adventures to capture."
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Delivering Groceries, Making Phone Calls, Touching Lives
While many are enjoying the loosening restrictions, older adults and others with chronic illnesses need to still stay at home. We are continuing, and growing, our grocery pick up and drop off program to meet their needs. We are also committed to continue checking in through phone calls with older adults who are at risk of isolation.
Currently we have almost 100 volunteers pitching in to make this happen.
Yale University students are part of this number.
“The outpouring of support from the Yale community has been humbling, My faith in humanity is alive and well.”
Read the article here.
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Senator Chris Murphy pitches in and delivers groceries.
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Volunteer takes a selfie moment during a pick up.
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RSVP Volunteers Still Connecting
With the start of the stay at home order, the normal activities of our RSVP Volunteer Program came to a halt. Yet, we have amazing volunteers who weren’t going to let distance keep them from connecting. Many continued to support clients through phone calls or, as the new lingo puts it, through “Tele-Support Services”. Others were able to continue shopping, so they dropped off groceries and medication.
Our volunteers, however, are eager to get back to face-to-face support, so our program manager started planning ahead to make sure our volunteers, and their clients, would feel safe. In response to a Facebook post, Annette Sach Cook stepped up, providing 200 face masks. Annette tells us that it is her way of giving and kept her busy so she had no way of becoming bored. We could not be more appreciative of this donation which will help us ensure the well-being of our volunteers and the older adults they support when we can safely return to providing in-person support.
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Did You Know?
- About 28 percent of older adults in the United States, or 13.8 million people, live alone.
- More than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.
- Loneliness and social isolation can have profound impact on both mental and physical health. This includes social isolation significantly increasing a person's risk of premature death. Read more.
The pandemic has the potential of increasing the risk of loneliness and social isolation. Find ways to stay engaged in mind & body and connected to your community -
Stay Connected.
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Caregiver Corner
There are always challenges in the lives of caregivers, but the current pandemic brings new challenges and exaggerates the problems we face every day. If you are caring for a relative over the age of sixty or someone with a diagnosed dementia, please reach out to us, we have programs and services that can help you. Perhaps you never needed help with caregiving previously, but the
new way of living with its social isolation may have created
new problems.
Our National Family Caregiver Support Program and our Statewide Respite Care Program have services available that might make this time easier for you. Contact Patricia Soos and ask her what services might be available for you. You can reach Patricia by calling 203-785-8533 and choosing option 3 for the ADRC. You’ll have to leave a message for her as our staff are continuing to work remotely. Your message will be relayed to her and she will call you back. She’s working full time trying to arrange services to take the strain off of family caregivers like yourself and will get back to you quickly. Between Patricia and Susan Shultz, our Respite care managers, I am certain we can make things a little easier on you.
Another way we are trying to support caregivers is through our annual Fearless Caregiver conference traditionally held in November. The conference won’t be traveling to Connecticut this year, but we are arranging to bring the conference to you as a virtual experience. Those of you have attended in the past will miss being with us in person, but we are working with Gary & Steve Barg to make the virtual experience a great experience for you. Watch our newsletters for the announcement of the date.
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Free Online Webinar, June 15 - 10 a.m.-12 noon
Consumers & professionals are invited to learn about COVID-19 scams affecting Medicare beneficiaries and financial fraud scams affecting older adults.
More information & registration.
Prevent, Detect, Report Medicare Fraud
Unfortunately, scam artists are using the coronavirus pandemic to try to steal your Medicare Number and other personal data, but you can protect yourself.
REPORT all suspected
SCAMs!
Call this number to be connected with the SMP program at you local Agency on Aging in Connecticut. 800-994-9422
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CHOICES - Cost Savings on Insulin
CMS has just announced a new Senior Savings model that will help seniors afford their insulin. The new model is
anticipated to save Medicare Part D beneficiaries up to
$446 or
66% on out of pocket costs for their insulins
beginning in 2021.
- Across the nation, participating enhanced Part D prescription drug plans will provide Medicare beneficiaries access to a broad set of insulins at a maximum $35 copay for a month’s supply, from the beginning of the year through the Part D coverage gap.
- CMS is enabling and encouraging Part D plans to offer fixed, predictable copays for beneficiaries rather than leaving seniors paying 25 percent of the drug’s cost in the coverage gap.
- Beneficiaries will be able to enroll during Medicare open enrollment, which is from October 15, 2020 through December 7, 2020, for Part D coverage that begins on January 1, 2021.
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If you are in need of long term care services and supports & want to know if you qualify for any public programs, contact the CHOICES program at 800-994-9422.
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