GaGen 2010 Winter by Wells-Smith Partners

Generations Georgia

Spring 2010

Lifelong Communities A Vision for the Future

Also in This Issue: n Caregiving News & Notes n A Look at Georgia’s AAAs Published quarterly by Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging – Gateways to Community Resources 1

Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) were established under the Older Americans Act in 1973 to respond to the needs of older adults age 60 and over in every community. To read more about each of Georgia’s AAAs and the services available, turn to a statewide map and news from each agency, beginning on page 9.

Georgia is divided into 12 AAAs, each serving a different part of the state. They are:

4 7 6

9 12

1 Northwest Georgia 2 Legacy Link 3 Atlanta Regional Commission 4 Southern Crescent 5 Northeast Georgia 6 River Valley 7 Middle Georgia 8 Central Savannah River 9 Heart of Georgia Altamaha 10 Southwest Georgia 11 Southern Georgia 12 Coastal Georgia

Generations Georgia

SPRING 2010 Published quarterly

through a cooperative effort of Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging. For information contact: Atlanta Regional Commission Aging Services Division 40 Courtland St., NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 404-463-3239 jkauffman@atlantaregional.com

Editorial Project Development: JAM Communications, Atlanta, GA Design and Production: Wells-Smith Partners, Lilburn, GA Georgia Generations is a:

2009

On the Cover: Georgia is joining other states in focusing on the creation of communities that can support their citizens from cradle to rocker. Here’s what is required to make these communities a reality — and a look at initiatives on the drawing board in Georgia. See story, page 4.

Spring 2010, Volume 9, #3 © 2010 by the Atlanta Regional Commission. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, the Atlanta Regional Commission and JAM Communications make no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission. All rights reserved.

Georgia Generations

CAREGIVING NEWS&NOTES

With age, most people experience some degree of cognitive decline. “Cognition” simply refers to mental functioning, such as memory and other intellectual abilities that are necessary for daily life. Many older adults develop a mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition in which the person shows some problems with memory or other mental functions. This might be noticeable to other people and might even show up on tests, but it is not serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50% to 70% of dementia cases. Unlike MCI, Alzheimer’s commonly results in the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Not everyone with MCI goes on to develop Alzheimer’s.

Seniors and the Economic Recovery T

n n

he needs of America’s seniors could be a significant part of the economic turnaround in 2010. Small to mid-sized health care firms should see an uptick in their business, based on the following trends: n Aging baby boomers are demanding anything that helps them stay active longer. This includes orthopedic equipment, physical therapy and personal trainers, as well as drugs. n In-home care is on the rise, and nursing and transportation services that cater to the elderly will be in demand. Interest in continuing care communities will continue to grow. Digital home-health services, such as wellness monitoring, communication devices and e-health services are predicted to grow more than 50% in 2010.

Surfing the Net Each issue of Georgia Generations offers several Web sites devoted to caregiving information and resources: www.scambusters.org alerts readers to a long list of Internet, phone and mail scams, as well as identity theft threats. www.centerforpositiveaging.org provides a complete range of information about housing and senior services in Georgia to assist in positive, successful aging.

Protect Medicare and Medicaid Benefits

Pl a n Ah ea d fo r St re s s- free Vi s i t s

aking young children to visit their elderly relatives is an important part of family bonding. But it can present a challenge, especially if grandma or grandpa lives in a retirement home. Here are tips for ensuring a successful, stressfree visit: n Bring along a game that both youngsters and seniors can play. Bingo or checkers are good choices. Bring prizes (appropriate snacks) for them to share. n Bring a book for the grandparent to read, or for the child to read to the grandparent. n Bring supplies to work on a scrapbook together, or bring an easy-to-do craft project. Other ideas: Check with the staff to make sure your relative is having a “good” day. Encourage lots of hugs — both young children and seniors will respond to a loving touch. Important don’t: Do not bring your children if they are sick.

o you want to know more about the prescription drugs you or your family members are taking? Go to www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org, Consumer Reports’ new Web site, to learn more about the cost, effectiveness and safety of prescription drugs. This Web site is available at no cost to the consumer.

FUNDS

FOR

Alzheimer’s… or Aging?

Older Workers GEORgia will get more than $1 million in federal funds to promote employment and job training among low-income, older workers. The funds are part of the Senior Community Service Employment Program. The program is a work-based program that provides part-time, community service-based job training for unemployed, low-income individuals 55 or older. The U.S. Department of Labor has earmarked a total of $225 million in additional funding for the program for fiscal year 2010.

Report suspected fraud and errors. Call your Fraud Project for details and to request a presentation.

