Georgia
Generations Fall 2001
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Challenges and Choices: Caregiving Today Also in This Issue: A Look at AAAs Around Georgia
Published quarterly by Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging
Georgia
Generations FALL 2001 Published quarterly through a cooperative effort of Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging.
Editorial Project Development: JAM Communications, Atlanta, GA Design and Production: Wells-Smith Partners, Lilburn, GA
For information contact: Atlanta Regional Commission Aging Services Division 40 Courtland St., NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 404-463-3239 jkauffman@atlantaregional.com
On the Cover: U.S. Congressman Nathan Deal of Gainesville, shown with his mother, Mary Deal, understands the responsibilities and the rewards of caregiving. See story, page 4. Photo by Caroline Joe.
Fall 2001, Volume 1, #1 Š 2001 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.
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Georgia Generations
AAAs – Gateways to Community Resources Georgia is divided into 12 AAAs, each serving a different part of the state. They are:
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hether you are an 1 2 older adult yourself, a caregiver or a friend concerned about the 3 well-being of an older adult, Area Agencies on Aging 5 (AAAs) are ready to help. AAAs in com6 munities across the country serve as gateways to local 8 resources, planning efforts, and services that help older adults remain independent. AAAs were established under the Older 11 Americans Act in 1973 to respond to the needs of Americans aged 60 and over in every community. The services available through AAA agencies fall into five broad categories: information and consultation, services available in the community, services in the home, housing, and elder rights. A wide range of programs is available within each category. The services offered by Georgia’s 12 AAAs cover a broad spectrum of needs, such as inforFall 2001
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Northwest Georgia Legacy Link Atlanta Regional Commission Northeast Georgia Southern Crescent Middle Georgia Central Savannah River West Central Georgia Heart of Georgia Altamaha Coastal Georgia Southwest Georgia Southeast Georgia
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mation and referral, case management, in-home services, home-delivered meals, senior centers, transportation, and special outreach. 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 of this issue. 3
ChallengesANDChoices: Caregiving Today BY MARTHA NOLAN MCKENZIE
Nearly one out of every four U.S. households provides care for an older adult. And that number will skyrocket in the next 20 years. As Congress considers legislation to aid caregivers, a Georgia U.S. congressman and three state legislators share their caregiving stories.
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little over a year ago, Linda Flythe was teaching high school biology and planning a career in education. Today she stays at home, spending her days feeding, bathing and dressing her 87-year-old mother-in-law, Wylena Belles. In June 2000, Belles suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed in the right side of her body. Flythe and her husband, John, found a suitable nursing home that could take her mother-in-law, but the bills — about $3,200 a month — soon became too much to handle. So in July, they
Are You a Caregiver? According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, a caregiver “provides unpaid care to a relative or friend who is aged 50 or older to help them take care of themselves. Caregiving may include help with personal needs or household chores. It might be taking care of a person’s finances, arranging for outside services or visiting regularly to see how they are doing. This person need not live with you.” moved Belles into their Augusta home. It hasn’t been easy. Flythe has a lift to move Belles from the hospital bed in the living room to a nearby chair, but she has to get her motherin-law to the bathroom on her own. “Physically, emotionally, it’s been very hard,” said Flythe, who is 50.
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Georgia Generations
Fall 2001
thrust into the position by a crisis. “Most of the time when people call, they are totally overwhelmed,” said Sherry Cirilo, an eldercare counselor with Harris, Rothenberg International, a New York-based childcare and eldercare referral service. “They say, ‘My father fractured his hip and can’t take care of himself anymore,‘ or ‘My mother’s
neighbors found her wandering in the neighborhood, but I don’t want to put her in a nursing home.’ They don’t know where to start.” For most caregivers, it’s a labor of love. “People generally talk about caregiving in a positive way,” said Gail Hunt, executive director of the National Alliance for Caregiving in Bethesda, MD.
U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal: A Family Matter TO NATHAN DEAL AND HIS WIFE, Sandra, taking care of aging parents is a family affair. Three years ago, when Sandra’s mother, Ida Lou Dunagan, developed Alzheimer’s and her father, George, could no longer care for her on his own, the Deals moved the older couple into their A-frame home 18 miles north of Gainesville, GA. Six months later when Deal’s mother, Mary Deal, lost her leg to circulation problems, they moved her in as well. “We look at it that they took care of us, and now we have the opportunity to take care of them,” said Deal, a U.S. Republican congressman from the 9th district. “You grow up, go to college, move away, start a job, get married and raise a family. There’s something pretty nice about being able to be reunited with your parents on a daily basis. And the main thing is to hopefully allow them to grow old with dignity.” The new tenants have meant big changes at the Deal home. The Deals vacated their spacious master bedroom with large closets for the Dunagans, aged 86 and 88. They now use the tiny bedroom in the top of the A-frame and keep most of their clothes in boxes. They had to add an
elevator — which meant losing their laundry room — when they moved Mary Deal, now 94, into their daylight basement. And they traded in their jeep for a van large enough to hold five adults and a wheelchair. But the biggest changes have been in the area of personal
PHOTOS BY CAROLINE JOE.
