New Horizons Newspaper

New Horizons A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

January 2012 VOL. 37 • NO. 1

ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431

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This month’s New Horizons takes an in-depth look at the ENOA programs and services which are designed to keep older Nebraskans living independently and with dignity in their own homes for as long as possible.

Inside Care Management. ............................ 4 Rural Transportation .......................... 4 Senior Companions............................ 5 Congregate Meals ............................. 6 Respite Resource Center ..................... 7 Car-Go Transportation ......................... 7 Emergency Response Systems .............. 8 Retired and Senior Volunteers ............... 9 Chore Services ................................10 Foster Grandparents..........................11 Information & Assistance ....................11 Meals on Wheels .............................12 Senior Employment ..........................13 Intergeneration Orchestra ...................14

Durable Medical Equipment ................14 SeniorHelp .....................................15 Health Maintenance Clinics .................15 ENOA’s satellite offices ......................16 Adult Day Services ...........................17 Caregiver Support ............................17 Bath Aides .....................................18 Gatekeeper Program .........................18 Ombudsmen Advocates ......................19 Partnerships in Aging ........................20 The Enrichment Foundation .................20 Medicaid Waiver/ Senior Care Options ..........................21 Grandparent Resource Center ..............22 Homemaker ....................................22 Nutrition Services.............................22 Volunteers Assisting Seniors ...............23

A message from our executive director

Make a donation to help support the

By Dennis Loose

I

“Voice for Older Nebraskans!”

t has been a pleasure and an honor for me to serve as the executive director of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging since August 2010. I have been directly or indirectly involved in aging programs and services in Nebraska since 1978. I have witnessed the growth and complexity of programs that have answered the challenges that come with providing services to a growing and diverse senior population in our state.

The Older Americans Act, passed in 1965, laid the groundwork for communitybased aging services in the United States.

This act has been amended numerous times to keep up with the changing needs and growth in the nation’s aging population.

ENOA is one of eight Area Agencies on Aging in Nebraska. Every state has its own State Unit on Aging and a network of Area Agencies on Aging that are easy for the public to access. They are the best sources for finding out what aging services are available and how to connect with those services and providers.

No one agency can meet the needs that are before us. It takes partnering at all levels with other agencies, businesses, volunteers, and a host of others to reach any level of success.

ENOA is blessed with a very dedicated and professional staff that amazes me every day in what they accomplish on behalf of those we serve. I am humbled by how truly great these men and women are at what they do.

We are also very fortunate to have an involved and supportive governing board and advisory council made up of incredibly talented individuals willing to share their time and expertise. Their leadership and guidance are crucial as the agency strives to meet the responsibilities and challenges it faces serving the increasing number of older Nebraskans who require a variety of services and support.

It was the advisory council’s idea to have this special issue of the New Horizons to focus solely on ENOA’s programs and services.

I hope you will find the articles in this issue interesting and informative. To truly gain an in-depth understanding of the vast array of ENOA’s programs and services would be impossible to portray in a single issue. Our intention is to give readers an understanding of what is available and to provide you or someone you know with the ability to access what ENOA offers if the need arises.

We live in a high-tech age, but it is nice to have a publication you can read, keep, and refer to at your leisure without having to navigate web pages.

As we move into the future, the need for services and supports are increasing dramatically. I recently read there are 40 million Americans today over age 65. That total is expected to double by 2030. The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is looking forward to meeting the challenges presented by this growth, but we cannot do it alone. It truly does “take a village.”

Borgeson serves as chair for ENOA’s Governing Board

Advisory Council members provide guidance, expertise

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is governed by a board of elected officials from Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

Members of ENOA’s 2011-12 Governing Board – which meets the third Wednesday of each month – are:

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging works with a group of professionals from within its communities who provide guidance and expertise to the agency while serving on its Advisory Council.

Members of the 2011-12 Advisory Council – which meets four times each year – are:

Mary Ann Borgeson Douglas County Chair Ron Nolte Cass County Vice Chair Bob Missel Dodge County Secretary Jim Warren Sarpy County Jerry Kruse Washington County

b u l C s n o z i r New Ho

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Membership includes a subscription to the New Horizons newspaper.

Dennis Loose has served as ENOA’s executive director since August 2010.

New Horizons Club Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431

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New Horizons New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402444-3076. E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@nebraska.gov Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued.

Display and insert advertising rates available on request.

Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 25,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.

Cass County Joel Plisek Dodge County David Strong

Editor..............................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, Barc Wade, & Lois Friedman Fremont Delivery.........................Dick Longstein

Douglas County Janet Bonet Ira Combs Jackie Hill Dr. Julie Masters (Chair) Judge Jane Prochaska (Vice Chair) Margaret Shaefer Yvonne Stock Aura-Whitney-Jackson

ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Ron Nolte, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Bob Missel, Dodge County, secretary; Jim Warren, Sarpy County & Jerry Kruse, Washington County.

Sarpy County Diane Kelly

The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.

Washington County Duane Wilcox

January 2012

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New Horizons

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Rural transportation services available The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging offers an affordable door-to-door transportation program for Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, rural Douglas, and Washington county residents of any age.

Use the Rural Transportation Program’s handicap and non-handicap accessible vehicles for medical appointments, business appointments, shopping, and for trips to Omaha’s Eppley Airfield weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Cass, Sarpy, and rural Douglas counties, round-trip or one-way transportation on scheduled days is available into Omaha and Lincoln.

In Dodge County, round-trip and one-way rides are available on scheduled days within Dodge County and into Omaha.

Round-trip or one-way rides are available weekdays within Washington County (especially Blair) and from Washington County to Omaha and Fremont.

To schedule a ride, call 888-210-1093 in Cass, Sarpy, and rural Douglas counties; 402-721-7770 in Dodge County; and 402-426-9614 in Washington County.

Bill Connour with the Rural Transportation Program’s new Cass County van. Connour says he’s proud to be part of a fantastic program.

The cost of the rides vary based on the distance traveled.

Rides, which are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, must be booked a minimum of 24 hours in advance.

To schedule a ride, please call 888-210-1093 in Cass, Sarpy, and rural Douglas counties; 402-721-7770 in Dodge County; and 402-426-9614 in Washington County.

ENOA’s Rural Transportation Program is funded by a grant from the Nebraska Department of Roads, the five counties it serves, and passenger fares.

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New Horizons

Annual recertification, assessment designed to evaluate clients’ needs, how ENOA can meet them

E

ylene Whittier placed her new iPad (a birthday gift from her family) down on a nearby table. “Come in,” she yelled out.

“Hi Eylene,” said Heather Iverson, Whittier’s Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging care manager as she walked through the front door of Whittier’s apartment. Iverson was visiting Whittier to do an annual recertification and in-home assessment.

“If I ever need anything, all I have to do is get in touch with Heather.”

A Plattsmouth resident, Whittier has had both of her hips and each knee replaced.

Mobility is a concern for the mother of four, grandmother of eight, and great-grandmother of 15.

While maintaining her independence is important to Eylene, she realizes she needs some help to stay in her home. “I used to enjoy doing housework, but now I can’t do it.”

After contacting ENOA in 2010, Whittier began receiving homemaker services (see page 22). Every other week for two hours a homemaker comes to Eylene’s home to clean (dust, vacuum, and mop) her apartment.

“I’d be totally lost without this program,” she said.

For the first eight months, Whittier also had an emergency response system in her home (see page 8). “I don’t need that service any more,” she said.

During the 90-minutes assessment, Whittier and Iverson discussed Eylene’s living situation and needs and how ENOA can help.

“It’s amazing to know how much ENOA offers,” Whittier said.

Among the topics Iverson and Whittier addressed included medication usage, the ability to pay for those medications, bathing (are the grab bars, shower chair, and handheld shower meeting her needs), mobility concerns, dressing, toileting, skin integrity, financial management, driving, meal preparation, eating habits, and alcohol usage.

W

hittier is among the older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties who receive in-home services through the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s care management program.

ENOA’s programs and services are designed to promote independence and dignity while keeping these men and women in their own homes for as long as possible.

ENOA’s care management program receives referrals from a variety of sources including prospective clients, family members, clergymen, health care professionals, and social workers from area hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.

The referral process begins when a prospective client calls 402-444-6444 to request an in-home assessment or in-home services. The referral source will be contacted by an ENOA care manager to complete the intake process and to determine if the client meets eligibility guidelines.

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January 2012

To be eligible to receive services through ENOA’s care management program, a prospective client must be age 60 or older, need assistance with at least three activities of daily living (bathing, mobility, meal preparation, housekeeping, toileting, etc.), and the need for the assistance must last 90 days or longer.

ENOA care managers work to empower their clients as they enter into a long-term network of aging services. They also provide an interdisciplinary approach linking health care professionals, social service providers, family members, and volunteers

ENOA’s Heather Iverson meets annually with Eylene Whittier.

to give frail older adults the best quality of life possible.

An ENOA care manager will contact the prospective client to arrange for a comprehensive in-home assessment designed to determine the older adult’s strengths, cognitive, physical, emotional, and social levels, and to view their home environment.

After the in-home assessment is completed, the care manager – working with the client and their family – creates an individualized care plan that may include a variety of in-home programs and services from ENOA and other community resources.

These services include but are not limited to Meals on Wheels, a bath aide, homemaker assistance, an emergency response system, durable medical equipment, and respite care.

Once the care plan is implemented, the care manager monitors the services to ensure the client’s satisfaction, and, when necessary, makes adjustments in these services.

The requested contribution for ENOA’s care management services is set on a sliding scale based on the client’s income. Nobody is denied services because of an inability to pay.

In addition to the annual assessment outlined above, each client is contacted by their ENOA care manager every three months to monitor services, ensure client satisfaction, and determine if additional services are needed.

“If I ever need anything, all I have to do is get in touch with Heather,” Whittier said.

“I feel very safe and secure in my home.”

For more information, please call 402444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

Senior Companion Program is reducing strain on nation’s social, health care systems

By Nick Schinker

W

Contributing Writer

hen he worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., Tom Hurst pioneered the telecommunications firm’s evolution from analog to digital technology. As a service manager and engineer, he’d brilliantly articulate solutions to communication problems for some of the region’s largest companies.

Today, because youngonset Alzheimer’s has stolen many of his communication and decision-making skills, it’s almost impossible for Hurst to answer the phone.

“Sometimes when it rings,” says his wife, Kathy Tewhill, “he’ll hand me the TV remote control.”

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease affects more than one person. For Tewhill, caring for her husband in their west Omaha home has meant many changes and adjustments.

Tom Hurst (left) with Ezequiel Roque.

Help comes from their daughter, Kristin Donovan, who lives with the couple. It also comes from the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Companion Program, and a very selfless volunteer by the name of Ezequiel Roque.

Though Roque’s visits three days a week have enabled Tewhill to continue working as a part-time instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s

School of Communication, she says Ezequiel gives her more than time. He provides peace of mind.

“Ezequiel is my family,” she says. “He’s my brother.

He’s my joint caregiver. I can teach knowing that Tom is not only being cared for while I’m gone, he’s having fun.

“Having Ezequiel means I always have someone here who loves Tom as much as I do.”

M

ary Parker is the coordinator of the Foster Grandparents and Senior Companion Programs at ENOA. She says the companion program does far more than simply provide older adults with some company a few hours a week.

“Today, with the segment of our older population growing so quickly, this program is having an impact on the community. The end result is delaying long-term

care for many of our seniors.

“The successes we’ve seen support research indicating that by keeping older adults in their homes longer, we lessen the strain on our social and health care systems.”