GeorgiaCares 1-800-669-8387

Lifelong Communities

e r u t u F e h t r o f n o i s i V A By Martha Nolan

McKenzie

g walkability is a ton Square. Resurrectin ected by the ARC Aerial view of Mable sel s one of the communitie priority for Mableton, . g community for redesign as a lifelon

quare S n o t le b a M f o Aerial view

t’s happening all across the country. People are finding that the two-story house on the half-acre lot in the cul-de-sac, which was such a great place in which to raise a family, is not such a great place in which to grow old. The spacious interior is now too much to keep up and stairs are increasingly difficult to ary 20, 2009 navigate. The wonderful privacy afforded by an expansive lawn now translates into isolation. And the desirable location has now become a barrier to accessing needed services, especially if driving is no longer an option. But when you look around to find a home more suitable to your current needs, you likely find that there is no such animal in your community. That’s because your community, like others across the country, was designed for one type of resident, and one type only. “Suburbia only works for able-bodied people in their middle years with enough money to buy one car per adult — period,” says Andrés Duany, co-founder of Duany Plater- Zyberk & Co. (DPZ), a planning and architectural firm based in Miami. That leaves you with one of two options — neither of which are ideal. You can stay in the home and community that no longer support your needs, or you can move to a senior housing facility on the outskirts of town, far from the friends, services and landmarks you have known. It’s a dilemma being faced by an ever-growing cohort. Today, there are more than 35 million Americans age 65 and

above. That number will double in the next 25 years, as the baby boomers cross the AARP line. By 2035, one in every five Americans will be 65 and older. Georgia and the rest of the Southeast will see an even more rapid growth in the older population. By 2030, 30 percent of the total population in Georgia will be age 55 and older. In anticipation of this “silver tsunami,” cities and towns all over the country are scrambling to create and promote communities that can support citizens from cradle to rocker. The efforts have many names. The National Area Agencies on Aging and Partners for Livable Communities are collaborating to promote their Aging in Place initiative. In Georgia, the effort goes under the name of Georgia for a Lifetime. And in the Atlanta area, it’s called Lifelong Communities. (See “Livability: On the Drawing Boards,” page 7.) No matter what they’re labeled (in this article, we’ll refer to them as lifelong communities), they look the same. A lifelong community is one that offers myriad housing options — including single family, multifamily and supported — a variety of transportation options, a walkable environment and easy access to shopping, health care, social and civic activities. In short, it looks a lot like the kind of community that dotted the country before World War II. And the beauty of this type of community, say its proponents, is that its benefits reach well beyond the senior population. “If you rethink your community to be livable for seniors, it will actually be more livable for everyone,” says Georgia Generations

Bob McNulty, president of Partners for Livable Communities in Washington, D.C. “Young children can have a greater area to explore than just their cul-de-sac. Teenagers can get to their jobs or visit their friends without being driven. Young workers can find affordable housing near their jobs.” Translating concept to reality, however, will require a vast rethinking of the way things are done and an unprecedented amount of collaboration between disparate groups — city planners, transportation officials, health care concerns, senior agencies and more. “Just ramping up more services for seniors is not going to solve the problem,” says Scott Ball, senior project manager for DPZ. The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) hired DPZ to conduct an extensive research project into developing lifelong communities in the Atlanta area. “You have to look at why services are needed in the first place and why they are so difficult to supply. And the reason is that the urban fabric is pulled so far apart that you no longer have members of the community looking after their own. The only way to bring everything back together is to look across all disciplines and work together.” Indeed, to achieve its full potential, a lifelong community needs a seamless design “… from the doorknob to the region,” says DPZ’s Duany. “We literally look at everything from the height and configuration of the door handle all the way to the infrastructure of the region. A well-designed accessible home won’t do much good if you can’t navigate the sidewalks and road crossings. And an excellent walkable street design won’t be much benefit if there is nowhere worth walking to.” After the nine-day Lifelong Communities charrette held in February 2009, ARC‘s Aging Services Division is following the Lifelong Communities framework to support an implementation program. Laura Keyes, ARC Lifelong Communities manager, says, “This implementation plan is centered upon developing housing and transportation options, healthy living and access to services.”

Offering a range of housing options To be able to live within a community for your entire lifetime, you have to have a wide range of housing options. “Our bodies and our needs change throughout our lifetime,” says Kathryn Lawler, manager of external affairs for the ARC. “Sometimes a big house with a lawn is just what we need. Other times a small apartment suits us. Sometimes we need assistance. If a community is really going to be a place where we can live throughout our lifetime, it’s going to have to have all these options. Otherwise, you have to rip yourself out of your community each time your needs change.” The homes themselves need to be designed to support people of varying abilities. Zero-step entries, wide doorways and one-level living mean you can still access everything you need in your home, even if you become dependent on a walker or wheelchair. Older homes can be retrofitted, to a Spring 2010

degree, to make them more accommodating of some of the disabilities that come with age. “We find that seniors really want to remain in their own homes whenever possible,” says Donna Baldwin, resource specialist with the Northwest Georgia AAA. “And there are more and more products and services out there that can help them do that. I just talked with someone who put in a lift that runs along their staircase, and they said that has allowed them to stay in their home. There are also platform lifts you can install if there is not enough room to put in a ramp. And some agencies can help with the cost of these modifications, if funding is available. Your best bet is to call your local AAA and see if there is any funding or grants available.” If a move does become desirable, options need to be available within the same community, which means zoning regulations will have to change. In many areas, for example, it’s illegal to have a rental unit on your property. Athens is illustrative of typical restrictions. “In an effort to keep stu-

