GaGen 2007 Summer by Wells-Smith Partners

Generations Georgia

Summer 2007

Look Who’s in

CLASS! SENIORS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL

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 Lower Chattahoochee 7 Middle Georgia 8 Central Savannah River 9 Heart of Georgia Altamaha 10 Southwest Georgia 11 Southeast Georgia 12 Coastal Georgia

Generations Georgia

SUMMER 2007 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:

On the Cover: Jean and Joel Fletcher of Rome love taking classes together on the campus of beautiful Berry College. Like the Fletchers, scores of seniors are taking advantage of a variety of academic programs at Georgia’s colleges and universities — all geared to the plus-60 crowd. See story, page 4. Photography on cover and pages 4 and 7 by Ben Brown.

Summer 2007, Volume 6, #4 © 2007 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 TAKING EXTRA CARE IN THE

TUB F

or many older adults, the tub can be a dangerous place — especially for seniors who live alone. Falling while getting in and out of the tub can lead to fractured bones and possibly disability. A study of seniors age 80 and older revealed that even when their bathrooms were equipped with safety devices, one-third had trouble getting into and out of the tub or

shower. One of the biggest problems was using a slidingglass door for support. Also, many participants reported putting a towel on the floor — which can be a major slip hazard. There are many easy ways to make a bathroom safer: n Switch out a sliding-glass door for a shower curtain and install a handrail or grab bar for support. n Purchase a seat with rubber tips on the legs and a solid back. n Install non-skid surfaces inside the tub and on the bathroom floor.

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

BUSTERS Stress

CAREGIVER’S

t doesn’t take a lot of time to relieve caregiver anxiety. Grab 10 minutes every day and let go of stress. Try these ideas! Clean out your wallet or messy make-up kit. Sort that jumbled sock drawer. Tidy up your desk. Consider it a form of stress management, if the challenges of caregiving sour your spirits or make you anxious, says Robert Thayer, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, and author of The Origin of Everyday Moods. According to Dr. Thayer, who conducted a study of strategies people

use to improve mood, “Volunteers reported that getting organized was one of the most effective ways to change a bad mood. It reduced tension and/or boosted energy.” Easy-to-do tasks like these can give you a feeling of accomplishment that increases your sense of control, says Georgia Witkin, MD, assistant clinical director of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and author of The Female Stress Survival Guide. “And when your sense of control goes up, your stress level goes down,” she says. Courtesy of www.caringtoday.com

Protect Medicare and Medicaid Benefits

Watching the SIDE EFFECTS of

OTC MEDICATIONS U

sing OTC drugs is a common treatment for colds and flus — and one that most doctors recommend. Did you know, however, that most of the drugs contain large amounts of sugar, which could play havoc with diabetics’ blood sugar levels? The new edition of “Diabetes Survival Guide” points out that some popular cold and cough syrups contain 3½ grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon. So if you were to take three teaspoons a day for a cold, you would be adding 10½ grams of unwanted sugar to your bloodstream. Ask your druggist to guide you to sugar-free formulas such as Diabetic Tussin. In addition, many cold medicines contain decongestants that can raise your blood pressure. One major pharmaceutical company, Schering Plough, has come out with a new product — Coricidin HBP — that does not affect blood pressure. (The HBP in the medicine’s name stands for “high blood pressure.”)

Surfing the Net Each issue of Georgia Generations offers several Web sites devoted to caregiving information and resources: www.sharecancersupport.org offers survivor-led support for women affected by breast or ovarian cancer. Offers hotlines in English and Spanish, with capacity in 12 other languages. www.walking.org has lots of general advice on walking, plus nutrition tips and a page devoted to over-50 runners. Look for more helpful Web sites in the next issue of Georgia Generations.

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

Metro Atlanta: 404-463-0763 Outside Metro Atlanta: GeorgiaCares 1-800-669-8387

Recent graduate Don Boynton, shown on the campus of Columbus State University, headed to college to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Look Who’s in

