Independence

June 2023

Fraud Prevention Week - June 5-12

WHY IS THIS WEEK IMPORTANT? Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion each year due to fraud, errors and abuse, though that number is impossible to measure.

Every day, issues related to these problems affect people across the country, often costing them time, money and well-being. When people steal from Medicare, it hurts us all and is big business for scammers, leaving less available funds for those needing Medicare services now as well as in the future. Find out more.

Caregiver Corner - LGBT Caregivers

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) have much in common with other caregivers, but also have unique experiences and needs. The unique needs of LGBT older adults and the people who care for them must be taken into account, and addressed when developing caregiver plans. As a group, LGBT older adults experience social, financial, physical and mental health disparities, and are at higher risk for developing chronic diseases, being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, living in poverty, and experiencing social isolation.

LGBT caregivers make up 9% of the 34.2 million Americans caring for adults over age 50.  LGBT people also become caregivers at a slightly higher rate than their non-LGBT peers. LGBT caregivers come from a variety of different backgrounds and provide care in a variety of different relationship structures, but there are some common themes in the unique needs and experiences of most LGBT caregivers, as well as those who are caring for LGBT older adults but may not be LGBT-identified themselves.

Family caregivers, most typically are children of aging parents or spouses. LBGT older adults are less likely to have children or spouses to provide care. Additionally, there is a greater probability that a member of the LBGT population is estranged from family when compared with the non-LBGT population if family members did not accept sexual orientation or gender identity.

Confronted with family estrangement, LBGT individuals have a long history of creating Families of Choice. Friends, partners, ex-partners and some relatives are the people the older LBGT individual relies on when caregiving is needed. It is common for the majority of an LGBT older adult’s close friends and chosen family to be older adults themselves, which means that many older LGBT individuals rely on one another for caregiving, and a large number of LGBT older adults find themselves becoming caregivers.

The most vulnerable of these groups is LGBT older adults caring for their LGBT peers. These caregivers experience compounded health disparities, and many have the added stress of knowing that there is no one else to care for their loved one should they need to relinquish their caregiving duties. They may be reluctant to access services for either themselves or their loved ones and require particular attention to engage and support.

Spotlight on Volunteering

We know that older adults may delay or cancel medical appointments because of the physical, emotional and safety challenges associated with traveling to and from their doctors by themselves. Thanks to the generous funding by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC), we are working to eliminate these barriers and ensure that no older adults or individuals with disabilities miss their treatments and check-ins going forward.

The Medical Chaperone Program pairs volunteer chaperones with clients to accompany them door-to-door, from their homes to the doctor’s office, and back again thereby navigating the complex medical system with greater agency and dignity. Adding this human touch to existing transportation services makes them more accessible and is a low-cost solution to missed medical appointments. This program strengthens human-centered relationships, improves client and volunteer wellness, and reduces social isolation.

Here are a few quotes, illustrating how much participants value this program:

• “I appreciate having a chaperone because I do not know what obstacles I’m going to encounter [when I go to the doctor].”
• “The chaperone provided my family with a huge relief because my granddaughter [client’s caregiver] would have to use sick time from work to drive me to appointments.”
• “I’ve loved all the chaperones, they are amazing, helpful and understanding”.
• “I recommend anyone to this program who is afraid to go [to the doctor’s] by themselves.” 
• “Thank God for the Agency. It’s hard to do things on my own. The chaperone was focused on me and was there to lend an arm or hand when needed.”

Serve & be a change maker! Find out more and connect with us through our website or call the volunteer team at 203-752-3059.

Did you know?

• 80% of older adults have their homes in car-dependent neighborhoods.  
• 53% of those areas don’t have sidewalks
• 60% are not within a ten minute walk of a transit stop

• Older adults make 90% of their trips in private cars

However...

• Every year some 600,000 adults stop driving. 

• More than 40 percent of older and disabled adults rely on family, friends and neighbors for rides, and around three-quarters of caregivers list providing or arranging transport as one of their primary duties
• Seniors who stop driving make 15% fewer trips to the doctor.  Shopping and socializing becomes more difficult, contributing to isolation, which can affect health and well-being.

https://ctmirror.org/2022/09/18/cameron/

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/info-2020/transportation-services.html