Translating concept to reality will require a vast rethinking of the way things are done and an unprecedented amount of collaboration. dent renters out of single-family neighborhoods, the zoning has made it impossible to add a granny flat or in-law suite with a separate entrance and its own kitchen,” says Kathryn Fowler, executive director of the Georgia Council on Aging. “Yet, that type of ancillary unit, whether detached or within the home, could be a great place to move into when the main house becomes too big for you.” Townhomes, apartments and condominiums within the same neighborhood could also be attractive options. “As it is now, we don’t have the housing options we need where we need them,” says Lawler. “Current codes don’t allow for it. Regulations have to change to allow varied housing options to be built within the same community.” A lifelong community also must offer housing for those who need the support of assisted-living or nursing home facilities. These can be incorporated into the neighborhood rather than relegated to a separate campus on the outskirts of town. One particularly innovative model for weaving supported living into the fabric of a neighborhood is the Green House. These are small homes that house six to ten seniors who require skilled nursing care. However, unlike traditional skilled nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, these look — in scale and design — more like a regular home than a facility. They feature private bedrooms, a family room, dining room and freedom from institutional schedules. Not only has this model proven to improve the health and abilities of

conventional Development

Lifelong communities

Lifelong communities promote connectivity. The grid design (left) provides connected streets and sidewalks, compared to the cul-desac design of a conventional neighborhood (right).

their residents, but it can fit seamlessly into the look and feel of a residential neighborhood.

connectivity is the single biggest challenge facing atlanta. while the initial layout of the metropolitan area included many railroad right-of-ways and challenging topography, it has been the overlay of suburban, culde-sac development that has further hindered connectivity amongst the region’s neighborhoods and services. Therefore, finding every possible opportunity to weave the street grid back together is the first step and highest priority at each of the study sites. connectivity is essential to neighborhood safety, vitality, and social health and it is simply not possible to effectively address the needs for safe roads for people of all ages until the street system can be restructured from a dendritic system of cul-de-sacs, collectors, and arterials to a dispersed system of connected grids. connectivity was also a particular focus of the charrette out of a desire to reverse the association of older adult communities with gated subdivisions. crime statistics indicate that sense of security provided by gating a community often does not affect the rate or type of crime in a neighborhood. the Lifelong communities initiative maintains that the isolation and segregation imparted by gated communities does more damage to the neighborhood and surrounding community than is warranted by any potential safety benefits of such security measures.

Creating choices in transportation

connectivity

Just as a lifelong community must offer varied housing types, it needs to have a variety of transportation options. For seniors who still drive, larger road signs, brighter stoplights and pavement markings, and protected left turn signals can make navigating the roads safer and less stressful. Classes for older drivers can help seniors refresh their skills and learn ways to compensate for reductions in vision, hearing and/or reaction times. However, one in five Americans age 65 and above does not drive, and in a traditional neighborhood, these people are flat out of luck. “Our communities were built for people who can drive their cars to get everywhere they need to go,” says Fowler. “Our public transportation is built around getting people to work, so it can get you to the plant, but not to the drugstore or beauty parlor. Once you can’t drive, you might as well be living thirty miles out in the country. You’re stranded.” A lifelong community needs adequate and efficient public transportation, including paratransit and shuttle services. Cobb County has begun moving down this road. The county transportation department hired a mobility manager and is forming a mobility council to research the issue and provide sweeping recommendations. The county already offers some innovative programs. “Get on the Bus Gus” is a class that teaches seniors how to

ride transit. “People who have moved here from the Northeast have no trouble using the transit,” says Pam Breeden, director of Cobb Senior Services. “But a lot of people in Georgia have never ridden it, and it’s kind of scary to them. The class teaches them how to read the schedules, the difference between general and paratransit buses, how to apply for paratransit and generally how they can make transit work for them.” Cobb also offers a voucher system for seniors who are eligible for paratransit so they can hire their own transportation. “Many people think you have to be in a wheelchair to qualify for paratransit,” says Breeden. “But you just have to not be able to get to the bus stop and stand and wait for a bus for a period of time. We give these seniors a book of vouchers that they can use with any of our recommended providers. Before the voucher program, we were averaging a hundred people a day on our waiting list. Now we don’t have anyone on the waiting list.” In Albany, the Sowega Council on Aging/AAA has started looking into a volunteer program in which volunteer drivers would take seniors from their homes to medical appointments. “The biggest need we have is for transportation to medical care,” says Kay Hind, executive director of the council. “We just recently heard of another community using this volunteer program and we are going to try it here as a pilot project.” An even more attractive option than transit or volunteer drivers, say proponents, is walkability. Efforts can be as simple as putting in a good trail. In Columbus, the city is in the process of constructing a walking/running/biking trail that will run from the northern part of the county to downtown. “It will connect with the existing trail system that we have now, and it will pass through various types of areas — parks, Georgia Generations

health care centers, retail, offices, neighborhoods and industrial areas,” says Rick Jones, director of planning for the Columbus Consolidated Government. “If people want to, they should be able to use it to get to various destinations without driving.” Ideally, however, walkability goes beyond adding trails. That means abandoning the suburban cul-de-sac model in favor of re-establishing the street grid system and incorporating pedestrian-friendly features. Resurrecting a walkable community is high on Mableton’s list of priorities. This town is one of the five Atlanta-area communities the ARC selected for DPZ to redesign as a lifelong community. The ARC subsequently received a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging to translate the concept into reality and to support the Lifelong Mableton Initiative. “We are working to reconnect the grid where it has been separated,” says Dana Johnson, planning division manager for the Community Development Agency for Cobb County. “Once streets are reconnected, there will be more options so you don’t have to go onto major roads to get everywhere. And we’re going to have on-street parking, tree buffers, wide sidewalks, street lighting — all the things that are conducive to walking. We’ll have retail along the main streets and areas where people can sit down and have a coffee. We’re trying to create an environment that people will want to be in.”

