Why, I remember back in the day when Medicare Part D open enrollment ran from mid November through the end of December..

            OK, a couple things: I’m not naive enough (usually) to assume you folks sit around talking about Part D (Medicare prescription coverage) enrollment—that’s part of what we do. And if you are, and by “back in the day” you mean last year, you are correct.

            However: Beginning this year, the enrollment period changes to October 15^th through December 7^th. The period lasts a little longer and doesn’t get all wrapped-up in the Christmas holidays. Sounds like a good idea, but we have to remember that the former days of waiting until the end of the year isn’t going to work.

            And, yes, I’m aware (most of the time) that this is August. I’m also aware that August seemed to get here pretty quickly, then comes September, school starting, and October rearing its head. Dates have a way of sneaking up on us, and this year October’s not just for Halloween anymore. (I’ll refrain from making comparisons of trick or treat with picking a Part D provider.)

            For those who are new to the whole Medicare deal, as mentioned above, Medicare Part D is the prescription coverage piece, and it’s insurance—meaning that premiums can change. This isn’t the same thing as the house insurance you’ve had for the past thirty years, as the costs, availability and the prescriptions covered (formularies) can change from year to year.

            Also, if you’re currently covered under another prescription plan, you should receive a letter from the company informing you that: 1. Your current plan meets or exceeds Medicare Part D coverage (and you won’t need to enroll in Part D); or 2. Your current plan is ending or the coverage does not meet the coverage provided through Medicare.

            We’ll go into more detail as the time sneaks up on us, but know that you can get help at any of the numbers at the end of the column, or go directly to www.medicare.gov and follow links to drug plans and the Medicare Plan Finder. We can assist you in finding plans that best meet your needs, but we can’t recommend a specific plan. We can help find the top/best three options, but the choice is yours, as it should be.

            As noted in previous column, who knows you better than you?

Although we’d do well to remember that not everyone has a computer, uses one regularly, or even wants one, all indications seem to point in the direction of those not being online becoming fewer; and there’s no end in sight as to how technology will continue to make computer use easier and more comprehensive. Having said that, it’s been a while since we looked at some sites that can really go a long ways toward getting information you may need.

            And remember, even if you “don’t want one of those things in my house”, you can still access this information by going to the library and using theirs.

            Looking for a change of residence where assistance is available? For a listing of assisted living, Adult Family Home or Skilled Nursing Facility options, you can go to www.snapforseniors.com. Now, not all places have listed themselves here, but you can search by zip, city, type of place, whether or not they accept Medicaid and so on. Some of the places have even put virtual tours on the site.

            How about just trying to see what you might already be eligible for in our state—just in case? www.benefitscheckup.org , a site by the National Council on Aging, is very easy to navigate and you can anonymously dig around and see what’s available.

            Do you want to apply for food assistance, medical help, child care, etc, or wonder if you’re eligible? Go to www.washingtonconnection.org and you can view standards and/or apply for services online.

            There’s a huge amount of legal information, including forms that can be downloaded at www.washingtonlawhelp.org. This is a comprehensive, yet easy to use, site that allows you to get a lot of information and guides you through various processes.

            A great resource for folks whose lives are being impacted by Alzheimer’s is www.alz.org (or for local news/updates) www.alz.org/alzwa. The site has everything from warning signs and research updates to materials for supporting caregivers. A great reminder that you don’t have to navigate these waters alone.

            Want to keep updated on what the Department of Health & Human Services has in the area of aging (we all are aging, so we might as well get over it)? You can visit www.aoa.gov and see the Administration on Aging site.

            And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention (as I do at the end of each column) our own site, www.o3a.org.  Our site has some links to the above, and also has descriptions of what services we provide, plus an online Resource Center.

            These are just a few sites that occur to me as I write this. Obviously, once you start doing some searching, you’ll find a lot of others that are more specific to what you want. And, if you’re a I-don’t-care-where-computers-are-available-I-still-won’t-use-one type person, you can always pick-up the phone. We’re here.

            Deep philosophical statements, I know.  However, regardless of what we’re doing life happens. And it has a way of presenting questions—questions that make us realize that (shockingly) we don’t know everything about everything.