The Senior Companion Program is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service with local sponsorship and additional funding through ENOA. The funding pays for 67 volunteer positions working 20 hours per week.

Volunteers must be age 55 or older and meet income guidelines. In return, they receive a tax-free stipend of $2.65 an hour, transportation and meal reimbursement, supplemental accidental insurance, and other benefits, Parker says.

“Many facilities donate meals to the volunteer,” she says. “Some donate transportation expenses. Creigh-

ton Family Practice, for example, has conducted physicals for the Senior Companions at half the normal price.”

Volunteers attend 20 hours of pre-service training and 20 more in a classroom setting with other new Senior Companions. Each month, Senior Companions also attend a four-hour inservice training session.

Senior Companions typically don’t do housework or prepare meals. Their role is to spend time with their clients and do things that friends would normally do together such as swapping stories, discussing the news, reading mail, watching television, playing cards or games, running errands, or going for a walk.

The program is available to older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

Volunteers visit clients in private homes, adult day --Please turn to page 19.

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January 2012

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Dora Bingel Senior Center January 2012 events calendar

Stop by an ENOA senior center for food, friendship The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging offers hot, healthy, nutritionally-balanced meals weekdays at 29 senior centers in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties. The congregate meals sites are listed below.

The meals are designed by a registered dietitian to meet one-third of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients.

Some alternate items are available for those men and women on a modified diet.

In addition to the food, each senior center serves a menu of fun, friendship, social and recreational activities includ-

You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m.

• Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31: Grief Support Group @ 10 a.m.

• Jan. 18: Singer Kim Eames @ noon. The cost of the Regeneration lunch is $3.

• Jan. 19: Red Hat Society meeting @ noon.

• Jan. 25: Birthday Party Luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a January birthday!

Jan. 27: Hard of Hearing Support Group meeting @ 10:30 a.m.

A nutritious lunch is served on Tuesdays and Fridays. A fancier lunch is offered on Wednesdays. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals, other than $3 for Regeneration.

Round-trip transportation is available for $3.

Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all meals.

Other activities offered at the facility include: • Tuesdays: Free matinee movie @ 12:30 p.m.

• Wednesdays: Crochet class @ 9:30 a.m. and a Tai Chi class @ 11:30 a.m.

• Fridays: Bible study @ 1 p.m.

For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

CASS COUNTY Eagle Senior Center 509 4th St. 402-781-2468

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How computers work.

How to e-mail friends and family.

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How to use SKYPE for free video-conferencing with your children and grandchildren.

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• How to play games on the computer.

• Shop, read newspapers & books, and watch videos online.

Louisville Senior Center 423 Elm St. 402-234-2120

Camelot Friendship Center @ Camelot Community Center 9270 Cady Ave. 402-444-3091

Weeping Water Senior Center 101 E. Eldora St. 402-267-5303

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Fremont Friendship Center Christensen Field 1730 W. 16th St. 402-727-2815

Inviting You to Become Part of Our Family

DOUGLAS COUNTY Bennington Senior Center 322 N. Molley St. 402-238-2471

Plattsmouth Senior Center 308 S. 18 St. 402-296-5800 (ext. 1)

Call today to see how we can tailor our services to meet your needs.

Snyder Senior Center 2nd & Elm streets 402-568-2245

Elmwood Senior Center 144 N. 4th St. 402-994-2145

Nehawka Senior Center 402-227-9923

LEARN:

ing bingo, card games, arts and crafts, exercise classes, and more.

Transportation is offered at some of the senior centers.

Other available services include financial and legal counseling, guest speakers, and a variety of field trips.

A $3 to $4 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal the participant wishes to enjoy.

For more information about ENOA’s congregate meals program, please call 402-444-6513 or log on to enoa.org.

Hooper Senior Center 208 N. Main St. 402-654-2537 North Bend Senior Center 402-652-8661

Corrigan Senior Center 3819 X St. 402-731-7210 Heartland Family Service Senior 2101 S. 42nd St. 402-553-5300 Florence Senior Center 2920 Bondesson St. 402-444-6333 Immanuel Courtyard 6757 Newport Ave., Ste. 100 402-829-2912 Intercultural Senior Center 2021 U St. 402-444-6529 Millard Senior Center @ Montclair 2304 S. 135th Ave. 402-546-1270 Nebraska Urban Indian Health Senior Center 2240 Landon Ct. 402-346-0902 (ext. 112)

Welcome Home!

Enoa Aging

Florence Home HealthCare | House of Hope Alzheimer’s Care Transitions Day Program | Royale Oaks Assisted Living | Unimed Community Pharmacy

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January 2012

Park Tower South Meal Site 1601 Park Ave. Ralston Senior Center 7301 Q St., Ste 100 402-339-4926 St. Mary Magdalene Senior Center 1817 Dodge St. 402-346-3234 Seven Oaks Lunch Club 3439 State St. 402-451-4477 SARPY COUNTY Bellevue Senior Community Center 109 W. 22nd Ave. 402-293-3041 LaVista Senior Center LaVista Recreation Dept.

8116 Parkview Blvd.

402-331-3455 Papillion Senior Center 1001 Limerick Rd. 402-597-2059 WASHINGTON COUNTY Arlington Senior Center 305 N. 3rd St. 402-478-4774 Blair Senior Center @ Blair Family YMCA 1278 Wilbur St. 402-533-9622 (ext. 1007)

Respite Resource Center will provide companionship, hands-on assistance for persons caring for a loved one It’s estimated that about one in four American families provide in-home care for someone age 50 or older. The majority (55 percent) of these caregivers are women ages 35 to 64 that have careers in addition to their caregiving responsibilities. Thirty-one percent of these family caregivers are caring for two or more persons at home.

At one time or another, most caregivers will feel emotional strain that can cause physical and emotional ailments – even depression – from these duties which at times can be 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It’s likely caregivers over age 65 are operating without the support of family members and friends. Statistics show caregivers living with the person they’re caring for are twice as likely to be going at it alone.

In many cases, caregivers put their own physical, mental, and emotional needs aside. They may not have time to eat properly, exercise, or spend time with their family and friends. In some cases, their job performance may suffer.

Studies have shown it can take up to three years for the body to recover from the emotional and physical strains of caring for a loved one. Caregiving spouses age 66 and older that are experiencing physical and emotional strain have a 63 percent higher risk of dying than non-caregiving spouses of the same age, according to a report from the Journal of American Medical Association.

In Douglas and Sarpy counties, the Respite Resource Center can help families find

Car-Go program offers free rides for older adults in Fremont, Blair

the companionship or hands-on assistance their loved one needs while the caregiver takes a temporary break.

Respite can take many forms but is most commonly used as a way to find time to run errands, visit the doctor, have lunch with friends, attend a church or school function, take a nap, or enjoy a vacation.

Car-Go, a service of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, provides transportation for older adults in Fremont and Blair.

Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport older adults to medical appointments, trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, bank, beauty and barbershop, or to handle personal business matters.

Car-Go drivers must be age 55 or older, have a good driving record and reliable transportation. These men and women – who are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – provide hundreds of rides each year at no cost to the recipients.

Volunteers – who set their own schedule of the days and times they’re available – are reimbursed for their mileage, insured while on duty, and invited to an annual RSVP recognition program while providing a valuable service to older adults.

Fremont and Blair residents that use the Car-Go program must be at age 55 or older, unable to drive themselves, and not able to afford or use other forms of public transportation. Car-Go is not available to persons in wheelchairs or residents of nursing homes.

Ride arrangements must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, an annual grant from the city of Blair, and donations from area physicians, business people, and residents fund the Car-Go program.

RSVP offers a variety of other volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties. For a detailed listing, please see page 9.

For more information on RSVP, please call 402-4446558, ext. 224 in Douglas, Cass, and Sarpy counties or 402-721-7780 in Dodge and Washington counties. You can also log on the Internet to enoa.org.

An in-home or out-of-home respite break can be as short as a few hours or a long as several weeks.

An in-home or out-of-home respite break can be as short as a few hours or a long as several weeks.

While the RRC – which is one of six members of the statewide Nebraska Respite Network – is housed at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the program is state funded and serves persons caring for a loved one of any age with special needs.

Assistance with locating appropriate support services, recruiting providers, referring caregivers to funding sources, providing education, and increasing public awareness of the importance of caregivers are among the roles the RRC plays in eastern Nebraska.

For more information, please call 402996-8444 or log on the Internet to respitenetwork.org.

January 2012

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Emergency response systems can provide peace of mind for users, family members

M

argaret, age 87, lives alone in her apartment. On a Sunday evening recently, she turned off her TV and went into the kitchen to make dinner. As she reached to turn on the oven, Margaret began to feel dizzy and fell to the floor.

Calmly, the retired schoolteacher pushed the button on the pendant she wore around her neck. Within seconds, Margaret heard a voice coming from the communicator, a machine that sat near the telephone on her living room table.

“Hello Margaret. This is Bob. Do you need some assistance?”

Margaret didn’t respond, so Bob called Margaret’s daughter, Sarah, who lived down the street from her mother.

Sarah quickly rushed to Margaret’s apartment where she found her mother regaining consciousness.

“Mom, here’s a glass of water,” Sarah said. “Are you OK?” “I’m fine. Thanks so much for coming,” Margaret said as she took a drink of water and got to her feet.

Sarah spent the night at her mother’s apartment, and then took Margaret to see a physician the following morning.

This fictitious event is typical of how emergency response systems can help older adults live independently and safely at home.

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging can help subsidize the monthly cost of emergency response systems for older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

The recipients are asked to contribute toward the monthly expense of the unit on a sliding fee scale based on their income.

ENOA contracts with Immanuel Senior

Living (Lifeline) and American Electronics (MediGuard USA) to provide emergency response systems in its five-county service area.

To receive an emergency response system through ENOA, an older adult must first undergo an in-home evaluation from an ENOA care manager who determines if there’s a need for a unit.

Individuals who have an emergency response system installed in their home wear a pendant around their neck or a wristband.

In case of an emergency or fall, they push a button on the pendant or wristband, and within seconds a trained response associate - who has access to the client’s medical records - answers, then assesses the situation.

If necessary, the associate will summon help by contacting a loved one, a neighbor, or 911.

A

n emergency response system can enhance an older adult’s independence and quality of life while proving peace of mind for their family members. In some cases, having an emergency response system can mean the difference between staying at home or moving into an assisted living facility.

Men and women receive an emergency response system when one of the units the agency leases becomes available. The systems are returned to ENOA, Immanuel Senior Living, or American Electronics when the client’s condition improves, they move into an assisted living facility, or they die.

To schedule an ENOA in-home evaluation or to learn more about emergency response systems, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

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Page 8

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Annual holiday poinsettia sale benefits Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions

New Horizons

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January 2012

Staff members from ENOA’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs (top to bottom): Chuck Udstuen, Beth Nelsen, Mary Parker, and Tia Schoenfeld with some of the 700 poinsettias the FGP and SCP sold in 2011 as part of their 18th annual fundraiser. The proceeds are used each year for a recognition event honoring the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteers. For more information on these programs, please see the stories on page 5 and 11.

T

Thank you!

hanks to the generosity of several local businesses, churches, organizations, and individuals more than 700 Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging clients and participants enrolled in the agency’s Grandparent Resource Center were able to have their holidays brightened this year.

Among the groups that adopted someone through ENOA and then purchased Christmas gifts for them were Home Instead Senior Care, Covenant Presbyterian Church, St. Gerald’s Catholic Church, the Blue Barn Theatre, the Notre Dame University Alumni Club of Omaha, Mutual of Omaha, and the Creighton University School of Pharmacy.