Planning for accessibility Diversified housing and efficient transportation won’t do much good if there are no destinations you want to access within the community. That means retail needs to leave the shopping mall and business needs to leave the office park to return to the community. Again, zoning regulations will have to change, so you can have a drugstore with an apartment loft next to a doctor’s office next to a single family home. These disparate uses can coexist harmoniously in the same community with a type of zoning that is based on form rather than function. “Right now, our zoning is based on function,” says Johnson. “One area can have only single family homes. Another is zoned only for retail. This type of zoning has been very effective in fragmenting our communities. “Form-based zoning, on the other hand, builds a community rather than separate parcels,” continues Johnson. “It looks at how the scale and character of the buildings relate to each other and to the streets and public realm. It allows us to make sure the built environment will create a sense of place and be pedestrian-friendly rather than car-dependent.” This type of community, a lifelong community, benefits all residents, but elderly residents most of all. It’s a structure that can boost health, social engagement and economic independence. “Health care is a hugely important issue for seniors,” says Lawler. “And the cheapest way to address health care is to keep Spring 2010

seniors healthy. Walkable communities, access to parks and easy access to preventive services, such as mammograms and flu shots, are all part of the fabric of a lifelong community.” The Coastal Regional Commission (CRC) has been awarded a grant by the Georgia Council on Aging to develop a Coastal Communities for All Ages project and is planning to implement the principles of a livable community in Darien, just outside Brunswick. Easy access to health care figures heavily into the planning. “We invited Southeast Medical Systems to participate from the start,” says Lupita McClenning, planning division manager for the CRC. “We have been looking at ways in which they can further integrate into the community — whether it be wellness clinics, a visiting nurse program or a mobile van. There were so many great ideas thrown out and we’re still reviewing them. But we recognize that a nearby quality health facility is a defining element of livability. It fosters a high quality of life and independence, and that’s what we hope to promote with our Coastal Communities for All Ages initiative.” Continued on page 15

Livability: On the Drawing Boards I

n Georgia, two complementary initiatives have been launched to deal with the livability of local communities facing an aging population. On a state level, the Georgia Council on Aging launched Georgia for a Lifetime in partnership with the Georgia Division of Aging Services, the state’s 12 Area Agencies on Aging and other public and private entities. This initiative will provide the research, policy analysis, ideas and practical tools necessary to help local Georgia communities become more livable and workable for older adults. In December 2009, Georgia for a Lifetime presented its interim report to the Georgia General Assembly, detailing ways the state and local communities can prepare to meet the needs of an expanding older population. The final report will be presented in December 2010. For more information, visit www.gcoa.org/GALifetime.htm. The Atlanta Regional Commission launched its Lifelong Communities Initiative in 2007 and since then has been working throughout the metro region to improve housing, transportation, health and access. In February 2009, ARC in partnership with Duany, Plater-Zyberk & Co, (DPZ) hosted a nine-day design workshop (charrette) that examined how Atlanta area communities could become places where people of all ages and abilities can live. The charrette developed: n Five conceptual pilot projects, which incorporate mixeduse, mixed-income and multigenerational designs, and promote physical activity and healthy living; n Model Lifelong Communities standards and zoning codes; n Regional development principles to meet the needs of the growing older adult population. For more information about the Lifelong Communities initiative, visit www.atlantaregional.com/lifelong.

GUEST CLOSE-UP

In-Home Telecare Empowers Elderly Round-the-clock support gives peace of mind to seniors and families By Judy Hagebak

avinia Fitzgerald had always taken care of herself and those around her, but that changed over 30 years ago when she sustained brain injuries in an accident. Since then, her daughter, Colleen Henry, has been her primary caregiver. But with a father who is now aging, and her sister Peggy more than 75 miles away, the burdens of providing care and keeping an eye on both parents are more than Colleen can continue to handle. “I’m at the house every day to tend to Mama’s personal needs and prepare meals, and Peggy keeps the house clean,” says Colleen. “At his age, Daddy’s just not able to help as much and he’s away from home a lot. So we enrolled Mama in the Community Care Program last year, and they told us about using computer technology to help keep an eye on Mama. We thought we should give it a try.” The family uses a Web-based telecare system, which combines wireless technology, a secure broadband Internet connection and a state-of-the-art support and response center staffed with professional caregivers. By pooling all these resources, the system is the first of its kind to offer round-theclock, in-home support that can be customized to the needs of any individual it serves. “Having this in place keeps Mama safe when no one else is there, and we’re able to also ‘visit’ with her using the two-way audio and video that the system offers,” says Colleen. “This has given them a new lease on life.”