“But it’s the financial burden that’s worrying me the most.” She has been using Belles’ savings to pay for her mother-in-law’s care. “Once that money runs out, we’ll have to get her on Medicaid,” said Flythe. “I’m really not sure how we’re going to pay all the bills, but all you can do is hope for the best.” There are thousands of people just like Flythe across Georgia — and many more throughout the nation — struggling to take care of an aging spouse, parent, in-law or even a friend or neighbor. To be sure, there are many others providing care for disabled adult children or raising grandchildren. But with baby boomers entering their bifocal years, the questions that are burning in the national psyche are, “Who’s going to take care of Mom and Dad?” and “Who’s going to take care of me?” “It’s a huge, huge issue that is just going to get bigger,” said Sandra Timmermann, a gerontologist and director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute, in Westport, CT. “The oldest boomers are now 55. Their parents are in their 70s and 80s, which is when chronic conditions begin to show up. Eldercare will be to the coming decade what childcare was to the previous decades.” Indeed, nearly one quarter of all U.S. households — representing 22 million people — provide care for a relative or friend over age 50, according to a 1999 MetLife study. More than half of all households expect to provide care within the next 10 years. Who are these 22 million caregivers? They are typically relatives of the care recipient, and they are mostly women — although men are starting to assume a greater role. Some assume the caregiving mantle gradually, but many others are
of everyone. They feel very fortunate to have found a reliable person to care for the Dunagans and Mary Deal while Sandra is at work, and they have a lot of other help besides. Sandra’s sister and her husband moved from Florida to a house next to the Deals so they
“I guess we just feel that family takes care of family.” adjustments. “The main thing is getting used to being tied down again,” said Deal, whose youngest child is a senior in college. Deal admits most of the burden falls on his wife, since he is in Washington, D.C., from Monday through Friday while Congress is in session. Sandra works full-time teaching sixth grade and comes home to take care
could help with the Dunagans. The Deals’ son, Jason, 33, and his wife and young child moved into a house on the other side of the property. And their daughter, Mary Emily, 31, and her husband moved from New York back to Gainesville, about one half mile down the road from the Deals. “I guess we just feel that family takes care of family,” said Deal.
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Even so, assuming caregiving responsibilities can be daunting. And today’s caregivers are under more stress than ever before. Smaller families and increasing divorce rates mean there are fewer people to share the burden. Longer life spans translate into more years of required care. Increased geographic mobility has led to adult children and their parents living in different cities, or even different time zones. And more women in the work force means caregivers are increasingly juggling jobs and care responsibilities.
“There are fewer people to provide care per older person,” said Hunt. “People are now living to 90 and may have 15 years of Alzheimer’s. And with hospitals trying to reduce patient stays, we’re seeing care recipients being sent home much sicker.” Even those who can afford to hire someone to come in and bathe Dad have trouble finding qualified workers to do it. “There is a huge shortage of home health workers,” said Timmermann. “It’s a problem all across the field.” That means full weight of providing care often rests on one pair of
State Rep. Anne Mueller: A Kind Neighbor Mueller and her family had lived down the street from Robert Williamson for over 30 years when his parents died and he asked to move in with them. Mueller didn’t hesitate — her answer was yes. One year ago, she became Robert’s legal guardian, moved him into her own bedroom and she took up residence in a recliner in the den. Mueller picks out Robert’s clothes, cooks his meals, cuts up his meats and takes “I’m pretty lucky – wherever he he’s not that hard him needs to go. She to take care of.” doesn’t see it as an imposition. “He can ing in her 55-year-old neighbor, feed and bathe himself, so it’s a legally blind man with mental really not a hardship,” said retardation. Mueller. “I’m pretty lucky,” said the Her daughter, 41, and three Republican state representa- grandchildren, aged 17 to 19, tive from Savannah. “He’s not also live with Mueller and help that hard to take care of.” out with the chores when she ANNE MUELLER DOESN’T THINK of herself as any kind of a hero. She doesn’t even feel particularly inconvenienced since tak-
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is in Atlanta during session. “They can all cook, and they like Robert,” she said. “In fact, my 18-year-old and some of his buddies took Robert out to dinner and a movie on his birthday. I didn’t ask him to, or anything. It was his idea.” The most bothersome aspect of the arrangement for Mueller is financial. Robert receives about $775 each month in Social Security disability, and he holds down a job at a social center that earns about $21 a week. From those, Mueller buys Robert’s clothes, his food (“He eats like a horse!” Mueller claims), pays for his medical insurance and his phone bill. There is usually very little left over for “extras.” “The other day he wanted a watch, so I bought it for him,” said Mueller. “He likes to give gifts, and I often buy them. It doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up over time.”