            This column is called “Information & Assistance”, but in no way is to imply we have all the answers, either. One thing we do have, however, is the ability and the mandate to explore and communicate what we do find. A short list of areas we can help with includes:

• Referrals: To home-care, home delivered meals, energy assistance, transportation, low-income telephone assistance, personal response units, legal guidance/advice, minor home repairs, etc.
• A comprehensive search of what benefits/resources may be available to you
• Senior Legal Advice Clinics
• Medicaid In-Home Care case management
• Questions/answers re alternate living situations such as Adult Family Homes and/or Assisted Living residences
• Family Caregiver Support Services
• Prescription assistance
• Supplemental social security insurance information
• Medicare questions

     And, of course, lots of phone numbers. One of the cool things about this type of work is there are more things we do than I can list offhand. Especially with information, more is better.

And we get to talk to folks who get to talk to real live people who live and work in our communities.

            One of the great dynamics that occurs is when someone comes in looking for information about a specific service; then following a brief conversation, they discover other things that might be helpful. Life, as mentioned earlier, happens and during the experience, we find that we actually have several needs, but are focused on the one in front of us. For example:

            Someone comes by (or phones or emails) and they want information on where to find medical equipment for Dad who’s leaving the hospital and coming to live with them. After giving the information, the discussion might lead to what kind of support would be needed to make Dad’s staying at the home successful? Is he eligible for Medicaid services? What about support for the family caregivers? Has Home Health been notified if needed?

            What else can we help you with? We’re here and so are you. Indeed, again as mentioned at the onset, here we are.

            It made me start thinking (and sometimes, that’s OK) about who’s thinking about what. It’s pretty safe to assume that “older” folks may be thinking about taking care of their parents, what might be in the future, and so on..but younger” folks?

            As it turns out, the late stages of life are thought about across just about all generations, since everyone has or knows someone who is looking at elder issues. A lot of people wonder about what’s out there, and a lot of people “know” all about it; but much like I’ve found to be true with myself, a lot of what I “know” isn’t necessarily true. So let’s take a look at some resources/information  that maybe we know—and maybe we don’t.

            Sometimes things change, and change has a way of putting things in focus; and focus is great when you’re trying to see something. One area that continually seems to have to battle against outdated “knowledge” is the idea of living in a “facility”.  For one thing, maybe we need to stop calling other-than-my house living situations facilities. (That in itself goes a long way.)

            There are many varied residences other than what we think of when we think of our house or our apartment, and they range from retirement campuses, through assisted living places to Adult Family Homes and Skilled Nursing places (we tend to call the latter SNF’s, but the last word is that word we’re trying to avoid.) Depending on what’s needed, each has its place in people’s lives.

            If you need some assistance, or expect you might, getting through the day, week, or month, but are still pretty independent, assisted living may be just what you’re looking for. (And, as an aside: Yes, a lot of folks look for and plan for moving into such a new home. The old idea of being “put” somewhere is only one of the outdated concepts out there.)

            Think about it: I want my own space, but need some help with some daily activities (medication management, wheelchair access, preparing meals, etc). And if my needs increase, so does the available assistance—to a certain level, anyway.

            Rooms vary from studio apartments to bedroom apartments and each place has their own personality, amenities (libraries, exercise rooms, etc) and layout—and what apartment complex doesn’t? One of the big differences is when you need some assistance, trained folks are in place instead of having to be called in. And meals and laundry are provided.

            Another plus? There are usually at least a few in your community—in our county, we have them at both ends. You can give us a call for a list of them, or look in the phone book, or go online to www.snapforseniors.com. Whichever is simplest, that’s the way I’d take. One more suggestion: Even if you can view someplace online, or have heard rave reviews, go see for yourself. After all, you’re the best judge of you.

            Last time out we looked very briefly at the fact this is one of those relatively rare programs that is just what the title indicates. It provides support for folks who are taking care of family members—not as paid professionals, but as unpaid family caregivers. This includes a lot of people who would give you a blank stare if you asked “Are you the caregiver?”  The probable response would be” No, I’m his son.” ( daughter, wife, husband, etc.). Identifying ourselves as “caregivers” is difficult. It’s what we do, not who we are…until what we do overwhelms who we are. Enter support services.

            FCSP explores several different paths to resources, and works to help the family caregiver remain as such–amid pressures, expectations, stress, and the myriad other forces that come to bear in such a situation. Sometimes it just seems like hobbies go by the wayside. Sometimes time just keeps slipping away. And sometimes, our own expectations as “family” put such a load on us, we can barely keep on keepin’ on. And just maybe, we don’t even think about it, because we’re just too busy, too tired, too spaced-out to take the time.