Peace of mind through technology “Caregivers communicate face-to-face with individuals they serve via a 15-inch touch screen computer monitor,” says Dustin Wright, Rest Assured’s general manager. “With cameras, alarms and two-way speakers placed strategically in a home’s common

areas and electronic sensors in bathrooms and bedrooms, families can know their parents are being watched appropriately, but not in a way that invades their privacy. Our mission is to help people live as independently as possible, while providing careful, unobtrusive support.” “I’m not very comfortable with computers, but this works very well,” says Colleen. “The tech support is very prompt and clear, and the service is completely reliable.” Staff members work directly with clients and their families to develop customized care plans within three levels of care: • Family Support — Unlimited access for family members to check on a loved one from anywhere in the world. • Drop-In Support — A telecaregiver periodically checks on the individual, makes sure medications are being taken as prescribed, monitors meal preparation, and so on. • Active Support — Provides continuous remote care if Drop-In Support is not adequate. Care programs are scaled to fit any situation or budget, including using telecaregivers for respite care. The system can be set up so that seniors have the option of turning the system off as desired, and emergency support can be included as part of the care plan. “We want Mama and Daddy to be able to live independently because that’s what they want,” says Colleen. “We just need to make sure they’re safe and that someone checks on them consistently. Using telecare makes this possible because they’ve combined the personal touch with the best parts of technology to make help available, accessible and affordable.” GG Judy Hagebak is Executive Director of ResCare HomeCare, a whollyowned subsidiary of ResCare (www.rescare.com), the nation’s largest, non-franchised provider of in-home services for the elderly and disabled. Rest Assured (www.restassuredsystem.com) is a joint venture of ResCare HomeCare, Purdue University College of Technology and the not-for-profit Wabash Center.

Georgia Generations

Northwest Georgia

A Look at Area Agencies on Aging Around Georgia In communities across the country, Area

legacy link

Northeast Atlanta Regional Georgia commission Southern crescent

Agencies on Aging (AAAs) serve as gateways to local resources, planning efforts and services that help older adults remain independent.

central Savannah River middle Georgia

lower chattahoochee

heart of Georgia Altamaha

Southwest Georgia

Southeast Georgia

coastal Georgia

On the following pages are the programs and services offered by Georgia’s AAAs.

Northwest Georgia

Covers a 15-county area surrounding Rome, Dallas, Dalton, Cartersville

In-home care creates savings in economic downturn

ith recent downturns in the economy, people are looking for ways to make their money go further. Long-term health care often takes a large amount of older people’s income, at a time when they can least afford it. For lowincome, frail seniors or disabled individuals, the Medicaid-waivered Community Care Services Program (CCSP) is one of the best values around. After a small copay based on income, Medicaid pays 100% of the costs incurred to provide care, often amounting to hundreds of dollars’ worth of services. The services are usually offered in the individual’s own home, thereby postponing or preventing full-time placement in an institution — making the CCSP program one of the least costly of all long-term care programs in Georgia. Spring 2010

A CCSP professional provider visits an elderly woman who receives in-home services, allowing her to preserve her dignity and improve her quality of life.

One caregiver says, “With the services CCSP provides, my mother is able to remain at home and has excellent

professional care with the things she cannot do.” When the caregiver’s mother suffered a series of strokes that left her partially paralyzed, she was in and out of hospitals and nursing homes for rehabilitation. “But,” the caregiver continues, “when she was able to come home, she improved mentally and physically each day, comforted by her little dog and all the personal things that help her feel rooted. And I am able to continue working.” If you or a loved one are facing placement in an institution and would prefer to remain in your home, call your Area Agency on Aging to see what options you may have. For other information, call the AAA of Northwest Georgia at 706-802-5506 or tollfree 1-800-759-2963. Northwest Georgia encompasses these counties: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, Whitfield

Atlanta Regional Commission Covers a 10-county area surrounding Atlanta

Salem Bible Church: A model outreach program serving the community

inding local services and programs can “It is important to have a variety of be very challenging, but a local Atlanta trusted sources that allow people to feel congregation is taking on this task. Salem comfortable and confident when seeking Bible Church, with two locations in help. This includes faith-based congregaAtlanta and Lithonia, is committed to tions as well as private, non-private and linking older adults and persons with disabilities to important resources and services. In November 2009, Salem Bible Church opened their community outreach offices. Members of the two congregations, most who are retired from the social services field, are volunteering their time and talents to provide information and referrals to callers. Salem Bible Church, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Salem Bible Church members volunteer their time to provide Jasper Williams, Jr. and Pastor information and referrals to callers. Pictured are (left to right) Dr. Joseph L. Williams, is the first Carol Reeves, Church Elder Tango H. Lemon and Linda Calhoun. local congregation to work with the aging network by using the same referral database of resources and public agencies. Salem Bible Church’s services. “People want to be informed example of providing assistance to connect about programs for which they may the community to services is one that can qualify,” says Patrice Earnest, education and and should be duplicated. It is a great resources coordinator at the Atlanta example of a ‘no wrong door’ approach to Regional Commission. locating services.”

™

Atlanta Regional Commission, 404-463-3333 www.agewiseconnection.com

If you need caregiving information, contact an AgeWise Connection partner: Cherokee County Cherokee County Senior Services, 770-345-5312 Clayton County Clayton County Aging Program, 770-603-4050 Cobb County Cobb Senior Services, 770-528-5364 DeKalb County Office of Senior Affairs, 770-322-2950 Douglas County Douglas Senior Services, 770-489-3100 10

Fayette County Fayette Senior Services, 770-461-0813 Fulton County Fulton County Aging Program, 404-613-6000 Gwinnett County Gwinnett County Senior Services, 678-377-4150 Henry County Henry County Senior Services, 770-288-7001 Rockdale County Rockdale County Senior Services, 770-278-7230

Examples of congregational caregiver education opportunities: n n n

n n n

Sponsoring caregiving classes such as “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” Providing a resource library Having retired professional counselors serve as information specialists Coordinating local support groups Supporting Stephens Ministries and other direct service programs Offering informational workshops and health fairs