shoulders. It can be physically, emotionally and financially draining. Although the majority of caregivers say their duties don’t strain them physically, elderly wives caring for their husbands typically have a harder time of it. They are often suffering with arthritis, hip and back ailments and fatigue, yet they help lift, support and move their spouses. A caregiver’s wallet often suffers even more than his or her back. Although some care recipients are able to foot the bill themselves, using their savings, private health insurance or Medicare or Medicaid, many need financial help from their caregiver. Indeed, Medicare will only cover 100 days of long-term care. Medicaid requires the recipient to spend down all of his or her assets before receiving any benefit. And only about five percent of the population has private long-term care insurance. That leaves savings as the only source — either the care recipient’s or the caregiver’s. The
Nearly one out of every four U.S. households provides care to a relative or friend aged 50 or older. 22.4 million households
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MetLife study found that caregivers average $19,000 in out-of-pocket expenses over a two- to six-year period. And the costs can be much greater. The average cost (not covered by insurance) of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s is $175,000 over seven or eight years, according to the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago. Those are just out-of-pocket expenses. The financial toll explodes when lost wages are considered. And since as many as two-thirds of Georgia Generations
all caregivers are now employed, it’s a factor that can’t be ignored. “Somehow it’s more socially acceptable to take off work to care for a sick child than it is to care for a sick parent or spouse,” said Pat Freeman, executive director of Legacy Link, Inc., an Area Agency on Aging in Gainesville, GA. As a result, nearly 30 percent of caregivers either quit work or retire early so they can provide care. Another 20 percent reduce their hours from full to part time, and still more pass up promotions or job opportunities. The end result is a staggering average of $566,000 in lost wages. Despite the huge financial cost of caregiving, many experts in the field say it’s not the most significant. “We know the financial impact is huge,” said Hunt. “We know the physical toll can be large. But the emotional toll is the real kicker.” Georganna Sinkfield agrees. The Democratic state representative from Atlanta cared for her mother before placing her in a long-term care facility recently (see story, page 8). “The emotional stress is the hardest to take, and it’s a stress that never lifts,” said Sinkfield. “It’s a heavy load to carry.” The load is particularly weighty for those caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and for those who juggle caring for children as well as aging parents, the so-called sandwich generation. Alzheimer’s presents unique challenges to caregivers. The disease comes on very subtly, and the changes are often missed by family members for several years. During the final stages, the patient typically becomes incontinent and unable to perform most, if not all, personal care tasks. Fall 2001
And the real kicker is that the average Alzheimer’s patient lives seven to eight years with the disease. “So the caregiver has a very big job in front of him,” said John Thames, family and community services director for the Greater Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Thames knows from first-hand experience. Both his parents suffered from Alzheimer’s over a 10-year period. “It’s called ‘the long good-bye,’“ said Thames. “You see
State Sen. Joe Burton: A Helping Hand JOE BURTON IS INVOLVED IN A DIFFERENT TYPE of caregiving. In fact, he doesn’t consider it caregiving at all.
“She’s just a joy.”
On average, caregivers provide personal care assistance and household maintenance chores for 18 hours a week. Caregivers providing unpaid assistance seven days a week
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the person you love disappearing in front of your eyes.” Caregivers who are raising children under age 18 while they are providing care for an older relative are also under a unique type of stress. Inez Brown knows all about it. The access coordinator for University Hospital in Augusta spends so much time caring for her 71-year-old mother that she hardly gets to see her two children during the week. As soon as she gets up in the morning, Brown heads across town to see her mother, who has chronic diabetes and significant memory loss. She gets her up, dresses her, feeds her and settles her into a chair for the day. Brown is back at lunch to feed her mother, and then she goes over straight from work to fix dinner, bathe her and get her into bed. Her 16-year-old daughter and nine-yearold son have become pretty selfsufficient, but Brown hates spending so much time away from them.