CLASS! SENIORS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL

By Martha Nolan McKenzie

n May 12, Don Boynton emerged from a sea of black caps and gowns, walked across the auditorium stage at Columbus State University and accepted his college diploma. From a distance, he looked like all the other graduates who moved their tassels from right to left that day, but on closer inspection, specks of gray peeked out from under Boynton’s mortar board and wrinkles lined his eyes. After all, Boynton is 77. Earning the degree — a B.A. in political science — is the culmination of a lifelong dream for Boynton. A Korean War veteran, Boynton wasn’t able to attend college after he left the armed services. Instead he went to work, eventually owning and running a small business forms manufacturing plant. It wasn’t until he retired that he could pursue his education. “When I enrolled, they tried to get me to take business classes, since my background is in business, but I wanted to learn about something different,” says Boynton. “I wound up in political science because it interested me.” It must have interested him quite a bit, because in addition to his degree, he earned the department’s scholastic achievement award. Boynton, however, has no plans to use his degree in any sort of work. He Georgia Generations

earned it solely for the satisfaction. “I think people of my generation need something to do to keep their minds and bodies active,” he says. “You don’t need to dry up from the stem just because you have retired. I’d go on for my master’s, but my wife said ‘no.’” Boynton is in good company. Across the country, seniors are heading back to school. In Georgia, about 500 students age 62 and over enroll in regular classes alongside younger students within the university system each semester. Untold hundreds more take noncredited continuing education classes. The reasons are as diverse as the students themselves. Some, like Boynton, want to earn the degree they never had the chance to get when they were younger. Others who are still working or would like to re-enter the workforce want to further their professional skills or learn new ones. And many more just want to learn something new for the pure joy of it. “The senior students have an entirely different mindset from the younger ones,” says Judith Carson, program coordinator for GSU 62, the program for older learners at Georgia State University in Atlanta. “The younger ones are focused on getting that degree so they can get out and get a job. The older students can devote all their time and attention to the topic. They wouldn’t be there if they weren’t really interested in it.”

yet her autopsy revealed that her brain was ravaged with the plaques and tangles that signify Alzheimer’s. “The scientists theorized the nuns who remained mentally stimulated had created an extra buffer in their brain,” says Fernandez. Taking classes is an excellent way to keep the mind stimulated. And classes have the extra benefit of connecting seniors to other people and to the community. “That feeling of connection reduces stress, which is also beneficial for the brain,” says Fernandez. The schools benefit as well. Older learners carry a depth of experience gained over a lifetime into the classroom, which enriches the entire experience. “Older students bring a reality of history and politics into the classroom,” says Tom Dolan, chairman of the department of political science at Columbus State University. “They can speak in the first person about things that are only history for our 18- and 19-year-old students. I’ve had a 68-year-old woman who talked about voting against Roosevelt. I’ve had a 75-year-old American Communist. I’ve had a World War II veteran. And when I had Don (Boynton) in my class about comparative Asian politics, he was able to share his experiences from the Korean War. That kind of perspective is just invaluable.”

WIN-WIN FOR SENIORS AND FOR SCHOOLS

Recruiting the senior scholar

Whatever their reasons, these seniors are better off for the In recognition of the value that these senior students add experience. Indeed, a growing body of scientific evidence shows to the classroom, the University System of Georgia allows that remaining mentally active can help keep the brain young Georgians age 62 and older to take classes for free as long as and ward off cognitive decline often associated with age. “Mental there is space available. Some schools go out of their way to atstimulation is very important in both the short term and the long tract these silver-haired scholars. Georgia Perimeter College in term,” says Alvaro Fernandez, CEO and co-founder of SharpAtlanta, for example, created its Prime Timers program to lure older learners. “We advertise it in churches and senior centers,” Brains, Inc., a self-described Web-based brain fitness center. “In the short term, working your brain is like going to the gym. It can help us improve memory, concentration and our ability to handle stress. In the long term, mental stimulation can help create what is called ‘cognitive reserve,’ which protects our brains against decline.” Fernandez points to the famous University of Kentucky “Nun Study” as corroboration. In the 1990s, a group of elderly nuns Prime Timers program participants celebrate their achievements at a reception in May. agreed to donate their brains to science. Researchers found, among other things, that the nuns who resays Janet Barron, associate director of recruitment for the colmained mentally stimulated throughout their lives showed less lege. “We waive the application fee. We’ll go the extra mile to find cognitive decline than others, even in the face of dementia. One their previous records. Every Spring we have a big reception for nun, for example, remained alert and active until she died at 102, both current and former students. It’s really a win-win situation. Summer 2007