            FCSP provides opportunities for the caregiver. Yes, it’s easy to rationalize that the “real” need lies with Dad who needs help to just get through the day. True. But what happens if you’re no longer able to help Dad? Then, we just have two people in need, or as sometimes happens, you end-up with more health problems than Dad—yep, it happens.

            The staff who manage these programs care about people and are excited to have the opportunity to help those who are helping others—and they’ve seen the successes. There are some program/system dynamics to go through, screenings and interviews, but these are designed to pinpoint the extent of the need so appropriate resources can be tapped. And “resources” might mean anything from time away while a professional caregiver covers for you, or support groups, or counseling, or…?

            Just contact either of the numbers at the bottom of the column, or as noted last time, you can contact FCSP folks directly: Eric Nessa at 1 800 801 0060 (NessaEM@dshs.wa.gov) or Linda Green at 1 888 571 6557 (greenll@dshs.wa.gov).

            Oh, the plan? Washington State, in the midst of the same budget crunches as everywhere, did actually offer additional monies in order to further support FCSP throughout the state. For one year, over 3 million dollars was made available to help screen, assess and support an additional 1500 family caregivers. Whether you think it’s all about saving money (prevention generally costs less than facility care) or you think the state is re-discovering its benevolence, it’s still a good plan.

            And speaking of plans—Olympic Area Agency on Aging is developing their Area Plan for 2012-2015 and includes all our services to elders and folks with disabilities, and..and..

            Public feedback is always needed. How does a plan become meaningful if the planners don’t know what’s happening in the community? For pacific County, the hearing/meeting/gathering is set for July 20^th (next week!) at the county courthouse, 11-12. In Grays Harbor, it’s at the county courthouse the same day, from 3-4.

            Want folks to hear what’s needed? What to have some involvement in how other folks are planning for your area?

            Come and join us!

            And what exactly is “it”?

            Well, “it” is what it is—helpful? It’s this type of circular babble that often dribbles out of social services; as if folks can be confused enough, no one will have to do anything.

            Yet “it” can sometimes truly be what it is—as in the example of family caregiver support programs. Somehow, these programs managed to get through layers of social services, a morass of social-ese language contortions and come out pretty much clear.  So if only to be able to talk about something not-too-confusing, let’s take a look at Family Caregiver Support Programs.

            Family is pretty much what it seems to be—those folks who, whether or not they’re around you all the time, are related to you. No hidden meanings, no secret definitions that vary from time zone to time zone, just…family.

            Caregiver gets a little more fuzzy sometimes. It, too, is what it is. Someone who gives care to someone else. The fuzzy parts are when you’re taking care of Dad, Mom, Aunt Sadie or Uncle Zeke, you usually don’t think of yourself as a “caregiver”. You’re just part of the family. And chances are very great that whoever you’re helping doesn’t think of you as a caregiver either. You’re just Bob…Chet…Ezekiel, whoever.

            Support sounds great..and it is! It can be a myriad of activities or resources, but the primary dynamic is..yep, “support”. Whatever can be done to help someone; to help the helper; to care for the caregiver—you get the picture.

            Programs—uh…I get it. Depending on your most recent (or traumatic) experience with a “program”, you may have been enjoying the ride to this point. Let’s just think of it in terms of some group of processes that allows the help to get where it’s going.

            So, family caregiver (you know who you are): Need some support? In most cases, the answer seems to be “Yes, please” with an addendum: I don’t have time to jump through a lot of hoops, and I don’t want people prying into every aspect of our lives, and I don’t know where to look, what to ask or how to do any of it—and I only just now realized I’m a caregiver!

            And that’s a light example. As more time, more energy, more of you goes into helping a family member, often other things tend to…dwindle. Sometimes it’s hobbies. Sometimes it’s socializing. Sometimes it’s work (the paid kind) that goes south.

            The good news, among other positives, is there are professional, compassionate folks in our communities whose goal is to make things easier for the family caregiver. And they work for the Family Caregiver Support Program—makes sense. I’ve seen these people work, and they not only know what they’re doing, they also know what type of help might be available.

            We’re going to be taking some time exploring these services, but first things first. If you have any questions, any ideas, any time, please contact them. In Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, you can call Eric Nessa at 1 800 801 0060/360 538 2458 (NessaEM@dshs.wa.gov) or Linda Green at 1 888 571 6557/360 942 2177 (greenll@dshs.wa.gov ). Or you can call either of the numbers at the end of the column and we’ll help make the connection.