The Republican state senator from the 5th district of Atlanta lives with his wife and his 50year-old Down’s Syndrome daughter, Ginny. And, indeed, Ginny requires very little care. “She takes care of herself,” said Burton, 78. “She cleans the house, works in the yard, studies her Sunday School lessons and has a job labeling video tapes at a small company. She works hard, and the people she works for are very pleased with her.” About the only thing Ginny doesn’t do, says Burton, is drive. So he or his wife, Bessie, drops her at her job, and she takes a bus home. It’s a small inconvenience indeed. “Ginny has brought so much joy into our lives,” said Burton. “It’s true what they say about Down’s Syndrome children — they are the happiest, most loving people you’ll ever meet. Ginny makes friends with everybody, and she hugs everyone she meets. She’s just a joy.”
“I always feel guilty,” she explained. “I feel like I have to be with my mother, but I know my children need me, too.”
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Brown is solving the problem by moving with her children into her mother’s apartment. “At least this way I’ll get to see my kids,” she noted. As daunting as the problems of caregiving are, they are only going to grow. People over 85 are the fastest growing segment of the population, and half of them need some help with personal care. And by 2030, when boomers reach age 65,
one in five Americans will be at least 65, for a total of about 70 million older people. And the same factors that are stressing caregivers today are likely to continue. Couples will still divorce, adult children will continue to move away from their parents, women will stay in the work force and couples will continue having fewer children. “It’s definitely going to become a
State Rep. Georganna Sinkfield: An Emotional Toll IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO when Georganna Sinkfield called her mother in South Carolina to chat and discovered something was wrong. “I had talked to her the week before, and she seemed fine,” said Sinkfield, a Democratic state representative from Atlanta. “But she sounded so strange when I called a week later that I got right in my car and drove over to see her.” Sinkfield was shocked by what she found. Her mother, who is now close to 90, had lost a tremendous amount of weight, and she had become very forgetful. “I knew she couldn’t take care of herself anymore,” said Sinkfield. “That was hard to accept, because she had always been a go-getter. She was the one who took care of everyone else.” Sinkfield brought her mother, Roberta Montgomery, to her home in Atlanta and became her primary caregiver. Her husband, Richard, helped out when he could, but he had a busy law practice. Her grown children had already moved out of the house, and, as an only child, Sinkfield had no siblings to help out. “I knew
“You just miss your mom — it’s as simple as that.” that I was the bottom line,” she said. She took care of her mother while she was not in session, and hired a friend to care for her while she was. Things went along pretty well for four years, until her mother broke her femur bone in 1997. “After that, it was like everything went on fast-forward,” said Sinkfield. “She never walked again and her health got worse and worse, and she was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.” Then a little more than a year ago, a bout of pneumonia landed her mother in the hospital for three weeks, and the doctor said she couldn’t go back home. Sinkfield placed
her mother in the long-term care unit of Wesley Woods in Atlanta. “Now it’s a different type of caregiving,” said Sinkfield. “I don’t have to bathe her and dress her anymore, but I go over every day. I do her hair, I talk to her doctors, take her outside and just spend time with her.” The eight years Sinkfield has spent taking care of her mother have taken a physical and financial toll, but the emotional stress has been the hardest on her. “My mom was someone I could always talk to, and I miss that so much,” she said. “You just miss your mom — it’s as simple as that.”
more pressing issue in the future,” said Jeanette Cummings, director of the Central Savannah River Agency on Aging in Augusta. “The demographic changes ahead will put more pressure on the system. It will be more and more of a challenge for caregivers to have access to the resources they need.” There are some bright spots on the horizon, however. Companies, which lose as much as $29 billion a year in lost productivity by caregiving employees, are starting to open their eyes to the issue. Some of the largest companies have linked with firms that provide eldercare benefits. Their employees, for example, can talk to an eldercare counselor on the phone, or even have a geriatric care manager visit their parent or spouse. Caregiving assistance is rare in mid- to small companies, but that, too, is changing. The Central Savannah River Agency on Aging four years ago began a program to educate area employers about the needs of caregivers. “We go to industries and talk to employers about the stresses on caregivers, and we tell them about the community resources that are available,” said Cummings. Progress is being made in the legislative arena as well. Before he left office, President Clinton signed off on the National Caregivers Support Program, which gives $125 million to states to establish or expand their caregiving programs. A bill currently before Congress would give a $3,000 tax credit to family caregivers. “We’re definitely seeing more attention being paid to the issue,” said Timmermann. G Next issue: Tips and resources for caregivers. Source of statistics: American Society on Aging
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Georgia Generations
A Look at AAAs Around Georgia Here are the programs and services offered by Georgia’s AAAs. Our special “Spotlight” highlights a different AAA in each issue of Georgia Generations.