We are giving them the opportunity to further their education, and they are enriching our institution by being a part of it.” Prime Timers also become mentors to younger students, Barron says. “A lot of students don’t know their grandparents, so the Prime Timers become surrogate grandparents. They really do add to our diversity.” Atlantan Ruth Mitchell headed for Columbia University years ago to study literature. Instead, she answered the call of Broadway and became a dancer in productions such as “Annie Get Your Gun.” Nearly 50 years later, Mitchell, who left Broadway to open a dance studio in Atlanta, has finally gotten her chance to earn a degree. At age 83, Mitchell is a participant in the Prime Timers program and hopes to earn an associate’s degree in liberal arts. “I’m going for it, even if I’m the oldest to graduate on that day,” she says. Perhaps no institution recruits senior students more successfully than Darton College in Albany. The college regularly has about 100 62-plus students enrolled — double the amount the next highest institution has. In addition to advertising the fact that seniors can study for free, Darton created a class specifically for this cohort. This class, which is taught for college credit, provides the very basics of computing. “This class is not for our mainstream students, because they have grown up with technology,” says Wayne Yespick, dean of business and social science at Darton. “We teach this class from the viewpoint of how to use the computer, how to access the Internet, how to download attachments and how to communicate with your grandchildren via e-mail. But we have made it a collegecredited course.” That was just the kind of class that Richard Anson, a retired chairman of the criminal justice department at Albany State University, was looking for. Although Anson, 62, has a PhD, he never mastered the basics of personal computing. “I could do

Never too late to learn

ome seniors dream of heading back to school not for a college degree, but to get their high school diploma. Last year — 80 years after dropping out of high school — Thurman Barnes received his General Education Development (GED) diploma at West Georgia Technical College. He was 96 at the time. The LaGrange man credits his daughter, Joyce Freeman, with talking him into doing it. “She thought I could do it, so I thought I should at least try,” says Barnes. “I’m real glad I did it.” Freeman is proud of her father’s accomplishment. “All my life, I had heard the story of how Mom and Dad met at an academy in California that was for people who had not been able to finish high school for whatever reason,” says Freeman, 63. “Mom graduated from the academy, but Dad didn’t. I finally asked him why he didn’t graduate with Mom, and he said he had flunked a Latin class. I told him he just needed to take the GED and he could get his diploma. And he did.” Barnes is believed to be the oldest recipient of the GED degree in the United States. “This is proof of what an old farmer can do if he keeps trying,” adds Barnes.

statistical analysis on mainline computers, but I never made the leap to personal computers,” says Anson. “I had a secretary to do e-mails and look up things on the Internet.” Once he retired, however, he decided it was time to learn to use his PC. He enrolled in the Darton class and is now at ease e-mailing friends and Googling topics of interest. “I was the only one in the class who actually had to pay to take it, since I was only 61 at the time,” says Anson. “But it was worth every penny.” The students these schools attract come for various reasons. Arthur Kanfer had to leave college after his freshman year when he was drafted into the Air Force during World War II. After the war, he got a job to help support his family, so he was never able to get his college degree. Despite that fact, Kanfer has no interest in getting a diploma. Rather, the 83-year-old Atlanta man takes classes solely for his personal enrichment. “I’ve been taking classes at Georgia Perimeter College for about five years, and I’ve taken everything from film to world history,” says Kanfer. “Right now I’m taking psychology for women. I figured as a married man, it can’t hurt to know more about what makes women tick. I want to keep my brain functioning properly and I enjoy the challenge. Plus, I take the classes with a buddy of mine and we kind of compete with each other for grades. I enjoy it quite a bit.”

ther seniors return to school seeking a higher degree. Nola Jones-Perry got a bachelor’s degree at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in nutrition science when she was younger and worked her entire career as a nutritionist. Now at 69, the Decatur woman has gone back to school at Georgia Perimeter College studying fine arts. She hopes to transfer to Georgia State in January to earn her degree, and then she plans to go on to get a master’s degree in art therapy. How does she feel about being well into her 70s by the time she earns her master’s? “I just don’t think about that,” says Jones-Perry. “I am doing this for my own growth. I pray I’ll be able to do it. I just do a little bit at a time and hope I can achieve my goal.” If going for a master’s at 69 sounds ambitious, consider Patricia Brignati, who at age 60 is working toward her doctorate. Brignati is an assistant professor at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, and she is studying for her doctorate in curriculum studies at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. She will finish up her course work in the Fall and then begin work on her dissertation. “I know this is not going to really help me professionally,” says Brignati. “I’m very fortunate in that I can do what I love, which is teach. I really just wanted to do this for me.” Even so, it’s been a long journey, working full-time and going to school. “It was hard not to feel awkward in a classroom surrounded by young students,” she says. “And in my first semester, when I saw all the work I was going to have to do, I said, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ When you’ve been away from writing papers and taking tests, it’s hard to get back into it. But I have found the conversations in class are extremely stimulating. It’s a different conversation than I have with my peers or my spouse. It’s reaching for whatever ideas you have, and I’m going to miss that.” Georgia Generations