Salem Bible Church continues to extend their outreach approach, providing linkage to services and programs. In November and December, the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) held a stimulus workshop at Salem Bible Church’s Atlanta and Lithonia locations. The public was invited to attend to learn how to obtain access to federal stimulus funds, including the criteria to apply for funds and other qualifying factors. Workshop attendees had an opportunity to apply for stimulus funds and various DHS services on computers. The workshop was the result of a partnership between DHS and several faith-based organizations in the metro Atlanta area. Over 300 people attended each workshop. The session on services to older adults was offered to a “standing room only” crowd. If you are interested in learning how caregivers can be supported, contact the AgeWise Connection at 404-463-3333. Atlanta Regional Commission encompasses these counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale

Georgia Generations

Northeast Georgia

Covers a 12-county area surrounding Athens, Winder, Monroe, Covington, Madison

Tea Time at the Station

lancing around the room, the AthensClarke County Senior Center clients may have thought they had landed in England and were about to have tea with the Queen. There were beautifully decorated tables with flowers, fine china teacups, saucers and teapots. Looking closer, each client noticed precious silver spoons and tongs, two-tiered trays of scrumptious treats, sugar cubes and the sweet scent of tea in the air. The senior clients were not in England but cheerfully in their trusted local senior center in Athens-Clarke County. Jennie Deese, Executive Director, notes, “A light afternoon tea in a garden setting or a cozy, warm spot with our eclectic mix of fine china are the ingredients for happy smiles and an atmosphere

of gentility and everyone’s faces — friendship.” improving the overall Tea Time at the mood and ultimately Station was the the seniors’ personal Athens Community wellness for the day. Council on Aging’s For information on Tea way of slowing the Time at the Station, day down and contact Jennie Deese honoring the Senior at 706-549-4850. Center clients with a For further informaspecial event. The tion, contact the staff were professionNortheast Georgia AAA, ally trained by Debra 305 Research Drive, Lassiter of Perfectly Athens, GA 30605; Mary Thrasher drinks afternoon tea. Polished, Inc., in the 706-583-2546 or proper etiquette for 1-800-474-7540. serving high tea. The seniors truly enjoyed NorthEast Georgia encompasses these counties: the companionship and the environment. Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton The event seemed to bring grins to

River Valley

Covers a 16-county area surrounding Columbus, Americus, Butler, Montezuma, Cuthbert

River Valley AAA receives funding for Medicare Diabetes Screening Project

he River Valley Area Agency on Aging has received a $2,500 award intended for raising awareness of the benefits of Medicare’s diabetes and prediabetes screening. The River Valley AAA was one of 13 community-based organizations chosen from more than 260 applications across the United States to receive this award from the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP), a national coalition of government agency, nonprofit organization and corporate partners that is leading the way in encouraging seniors to improve their health by getting checked for diabetes. This is the third year that the River Valley AAA has received this award. To reach an even broader audience, Spring 2010

Ilona Preattle, RN, and GeorgiaCares Coordinator Shameika Averett share Medicare information.

the River Valley AAA is offering information and education to other service providers so that they may share Medicare benefits with their constituents as well. The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project’s goal is to encourage diabetes prevention among those found to have pre-diabetes, and to identify people who are unaware that they already have diabetes so that they can begin treatment and potentially stave off serious complications of the disease. We at the River Valley AAA are also encouraging Medicare recipients to feel comfortable and confident in asking their medical professionals for these services. For more information, please call the River Valley AAA at 1-866-55-AGING. RIVER VALLEY encompasses these counties: Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Webster

Heart of Georgia Altamaha

Covers a 17-county area surrounding Baxley, Dublin, Vidalia, Jesup, Swainsboro

Aging in place at 101

lberta Carswell of Alamo, Georgia, is a wonderful example of how having a strong faith, positive attitude and caring family, and receiving great in-home services can help seniors age in place. Carswell, age 101, has tried to remain as active as possible even though her health has declined in recent years and she now uses a walker. “I’ve had the privilege to be Mrs. Carswell’s CCSP care coordinator for three years and I have never seen a more determined lady,” says Toshia Wright. “Mrs. Carswell’s family has always been supportive and has continued to take her to church, bible study and the Wheeler County Senior Citizens Center. Mrs. Carswell fell recently, but she wasn’t about to let a little thing like fracturing her hip stop her from serving the Lord.”

the Lord, my family, Ms. Wright, and the great agencies that provide me with such wonderful care.” Carswell receives services from Concerted Services CCSP Case Management, Life Alarm, Angels with Care, Wheeler County Senior Citizens Center, and Three Rivers Home Health Services. “I plan on seeing a lot of these wonderful people,” she says. “My Toshia Wright, Concerted Services CCSP care coordinator grandfather lived to be 125 years (left), and Alberta Carswell. old, and I expect I will too!” Following a brief stay at a local rehabiliFor information about other programs, tation center, Carswell is back at home, contact Heart of Georgia Altamaha RC, where she continues to receive services 331 W. Parker St., Baxley, GA 31513; from the Community Care Services 912-367-3648 or toll-free 1-888-367-9913. Program, Nutrition Program for the heart of georgia encompasses these counties: Elderly, and Medicare. “I would not be able Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, to live at home without the great services Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox I receive,” says Carswell. “I want to thank