Truly, you don’t have to go through this on your own.

            The door to her room was open and the front door was unlocked..I looked around the house and yard, but I can’t find Mom anywhere!

Fear.  Only a word; a word describing a human condition we all experience. Sure, but that doesn’t in any way lessen the impact of the word—or even come close to describing what that actually feels like.

Combine fear with a strong sense of powerlessness and you find yourself dancing with panic—and panic likes to lead.

Like I said, a condition we all experience. If you’ve ever been in this situation, involving a family member who is somehow lost, you know it well. Folks experiencing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia—or other conditions—sometime tend to be elsewhere. It’s called wandering; and not the fairy-tale troubadour type. Folks who tend to wander are usually heading somewhere, but the destination and surroundings are either unfamiliar or out of current time frames. And the panic-dancers are those of us trying desperately to locate them.

Enter Project Lifesaver. This is a resource designed to support families in their efforts to find and return folks safely home. Basically, it involves a bracelet with a personalized radio transmitter that enables local emergency personnel to track the signal. Once a person is missing, the signal can be located and, hopefully, the situation can resolved fairly quickly. A lot of the response time is related to how long the missing person has been gone, so the sooner the notification the better.

This isn’t the movies, this is life. There are no 24/7 satellites orbiting the earth tracking Project Lifesaver signals, nor are we able to look at a monitor and see a shadowy figure walking through the woods.  What there is, is good, trained, professional folks who know the lay of the land and can use their equipment and knowledge in the search.

Currently, Pacific County Fire District #1 over sees the program, and the hope is that Project Lifesaver will be able to expand to other areas. These folks have the bracelets and receivers, and even come to the home to change the batteries when needed.

For more information, call 360 665 4451 and ask about Project Lifesaver. Though currently, the supply may be somewhat limited, if one person is found, it’s all worth it.

Wouldn’t you rather dance to your own tune—and watch panic leave the room?

            A lot of us have enough to do without thinking about getting information “just in case”. However, when we need the info, we tend to need it immediately—if not sooner. So one of the challenges is to have it available for just that time.

            Having said that, I noticed it’s been a while since we talked about Medicaid In-Home Care programs, eligibility, what the program looks like, etc. So, here we go…just in case.

            These programs (COPES, MPC, MNIW, etc, though there’s no real need to memorize the acronyms or what they stand for) are designed to help folks remain as independent as possible, while getting the assistance they need to do so. And since we’re talking about “in-home” care, we’re looking at those who are deciding to stay home rather than enter a facility—we’ll look at different settings some other time.

            As you probably guessed from the topic, Medicaid eligibility is required. There are actually two parts to the eligibility for these programs: financial (the Medicaid piece) and physical.

            Financially, the current standard is $2,000 or less in bank accounts, CD,s stocks, etc—anything that might be considered “liquid” assets; although some may be exempt. A monthly income of $2,022 for an individual ($4,044 for a couple) is set as the maximum amount for eligibility, but this also may change due to various financial considerations. Not being a financial worker (which is a good thing), I won’t even try to talk about all the nuances of overall financial considerations and eligibility; but the above can be used as a general guideline.

            The physical part of eligibility is determined by the amount of assistance you need to do what you need to do to get safely through the day. These are referred to as Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and cover areas like mobility (inside and outside the home); transferring; toileting; hygiene; medication management; bathing and so on. Yep, pretty much what we’re all involved in on a daily basis. The question is: Can you do this on your own in a safe manner?

            The process begins with a referral to Home & Community Services (HCS—I know yet another acronym) to request an assessment. This can be done by calling the centralized intake toll free, at 1 800 786 3799. Once the social worker is assigned, a home-visit will be scheduled in order to complete the assessment, covering the areas above—and more.

            If you are eligible for in-home care, and the determination to remain home has been made, a caregiver will be assigned, with your input of course, and the plan of care will be made. Then, you will be referred to us or another Area Agency on Aging (AAA—I know, I can’t help it) for ongoing case management. All clear?

            OK, a lot of information, I know. All you really need to know up front is this: If you need help to remain home and your situation seems to fit the above, make the call the HCS intake. You’ll get direction in all the rest.