Continuing education: a big success Even if a senior is not ready to sign up for a class full of 19-year-olds, there are many opportunities for learning through continuing education programs. Nearly every college and university has them. Northwestern Technical College in Rock Spring is fairly typical. It offers a variety of noncredit courses, generally in the evenings. Offerings include Conversational Spanish, Stained Glass, Woodcarving and Digital Photography. While the classes are offered to students of all ages, some of them tend to draw an older crowd. “We have a class about planning for retirement that is very popular with people in the mid- to late-50s, and even into their 60s,” says Al Hutchison, vice president for economic development programs at the college. “We also have a lot of introductory computer courses — ‘A Day with Microsoft Word’ and ‘Introduction to the Internet,’ for example — that attract a lot of seniors.” In addition to their regular continuing education classes, some colleges have programs geared specifically for older learners. Berry College in Mount Berry, for example, began its Senior Scholars program in the mid-90s. With offerings ranging from “Fun with Oil Painting” to “World History: World War I and Peacemaking,” Berry attracts about 70 students each semester. “The mission of Senior Scholars is to challenge and enrich the lives of people 55 and older,” says Brenda Jenkins, coordinator of alumni events and programs at the college. “The classes meet for eight weeks on Tuesdays, and people can take up to three different one-hour classes. We try to keep everything reasonably priced — it’s just $75 for all three classes for an eight-week session.” Joel and Jean Fletcher chose Rome as their retirement home largely because of its proximity to Berry College. “We knew we wanted a town smaller than Atlanta, where we were living, and we wanted to be near a college,” says Jean, 68. “Berry is outstanding — great courses and excellent teachers. Joel and I both take courses there.” Although she has taken quite a variety of classes, Jean favors the history offerings. “I didn’t like history in college, but now I just love it,” she says. “I don’t have to take it, there are no tests and the teachers are fascinating. My husband was a history major, and I was always struggling to keep up with him. Now this is something we can share.” In Atlanta, the Emory Academy for Retired Professionals draws a lot of retired doctors, lawyers and professors who want to keep learning. The classes, which run the gamut from Homer’s Odyssey to History of Economic Thought, are taught by volunteers. “We have retired professors, retired engineers, retired executives who teach our classes, and they are all highly qualified,” says Mary Cobb Callahan, director of the academy. Some, in fact, are both students and teachers. Jane Goodwin, a retired production manager for the Palm Beach Opera Company, has taught a variety of opera courses at the Emory Academy for nearly 10 years. Though she never attended college and is not a teacher by training, she brings a lifetime’s worth of experience to her students. “I started working in the opera — as assistant to the stage director for the New Orleans Opera — when I was 19,” says Summer 2007

Berry College students Jean and Joel Fletcher prepare for class.

Goodwin, 72. “It took me years to learn all I know about opera, which is quite a lot now, and I’d like to share that.” Goodwin also takes classes whenever one catches her attention. “I’ve taken a number of literature and music classes, and I took a symphony diagramming class that was very difficult,” says Goodwin. “I had to work so hard in that one that my head ached.” At the University of Georgia in Athens, the Learning in Retirement (LIR) program started out in the mid-90s as part of the school’s continuing education arm. It has since been spun off as an independent not-for-profit organization, although it holds its classes in the UGA adult education building and enjoys a close relationship with the university. LIR is directed and supported by its dues-paying members, which currently number over 400. The program offers classes, educational travel and social gatherings. Richard J. Anderson, retired associate dean of the UGA School of Social Work, was a charter member of LIR. Anderson and his wife, Martha, both 78, have a hard time fitting in all the classes they would like to take. “LIR offers noncredit courses in areas you’d probably never have the opportunity to learn about,” says Anderson. “For example, we had an excellent course on the Supreme Court, its history and its inner workings. The head of genetics at UGA taught a course on DNA and genetics. One lady in town is an expert on the history of the oldest cemetery in town, and she taught a course on that, complete with a tour of it. I would have never thought about it, but it was quite interesting.” Perhaps the greatest legacy of senior scholars such as Anderson is the example they set for younger students. “As teachers, we always try to tell our students that learning is lifelong,” says Brignati. “But by showing them, by actually going back to school, I hope I have inspired some of my students and shown them that it truly never ends. Learning never ends.” GG For more information, call your local college or university branch to find out about classes for seniors. Or check the individual Web sites of the schools mentioned in this article.