Northwest Georgia
SPOTLIGHT ON
Covers a 15-county area surrounding Rome, Dallas, Dalton, Cartersville
Respite care helps Rome couple face caregiving with courage
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ew federal funding is now available to help caregivers, Debbie Studdard, Director, Coosa Valley Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Georgia, recently announced. “I’m excited that there is now a focus on the needs of caregivers as well as those being cared for,” said Ms. Studdard. “The Aging Network has known for a long time that unrelieved caregiving affects the health and well-being of the caregiver, but until now, little was done to alleviate the special stresses involved. Now, we are able to offer more caregiver support, which is available in all 15 of the counties we serve in Northwest Georgia.” One couple in the area who is being helped by respite care is John (nicknamed Jack) and June Sweet of Rome, GA. June managed without respite care for a year, but
Fall 2001
found it very difficult. She couldn’t schedule a time to shop, to keep a dental appointment, or go to the beauty shop, because she did not know if she could secure a dependable sitter to stay with Jack, who has Determination and love: Caregiver June Sweet Alzheimer’s with husband Jack. disease. Caregiving, she found, takes determination and courage. “You have to face it head on and do whatever is necessary to make life as comfortable as possible,” June says.
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She offers encouragement to other caregivers. “Facing the difficulties strengthens you,” she comments, and, “Fear is there until you start to do it. You do things you never thought you could do. It makes you less afraid to tackle new things.” Each step of Jack’s disease has required that they adapt to new situations and conditions. “Every day is a new day,” she says. “You move on. You just move on.” A schedule of respite care has helped. “I have respite care for five hours a day, twice a month now, and I am so thankful for it,” June explains. “The best thing is, it gives me a schedule. I know I can get out and do those things I
need to do. And I know when I walk out of the house that all will be well when I return. The caregivers are trained and caring, and they tend to send the same ones on a consistent basis.” The love between the Sweets is very apparent and is unfolding daily in new ways, as they accept the changes in his condition that require changes in their lifestyles. June is very thankful for having respite care as a form of regular caregiver support. It makes it easier for her to shoulder the daily responsibilities of caring for her husband. For information, contact: AAA of Northwest Georgia, P.O. Box 1793, Rome, GA 30162-1793; 706-295-6485. Northwest Georgia encompasses these counties: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, Whitfield
Legacy Link Covers a 13-county area surrounding Gainesville, Cumming, Clarkesville, Toccoa, Hiawassee
Caregivers are offered client-choice program
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aregivers in this region of North Georgia should write down our telephone number and keep it handy. This AAA in Gainesville would like to help seniors, families and other caregivers locate needed information and assistance.
INTERESTING FACT: An estimated 10 percent of people 65 years of age and older, and nearly half of those 85 and older, suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
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Legacy has administered a “client-choice” program for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s for three years. The Legacy Express Program gives vouchers to families in need of assistance, and the family caregivers can choose the services they need, decide when they need help and pay for services with a voucher. Beginning July 1, 2001, the same “client-choice” voucher program was started for caregivers of elderly persons in four counties in the region.
If you are interested in learning more about these programs and services, call the numbers listed below, or e-mail pvfreeman@ dhr.state.ga.us. For further information, contact: Legacy Link, P.O. Box 2534, Gainesville, GA 30503-2534; 770-538-2650 or toll-free 1-800-845-LINK.
Legacy Link encompasses these counties: Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White Georgia Generations
Atlanta Regional Commission Covers a 10-county area surrounding Atlanta
Expanded Aging Connection provides caregiver counseling service
While service agencies play a vital and critical role in providing important services to older adults, families have always been the primary caregiver of long-term care for family members. Recognition of s the Area Agency on Aging for the metro the role families play Atlanta region, the Atlanta Regional Commisin providing long-term sion (ARC) supports the development of a comprecare has slowly moved hensive system for delivery of services for older to the forefront of adults. To this purpose, ARC contracts with local national policygovernments and community agencies that implemaking with the ment a coordinated aging program in each of the recent establishment region’s counties. These agencies, referred to as of the National Family County-Based Aging Programs, serve as focal Caregiver Support points in the delivery of services to older adults Program. and their families in their respective counties. In In response to this addition, ARC contracts with community agencies new caregiver initiative, to serve specific population groups with special ARC has expanded needs. Aging Connection, the ARC receives funds from the Georgia DepartThree