AOASCC News & Notes
A Note from AOASCC Board of Directors Chair Joanne McGloin

The Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to announce the upcoming retirement of President & CEO Ted Surh at the end of December. Ted has been with the agency since 2010, serving as President & CEO since December of 2012. The Board appreciates his tireless work and leadership in successfully negotiating the changing landscape of aging services.

The Board is currently in the process of seeking a new President & CEO. We will work alongside the management team to facilitate a smooth transition period and are looking forward to our continued work together as advocates for independence in south central Connecticut.
Caregiver Corner - Building a Support Team

Caregiving is often a full-time job. And you may be doing it along with your paid job and other family responsibilities. You may feel there’s no one who can help you. Most caregivers feel this way, and sometimes it’s true, but often there are other people who can help. They just have never been asked. If you’re going to be a caregiver for a long period of time, you need to create a support team to help you provide care.

There are be many small things that can be done by someone else that will enable you to use your limited time most effectively. Somethings can only be done by you, but other people can help with some tasks. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to be the “captain” of the team. As Gary Barg of Caregiver Media often says, “You are the CEO of your caregiver team.” You don’t need to do everything, but you are responsible for getting it done.

How do you create a caregiver team? Read more & explore more caregiver resources.
CHOICES- Finding a New Doctor

When people enroll into Original Medicare, they often need to find new doctors who participate in Medicare. When family doctors retire, their Medicare clients need to find new doctors. When people relocate to a new state, they need to find new doctors. When you need a second opinion, you need to find a new doctor. Where do you begin when you need to find a new doctor?

Medicare has a website that can help you. You can visit the official Medicare website at www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare/. When the page opens enter your location. You can enter your city and state, or just your zip code. Then type in the kind of doctor you’re looking for. Enter a general term, like primary care, or quite specific such as gastroenterologist. Click on the search button and you’ll see a list of the type of physician you’re looking for. Each of them has been prescreened to ensure they accept Medicare coverage. If you don’t know the name of the category of specialist you need, you can also search by the name of the body part. For example, you may be looking for a consult about your chronic back pain. Click on the word “back” from a list of common body types and you’ll see a list that contains orthopedic physicians. This might be exactly what you need.

Each listing of physicians also displays a map of the locations of each doctor on the list and the distance from your home to each doctor. If you want to know if the physician accepts the Medicare approved rates, or whether there is an additional charge beyond the Medicare rate, you can click on a button that will answer that question for you. This eliminates unpleasant surprises at the doctor’s office. Physicians who participate in Medicare are permitted to charge 15% above the Medicare approved rate and you want to know that before you schedule an appointment.
Before you make a decision about selecting a new doctor, you can review his rating in comparison to other doctors in his/her field of practice using the physician compare option. Selecting a healthcare provider is an important decision. The more information you have to narrow the selection, the better chance you’ll have of finding someone who meets your needs.

We are here to help. Contact CHOICES for accurate, impartial information about health insurance options. 800-994-9422.


Upcoming Events
 TEARS Elder Abuse Conference 2019
The Intersection Between Mental Health and Aging
Seats are filling quickly!
Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 pm
Toyota Oakdale Theater, Wallingford

Sage is national advocacy and services organization that’s been looking out for LGBT elders since 1978. We are pleased that Sadiya Abjani from Sage is joining us at TEARS 2019 to speak about the unique challenges facing LGBT older adults. Visit our website for information on all our speakers.

The TEARS Elder Abuse Conference has been approved for 6 Continuing Education Credit Hours by the National Association of Social Workers, CT and meets the continuing education criteria for CT Social Work Licensure.
There is still time to get your ad into the resource booklet or to sign up for a table.
Networking & Educational Opportunities
If you are looking for opportunities to meet and learn from others in the aging network, join the Interagency Council on Aging of South Central Connecticut. This year the Interagency presentations will focus on mental health and aging. Find out more & register.
We are sponsoring this self-care education program for family caregivers, designed to provide you with tools and strategies to better handle the unique challenges you face. The free workshop series consists of six sessions beginning October 11th. Find out more & sign up here.
Save the Date

AOASCC Annual Meeting
October 23, 2019
Free for Family Caregivers
November 6, 2019

Are You a Veteran?
For the past 3 years the Agency’s RSVP Volunteer program has been connecting Veterans to Middle School students through its Pen Pal Project. No computer generated letters, just handwritten correspondence through the school year. Registration with the Agency’s RSVP Volunteer program is mandatory. Connect with us.
Help with Groceries

On August 8, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service celebrated 50 remarkable years of service dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through our nation’s vital nutrition programs. It was a special moment to reflect on how these valuable programs, and the laws that authorize and shape them, have grown and evolved to meet changing food and nutrition needs, always with an eye to good stewardship. Read more .

SNAP is one of these vital programs - could you use an additional $108 in your grocery budget? That's the national average SNAP budget for a senior living alone.

Apply today at  BenefitsCheckUp.org/getSNAP or for more information, visit our website.
Have you done your part? The Older Americans Act is set to expire on September 30. Your voice is needed. Support the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act through outreach to your legislators’ offices, and those of key House and Senate Committee members, by September 30. Read the action alert from ASA .

Find your representative. . Contact information for Connecticut's senators.