GUEST CLOSE-UP

Award Honorees Recognized at

CO-AGE Meeting

From left to right (front row): Peggy Stanfield (Northwest GA); Clara Chance (Central Savannah River Agency); Lucille Brock-Thomas (Heart of GA Altamaha); Nancy Harper (Southwest GA); Marty Gibson (Southern Crescent). From left to right (back row): Betty Jean Johns (Southeast GA); James Sheppard (Middle GA); Dan Coty (accepting for Vernon Martin of Coastal GA).

By J. Eric Ryan, Public Relations Specialist, Georgia Council on Aging

ach year, the Georgia Council on Aging partners with the 12 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to recognize local advocates who have made a difference in their communities. Eight of the 10 nominees were present to be recognized at the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE) meeting on April 19 in Pooler at the Holiday Inn & Suites Hotel. Each nominee was given an opportunity to speak to the attendees about their experiences as advocates. The 2007 Advocating for Positive Change Award recipients are as follows: n Lucille Brock-Thomas, nominated by the Heart of Georgia Altamaha AAA, is the founder and CEO of Caregivers Resource and Support Services, Inc. in Jesup, providing assistance, services and resources for elderly, disabled, homebound, indigent and dislocated workers. n Clara Chance, nominated by the Central Savannah River Area AAA, is a 20-plus-year advocate who recently organized a trip to the Capitol with local homeless men to lobby for the plight of the homeless population. n Marty Gibson, nominated by the Southern Crescent AAA, is an active volunteer at the Southern Crescent GeorgiaCares office and assists many local Medicare recipients during Part D enrollment periods. n Nancy Harper, nominated by the Southwest Georgia AAA, is the leader of the Southwest Georgia CARE-NET and is an active state advocate for senior issues. n Betty Jean Johns, nominated by the Southeast Georgia AAA, has been an active aging community organizer in Charlton County for over 9 years and supported 184 foster children in Southeast Georgia.

n Vernon Martin, nominated by the Coastal Georgia AAA, has been a visionary for the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center for more than 38 years and was instrumental in conceiving the Regional Plan for Rural and Coordinated Public Transportation. n James Sheppard, nominated by the Middle Georgia AAA, has been a tireless advocate for aging issues at the local and state levels throughout his tenure as mayor of Ivey in Middle Georgia. n Peggy Stanfield, nominated by the Northwest Georgia AAA, hosts the cable television show “Senior Moments,” covering Walker and Catoosa counties in Northwest Georgia. Stanfield educates area seniors on pertinent issues and maintains a local resource index. Two honorees were nominated but unable to attend the CO-AGE meeting: n Barry Gage, nominated by the Atlanta Regional Commission AAA, has served in volunteer leadership positions at the ARC for over 12 years and also worked as a volunteer long-term care ombudsman for many years. n Harold D. Wilson, nominated by the Northeast Georgia AAA, has served on the Greene County Senior Center Advisory Council for 20 years and as a local Meals on Wheels volunteer for 15 years. Wilson is the current chairman of the Northeast Georgia Aging Services Advisory Council. The Advocating for Positive Change Award recognizes older adults, age 60 and above, from across the state of Georgia who have devoted time and energy to affect changes at the local, state or federal level. By creating this award and recognizing role models for local involvement, the Georgia Council on Aging and the AAAs hope that others will be encouraged to become advocates for issues concerning older adults in their own communities. GG

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

Alzheimer’s Association supports caregivers

he Alzheimer’s Association is a widereaching organization that uses its resources to fund research and to give direct assistance to families afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Additional funding is directed to the Alz heimer’s Association by the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Georgia, primarily for three programs: Caring Closets, Family Caregiver Workshops and Mid-Day Café. Caring Closets stock incontinence products and other supplies to be given at no charge to families of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Adult diapers, pads, wipes, creams, ointments and gloves are provided as available. All items come from donations, which are always welcome. Groups seeking a Summer 2007

Joan Dooley, site manager at the Murray County Senior Center, shows off their Caring Closet, a free service for families, supported by donations.