A complete list of donors will be included in the Feb- ENOA’s Rosa Weatherly with one of the donated ruary New Horizons.

Christmas presents.

“Once again this year, we were overwhelmed by the response from our community,” said Jeff Reinhardt, who coordinated the effort for ENOA.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of opportunities. For more information in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-444-6558, ext. 224.

In Dodge and Washington counties, call 402-721-7780.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • The Omaha Visitors Center is looking for a volunteer Ambassador.

• Mount View Elementary School needs a TeamMates mentor.

• The Stephen Center Homeless Shelter wants volunteers for its thrift store.

• Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Hospital needs volunteers for its information desks and as patient and family escorts.

• The Omaha Police Department wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• Boys Town wants volunteer mentors and a volunteer office assistant.

• Lakeside Hospital needs volunteers for its Welcome Center and gift shop, as well as in its registration area, to visit patients, and to offer clerical support.

• Project NEMO wants volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Omaha Children’s Museum wants volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Franciscan Centre is looking for volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Fund Fighting Fibromyalgia is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Waterford at

Miracle Hills needs volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Omaha Home for Boys wants volunteer mentors.

• The Ronald McDonald House Charities needs a receptionist and an operations volunteer.

• The Domestic Violence Coordinating Council/ Family Justice Center is looking for volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center wants volunteers to help walk sheep associated with the Luv a Lamb Program.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties: • The Fremont Chamber of Commerce wants a volunteer for its visitors center.

• The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers.

• CareCorps Inc. is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Building Blocks Boutique needs volunteers to help with young mothers and babies.

• The Blair Auxiliary Closet needs help in its warehouse and gift shop.

• The American Red Cross needs a receptionist.

• The Hooper Care Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The May Museum is looking for volunteers to serve as tour guides and for its gift shop and garden.

• The Washington County Recycling Center needs volunteers to handle quality control.

• Nye Point Health & Rehab wants volunteers to help with a variety of duties.

• The Fremont Friendship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club.

‘Living Well’ program is offered on Tuesdays Feb. 21 to March 27 A free workshop (all materials will also be supplied) designed to improve the self-management of your daily health care is scheduled at a location in eastern Nebraska.

Called Living Well: Take Control of Your Health, the six-week session will be held: Tuesdays Feb. 21 to March 27 • 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Bellevue Senior Center • 109 W. 22nd Ave. Developed at Stanford University, the evidence-based Living Well: Take Control of Your Health program can teach practical lessons like managing symptoms and emotions, discovering better nutrition and physical activity choices, appropriate use of medications, effective communication skills, and evaluating new treatment choices.

Participants who complete the six sessions (12 hours) experience greater energy, improved social interactions, less time in the hospital, and more confidence in the ability to take care of their health.

They also learn how to manage their medications, deal with difficult emotions, eat well, control pain, set and accomplish goals, fight fatigue and frustration, start an exercise program, manage stress, and solve problems.

To register, or for more information, please call 402561-2290.

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Legal information egal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older.

Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing.

The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-5277249 statewide.

This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity.

For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.

Volunteers honored at Bellevue Senior Center

Center Manager Danielle Brandt spoke at the Nov. 29 dinner which honored the men and women who volunteer at the Bellevue Senior Center.

January 2012

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New Horizons

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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging offers a variety of chore services throughout Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

Chore services include snow and ice removal, lawn work, pest control, post-storm clean up, and some minor home repairs that don’t require a permit or a licensed professional.

The client’s monthly contribution request is based on a sliding fee scale. No one will be refused chore services due to an inability to pay.

The program, which is funded by the federal Older Americans Act, is designed to keep older adults living in their own homes for as long as possible.

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January 2011

By Cathy Wyatt “We’ve put more effort into helping folks reach old age than into helping them enjoy it.”

--Frank A. Clark Quotes are sometimes an effective way to initiate a discussion or, in this case, an article. The quote above by Clark, a cartoonist (The Country Parson), not only caught my eye, it made me think because it’s true.

Experts have made great medical advances that lengthen lives but don’t necessarily make them better. Other experts spend time encouraging folks to make the most of their resources today without really thinking about the future when these men and women may be the most vulnerable.

Thanks to organizations like the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging and those with whom they partner, society is helping individuals reach old age and enjoy it!

“Dr. Lyn Holley and I created an exercise (called Your Future Self) for use by students and the community in helping people plan for their own aging experience,” said Dr. Julie Masters, chair for the Department of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and chair of ENOA’s Advisory Council.

“The exercise focuses on the five facets of aging: physical, psychological/spiritual, social, environmental, and financial. We know that people who plan for aging do much better later in life,” said Dr. Masters.

“ENOA touches all five areas of the future self process,” she continued. “Whether someone is looking for volunteer activities after retirement or needing help in securing services for themself, a spouse, or an aging family member.”

“I introduce ENOA to citizens by telling them our mission statement which is to help older Nebraskans live independently and remain for as long as possible in their own homes,” said Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County Board commissioner and chair of ENOA’s Governing Board. “I briefly tell them about our programs and direct them to call ENOA’s Information and Assistance lines, as well as go to its Web site (enoa.org) for details about our programs.”

ENOA provides a variety of affordable in-home programs and services that address the needs of older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties.

“ENOA benefits the community as a whole because there are so many services they offer under one roof,” said Angie Knudsen, senior living consultant for Skyline Retirement Community. “Everything from being a volunteer with the Senior Companion Program, respite services, Meals on Wheels, care management, public information, and educational resources for professionals working with older adults.”

“Since our assisted living (facility) does not have a social worker, the ENOA services coordinators are of great help when a resident requires extra help with issues,” said Addie Whitmore, director of assisted living at Skyline Retirement Community. “ENOA services coordinators will attend meetings (with families of loved ones) who have behavioral issues or issues in general. They are a wonderful resource for assistance.”

ENOA regularly collaborates with several local agencies, organizations, and individuals in the aging field.

“ENOA assists the Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter by raising awareness, making referrals to the chapter’s hotline and Web page, presenting articles in publications, providing reimbursement for caregivers, serving on respective committees, and providing training for service and care providers,” said Clayton Freeman, program director for the Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter.

“ENOA is committed to the future,” said Borgeson.

“ENOA’s role will be to continue to do our very best in serving our aging population based on their needs. We will continue to strive to help our aging population live more independently, live with dignity, and remain as long as possible in their homes.”

At this rate, I am hopeful Frank A. Clark’s philosophy will fully evolve into Robert Browning’s which is…

“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith. A whole I planned, youth shows but half.

Trust God. See all, nor be afraid.”

Resource library also available Joe Mattox says being a Foster Grandparent makes him feel like his life is worth something Learn about ENOA programs, services

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by calling agency’s I & A phone lines

he gentleman with the smiling face holds up a flashcard that reads “11

x 10.”

Initially, the girl seated across the table from him has a puzzled look on her face.

“What’s the rule when we multiply by 10?” the man asks. “How many zeroes do we add?”

A smile appears on the youngster’s face as she shouts out, “110!”

“Thank you,” the man responds as he reaches for another flashcard. “Remember you need to practice, because practice makes almost perfect. Nobody’s perfect,” he tells the third-grader and a classmate seated to her right.

The gentleman, Joe Mattox, has been a volunteer with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program for nine years. Mattox helps mentor, support, tutor, and guide Omaha-area elementary school students.

Foster Grandparents are men and women age 55 and older of modest income.

The Corporation for National Service administers the Foster Grandparent Program nationally.

ENOA has Foster Grandparents who volunteer at dozens of sites in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, and Washington counties. Volunteer opportunities are also available in Cass County. These sites include public schools, Head Start programs, preelementary school child care programs, facilities that focus on mental health issues, substance abuse programs, domestic violence shelters, and hospitals.

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n addition to the satisfaction that comes from helping children who need some extra attention on a one-on-one basis, Foster Grandparents receive a tax-free stipend, transportation reimbursement, paid annual holidays, vacation and sick leave, a meal served at their site, an annual physical examination, and an ongoing recognition program.

The stipend isn’t counted as a wage or salary so the income doesn’t impact their housing or rent costs, Medicaid, disability benefits, or any type of assistance they receive.

Men and women interested in becoming Foster Grandparents begin the ap-

Foster Grandparent Joe Mattox says like wine and cheeese, he gets better with age.

plication process by providing two personal references, passing four background checks, and taking a physical examination.

volunteer as much as 40 hours per week.

Mattox says he loves working with kids. “This isn’t work, I don’t like to

“As I get older, it fills a void for me and it makes me happy.

I love giving to the kids and they give back to me.”

The FGP coordinator and field supervisor then interview applicants who meet those requirements to determine if they’re a good match to work with children who need extra attention and to find out in what type of setting they’d like to volunteer.

New Foster Grandparents go through 20 hours of pre-orientation training with the FGP staff and their site supervisor. They also receive 20 hours of training in a classroom setting at the ENOA office and four hours of monthly in-service training. The volunteers are paid for each hour of training they receive.

Foster Grandparents volunteer an average of 20 hours a week (usually four hours on each of five days).

While each must volunteer at least 15 hours weekly, some Foster Grandparents

he first call made to the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties by persons needing assistance to remain living independently and with dignity in their own homes is normally received by the agency’s Information and Assistance staff members.

ENOA’s I & A telephone lines are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Omaha, Fremont, Elmwood, and Blair. In Douglas and Sarpy counties, a bilingual information specialist for Spanish-speaking callers is available.

The I & A staff will answer questions about ENOA’s programs and services, and when appropriate, make referrals to other community agencies and organizations. The calls are answered and returned in the order in which they’re received. Messages left after hours and on weekends and holidays are returned the next business day.

The majority of the calls are received from older adults or caregivers who need information and services to help them or a loved one stay in their home. Additional calls come from hospitals, nursing facilities, home health care and other agencies, physician offices, and clergyman.

Many callers want basic information before an immediate need arises on topics like personal care/bath aides, homemaker services, Meals on Wheels, adult day services, legal issues, and durable medical equipment. I & A staff members will explain ENOA’s in-home support services, mail resource information, and start the intake process when ENOA services are requested.

Service intakes are made on persons age 60 and older who live in ENOA’s five-county service area, and who aren’t eligible for services through federal or state programs.

I & A staff members start the intake process over the telephone by getting the potential client’s name, address, telephone number, age, and service needs. ENOA’s care managers will complete the intake process within 48 hours.

The telephone numbers for ENOA’s I & A lines are 402444-6444 (Douglas and Sarpy counties), 402-721-8262 (Dodge County), 402-994-2406 or 1-888-210-1093 (Cass County), or 402-426-9614 (Washington County).

ENOA also has a resource library on the first floor of its building at 4223 Center St. where the public can check out books, tapes, CDs, and other materials free of charge.

Savings estimated at $131,837

ENOA helps enroll older adults in Medicare Part D coverage

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lder adults wanting to enroll in a Medicare Part D insurance plan, who wanted to have their current plan reviewed, or who wished to switch providers were able to meet with trained counselors on six occasions in November at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, 4223 Center St. The project was a joint effort of Volunteers Assisting Seniors, AmeriCorps, and ENOA. The trained counselors were also available at several other sites in eastern Nebraska during November and December.

In 2011, the ENOAaided portion of the project assisted 280 older adults.

Of that total, 113 enrolled in or switched Medicare Part D providers, according to Michelle Dorner, who coordinated the program for ENOA. Estimates indicated the 113 older men and women who were helped at ENOA will save $131,837 in medication costs in 2012 by enrolling in Medicare Part D or changing providers.

work. As I get older, it fills a void for me and it makes me happy. I love giving to the kids and they give back to me. They make me feel like my life is worth something.