loving generations: ARC's Joy Lankford (left) is regional and countyment of Human Resources, as well as the Older caregiver for her mother Nancy Jones, with assistance based information Americans Act, Social Services Block Grant, the from her daughter Nancelyn Lankford Hayes. and referral system, Community Care Services Program, the State of to include specific information related to caregiving. Georgia, and from local match and private resources. A nurse has also been hired at the regional level to serve The range of services available through contracts with as a Caregiver Counselor to provide telephone assistance to caregivers. Additionally, ARC’s Web site, Atlanta Regional Commission agingatlanta.com, is being adapted to Douglas County Douglas Senior Services, 404-463-3333 770-489-3100 provide more in-depth information for Fayette County Fayette Senior Services, caregivers. Further, ARC is contracting County Contacts: 770-461-0813 with two service agencies to implement Cherokee County Cherokee County Fulton County Fulton County Aging Senior Services; 770-345-5312 voucher programs that allow caregivers Program, 404-730-6000 Clayton County Clayton County Aging Gwinnett County Gwinnett County to purchase services and/or supplies to Program; 770-603-4050 Senior Services, 770-822-8850 assist in the caregiving process. Future Cobb County Cobb Senior Services, Henry County Henry County Senior plans call for distributing additional 770-528-5364 Services, 770-898-7670 DeKalb County Senior Connections, Rockdale County Rockdale County Aging caregiving information through one-stop 404-377-9901 Program, 770-922-4533 employment centers, human resource departments within the work place, and faith-based organizations. county government and local service agencies includes For additional information on caregiver support, call information and referral, case management, transthe Aging Connection at 404-463-3333. portation, in-home services, home-delivered meals,
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congregate meals, senior centers, volunteer services, respite services for caregivers, specialized outreach, legal services, long-term care ombudsman, Alzheimer’s services and home-sharing. Fall 2001
Atlanta Regional Commission encompasses these counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Fulton, Henry, Rockdale
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Northeast Georgia Covers a 12-county area surrounding Athens, Winder, Monroe, Covington, Madison
Northe New help line locates community resources
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ne of the greatest challenges of caregiving is knowing how to locate services, as well as coordinating the care to meet your family’s needs. In the Northeast Georgia area, there are many choices in the kinds of services that can aid in caregiving. Fortunately, Northeast Georgians have access to excellent resources that can help individuals locate these services. One important resource, which is available over the phone, is the new 211 number. This is an information help line that locates community
resources in the Northeast Georgia area. Another resource is the AAA Aging Connection. By calling the Aging Connection at 1-800-4747540, caregivers can gain information on a variety of programs including financial counseling, home care assistance, home delivered meals, elder care choices, counseling needs, Medicare/Medicaid, senior center services, housing options, elder abuse, transportation, homemaker services, in-home respite care, and adult day care.
One of the keys to successful caregiving is finding the combination of services that works for you and your family. Selecting a variety of services can be useful in helping families provide care in their homes. Remember, there are people and resources that are readily accessible. These resources are only a phone call away. For information, contact: Northeast Georgia RDC, 305 Research Drive, Athens, GA 306102795; 706-369-5650.
Northeast Georgia encompasses these counties: Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton
Southern Crescent Covers a 10-county area surrounding Franklin, Newnan, LaGrange, Griffin, Carrollton
Voucher program focuses on improving home safety
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ome safety is the focus of the Southern Crescent AAA’s newest project. The agency has developed a collaborative effort with community leaders, service providers, and a contractual arrangement with Care Link AmeriCorp, which is INTERESTING FACT: developing a voucher proNationwide, 90 percent gram that will focus on of hip fractures are due to home safety. This profalls each year. Only 25 per- gram will begin in Troup County and will be cent make a full recovery. expanded into additional counties within our service area. The program’s objective is to assist the homebound elderly and their caregivers in providing a safe home environment, thereby preventing falls. To identify
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problem areas in the home, a complete and accurate home safety assessment tool has been developed. Correcting these deficiencies through home modifications, yard work, assistive devices, and/or the installation of safety equipment should result in the reduction of falls and other home accidents. Statistics show that 90 per cent of hip fractures are due to falls each year. Of that number, only 25 percent make a full recovery. By preventing falls, we hope to reduce the serious problem of hip fractures among older adults. For further information, contact: Southern Crescent AAA, P.O. Box 1600, Franklin, GA 30217-1600; 706-675-6721 or toll-free 1-866-854-5652.