Southern Georgia

Covers an 18-county area surrounding Waycross, Valdosta, Tifton, Douglas, Folkston

Okefenokee Agricultural Fair

n November 2009, staff members of the Southern Georgia Regional Commission’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) hosted a booth at the Okefenokee Agricultural Fair in Waycross. The booth was used to promote services available through the agency’s “Gateway to Community Resources.” Several Gateway staff members braved the cold to man the AAA booth during fair hours, informing attendees about the many programs and services available through the AAA. Visitors were also given handouts about home-delivered meals, the Elderly Legal Assistance Program (ELAP), the Community Care Services Program (CCSP), respite and other vital programs available in the region. Booth volunteers also spent time outlining the steps involved in “Intake 12

and Assistance,” the process of applying for help from various community programs through the AAA. According to Laura Sapp, RN and Gateway super visor, “The Okefenokee Fair is a perfect opportunity to familiarize residents of southern Georgia with the resources that are available through the AAA and how people in need can go about Southern Georgia’s booth promotes senior programs and services receiving assistance through available through the AAA. Gateway.” Southern Georgia encompasses these counties: For more information, call Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, the Southern Georgia AAA at 1725 South Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Georgia Parkway West, Waycross, GA 31503; Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, Ware 912-285-6097 or toll-free 1-888-732-4464. Georgia Generations

Legacy Link

Covers a 13-county area surrounding Gainesville, Cumming, Clarkesville, Toccoa, Hiawassee

Senior centers get creative

he lagging economy and cutbacks by county governments have senior center directors in the Legacy Link area becoming more creative in their fundraising to maintain or expand current levels of service. The Dawson County Senior Center received $8,280 for their meals program from funds raised by the county’s first annual pheasant shoot. The center raised an additional $6,400 by hosting a bean supper with quilt raffle and participating in the local Fall festival. The Habersham County Senior Center raised over $2,500 for their meals program by hosting a jazz concert. Another successful effort, created years ago by Forsyth County Senior

and services, White County Senior Center participants raised over $50,000 and convinced county commissioners to include a 2,500-squarefoot addition to the center in the recent special-purpose localoption sales tax. All of these senior The Habersham County Senior Center hosts a jazz festival. centers could rely on state, Center, is the Home-Delivered Meals federal and county funds Holiday Gift Certificate Program, offering — however, services and programs would community members the opportunity to be greatly limited in their scope and the “Give the Gift of Meals to Seniors this number of people served. Congratulations Holiday Season.” For Christmas 2009, to center participants, directors, county approximately $29,000 was raised through commissioners and community volunteers this program ($20,000 in Forsyth County for their fundraising efforts! and $9,000 in Union County), providing For more information, call toll-free nearly 9,560 meals. 1-800-845-LINK. In addition to fundraisers for programs

Southern Crescent

Covers a 10-county area surrounding Franklin, Newnan, LaGrange, Griffin, Carrollton

Christmas comes early for SCSEP participant

ast December, an early Christmas and A go-getter attitude led SCSEP birthday gift was delivered to Senior coordinator Delores Wood to contact Community Service Employment Program Mike Fitzpatrick of Mike Fitzpatrick Ford (SCSEP) participant Joyce Parks, whose and request a car for Joyce. Wood birthday is December 26. Joyce has been a participant in the program since September 2008 and came highly recommended for her current training program position at the Meriwether DFCS by her instructor at West Georgia Technical College in Greenville. When Joyce was initially contacted about SCSEP, she was immediately SCSEP participant Joyce Parks with her donated van. interested but did not have transportation. She began the program, and her co-workers at DFCS explained that while most of the other would pick her up and take her home workers had transportation, Joyce was the each day. only one who did not. After letters and Spring 2010

phone calls to Fitzpatrick, Joyce became the owner of a used Ford Windstar van donated by Fitzpatrick’s dealership. Joyce says that she is really appreciative of the car because she won’t have to worry others with providing her transportation. Now that Joyce has a car, she plans to go back to West Georgia Technical College this Spring quarter to improve her skills even more. Joyce is also a member of the Greenville Housing Authority board as a Resident Commissioner. For additional information, contact the Southern Crescent AAA, P.O. Box 1600, Franklin, GA 302171600; 706-675-6721, 770-8546026 or toll-free 1-866-854-5652. Southern Crescent encompasses these counties: Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson

Central Savannah River

Covers a 14-county area surrounding Augusta, Thomson, Martinez/Evans, Waynesboro, Sandersville

Wii sure love our community!

ii sure love our community! It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child; in the Central Savannah River Area, we also believe it takes a community to build a senior center. The city of Harlem, with a grant from the Department of Community Affairs, built a senior center from the ground up. Since the completion of the center, various community members have donated furniture, a flat-screen TV and computers. Just eight miles up the road from Harlem, the Grovetown Senior Center also received community support through a $2,500 Wal-Mart grant. Center participants decided to use the funds to cater a holiday luncheon while using the remainder to offset the cost of their

annual trip. also received The center donations of fabric was also for their sewing the recipient room, landscaping of a new services for their computer memory garden, and printer and entertainment provided by by many talented The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Harlem Concerned community Senior Center. Women, members. Inc., and was able to offer computer When our communities are the wind classes by a student volunteer. beneath our wings, the sky’s the limit! Never one to be left out of the fun, the For more information, contact the CSRA Washington County Senior Center AAA at 706-210-2018, 1-888-922-4464, or received the generous gift of a Wii system www.areaagencyonaging.com. from the Pilot Club of Washington Central Savannah River encompasses these County. Wii bowling competitions began counties: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, the very next day, with a reigning chamWarren, Washington, Wilkes pion already established. The center has