“I do what I do for the love of people,” he adds.

“You have to give it away freely to get it back.”

Few things in life give Mattox more joy than having one of the students hug him on the playground and call him “Grandpa Joe.” “They look at me like I know everything and I don’t judge them. They feel comfortable with me,” he says.

Mattox says he plans to remain a Foster Grandparent as long as his health allows.

“I’m like wine and cheese. I get better as I age!”

For more information on the Foster Grandparent Program, please call 402-4446444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

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Jeanne looks forward to receiving meals, seeing Jane each weekday

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Jeanne Gaskins (left) with her friend Jane Wernimont.

ane Wernimont walked through the front door of Jeanne Gaskins’ home holding a box lunch, a hot tray of food, two cartons of milk, some pudding, a piece of bread, and a pat of butter.

Wernimont – who has been delivering meals for the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging for two years – arrived with a lot more, however, than a hot meal for Thursday and cold lunch for Saturday. She also brought a bright smile, some helping hands, and a warm heart.

“I enjoy getting to know the people on my route. Jeanne has been my favorite since day one.”

Wernimont and Gaskins have become good friends.

“I look forward to getting the meals and seeing Jane,” Gaskins said. “She is a beautiful person.”

“I enjoy getting to know the people on my route,” Wernimont said. “Jeanne has been my favorite since day one.”

Wernimont has learned a lot observing Gaskins’ spirit and wisdom. She also appreciates the way Jeanne interacts with Cory – Jane’s 18-year-old son who has Down’s syndrome – when he helps his mom on her route.

Each weekday, a group of paid drivers like Wernimont join volunteers from the private and public sectors to deliver hot, nutritious meals to 800 to 900 recipients, according to Arlis Smidt who has coordinated the program for ENOA for 22 years.

The staff at Valley Services – 6710 L St. – prepares and packages the meals.

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Jane began delivering meals for ENOA after she broke her arm and couldn’t continue doing her previous job; photographing babies at local hospitals.

She said delivering meals to about 30 ENOA clients Monday through Friday fits perfectly into her schedule.

Wernimont has a history of helping older adults. She spent 10 years caring for mother who had Alzheimer’s disease.

Gaskins – who has been receiving meals from ENOA since she had a heart attack more than 20 years ago – said the program is “a blessing to her” and makes her life a lot easier.

As Gaskins sat down to enjoy her Swiss steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli, bread and butter, milk, and

Gaskins has received meals from ENOA for more than 20 years.

a dessert, Wernimont retraced her steps back toward the front door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow sweetie,” Jane said.

“OK,” Jeanne replied with an earto-ear grin.

o receive Meals on Wheels through ENOA, a client must be age 60 or older, live in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, or Washington counties, and meet eligibility guidelines which require the recipient to be: • Likely admitted to a nursing home or similar facility if the meals weren’t available, or • Recovering at home following a hospital or nursing home stay, or • Mentally or physically disabled and unable to prepare meals or have

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no available assistance with meal preparation, or • Without adequate cooking facilities and unable to acquire them, or • Lacking the proper nutritional support from a spouse, family member, or caregiver, or • Unable to attend an ENOA senior center (please see the story on page 6).

Meals recipients are asked to contribute toward the cost of the meals based on their income on a sliding fee scale. Nobody meeting program eligibility guidelines will be denied Meals on Wheels due to an inability to pay.

For more information, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

Bob Cole, from ENOA’s Meals on Wheels Program, stands by the agency’s new delivery van.

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January 2012

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Senior Employment Program found a job for Owen Taylor little more than a year ago, Owen Taylor, age 73, was grieving following the death of Rosetta, his wife of 46 years. Taylor had spent much of the previous five years as Rosetta’s primary caregiver.

“I needed to get back to work,” said Taylor, who along with Rosetta started Omaha’s Trinity Hope Four Square Gospel Church in 1971.

Taylor’s job search included a visit to the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Employment Program. The Senior Employment Program works to find full-time and/or part-time jobs for men and women age 50 and older. It also helps area businesses recruit and hire older workers.

The free services available to older adults and local businesses include computer training, job placement consultation, assistance with resume writing and job interviewing, and referrals for persons with a limited income to the Senior Community Service Employment Program.

SCSEP is a federally funded program that places older adults with non-profit agencies and organizations.

Also known as Title V, the program pays the older employee a minimum wage for 20 hours of work each week while they continue to look for employment.

ENOA placed Taylor at the Salvation Army’s Dora Bingel Senior Center. His jobs duties included providing round-trip van transportation for men and women

ENOA Mailbox I wanted to let you know what a wonderful worker Diane Stanton is and how much help she was to our family. She was always willing to help. She listened to my concerns and problems and would search until she found an answer.

Dear David (Pursel): Thank you for all your work on behalf of your clients. You are obviously dedicated to those you serve.

L.R.

Sincerely, J.E. Dear Esther Gunderson: Dear Luann (Jary):

ENOA’s Senior Employment Program placed Owen Taylor at the Salvation Army.

visited the center. “He has a huge gift of mercy and we felt so safe with him here,” Schlegelmilch said about Taylor, a former U.S. Marine. “He was loved here and was part of our family.”

She said businesses and wen quickly became organizations that are reluca valuable employee, according to tant to hire older workers are making a big mistake.

Cindy Schlegelmilch, Bin“They bring a wealth of gel’s activities coordinator. talent, life experience, reliShe said he blossomed out in many directions, provided ability, respect, and a strong work ethic.” consistency in the center’s transportation program, and eeding more income became her right hand man. than he was earnTaylor, who also taught ing at the Salvation a Bible study class at BinArmy, Taylor was recently gel was very popular with hired by the Rochester Arthe men and women who mored Car Company, Inc. The father of four and grandfather of 12, Taylor said he misses the work and the people at Bingel. “I needed the nurturing this place provided for me. It gave me back my sense of mission. I got more there than I gave.”

He’s thankful for ENOA’s Senior Employment program staff that made him feel welcome, provided encouragement, and gave him a good recommendation when he applied at the Rochester Armored Car Company.

Taylor said older workers have a lot to offer including life experience, reliability, and courtesy. “Society needs the wisdom that comes from gray hair.”

For more information about ENOA’s Senior Employment Program, please A retired minister, Taylor wanted to get back to call 402-444-6684 or log on work after the death of his wife of 46 years. the Internet to enoa.org. living within five miles of the center located at 923 N. 38th St. “Our goal was to have the senior citizens feel like VIPs,” Taylor said.

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Thank you so much for helping us with Mom. It’s very important to us to keep her in her home where she is happy and comfortable. You’re very efficient and enjoyable to work with!

Sincerely, S.S.

Dear David (Pursel): I just wanted to thank you for all of the help you provided for my dad’s move. I know that you moved mountains to make it happen. We really appreciate all of your hard work.

Thank you for everything, K.R.

Thank you so much for sending A’s personal things. I appreciate you being so kind and thoughtful in everything you do.

Love, T

Dear Diane (Stanton): Thank you for giving my husband, A., your expert attention. It is a comfort to know that you can be counted on for whatever life brings. Your caregivers are the jewels of your city!

Love, M.H.

Dear Esther (Gunderson):

Thank you for all you did to help us get D. into (an) assisted living (facility). I think she has gained extra years to her life.

Thank you very much for helping us again. The steamfitters got our furnace going again and they were so kind and courteous. (They) even gave us an extra battery for the smoke alarm.

All our best, D.’s family

God bless you, D.D.

Dear Luann (Jary):

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DME program will provide bathroom safety equipment

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Durable Medical Equipment (DME) program provides bathroom safety equipment not covered under Medicare.

The list of equipment available through ENOA’s DME program includes grab bars, raised toilet seats, toilet safety frames, tub spouts with diverter valves, tub benches, tub transfer benches, and hand-held showers.

Through letters of agreement with a variety of local providers, ENOA obtains the durable medical equipment at a discounted rate.

Clients are asked to contribute toward the cost of the bathroom safety equipment on a sliding fee scale.

No one is denied access to durable medical equipment or installation due to an inability to pay.

For more information, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

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ENOA’s orchestra blends generations musically

n 1985, the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Chris Gillette and Cora Lee Bell wanted to create an artistic intergenerational activity that wasn’t being done locally. The Bellevue Senior Center had an intergenerational chorus and the theatrical productions of Omaha’s Grande Olde Players featured actors and actresses from diverse age groups.

Gillette and Bell came up with the concept of the Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha (IGO), a musical ensemble that would blend the spirit and promise of young artists under age 25 with the experience and wisdom of older musicians and vocalists age 50 and older.

The first thing they needed to do was find money to finance the orchestra’s operating expenses. After exhaustive research, Gillette submitted a grant proposal to the Kiewit Foundation which agreed to fund the nonprofit IGO’s first two seasons.

The next step was to find a conductor for the orchestra, the first of its kind in the United States. Gillette – who serves as the IGO’s project director – identified and interviewed three candidates before selecting Chuck Penington for the position.

“Chuck was chosen because of his outstanding skills and experience,” Gillette said.

Penington’s resume includes stints with legendary names like George Burns, Henry Mancini, Bob Hope, Gordon MacRae, Wayne Newton, and Engelbert Humperdinck.

The conductor for the Mannheim Steamroller’s annual Christmas tour, Penington also led the Exile Orchestra for the ABC television miniseries Amerika.

His Panda Productions has created original music for film scores, records, and hundreds of commercials.

Penington immediately accepted Gillette’s offer to conduct the IGO. “It was a unique concept and I knew I could make it into whatever I wanted as long as it fit into the intergenerational idea,” he said.

The Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha was created in 1985.

Penington described the IGO as an orchestra with a Pops component but which can also be contemporary. Its repertoire, which changes each season, features uplifting songs heard on the radio and television, from movies, and original Penington compositions.

Each show begins with Penington’s Second Wind, a song he wrote before the ensemble’s first rehearsal in 1985. “It’s a Rock ’n Roll song written for an orchestra,” he explained. “It features all the orchestra’s sections.”

“ENOA is proud to sponsor one of the premier orchestras in America.”

Gillette said her favorite part of working with the IGO is watching the reaction of audience members. “At some of the nursing centers, I’ve seen people using their walkers to stand and sway to the music. You can’t compare that to anything else.”

She fondly recalled an older nursing facility resident talking with one of the orchestra’s younger members after a show.

“My heart hasn’t danced like that in years,” the older adult said.

Each May, auditions – which include members of the previous year’s orchestra – are held. The auditions feature artists with all levels of skill and expertise, according to Gillette.

“We audition some musicians with years of musical experience and others who have just begun playing an instrument but who rose, a bud, and a piano keyboard are willing to learn.” were chosen as the IGO’s symbols.

After the musicians and vocalists are The rose in full bloom signifies the chosen, Penington writes and arranges the older members’ maturity. The bud repremusic for the next season in June. sents the promise of youth, while the keyWhile the primary purposes of the IGO board indicates the two generations of artare to merge two generations of musicians ists share the common language of music. and vocalists and then to perform for audiThe Intergeneration Orchestra of Omaha ences, the orchestra also serves as a learnperforms at area retirement centers and ing tool for its members. nursing homes. Each April the IGO holds “Several parents (of the younger musiits annual Pops & Pie concert that’s open to cians and vocalists) have told me their the public. children have received a musical education The spring concert raises funds to help working with Chuck that far outweighs anyoffset the orchestra’s annual operating exthing else they’ve been a part of,” Gillette penses. said.