Southern Crescent encompasses these counties: Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson Georgia Generations
Southwest Georgia Covers a 14-county area surrounding Albany, Bainbridge, Moultrie, Thomasville
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Information and assistance are part of new services
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he Southwest Georgia Council on Aging (SOWEGA AAA) has some new clients — caregivers. For the first time, the caregiver INTERESTING FACT: of an elderly person will Almost 100 million people have an opportunity to in the United States have benefit directly from AAA one or more chronic condi- services. The proposed services include infortions. Over the next 25 mation and assistance years, this number is (I&A), a consumer choice expected to increase to voucher program, in134 million Americans. home respite, day care, education and training, and case management. To find out more about these programs, contact I&A at
229-432-1131 in Albany or 1-800-282-6612 if you live outside the calling area. We look forward to developing a variety of programs that give quality service delivered as planned, flexibility to serve the caregiver and to recognize the caregiver’s role. Caregivers in our area will also have access to our other programs, such as legal services, ombudsman and emergency back-up for caregivers. Caregivers are the backbone of our long-term care system. Our lawmakers are to be congratulated for recognizing this and passing the National Family Caregivers Act. For further information, contact: Southwest Georgia COA, 308 Flint Avenue, Albany, GA 31701-2508; 229-432-1124 or toll-free 1-800-282-6612. Southwest Georgia encompasses these counties: Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth, Mitchell
Central Savannah River Covers a 14-county area surrounding Augusta, Tomson, Martinez/Evans, Waynesboro, Sandersville
Caregivers can access professional counseling
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epression, grief issues, life style changes and family problems are common in the over-60 population. Many seniors are unable to leave their homes to obtain counseling services. The Central Savannah River (CSRA) Agency on Aging contracts with the Family Counseling Center of the CSRA, Inc. to provide professional counseling to older persons (60+) in their homes or place of residence. On July 1, 2001, the program was expanded to include increased community education and support services for: Fall 2001
■ Family members who are caregivers for seniors with serious and chronic illnesses and disabilities. ■ Grandparents and senior rela-
As the roles of caregivers become more complicated, the CSRA AAA is preparing to meet the needs. For additional information or referral contact Carol Davis at 706-7226512 or fprc@bellsouth.net For further information, contact: Central Savannah River RDC, 3023 Riverwatch Pkwy., Suite A, Augusta, GA 30907-2800; 706-2102018 or toll-free 1-888-922-4464.
As the roles of caregivers become more complicated, the CSRA AAA is preparing to meet the needs. tive caregivers of children and those affected by mental retardation or developmental disabilities.
Central Savannah River encompasses these counties: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, Wilkes
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Coastal Georgia Covers a 9-county area surrounding Brunswick and Savannah
AAA announces plans for caregiver needs assessment
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ince the National Family Caregiver Support Program was introduced, there have been various approaches to utilizing this new funding. To determine the best approach for the coastal region, the Area Agency on Aging decided to contract for a Family Caregiver Needs Assessment of the nine-county area. Coles and AssociINTERESTING FACT: ates, based in Grand The majority of U.S. caregivers Prairie, Texas, was chosen from the proprovide unpaid assistance for posals submitted and one to four years. 20 percent, has begun contacting however, provide care for five hundreds of individuyears or longer. als, organizations,
churches, and most importantly — family caregivers. When the results are submitted, the agency will be better equipped to develop local programs to offer important needed support. In addition to programs that will be developed, the agency will also offer the “Caring for You, Caring for Me — Education and Support for Caregivers” program developed by the Rosalyn Carter Institute. For additional information about caregiver support activity in the coastal region, call Patt Whitmore at ext. 226. For further information, contact: Coastal Georgia RDC; P.O. Box 1917, Brunswick, GA 31521; 912-264-7363 or toll-free 1-800-580-6860.
Coastal Georgia encompasses these counties: Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh
Heart of Georgia Altamaha Covers a 17-county area surrounding Baxley, Dublin, Vidalia, Jesup, Swainsboro
Toll-free call initiates referrals for services
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he Heart of Georgia Altamaha AAA is a large, rural region in the central and southeastern portions of Georgia. Services and programs that are provided in the region include: Gateway Services; Care Management; Elderly Legal Assistance; Institutional Elder Abuse Program; Long Term Care Ombudsman; Respite Care; MultiPurpose Senior Centers; Homemaker Services; HICARE; Health Promotion and Material Aid. All clients entering into services
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are processed through the Area Agency on Aging’s “Gateway” System. A toll-free number — 1-888367-9913 — is available for clients,
nurse or social worker will conduct the telephone screening and make appropriate referrals for services. For information on all of our programs and services, call the toll-free number. For further information, contact: Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC; P.O. Drawer 1260, Baxley, GA 31515; 912-367-3648 or toll-free 1-888-367-9913.
A registered nurse or social worker makes appropriate referrals for services. providers, family members, and physicians to call to initiate the screening process. A registered
Heart of Georgia Altamaha encompasses these counties: Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox Georgia Generations
Middle Georgia Covers an 11-county area surrounding Macon, Warner Robins, Milledgeville
Choices in home- and community-based services
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he Middle Georgia Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of the Middle Georgia Regional Development Center, is located in Macon. Within the 11-county region, the Middle Georgia AAA provides the following home- and community-based services: home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation, respite, legal services, long-term ombudsman, homemaker, elder abuse prevention, nutrition/wellness education, job training and placement, and HICARE.
