The Latest from AOASCC

Independence

December 2022

AOASCC News & Notes

Your Support Matters...

Every year, we assist thousands of older adults and people with disabilities with a range of services to help them remain at home and engaged in the community and provide caregivers with the critical support they need. Yet, we continue to see so many critical concerns continue to grow: social isolation and loneliness, food insecurity, transportation, cost of care, and knowing where to turn for help.

Would you consider a year-end gift? Your donation will be part of meeting this growing need.

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Caregiver Corner

What is the most difficult part of being a caregiver during the holiday season? For some, it’s the extra work that needs to be done when there isn’t enough time in the day to complete what is already a demanding schedule. Some people would say it’s the extra expense that holidays invariably bring. For others it’s the feeling that the holidays should be joy filled and they’re just not feeling it, in fact they may be feeling sadder than usual.

I think the most difficult part is trying to pretend that nothing has changed: the holidays will be merry and bright. Sometimes the holidays are less merry than we’d hoped. The people we love have changed. Our visions of sugar plums have been exchanged for medical equipment and incontinence products. It’s hard to watch people change and feel powerless to stop it. It causes sadness when people we love no longer participate in the holidays. Each holiday that passes reminds us that time isn’t standing still. We are on a path that doesn’t have the ending for which we hope.

What can a caregiver do about all this? Read More.

Spotlight on Volunteers

Happy Holidays from the volunteer team!

Tis the season to be jolly and we are indeed very happy, proud, and appreciative of the service our wonderful volunteers provide to many people throughout the year! We are also thankful and excited to report that our non-emergency Medical Chaperone Transportation Support program is running again. This program arranges for volunteer chaperones to accompany older adults and people with disabilities from their homes to their doctors and back. Not only does this program ensure that clients are able to receive medical care safely and more comfortably, but it also, in many instances, gives their caregivers a much-needed break. For many, figuring out how to get to the doctor’s office can be quite difficult. Barriers such as finding someone to accompany you, arranging and paying for transportation, and walking safely to and from the medical offices can be very overwhelming leading to missed appointments and worsening health outcomes. This service is meant to alleviate such obstacles and the demand for this type of support is great.

Since the program’s return in late-November, we have already addressed two urgent requests. The first was to arrange for a veteran to be taken to the VA for an important checkup. Securing a chaperone not only helped him, but it also relieved the stress and guilt his wife was feeling for not being able to go with him. The other request came from a legally blind older woman who needed assistance getting to an essential eye appointment needed to preserve her limited vision. We are confident there will be other compelling stories like these to tell as the program continues.

Find out more about volunteering as a chaperone and other opportunities through AOASCC.

The Agency on Aging of South Central CT is very happy to announce that it is the recipient of funding from the National Coalition on Aging to provide assistance with SNAP benefit enrollments.

SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program designed to help families cope with the ever-rising cost of food. Although many family types are eligible for SNAP, this particular grant, to AOASCC is intended for us to assist older adults complete the process of enrolling in the program. As with most benefit programs, with SNAP, there is an application to complete, proofs of information to supply and questions that sometimes are hard to figure out. The purpose of the grant is to supply older adults with a person (not a website) who can answer the hard questions, help organize the proofs, assist completing the application, submit the application and then track it as it proceeds through the approval process.

Once your application is approved, you will receive monthly updates to your SNAP account. The account comes with a debit card that will be automatically updated with monthly benefits. You can use the card at the grocery story, or for online food purchases. Annually you will be required to recertify your eligibility to continue receiving the benefit. We are here to also help you with your redetermination paperwork if you need it. If you are 60+ years and live on a fixed income, contact us to determine whether you are eligible to get a little bit of help through SNAP.

You can reach our information counselors at 203-785-8533 and selet option 4.

Are you one of the 52% of older adults age 60+ who are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and not yet enrolled?

You can reach our information counselors

at 203-785-8533 - select option 4.

Did You Know?

In 2020, 5.2 million seniors aged 60 and older were food insecure in the United States— 6.8% of the senior population
Those with disability had food insecurity rates over double the rates of seniors without a disability.
Renters experienced food insecurity at over four times the rate of seniors who are homeowners
Poverty alone does not determine food insecurity. Of seniors who were food insecure, roughly half (51%) had incomes above the poverty level
Those who reside with a grandchild experienced food insecurity at almost three times the rate of seniors in households where no grandchild is present.
Food insecurity was more than four times as high among Black seniors and more than three times as high among Latino seniors when compared to white seniors.

Feeding America Report published May 2022

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