In addition, the IGO sponsors an annual “I try to promote excellence and stress sustaining membership drive, and in 2001, how hard it is to be excellent,” Penington former IGO vocalist Joe Taylor created an said. “It takes discipline, commitment, endowment fund designed to raise scholarstudy, and the ability to see how difficult it ship money for the musicians and singers is to do things right.” who are asked to pay a tuition fee to be part “ENOA is proud to sponsor one of the of the orchestra. premier orchestras in America,” Gillette For more information on making a taxsaid. deductible donation to the Intergeneration She’d like to thank the members of the Orchestra Endowment Fund, please call orchestra’s board of directors – which Gillette at 402-444-6536, ext. 221. includes two youth members, two senior members, retired music teachers, and local he Intergeneration Orchestra of Oma- business leaders – and Assistant Project ha – which has performed at venues Director Elizabeth Ferrin for their hard like the White House in Washington, work, dedication, and commitment to the D.C. and at the 50th anniversary of South ensemble.

Dakota’s Mount Rushmore – was featured For more information on the IGO, please on a 1990 segment of ABC’s Good Morning call Gillette at 402-444-6444 or log on the America.

Internet to enoa.org.

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SeniorHelp program utilizes volunteers like Charlie Davis

ENOA health maintenance clinics

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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging offers health maintenance clinics at 17 sites in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, and Cass counties. The clinic’s goals are to ensure that older adults have ongoing access to regular health screenings at a low cost.

Services include vital signs and weight monitoring, foot and nail care, preparation and administration of medications (includes syringes and Medisets), injec-

tions, blood glucose monitoring, breast exams, nutrition and health counseling, diet monitoring, and referrals to health care providers.

The maximum contribution request is $5 per visit.

For more information, please call 402444-6444.

Here’s a listing of the sites, addresses, days and times, and how to make an appointment.

DOUGLAS COUNTY To schedule an appointment, call Interim Healthcare @ 402-392-1818

DOUGLAS COUNTY (Cont’d) To schedule an appointment, call Interim Healthcare @ 402-392-1818

Camelot Senior Center 9270 Cady Ave. Wednesday 10 a.m. to noon

Underwood Tower 4850 Underwood Ave. Tuesday – Thursday 1 to 3 p.m.

Christie Heights Senior Center 5105 S. 37th St. Monday – Thursday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

SARPY COUNTY To schedule an appointment, call Interim Healthcare @ 402-392-1818

Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd St. Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to noon

Corrigan Senior Center 3819 X St. Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Crown Tower 5904 Henninger Dr. Tuesdays – Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Durham Booth Manor 923 N. 38 St. Wednesday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Heartland Family Service Senior Center 2102 S. 42 St. Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. to noon

Florence Community Center 2920 Bondesson St. Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to noon

Jewish Community Center 333 S. 132nd St. Monday 9 to 11:30 a.m.

By Nick Schinker

T

Contributing Writer

heir names aren’t Kelly, Jill, Sabrina, or Bosley, but there is a Charlie. They wear tool belts, not gun belts, and they solve problems, not crimes.

But to the people they help and the agencies they serve, they definitely are angels.

Omaha’s version of Charlie’s Angels is a group of volunteers under the direction of octogenarian Charlie Davis.

Since the group’s inception, Charlie’s Angels have put in thousands of hours and completed hundreds of home repair and improvement jobs – averaging almost one every week.

Davis knows; he keeps track of every hour and dollar spent.

He has a group of eight regular volunteers and another half-dozen he can call when needed. Weather permitting, they work on jobs every Tuesday, while Davis uses the rest of the week to organize paperwork and line up materials.

W

ith the exception of roof work, there’s little the Angels won’t handle.

They build wheelchair ramps; do concrete work, flooring, drywall repair and installation, plastering, safety upgrades, caulking, winterizing, and more.

“With the skills we have, we can take on anything,” Davis says.

A faith-based volunteer group that originally served the needs of Davis’ Charlie Davis church, St. Andrew’s United Methodist, the Angels receive their work orders through the Rebuilding Together Omaha non-profit organization and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s SeniorHelp Program.

Through SeniorHelp, volunteers of all ages provide direct services that support dignity and independence and help keep recipients living independently and with dignity in their own homes.

Beyond the hours and the number of jobs, Davis also tallies the smiles and hugs he receives from the people he serves.

“I’m proud of what we do,” he says. “We’re making these people’s lives better, and they deserve it.”

For more information on ENOA’s SeniorHelp Program, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

Papillion Senior Center 1001 Limerick Rd. First and third Wednesday of the month 10 a.m. to noon DODGE COUNTY To schedule an appointment, call Interim Healthcare @ 402-392-1818

Fremont Senior Center 1730 W. 16th St. First and third Tuesday of the month 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Snyder Senior Center 2nd & Elm Streets Third Wednesday of the month 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CASS COUNTY To schedule an appointment. sign up at the centers listed below.

Louisville Senior Center 5th & Elm Streets Third Tuesday of the month 9 a.m. to noon 402-234-2120

Millard Montclair Senior Center 2304 S. 135th Ave. First Friday of the month 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

St. Mary Magdalene Senior Center 1817 Dodge St. Tuesday – Thursday 10 a.m. to noon

Plattsmouth Senior Center 625 Ave. A Fourth Monday of the month 9 a.m. to noon 402-296-5800, ext. 1

Freedom to enjoy life Thanks to The Wellington

No yard work, no shoveling, no honey-do lists.

We’ve left the labor of home ownership behind and now we live life to the fullest. We love our new apartment, all the affordable amenities and the luxury of time to do things together.

The Wellington RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

TheWellingtonLife.com • Papillion, NE • 402-331-3101

January 2011

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New Horizons

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Page 15

ENOA operates satellite offices in Cass, Dodge, Washington counties

T

he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has satellite offices in Blair, Fremont, and Elmwood where older adults can sign up for the agency’s programs and services without visiting its main office in Omaha. These sites (see below) are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“I think people appreciate ENOA having these offices,” said Esther Gunderson, an ENOA care manager who for the last 11 years has managed the Blair office.

“I’ve lived in Blair since

1978, so I know the area, the people who live here, and about some of the available resources,” she said.

An average day for Gunderson includes answering the telephone, making in-home visits to some of the older men and women on her caseload, and meeting with the two or three people who typically drop by the office with or without an appointment.

In addition to signing people up for Meals on Wheels, homemaker, and bath aide services,

Gunderson can arrange for round-trip or one-way rides within Washington County (especially Blair) and from Washington County to Omaha and Fremont through ENOA’s Rural Transportation Program. (See page 4 for more information on rural transportation.)

She also helps Washington County residents who have questions about a variety of topics like Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration benefits, and enrolling in Medicare Part D. “In certain cases, I’ll do

Esther Gunderson (left) receives a check for $3,000 from Mary Jean Rahlfs of the Blair Community Foundation.

some research, and get back to them with the information they need,” Gunderson said.

“If I can’t help, I’ll refer them to someone who can.”

Thanks to a recent $3,000 grant ENOA received from the Blair Area Community Foundation, the agency can expand its chore services program (snow removal and lawn care) in Washington County.

“I feel so good about being able to offer these services,” Gunderson said.

She said the Blair Area

Community Foundation is “made up of great people who work hard to help the men and women of Washington County.”

Cass County

140 N. 4th Street • Elmwood (inside the Elmwood Senior Center) 402-994-2406 1-888-210-1093

Dodge County 1730 W. 16th Street • Fremont (inside the Fremont Senior Center) 402-721-7770 Washington County 1327 Washington Street • Blair 402-426-9614

Do you want to move, but you can’t sell your house, and you aren’t sure what to do…

You are cordially invited to attend an informational seminar on home sales options on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at

Woodbridge Senior Village 7205 N. 73rd Plaza Circle

(1 mile south of I-680 near Immanuel Hospital)

888-520-1664

Learn about an alternative option using a professional home buying company Meet our Speaker:

Ben Souchek

Founder and managing member of

The Sierra Group, LLC The Sierra Group LLC is a professional house buying company that has been buying houses for more than 14 years. They have been a member of the Better Business Bureau for over 10 years with an A+ rating.

Ben Souchek has held a real estate agent license in Nebraska for more than five years. Ben has been buying houses for more than 20 years, and because of the creativity that he brings to every seller he talks to, has been able to help hundreds of sellers.

www.woodbridgesenior.com

Complimentary refreshments will be served

55+ living at a price you can afford!

RSVP by Monday, January 23, 2012

888-520-1664

SELF

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January 2011

ENOA senior center January 2012 menu

Monday, Jan. 2 CLOSED Tuesday, Jan. 3 Breaded Chicken Patty Wednesday, Jan. 4 Sliced Turkey Breast Thursday, Jan. 5 Italian Style Pork Friday, Jan. 6 Meatloaf w/Gravy Monday, Jan. 9 Crunchy Pollock Tuesday, Jan. 10 Sliced Ham Wednesday, Jan. 11 Roast Beef Thursday, Jan. 12 Mushroom Chicken Leg Quarters Friday, Jan. 13 Turkey Ham & White Beans

Adult day services at 11 area locations

Persons caring for an older adult that cannot be left alone because they have Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, developmental disabilities, etc. may want to consider placing their loved one temporarily at one of the 11 adult day service facilities in eastern Nebraska listed below.

Adult day services – which are provided at more than 4,600 sites nationwide – are ideal for caregivers that need to work, go to school, travel, or who need a temporary break from their care-giving duties.

These facilities provide a variety of coordinated and supervised activities, nutrition, and support services including exercise programs, arts and crafts, sing-a-longs, discussions about current events, breakfast, lunch, and intergenerational events.

Adult day service facilities specialize in caring for older adults who benefit from mental stimulation, structured activities, social opportunities, and nutritious meals in a secure environment.

These sites are typically staffed by a director, an activities coordinator, nurses, personal care assistants, and/or volunteers.

The cost for adult day services varies from one facility to another and may include one-way or round-trip transportation. The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, the Alzheimer’s Disease Midlands Chapter, and the Department of Veterans Affairs may be able to help pay for part of the cost for those meeting income guidelines.

To learn more, contact one of the centers listed below: Edgewood Vista 17620 Poppleton Ave. 402-333-5749 Edgewood Vista 2910 N. Clarkson St. Fremont 402-753-8800 Fountain View 5710 S. 108th St. 402-596-9033

House of Hope Transitions Day Program 4801 N. 52nd St. 402-827-6015

Tuesday, Jan. 17 Tuna Noodle Au Gratin

Friendship Program, Inc. 7315 Maple St. 402-393-6911

SarahCare Adult Day Service 3615 N. 129th St. 402-496-3379

Wednesday, Jan. 18 Sausage w/Onions

Golden Living Centers 602 S. 18th St. Plattsmouth 402-296-2800

Valhaven 300 W. Meigs St. Valley 402-359-2533

Thursday, Jan. 19 Cheeseburgers Friday, Jan. 20 Sweet & Sour Chicken Monday, Jan. 23 Garlic Rosemary Chicken Tuesday, Jan. 24 Pork Dijon Wednesday, Jan. 25 Swedish Meatballs Thursday, Jan. 26 Cheese Lasagna Roll Friday, Jan. 27 Beef Stew Monday, Jan. 30 Breaded Fish Filet Tuesday, Jan. 31 Beef Spaghetti Casserole

Supportive services could help reduce physical and emotional caregiver stress.

ENOA’s care managers complete an assessment that defines areas in which supportive services could help reduce physical and emotional caregiver stress.