And if this doesn’t seem to fit, but you’re still thinking you might need some assistance, information or whatever, give us a call. There’s a whole other world out there referred to as “Family Caregiving”..and we can help.

            One of the kids found Dad’s old slide-rule and the questions began…Dad realizes that he might be getting older since not only does he know what it is, but actually used it..

            And he gets depressed when he hears Jefferson Airplane—in an elevator..

            And when he hears the term “45” he thinks of a small record with a large center hole..

            And he knows what the term “broken record” actually means..

            And only his friends know what he’s talking about when he mentions Iron Butterfly and the Electric Prunes…not to mention the Mothers of Invention..

            OK, so I’m a Boomer. Now what?

            First of all, I’m in good company!

Me and about 76 million other people are suddenly becoming a generation to watch—and not necessarily with suspicion!

            All the stuff Mom & Dad were dealing with, like Social Security, Medicare and all that seem to be getting kind of close. And AARP has been after me for years already!

            What do I need to know? Where do I find information?  I’m not looking for somebody to take charge of my life…just point the way and be there if I need something.

            Stop by any of our offices, call for information or go online to either www.o3a.org or Facebook and see what we’re about. I know some of Dad’s fellow-boomers have said they’ll never accept the title of “senior”, but can we deny we are getting older? No one I’ve met so far is getting younger, so we’re all in the same boat—and the boat is huge!

            Need some legal advice? If you’re in the 60+ group, FREE legal advice is available at our Senior (sorry about the term, you sensitive boomers) Legal Advice Clinics on a monthly basis. You can meet with an attorney for a FREE half-hour session, and all you have to do is call one of our offices for an appointment. Even boomers (or especially boomers) like FREE stuff! By the way, did I mention it’s FREE?

            Wondering what’s ahead (or here) regarding Medicare? We have Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) folks who can help you there.

            Looking for services and/or resources for your folks? (Yes, we’re all getting older, but our parents are older still!) We can help you find what’s available and good information even for you—of course in your “later” years.

            How about volunteering or just finding out where to find information online, or…? We’re all in this together, and chances are you know some stuff we don’t, so let’s get together and see where we can go.

            Since aging is one of the most non-exclusive clubs around, welcome! And if boomers are re-defining denial, maybe we can look at re-defining aging services. Give us a call.

Jessie Stopsen, Director of O3A Nursing Services and yours truly, Doug Sheaffer, failing to keep the papparazzi at bay at the Raymond I&A/Staying Healthy Fair on May 27th.

            OK, I have to stop that type of riveting conversation before I get into a bad imitation of Dr. Seuss.  However, if you did attend, you were among folks who had a lot to say about what they saw and experienced.

 84% of you hadn’t been to a similar event, and 75% of you found out about it through the newspapers. Nice to meet folks who still read ink and paper!

            The vast majority of attendees found the whole event informative and worthwhile, happily; and several made comments that as caregivers (whether paid, unpaid, family member or not) it was great information and very applicable.

            And of course the free lunch is always a huge success!

            Some of those surveyed said the event was too long, while others stated they had to wait in line too long for the clinics. These are some of the dynamics we like to look at each year in order to improve our outreach efforts. Overall, it appeared that a good time was had by all, and so we begin to look toward next year’s event.

            I had the opportunity to chat with quite a few folks, and was impressed (as I usually am at these things) with the energy and questions asked. I tend to think I have an inquisitive mind, but these people give me a run for the money. Great questions and great information—we still don’t know everything and are always on the lookout for insight, experience and new information.

            If you were not there, ask around and see if you missed something—and talk about what you’d like to see happening in your community. The only reason these things work is because you make them work—so, thanks!

            And speaking of making things work, remember Senior Legal Advice Clinics mentioned last time out? Yep, I’ll continue to talk about these until it gets familiar to our communities. SLAC is a great resource for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is it’s free to folks 60 and above. Where else are you going to find an opportunity to sit down face to face with a real live attorney for a half hour session that doesn’t cost anything?

            Issues? How about landlord/tenant stuff? Social Security? Information about Power of Attorney, or Durable Power of Attorney—and the differences?  Any other civil legal questions?

            Local attorneys provide the service and are glad to help, so give us a call and we can schedule a time for you. Currently the clinics are scheduled for the second Monday of each month is both our Raymond and Long Beach offices, running in half-hour sessions from 9:30 to 11:30. And, just because there aren’t many opportunities to say this, I’ll say it again: It’s free!