Southwest Georgia

Covers a 14-county area surrounding Albany, Bainbridge, Moultrie, Thomasville

Accept your limitations as a caregiver

s 2009 came to an end, nearly everyone was remarking how fast the year had gone by! For caregivers, the days are filled with so many activities and responsibilities that the time seems to either fly by or plod on endlessly. Caregivers may feel that they need to be like Superman or Wonder Woman to get it all done. The thing to remember is — those characters with their supernatural powers are fictional! When caregivers are realistic about their limitations, they can seek ways to fill the gaps. Everyone needs physical, mental and emotional rest. Everyone benefits from physical, emotional and spiritual nourishment. A change of pace or scenery 14

can replenish energy and renew the caregiver’s resolve to keep going.

When a program or agency advertises a service you need, write down the number and call. Talk to other caregivers you know and exchange information and ideas to lighten the load. Make sure you keep your doctor appointments and take your

Facing reality, as well as seeking and accepting help with some of the caregiving responsibilities and tasks, can save a caregiver’s life.

Facing reality, as well as seeking and accepting help with some of the caregiving responsibilities and tasks, can literally save a caregiver’s life. When a family member or friend asks what they can do to help, have a list ready for them to choose from.

medications as part of preserving your health. Facing reality as a caregiver means taking care of you too! For further information, contact the Southwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging at 229-432-1124 or toll-free 1-800-282-6612. Southwest Georgia encompasses these counties: Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth

Georgia Generations

Coastal Georgia

Covers a 9-county area surrounding Brunswick and Savannah

Annual Christmas food drive helps during tough times

taff at the Coastal Regional Commission’s (CRC) Area Agency on Aging (AAA) began an annual food drive eight years ago to address a gap in services for local homebound seniors, and to do something extraordinary during the holidays. For some who are living on fixed incomes, money runs out long before the month ends — and they must make tough choices in order to get by. Although a number of seniors qualify for the Meals on Wheels program, many find themselves on a waiting list until more funding becomes available. During December, Coastal AAA/ADRC Gateway staff identified over 100 seniors on the waiting list for home-delivered meals and other services in Glynn County

alone. Recognizing that many were in need, staff approached several local organizations for donations, held a hotdog luncheon fundraiser, and brought in several Coastal AAA/ADRC staff prepare to make deliveries to 128 seniors after boxes of food from their bagging hundreds of pounds of food. own pantries. Groceries and handmade hats and such as ours may mean the difference in scarves were delivered to 128 seniors. having food to eat and doing without.” “Many of our seniors are near or The Coastal Area Agency on Aging below poverty, and some are very frail,” provides services in the Coastal Georgia says Marvara Green, Coastal AAA/ADRC region. For more information, call Gateway manager. “When a homebound 1-800-580-6860. senior is facing a hunger crisis and is Coastal Georgia encompasses these counties: unable to get to a local food pantry, food Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh donations by churches and local agencies

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Thinking outside the box

The structure of a lifelong community also makes it possible for seniors to stay engaged in volunteer and civic activities. Staying active in meaningful activities has been proven to boost seniors’ physical, mental and emotional health. It also benefits their community’s health. “Seniors have a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer, and they want to give back,” says Fowler. “If we allow all those retirees to walk away and not remain engaged so they can give back to the community, we all lose.” The same holds true for employers. “If we can find ways for people who need or want to work to stay in the workforce, it’s going to be a win-win for everyone,” says Fowler. “There are not enough workers coming behind the baby boomers. We’re losing a lot of knowledge when someone who has been there for thirty years walks out the door. And the senior is losing a measure of economic self-sufficiency if he is not able to stay on.” Spring 2010

While lifelong communities have a rapidly growing group of supporters, they still face daunting hurdles on their way to becoming reality. “The missing piece that is keeping many projects from going forward is financing,” says DPZ’s Ball. “The financial community is used to thinking about senior development as a specialty product. They don’t have an analysis model for communities that seek to integrate senior housing and supports into intergenerational, traditional neighborhoods, so they are nervous about such projects.” Another sticking point is the critical issue of connectivity. While most support the concept in theory, when it comes down to the reality of cutting new roads to connect one neighborhood to another, land owners tend to balk. “For a lifelong community to work, you can’t just have one development that is internally connected,” says Ball. “It has to connect to

other neighborhoods. You can’t keep all these neighborhoods of cul-de-sacs and still have connectivity. You have to open up the grid, and that may mean putting in more connecting streets.” The alternative of staying with the status quo is much more unpalatable, say senior planners. “If we keep trying to force people to live in environments that work against them, we’ll pay for it in more problems in health care, transportation and housing,” says Lawler. “Communities where all the residents are the same age will have problems with their tax base. It’s going to be very unpleasant for individuals and very expensive for all of us if we force people to fight the environment in which they have to live.” The current economic downturn may, in fact, turn out to be a boon for proponents of lifelong communities. “People are thinking more outside the box right now than they have in a long time,” says Fowler. “We are finding that people are more open to some creativity at the moment. If you are ever going to change things, one of the best times is when nothing else is working.” GG