Almost half of all caregivers are over age 50, making them more vulnerable to a decline in their own health

$5 Audrey Cotton George Van Haven Reflects donations received through December 23, 2011

Fontenelle Tours Omaha/Council Bluffs: 712-366-9596

Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours, please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the numbers listed above.

Early Winter in Laughlin (by Air). January 4 - 7. $329. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early…these winter trips fill up fast!

Valentine’s Day in Laughlin (by Air). February 13 - 17. $349.

Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, four nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early!

Kansas City Spring Fling. April 10 – 11. Come along with us and celebrate spring! Includes “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at the New Theater Restaurant, “The Importance of Being Earnest” at the American Heartland Theater, and more!

Treasures of Panama. April 11 – 19. See the Miraflores Locks on your tour of Panama City, enjoy a cruise through the rainforest to Monkey Island where you’ll see iguanas, toucans, and crocodiles, spend four nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, cruise through the Panama Canal, enjoy the stunning scenery aboard the Panama Canal Railway, visit an Embera indigenous village to learn their heritage and traditions, and overnight at a luxurious beachfront resort in Playa Bonita.

due to the heavy emotional, physical, and financial toll of providing care. These care-giving duties are often in addition to maintaining a job and/or caring for children and grandchildren.

Eligibility for ENOA’s Caregiver Support Program is determined by completing an assessment that suggests the caregivers’ elevated stress may be reduced by implementing supportive services including: • Information about available services.

• Assistance in accessing available services.

• Counseling to help caregivers make decisions and solve problems related to their caregiver roles.

• Respite care.

• Supplemental services on a limited basis.

For more information, please call 402-444-6444.

January 2012

$10 R. Dean Betzer

2012 Tours

Special program can help reduce caregivers’ stress The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Caregiver Support Program offers specialized care management services which support caregivers age 18 and older who are caring for a frail older person age 60 and older.

$15 Robert Liefer Jo Ann Green Vicki Buttery

Plan to attend our “OPEN HOUSE” on Tuesday, January 17th @ 3 p.m. at St. Robert’s Church (11802 Pacific St.) for information on all our trips and presentations on the following trips: • San Francisco with Lake Tahoe •Greece and its Islands •Alpine Christmas Call (712) 366-9596 for details.

Omaha OIC 2724 N. 24th St. 402-457-4222

Franciscan Centre 900 N. 90th St. 402-393-2113

New Horizons Club membership roll grows

Ready to get out of the winter COLD? Need a gift for your “Valentine”? Consider flying to Laughlin, Nevada, for a few days! See our January and February trips below.

Mable Rose Estates The Club 4609 Hilltop St. Bellevue 402-291-9777 402-682-6804

Monday, Jan. 16 CLOSED

Please see the ad on page 3

•

Heritage of America. May 25 – June 3. Begin your trip with a tour of New York City, visit Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, learn about and experience the Amish community lifestyle in Lancaster, enjoy a guided tour of Gettysburg, visit Shenandoah National Park, Monticello, Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., enjoy a guided tour of our nation’s capitol including the White House, Capitol, the monuments, memorials, and museums, visit the White House Visitor Center, Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Kennedy gravesites.

Islands of New England. June 8 – 15. Enjoy a tour of Providence, Rhode Island, Newport’s historic mansions, tour the Marble House, tour the exciting city of Boston, visit a cranberry bog, see Plymouth Rock, enjoy a New England lobster feast, tour Martha’s Vineyard, cruise to Cape Cod, ride the ferry to Nantucket, tour Hyannisport—home of the Kennedy compound, and enjoy dinner aboard an elegant dinner train.

Canadian Rockies & Glacier National Park. July 17 – 24.

Beginning in the Canadian province of Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies, travel to Waterton Lakes National Park, then Glacier National Park where you’ll travel the “Going to the Sun Road” with its spectacular views, spend time touring Banff, overnight at the “Castle in the Mountains,” travel to Jasper by way of the unforgettable Icefields Parkway, see the Maligne Canyon, and visit the vibrant city of Calgary.

San Francisco with Lake Tahoe. August 23 - 29. Tour San Francisco, visit wineries, two nights in Lake Tahoe, and more.

Chicago and the Cubs. Early September dates will be based on the Cubs’ schedule. Explore Chicago with us! Details later.

Greece and its Islands. September 23 – October 6. Visit Athens, the Olympic Stadium, the Acropolis, Santorini Island, and more.

Nebraska Junk Jaunt. September 28 – 29. Join us on this fun-filled 200mile long two-day garage sale adventure.

Daniel O’Donnell in Branson. November 14 - 17. Enjoy a Christmas trip to several shows including Daniel O’Donnell.

Alpine Christmas. December 4 - 11. Explore the Christmas markets of Austria and southern Bavaria. Stay in the Austrian Alps!

Kansas City Christmas. Early to mid December. Enjoy theater, Christmas lights, some shopping, and a few surprises.

More trips to come for 2012, including some one-day trips!

Watch our website at www.fontenelletours.com

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17

ENOA Library • Books & Videotapes: Aging-related topics, health/medical, caregiving, entertainment, hobbies, travel, self-improvement, financial, humor, history.

• Reference Materials: State & local guides, insurance booklets, housing options, ENOA programs, grandparent resources, respite resources.

Bath aides will provide personal care services

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging contracts with several local licensed home health care agencies in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties to provide personal care services for hundreds of frail older adults each year who are unable to safely manage their own bathing without assistance.

Clients are asked to make a donation for the bath aide program on a sliding fee scale based on their income.

Open weekdays • 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1st Floor • 4223 Center Street For more information, please call Gloria

at 402-444-6444, ext. 279

To advertise in New Horizons, please call Mitch at 402-444-4148 or Jeff at 402-444-6654.

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate

Ask A Lawyer: • • • • •

Is Your Will Up-To-Date?

Could a Trust Be the Best Choice For You? How Can You Avoid Probate?

Do You Need Powers of Attorney?

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We can help.

Call today for your free, no-obligation initial consultation with Tom Whitmore. Tom has over 40 years of experience in the field of estate planning and probate and will help ensure your plans are exactly what you want and need.

Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!

AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation

7602 Pacific Street, Ste 200 • (402) 391-2400 http://whitmorelaw.com

After undergoing an in-home evaluation by an ENOA care manager, men and women age 60 and older in the agency’s fivecounty service area who don’t have a caregiver, who cannot afford the entire cost of the service, and who are not eligible for this service through another program are visited by a bath aide at a scheduled time and date.

The bath aide can perform a variety of services including assistance with bathing (tub bath or shower), washing hair, nail filing and cleaning, and changing bed linens.

In some cases having a bath aide can mean the difference between having an ENOA client remain in their own home or moving into a care facility.

Clients are asked to make a donation for the bath aide program on a sliding fee scale based on their income.

No one is denied services due to an inability to pay.

For more information, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa. org.

New Cassel

When it rains, snows or the Retirement Center weather is Days away from the big unveiling of our freezing, what Beautiful New Dining Room, Bistro & Hearth Room happens to § § Daily Mass & Rosary Delicious Meals Daily your social § 3Transportation § Weekly Inter-Faith Service Available life? § § Wellness, Recreation & Activities Weekly Housekeeping § 24-Hour Health Services § Free Wi-Fi / Computer Lab

§ Safe & Secure Environment § Gift Shop / Beauty Salon

Call (402) 393-2277/ 900 North 90th Street Omaha, NE 68114 / www.newcassel.org Sponsored by the School Sisters of Saint Francis

Page 18

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Corrigan Senior Center January 2012 events calendar You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • Thursday, Jan. 5: Welcome 2012 Party. Everyone is welcome for a day of music, lunch, and bingo! Ashe L’Bert will entertain at 11 a.m. Stay for lunch and bingo.

• Monday, Jan. 9: Free drawing and painting workshops (materials will also be supplied at no cost) sponsored by Why Arts? Artist Joseph Broghammer will conduct the workshops Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30 @ 10 a.m.

• Monday, Jan. 9: Birthday party. Merrymakers saxophonist Jim Javorsky will perform at 11 a.m. His repertoire includes songs by greats like Louie Armstrong, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, and more. Bingo will follow lunch.

• Thursday, Jan. 19: Dinner and Mega Bingo. Here’s your chance to win part of the $75 jackpot. Enjoy dinner and raffles. The noon menu will include a breaded chicken patty with chicken gravy, mashed potatoes w/gravy, green beans almandine, lettuce salad, a wheat roll, and apple pie.

A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. If staying for bingo, the $3 activity fee includes three bingo cards. The reservation deadline is noon on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

• Monday, Jan. 23: Snowman Day. Wear as much white as possible…and maybe a top hat? The fun will feature snowman games, bingo, and a tasty lunch.

• Wednesday, Jan. 25: Trip to Ameristar Casino. The shuttle bus will pick you up at Corrigan at 11:30 a.m. and return around 4:15 p.m.

The facility will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance.

The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3 donation is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy.

For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

Gatekeeper Program partners with businesses, law enforcement to ID older adults needing help

T

he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has reintroduced its Gatekeeper Program to work with area businesses and law enforcement agencies to help identify older Nebraskans who need help to remain living independently and with dignity in their homes.

The Gatekeeper program – available in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties – helps provide education regarding warning signs an older man or woman needs assistance from ENOA. These signs may include difficulties communicating, compromised economic and social conditions, problems with emotional health and personal appearance, physical limitations, and home environments in need of repair.

All information provided to ENOA through its Gatekeeper Program will remain confidential.

An ENOA case manager or services coordinator can assess the older adult’s needs, and when appropriate, help arrange for a variety of in-home services or programs such as Meals on Wheels, a homemaker, or a bath aide.

An ENOA representative is available to meet with local businesses or law enforcement agencies to discuss the Gatekeeper Program. To arrange for a Gatekeeper presentation, please call 402-444-6654.

Ombudsmen advocates working Family, volunteer have formed a special bond... from page 5. time because he wouldn’t even be able to to protect the rights of residents --Continued service centers, hospitals, home care agencall 911 if he needed help,” Tewhill says. mental health centers, and rehabilita“I hate to think this smart man needs help in local long-term care facilities cies, tion facilities. The 67 volunteer companions putting on his shoes, but he does.”

H

oward Johnson is dedicated to helping protect the welfare of others. He’s a health and life insurance salesman and a volunteer with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Ombudsman Advocate Program. The project is co-sponsored by the Nebraska State Ombudsman Program.

ENOA’s 30 volunteer ombudsmen advocates work in nursing homes and assisted living communities in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties to address the concerns of the residents, and, when necessary, serve as a mediator or negotiator between these men and women and the facility’s staff members.

“The volunteers encourage the residents to speak for themselves, but when necessary they can intervene and act as a third party to help address any concerns,” said Pat Wilcox who coordinates the program for ENOA. The ombudsmen visit their assigned long-term care facility once a week for two hours.

Johnson said a typical stop at the Ambassador Omaha Subacute and Rehab Center, 1540 S. 72nd St., includes meeting with the facility’s social services director to see if any of the residents have concerns Howard needs to address during his visit.

“I try to poke my nose inside every door, say hello (to the residents), and make sure they know Ombudsman advocates like who I am,” Johnson said.

Howard Johnson go through 24 “We enjoy hours of classroom training. having the ombudsman advocate coming through our facility regularly,” said Mitch Jevne, administrator at the Ambassador.

“Howard is good at knocking on the residents’ doors, introducing himself, and finding out how their experience (at the Ambassador) is going.”