Subcontractors providing services for the AAA are Meals on Wheels of Macon and Bibb County, Older Americans Council of Middle Georgia, Houston County Council on Aging, Georgia Legal Services, Middle Georgia Community Action Agency, Southern Home Care/ Eldercare, Putnam County Board of Commissioners, Pulaski County Council on Aging, and Wilkinson County Board of Commissioners. Call us at 478-751-6466 or tollfree 1-888-548-1456 for information
INTERESTING FACT: 20–40 percent of caregivers are in the “sandwich generation,” with children under age 18 to care for in addition to their older relative. and assistance regarding any of these services. For further information, contact: Middle Georgia RDC, 175-C Emery Highway, Macon, GA 31217; 478-751-6466 or toll-free 1-888-548-1456.
Middle Georgia encompasses these counties: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, Wilkinson
Southeast Georgia Covers a 18-county area surrounding Waycross, Valdosta, Tifton, Douglas, Folkston
Valuable programs include Alzheimer’s adult day care
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he Southeast Georgia AAA, a division of the Southeast Georgia Regional Development Center, contracts with several qualified agencies that provide valuable services to seniors in the region. One such agency is Public Health Personal Support Services, Inc. in Valdosta. This agency partners with Valdosta State University to provide an Alzheimer’s Adult Day Care Program, as well as a support group. Altamaha Homecare Inc. in Baxley provides Alzheimer’s In-home Respite and Caregiver Relief under the new National Family Caregivers Support Program. Also, Southern Home Care Services/Eldercare in Valdosta offers numerous services including Homemaker, Personal Care, Alzheimer’s In-home Respite, and Care
Fall 2001
giver Relief under the new National Family Caregivers Support Program. The Community Care Services Program (CCSP) is operated through the Southeast Georgia AAA, and Diversified Resources (Waycross, Tifton, and Valdosta) contracts with the AAA to provide care coordination and case management for home-delivered meal clients. Ward Management (Folkston and Valdosta) contracts with the agency to provide Ombudsman services to nursing home care recipients and their families. For further information, contact: Southeast Georgia RDC; 3395 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503-8958; 912-285-6097 or toll-free 1-888-732-4464.
Southeast Georgia encompasses these counties: Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, Ware
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Sponsors Thanks to these Georgia companies and organizations for their generous support.
AARP
Georgia Council on Aging
Assuming responsibility for the homecare of loved ones can involve assisting with daily activities, managing hightech medical treatments, and dealing with issues around dying. AARP’s “Life Transitions” program can help you meet these critical responsibilities. Find out more at www.aarp.org/lifeguide
Bridgebuilders, Inc. Personal Care in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Customized services delivered with compassion, integrity and professionalism. 600 S. Central Ave., Hapeville 30354; 404-765-4300.
Georgia Alliance for Staffing Solutions An alliance that promotes quality long-term care for seniors and persons with disabilities by seeking innovative solutions to improve staffing and support caregivers. www.agingatlanta.com
The Georgia Council on Aging advocates on behalf of older Georgians and their families. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.gcoa.org
Grady Gold Grady Senior Services was created with the special care needs of older adults in mind! People over 60 can receive comprehensive evaluations and care for common problems seen in older adults. 404-616-0800.
Sixty Plus, Piedmont Hospital A program to enhance the well-being of older adults and their families by providing services, education and support. 1968 Peachtree Rd., Atlanta 30309; 404-605-3867.
Pfizer The “Health, Medicines & Lifestyles” icon on Pfizer’s Web site, will lead you to topics that include “Profile of Caregiving,” “Exploring Your Health On Line,” and many more. www.pfizer.com
Sunrise Assisted Living The pioneer of the Assisted Living concept of care and changing the way America ages since 1981. Call 770-649-6560 for more information or visit www.sunriseassistedliving.com
Georgia Generations is published and supported by Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging. Additional circulation support is provided by the generous sponsors listed here. For more information on becoming a sponsor of Georgia Generations, please call 404-463-3222.
Many people ask...
How can I help? OLDER ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS across Georgia can now be recognized in a unique way. The Thanks Mom and Dad Fund® has been established to honor someone special in your life or to honor the memory of someone who was an inspiration to you. With each contribution, those honored receive a certificate recognizing the role they played in the donor’s life. Your contributions are taxdeductible and provide support for many of the programs described in this issue. If you would like more information about the Thanks Mom & Dad Fund,® you can call 1-800-676-2433.
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Georgia Generations