Johnson works well with the facility’s staff to make sure the residents are satisfied with the quality of care they’re receiving, according to Jevne, who uses the fact the Ambassador Omaha works with an ENOA ombudsman advocate as a selling point when meeting with potential residents and their families.

Johnson sees himself as an ally to Jevne and his staff, not a potential adversary. “My goal is to help solve problems (when necessary), not create them,” he said.

M

en and women interested in becoming ombudsman advocates must complete 24 hours of initial classroom training and 12 hours of additional training every two years. During training, the volunteers learn about residents’ rights and federal and state laws regarding Nebraska’s long-term care facilities. They also discuss complaint investigation techniques and communication skills.

Before being assigned to a nursing home or an assisted living community, the new volunteers make four visits to a site with an experienced ombudsman advocate to learn more about what the program entails, according to Wilcox.

After finishing a three to six-month probationary period, the volunteers are then certified as ombudsman advocates.

In addition to visiting nursing homes and assisted living communities, the ombudsman advocates are asked to attend an in-service session or an informal coffee with Wilcox and the other volunteers monthly.

To learn more about ENOA’s Ombudsman Advocate Program, please call 402-444-6558 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

serve more than 65,000 hours annually to an average of 400 clients. ENOA has sponsored the program for 35 years.

When an older adults contacts ENOA about obtaining a companion, Parker says they aren’t always convinced its right for them.

“Quite often they are nervous initially,” she says. “Usually the volunteer visits for four hours a day, and they’ll tell us they don’t know what they’ll do with this person in their house for four hours.

“Then, after three or four weeks, they’ll call and ask for more time.”

That’s why having a companion for Hurst is so important, she says.

Roque, a former construction worker from Mexico who moved to Omaha to be with his daughter and grandchildren, has been Hurst’s companion for three years. In that time, he’s witnessed a deterioration in Hurst’s condition.

“When I started coming, he was really in good shape,” Roque says. “He’s lost 30 percent, maybe 40 percent since then.”

He visits Hurst on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. They go together to the mall for coffee, and they repair things at the workbench in Hurst’s basement. hen Tewhill suggested the idea of “Because Ezequiel knew Tom when he a Senior Companion to her huswas better, he knows sometimes what Tom band, “he didn’t like the idea of needs without Tom being able to say it,” having someone else in the house. He wants Tewhill says. to be independent.”

The two men have forged a true friendHurst sits in his favorite chair beside Teship. whill as she recounts their first meeting with “They tease each other a lot,” Tewhill Roque. Unable to speak complete sentences, says. “They tease me, too.”

Hurst smiles as he listens, and replies with a She tells of trips she has made to area word or two when prompted by his wife. hardware stores in search of a particular “Then, when you met Ezequiel, what did screw or other item the two men said they you think, Tom?” she asks. needed to repair something, only to return Hurst responds with a smile and a laugh. home and find they were already done. One “Now what do you think of Ezequiel?” day after she went back to her teaching job, Tewhill asks. she came home to find brightly-colored bal“Oh,” Hurst says, “my brother.” loons strewn about the living room.

Sitting nearby, Ezequiel nods and smiles.

“They told me they had a party,” she “Yes,” he says. “We are like brothers.” says.

Tewhill and Hurst met when both worked “Ezequiel brought laughter back into for Northwestern Bell and have been marTom’s life,” Tewhill says. “Alzheimer’s ried 24 years. takes so much of that away from a person.”

“His last job was service manager for Parker says Senior Companions and their large companies including Union Pacific clients each benefit from the program. and First Data,” she says. “If something “The companion brings their world into would happen, Tom would be the one they’d the home of someone who might seldom call. I remember many nights he’d be paged see beyond their own front door,” she says. at 2:30 in the morning. They’d explain the “They may provide the only human contact problem and Tom would be able to come up for some individuals. With the intervention with a solution. He is a very bright man.” of Senior Companion services, additional She first noticed signs that something was costly needs may be delayed and somewrong when Hurst was in his mid 50s. times prevented, allowing people to remain “He’d have trouble finding the right word in their own home.” to say, or he’d transpose letters,” she recalls.

She says volunteers gain satisfaction The symptoms progressed, and Hurst knowing they are helping others. “They would have trouble finishing a sentence. have a purpose for those who so strongly She advised him to go to a doctor, but he rely on them. Many of our companions say declined. they are healthier than when they didn’t “When he was 58 or 59, I noticed he volunteer and that they go to their doctor couldn’t write his name well,” Tewhill says. less often. Some even say it’s more satisfy“He always had beautiful penmanship.” ing than their careers.”

When he was about 60, Hurst was diagSome volunteers say the financial renosed with expressive, and then receptive, imbursement from the Senior Companion aphasia, which according to the National Program has enabled them to become Aphasia Association is an acquired commu- independent of government assistance such nication disorder that impairs the ability to as food stamps. process language. Aphasia makes it difficult Tewhill, Hurst, and Roque believe in the to speak and understand others, and can Senior Companion Program. restrict the ability to read and write.

“I understand Tom can’t be alone,” “In my heart, I knew Tom had more than Tewhill says. “With Ezequiel and programs aphasia,” Tewhill says. “As I saw Tom’s like Senior Companions, we keep people memory decline and his decision-making we love at home longer. If I couldn’t care skills vanish, I kept pressing for more testfor Tom, he would need to be in a dementia ing and an accurate diagnosis. As his symp- care unit. I can’t bear to think of him in a toms kept increasing, it was clear we were facility without his favorite chair. dealing with more than a language problem.

“Tom has been able to stay here longer “Enhanced PET (Positron Emission Tobecause of Ezequiel.” mography) scans confirm the brain tangles Roque says being with Hurst is good for and plaques consistent with Alzheimer’s.” him, too.

Hurst is 69. He can’t remember a thought “He and I laugh,” he says. “When I came long enough to put it into words. He is unback from vacation, he gave me a big hug. able to read or drive. It is difficult for him to He missed me.” understand directions and process informaHurst puts his arm around Roque’s tion that involves more than one step. shoulder and smiles. “Happy,” Hurst says.

“Tom can’t be left alone for any length of One word that speaks volumes.

W

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Heartland Family Service Senior Center January 2012 events calendar You’re invited to visit the Heartland Family Service Senior Center, 2101 S. 42nd St. for the following: • Jan. 13: Hawaiian luau featuring music by Joe Taylor @ 10:45 a.m.

• Jan. 17: Red Hat Society Day. • Jan. 19: Visit by members of the Omaha Symphony.

• Jan. 20 & 27: A visit by Gail from Why Arts?

• Jan. 21: Trip to see the Omaha Symphony perform Music, Magic, Mayhem, and Mirth @ 7 p.m. Free tickets and transportation (bus leaves the center @ 6:15 p.m.) for the first 14 people who sign up. Call Karen at 402-5535300 to reserve your spot.

• Jan. 24: Visit Metropolitan Community College’s bistro and culinary school @ 10:30 a.m. The trip is limited to 13 guests, so sign up today by calling Karen at 402-5535300.

The facility will be closed on Jan. 16 for the Martin Luther King Day observance.

The Heartland Family Service Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend.

A nurse visits Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Call 402-392-1818 to schedule an appointment.

Regular activities include free Tai Chi classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday @ 10:15 a.m.

For meal reservations or more information, please call Karen Sides at 402-553-5300.

Millard Senior Center at Montclair You’re invited to visit the Millard Senior Center at Montclair, 2304 S. 135th Ave., this month for the following: • Jan. 4: Helping Hands Tea. • Jan. 6: Health maintenance clinic.

• Jan. 10: Lunch Bunch.

• Jan. 11: Birthday party.

• Jan. 24: Party featuring music by the Rusty Hinges.

• Jan. 31: Pancakes.

The center will be closed on Jan. 2 for New Year’s Day and Jan. 16 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance.

The Millard Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is served at 11:30. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy.

Transportation to and from the center is now available.

Center activities include a walking club, Tai Chi, Wii sports, chair volleyball, card games, and bingo. Knitting, crocheting, quilting, and embroidery classes are also available.

For meal reservations or information about transportation, please call Rita Mathews at 402-546-1270.

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Page 20

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New Horizons

Partnerships in Aging was developed to secure funding, expand aging programs

By Karen Kelly

Coordinator Partnerships in Aging

T

he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging established Partnerships in Aging in 1996 to identify additional needs of older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties and to seek funding that supports, expands, and develops programs for older Nebraskans.

One of PIA’s initial goals was to design a program that would build partnerships with business and industry to support employees with caregiving responsibilities.

Since 1975 ENOA has been developing alliances among nonprofit organizations, government agencies, businesses, and volunteers to find innovative ways to meet the needs of older adults, caregivers, and family members.

Creating PIA (which has its own board of directors) provided ENOA an additional vehicle to apply for grants and financial support for the agency’s programs and services when the applicant organization was required to be a non-profit entity (501c3) under the Internal Revenue Service code.

Since its inception, PIA has been a mechanism of coordination for community partnerships to work together on common goals that addressed issues and gaps in aging services.

As a neutral entity PIA can act as an applicant agency for collaborations in grant proposals for funding for new aging programs and services to address unmet needs and eliminate the territorial issues that often accompany such collaborations.

Additionally, one of PIA’s initial goals was to design a program that would build

partnerships with business and industry to support employees with caregiving responsibilities for children and aging parents.

The demands of caregiving have become an everyday reality for many full-time working families.

In 2005, ENOA contracted with a consultant in nonprofit management to reorganize PIA and to develop a strategic plan.

PIA has forged ahead with that strategic plan and created partnerships in the community that address aging issues.

PIA, with its unique neutrality, has shown success in recent years assuming this distinctive and useful role in coordinating and convening initiatives such as the PIA Network, The Metro Area Study of the Aging Population in 2005, the Decision Accelerator for Older Adults in 2007, and the Continuum of Care for Older Adults project.

PIA continues to sponsor the PIA Network and other efforts to meet the needs of aging adults through collaborative efforts.

Enrichment Foundation’s grant allows ENOA to meet some one-time special needs of older adults

P

roviding financial assistance for an older woman moving across the country to be with her family, buying special items like an extra large lift chair, and helping a man requiring extensive dental work are three examples of how the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging was able to meet the special needs of 55 older adults in 2011 with grant money it received through the Enrichment Foundation.

“The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is extremely grateful to the Enrichment Foundation for the grant,” said Karen Kelly who coordinates the program for ENOA. “It’s amazing to see what we’ve been able to accomplish and how many people we’ve been able to help with this

•

January 2012

money.”

Kelly said the program’s goal is to use communitybased services to provide assistance for older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties that promotes independence and keeps them in their own homes for as long as possible.

The grant money is also used to pay for specialized wheelchairs, motorized scooters, walkers, medications not covered by insurance or other drug discount plans, medical bills, transportation, dental care, materials used by ENOA volunteers to build wheelchair ramps and make other home safety modifications, pest exterminations, and tree trimming.

“In some emergency situations, we’ve been able to

help pay rent, utility bills, and for repairs to air conditioning systems,” Kelly said.

A group of ENOA employees oversees the Enrichment Foundation grant and helps determine how to allocate the funds, to whom, and for what purpose.

Kelly said the money is filtered through ENOA’s grants accountant who issues checks directly to the vendors for the services and equipment purchased.

ENOA has submitted a grant request to the Enrichment Foundation for 2012.

“If we receive the money again this year, we’ll be able to assist dozens of older adults who need some onetime help,” Kelly said.

For more information, please send an e-mail to karen.kelly@nebraska.gov.

Nebraska DHHS, ENOA collaborated to create Medicaid Waiver, Senior Care Options programs

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he right care at the right time. Since 1997, that has been the goal of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Aged Medicaid Waiver and Senior Care Options programs. Both programs are joint efforts of ENOA and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

The Aged Medicaid Waiver program is available to Nebraskans age 65 and older in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties that want to remain in their own homes or receive services in an assisted living facility.

To qualify for the Aged Medicaid Waiver program, an individual must be age 65 or older, financially eligible for Medicaid, agree to participate in a needs identification assessment, be willing to accept support services, have health care needs that would otherwise require them to live in a skilled nursing facility, or able to be served safely at home at a cost that’s not more than Medicaid would pay for nursing home care.

Older adults who may meet these requirements can be referred to the Aged Medicaid Waiver program by calling 402-546-1870.

If the prospective client meets the criteria outlined above, their name is forwarded to an ENOA services coordinator who will call the prospective client to arrange for an in-home visit and assessment.

During the in-home assessment, the services coordinator and the client work together to determine how much assistance the client needs to perform the activities of daily living (walking, eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, and transferring) and whether there are concerns about the client’s safety, behavior, or memory.

The services coordinator and the client jointly develop an individualized care plan which allows Medicaid to pay for a variety of in-home services such as housekeeping, meal preparation, a bath aide, essential shopping, errand service, medical transportation, Meals on Wheels, durable medical equipment, and home modifications.

Other services available to participants in ENOA’s Aged Medicaid Waiver program include adult day services, independent skills management, respite care,

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Aged Medicaid Waiver services coordinators make in-home visits to assess their clients’ needs.

and a personal emergency response system.

Once the care plan is implemented, the services coordinator will monitor its effectiveness each month and make adjustments in services if needed. An annual assessment to re-determine client eligibility must also be completed.

ity, in-home, or communitybased services are the most appropriate.

The counselor will consult with the client, the client’s family, hospital and nursing home staff, physicians, and other service providers to learn: • How much assistance the individual needs to per-

• Do you gave questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services?

• Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties?

• Maybe you have a story idea for the New Horizons.

Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to

The services coordinator and the client work together to determine how much assistance the client needs to perform the activities of daily living.

Aged Medicaid Waiver services will continue as long as needed unless the client loses Medicaid eligibility, is admitted to a nursing facility on a long-term basis, their health becomes unstable, or the services no longer safely meet the client’s needs.

E

NOA’s Senior Care Options (SCO) program is available to Nebraskans age 65 and older that live in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, or Washington counties, who are considering admission to a nursing facility, and who need Medicaid to pay for that care.

SCO counselors assess the prospective client’s health care needs and determine whether nursing facil-

DHHS.ENOA@nebraska.gov We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.

form the activities of daily living (walking, eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, and transferring).

• Whether there are concerns about the client’s safety, behavior, or memory.

• If the client’s condition requires skilled nursing services.

The SCO counselor determines eligibility for nursing facility care with Medicaid as the pay source. The counselor also works with the client to determine the best level of care. When the various options are considered, the counselor can make referrals to the Aged Medicaid Waiver program.

For more information on ENOA’s Senior Care Options Program, please call 402-546-1870 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

January 2012

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•

New Horizons

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Page 21

Homemaker services will help older adults maintain their homes

M

en and women age 60 and older in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties who need assistance maintaining their homes can call the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Homemaker Program.

The program’s goal is to help older adults remain independent by assisting them with the light housekeeping tasks they’re physically or mentally unable to perform.

After an in-home assessment is made, an ENOA care manager will determine the number of hours (a minimum of two hours every other week) the client requires and the specific tasks the homemaker will complete.

Homemakers can take out trash, change bedding, clean rooms (dust, mop, vacuum, etc.); clean and defrost refrigerators, dust, grocery shop, iron clothes, do laundry, prepare food, wash dishes and mirrors, and load/ unload the dishwasher.

Homemakers are not allowed to assist with medications, dressing, or grooming; clean windows, walls, woodwork or baseboards; mend clothing, move heavy furniture, pay bills, care for pets, purchase items from clients, stand on a stool, chair, or ladder to clean, do yard work, or transport clients.

The clients provide all the necessary cleaning tools and supplies.

The client’s monthly contribution request is based on a sliding fee scale. No one will be refused homemaker services, however, due to an inability to pay.

ENOA contracts with several providers in its fivecounty service area that perform homemaker services for hundreds of older adults each year.

For more information about ENOA’s Homemaker Program, please call 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

T

ENOA’s Nutrition Division offers dietary therapist, programs

he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has a Licensed Medical Nutrition Therapist on staff that can work with older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties to provide counseling on dietary topics like weight loss or gain, cooking, grocery shopping, diabetes, and other medical concerns.

Agency care managers, senior center managers, home health care agencies, physicians, and employees from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services refer clients to ENOA’s nutrition counseling program.

The LMNT can evaluate and address a client’s dietary history, food intake, and any nutritional risk factors.

An individualized care plan will then be developed and monitored. That care plan may include providing a liquid supplement.

The client will be asked to make a donation for the supplement on a sliding fee scale based on their income.

Nobody will be denied access to ENOA’s nutrition counseling program due to an inability to pay.

Nutritional education programs are offered at ENOA senior centers in its five-county service area. Topics include cooking for one, calcium in your diet, sodium, cancer, and heart disease.

For more information, please call 402-444-6513 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

Page 22

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New Horizons

Spirit of Chiron benefits grandparents, grandkids David and his sister Sarah strategically placed several logs – some flat on the ground, others elevated slightly – along a sandy path inside the corral. The youngsters then traced the path Tulip, a miniature horse, and Minnie, a jetblack Friesian, would follow to navigate the obstacle course.

“We’re teaching them if you do the appropriate actions you can overcome your obstacles,” explained Brent Bowyer to a visitor at the 14-acre Neola, Iowa ranch he shares with his wife, Jackie.

The youngsters then disappeared into a barn. A few moments later, they reappeared with Tulip who was wearing a halter and lead rope David had placed on her head. After leading the brown and white horse around the course for a few minutes, the children and Jackie took Tulip back to her corral. It was now time for Minnie, four months pregnant, to take a stroll with David and Sarah around the corral.

The siblings carefully guided the large animal through the course as Minnie’s long hair blew in the autumn breeze.

“If you can control an animal that big it can become very empowering,” Brett explained.

David, Sarah, and their grandmother, Mary Woodrow, became involved with the Bowyers and their Spirit of Chiron program as a way of bringing some normalcy into their lives. Before moving in with their grandmother, the youngsters had bounced from one foster home to another.

“Spirit of Chiron is about connecting humans to horse

Brent Bowyer helps Sarah adjust Minnie’s halter.

wisdom,” said Brent Bowyer. “We’ve found people have their own solutions to their own problems,” the New Zealand native said with a thick accent.

“Horses have a great ability to read what people are thinking,” he continued. “They won’t engage with you if you’re sending out mixed signals. You don’t have to change your behavior, you just have to acknowledge it.”

The program was named for Chiron, a Greek mythological figure who took the form of a horse and was known as a master of the healing arts.

Woodrow learned about the Spirit of Chiron through the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Grandparent Resource Center. Coordinated

by Nancy Fullwood, the Grandparent Resource Center is designed to strengthen and support grandparents age 60 and older so they can provide safe and secure homes for the grandchildren in their care. Program services include support group meetings, access to low cost or pro bono legal services,

Jackie Bowyer, David, and Sarah prepare Minnie for a walk through an obstacle course.

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January 2012

counseling, and help locating transportation.

A true animal lover, Fullwood heard about the Spirit of Chiron through the Creative Healing Workshop.

She realized many of the families involved with the Grandparent Resource Center could benefit by spending time with the Bowyers, their program, and their horses.

“I truly believe in the power of animals,” Fullwood said.

The Bowyers’ farm features four 1,500-pound Friesian horses, a Dutch breed noted for being graceful and nimble despite their size.

“Being around these horses makes the grandchildren feel good about themselves,” Fullwood said. “It gives them a sense of control and teaches them about the importance of having mutual respect.”

Woodrow was pleased she, David, and Sarah had a chance to work with the Spirit of Chiron.

“We want to take advantage of every learning opportunity that’s available to us,” she said.

Although they only spent a few hours with the Bowyers and their horses, David and Sarah reaped tremendous benefits from the program, according to their grandmother.

“They’ve become more confident in themselves and they’re able to communicate their feelings better,” Woodrow said. “They got more out of four weeks with the Spirit of Chiron than they did from in a year in (traditional) therapy.”

To learn more about the Spirit of Chiron, please call 712-308-2052.

For more information about ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center, please call Fullwood at 402-444-6444 or log on the Internet to enoa.org.

VAS can help you sort through entitlement programs Joe is an 84-year-old widower who recently ran up nearly $100,000 in hospital bills. Overwhelmed and confused by the mountains of paperwork he received from Medicare and the hospital, the retired truck driver turned to Volunteers Assisting Seniors.

disabilities make informed decisions on topics related to health insurance.

Assistance is available for residents of Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties by calling 402-444-6617 and arranging for a one-on-one counseling session with a

VAS volunteers can help educate older adults on how to detect Medicare fraud and waste through the Senior Medicare Patrol program.

VAS is a non-profit organization that utilizes the skills, knowledge, and education of volunteers age 50 and older to help older adults understand and pursue their entitlements.

VAS was created in 1977 in a nationwide effort by the Junior League to provide insurance information for older adults and to demonstrate the abilities of older volunteers.

The local organization, whose offices are located at 1941 S. 42nd St., Suite 502 (Center Mall), is funded by individuals, foundations, and corporations.

VAS’ volunteers go through training for each program area the organization offers. After completing the training, these men and women are available to assist older adults who need help understanding their Medicare benefits, reporting Medicare fraud and waste, filing for property tax relief, or who need legal referrals for elder law issues.

While Joe is a fictitious character, his story is indicative of the hundreds of older men and women who were helped by VAS each year.

Joe received help through the Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program. VAS serves as the regional office for the SHIIP program. VAS volunteers offer unbiased, free counseling and educational services designed to help older adults and those with

VAS volunteer.

Along with counseling Medicare beneficiaries, VAS volunteers can help educate older adults on how to detect Medicare fraud and waste through the Senior Medicare Patrol program.

Each year VAS provides assistance with the Homestead Exemption program’s application process. Through this annual effort, Nebraska homeowners age 65 and older, some homeowners with a disability, and totallydisabled war veterans and their widow(er) who meet income guidelines may be eligible for property tax relief by exempting all or part of the homestead’s valuation from taxation.

The volunteers assist older adults with filling out the homestead exemption application throughout the Omaha area from March through June.

Through VAS’ legal assistance and referral program, individuals over age 50 can seek help obtaining a legal referral to a group of local attorneys who provide free 30-minute consultations on legal matters common to older adults.

VAS’ advising attorney hosts a monthly Ask An Attorney clinic at the VAS office for low-income older adults interested in determining if they have a problem that requires legal assistance.

The organization also offers a mandatory training

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class for court-appointed guardians and conservators on their duties and responsibilities.

Guardians are courtappointed persons who manage the health care decisions for individuals who are unable to do so for themselves because of mental, health, or age limitations.

Conservators are courtappointed men and women who manage the finances of individuals who are unable to do so for themselves because of mental, health, or age limitations.

The class, which is required for anyone who has been appointed as a guardian or conservator, is open to anyone. Preregistration and a $30 fee are required in advance for individuals who wish to take the course. To register, please call 402-444-6617.

VAS is always looking for new volunteers. To learn more, please call 402-4446617.

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