community service project are encouraged to help with these donations. Family Caregiver Workshops are one-day training and education sessions for family members and professional caregivers, held in various areas throughout the year. Family members attend for free. Subjects include understanding the disease, how to manage behaviors and

communicate with the Alzheimer’s patient, learning about local helping agencies, care strategies and how to partner with your doctor. Mid-Day Café is the new name for the Family Caregiver Lunch and Learn sessions, which are designed to educate and support rural family caregivers. They discuss workshop subjects, as well as guilt and grief, nutrition, safety issues, driving and treatment options. Call your Area Agency on Aging to locate the nearest Alzheimer’s office if you need more information or help. For other information, contact the AAA of Northwest Georgia, P.O. Box 1793, Rome, GA 30162-1793; 706-8025506 or toll-free 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

As persons with developmental disabilities age: Planning ahead for future needs

n the past, when a family member was households with a primary caregiver over born with or acquired conditions that 60 years of age; n Approximately 35 percent of individuled to either developmental or learning disabilities, it was usually true that the als with developmental disabilities live in family provided all the care. Going beyond households with an aged caregiver; n 26 percent of caregivers who care for the family for care or support depended on the family’s willingness to seek informaindividuals with developmental disabilities tion and outside help, and resources were are over the age of 60 themselves. often limited. Norma Lundy, Aging and In the past, extended family members Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) pitched in to assist with a disabled person. resource specialist at the Atlanta Regional Fifty years ago, there were limited agenCommission, remembers what it was like cies and services to address the needs of in her family with a brother who had a those families and individuals. Now there developmental disability. are a variety of programs and services to It was thought that the disabled person provide long-term support of persons with would not survive to old age. This thinking disabilities. However, it is important to has changed: In 1930, the mean In 1930, the mean age of a person with a developage of a person mental disability at death was 19 years, and by with a developmental disability 1990, the mean age had increased to 66 years. at death was 19 years, and by 1990, the mean age had increased to 66 note that persons 60 years and older with years. By 2000, there were approximately developmental disabilities: n Have had limited experiences outside 650,000 adults age 60-plus with either mental retardation or developmental disabilities the home; n Often have had limited employment in the United States. Today in Georgia, n Approximately 17,000 individuals experiences outside their own home and with developmental disabilities live in have a low income; n May lose their parents and, with

™

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, 404-322-2950 Douglas County Douglas Senior Services, 770-489-3100 10

Fayette County Fayette Senior Services, 770-461-0813 Fulton County Fulton County Aging Program, 404-730-6000 Gwinnett County Gwinnett County Senior Services, 678-377-4150 Henry County Henry County Senior Services, 770-898-7670 Rockdale County Rockdale County Senior Services, 770-922-4633

their death, lose their personal and medical histories; n Have never lived apart from their parents and may find adjustment to life without Mom and Dad difficult;

Norma Lundy, ADRC resource specialist at the Atlanta Regional Commission. n May

need access to specialty services and, without a parent to guide the way, may find it hard to develop trust and become connected to others outside the family. Today families facing these complex situations can go to the ADRC. Lundy notes, “We can provide caregivers and their adult children who have developmental disabilities with information and counseling that will acknowledge the problems and recommend resources to provide necessary services.” Since the two Georgia ADRC pilot programs were implemented in 2004 (the Atlanta Regional Commission and Central Savannah River Area), there are now five ADRCs in the state. Families and caregivers can contact the ADRC at any of these locations: Metro Atlanta 404-463-3333 Southern Crescent 866-854-5652 Northeast Georgia 800-474-7540 Coastal Georgia 800-580-6860 Central Savannah River Area 888-922-4464 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

Aging and Disabilities Resource Center

he Northeast Georgia AAA recently received a grant to develop an Aging and Disabilities Resource Center. The purpose of the center is to provide education concerning service availability and the route for obtaining information and/or services for older adults with developmental disabilities as well as older caregivers of people with disabilities. The Northeast Georgia AAA and the Department of Mental Health’s Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Disease Office each have staff assigned to this project. Staff will coordinate the education and provide case management for families who need assistance navigating

the two systems, which are sometimes complex. Older adults with developmental disabilities and older caregivers of people

with disabilities have unique problems that need specific focus for long-term care needs. Integrating these two groups and understanding the various services

that each agency offers takes strategic planning and case management — as staff determine whether the client will benefit from disability services, aging services or a combination of the two. Some requests are complicated and require coordination between the agencies. Assigned staff members navigate the agencies for the caregiver or person in need of services. They also provide community choice counseling to consumers about the range of community service options available, so the individual can make an informed choice. If you know any older adults with disabilities or older caregivers of people with disabilities who may need this help, please ask them to call 706-583-2546 or 1-800-474-7540. Northeast Georgia encompasses these counties: Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton

Lower Chattahoochee

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

Community Care Services work

here is no doubt that the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) works for families in the Lower Chattahoochee Area Agency on Aging’s (LCAAA) 16 counties. This program is more than a home-delivered meal, housekeeping or personal support, as demonstrated in the following story. One client struggled with left-side paralysis that hindered her ability to dress and to manage her own personal hygiene. Her daughter, who was more than willing to assist, also took care of her own disabled husband. So, the daughter contacted the LCAAA and explored the options available for her mom. Summer 2007

The best choice was the Community Care Services Program, which provided an aide to help Mom with her personal tasks as well as homedelivered meals. Mom also attended an adult day health program during her six-year enrollment in CCSP. She enjoyed her friends and activities at the adult day health program while her daughter was able to continue working. Mom had often expressed that she did not want to be a

burden for her family and did not want to go to a nursing home. With the help of CCSP, the client was able to stay at home and stay connected with her family until her death. If you would like more information on CCSP or any other programs such as home and community-based services, kinship care, insurance counseling, senior centers, caregiver and grandparentsraising-grandchildren support groups, please call the Lower Chattahoochee Area Agency on Aging at 706-256-2900. We would love to talk to you. For further information, contact the Lower Chattahoochee AAA, P.O. Box 1908, Columbus, GA 31902-1908; 706256-2900 or toll-free 1-800-615-4379. LOWER CHATTAHOOCHEE 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

Multiple trainings offered to family caregivers

CARE-NET attorney, who assisted with living wills and durable tute provided technical powers of attorney. assistance in preparing Mark your calenthe proposal, finalized dars! The 4th Annual plans for the event, and Caregiving Conferprovided speakers. ence, sponsored by On April 25, the the HOGA CAREDistrict Attorney’s NET, is scheduled Lucille Brock-Thomas, CRSS, Inc., office in Dublin CEO, and Dr. David Haigler, RCI for November 5 consultant, prepare for conference sponsored a seminar at the Heart of presentations. commemorating Crime Georgia Technical Victims’ Rights Week. College in Dublin. AAA staff and CARE-NET members For further information, contact presented aging workshops and distribHeart of Georgia Altamaha RDC, 331 uted publications to seminar attendees. W. Parker St., Baxley, GA 31513; 912Four Caregiver Connection Semi367-3648 or toll-free 1-888-367-9913. nars were held this Spring in April and heart of georgia encompasses these counties: May in Swainsboro, Vidalia, Eastman and Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Cochran. Workshops included: ADRC Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox Overview, Aging Programs Overview and a

he Heart of Georgia Altamaha CARENET, a coalition of family/professional caregivers, is actively engaged in aging projects. Plans are being made for four one-day family caregiver trainings: four Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) focus groups (two for family caregivers and two for professionals); one four-week caregiver training at Altamaha Technical College; and a regional caregiver conference. On March 28, the first caregiver event was held at Altamaha Technical College. The one-day caregiver conference, funded by a Faith-in-Action grant awarded to Caregiver Resource and Support System, Inc., provided training and resources to approximately 40 caregivers. Aging staff, CARE-NET and the Rosalynn Carter Insti-

Southeast Georgia

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

Congressman Kingston honors GeorgiaCares staff

n January 6, Linda Gail, coordinator for the Southeast GeorgiaCares program, and Delores Johnson, McKinney Community Health Center outreach coordinator, were presented the “Mal Vass Award” in recognition of outstanding partnership with U.S. Representative Jack Kingston’s office during the critical Medicare Part D drug benefit implementation. Gail and Johnson were presented this prestigious award from Congressman Kingston at his 15th Annual Barbecue, held at Central Square Complex in Douglas.

Special guests included U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Senator Greg Goggans and other state and local elected officials. According to Southeast Georgia Area Agency on Aging Director Wanda Taft, “It is such a pleasure to work with staff of McKinney Community Health Center, our agency’s contractor for GeorgiaCares services. As a federal community health center, McKinney specializes in providing care for medically underserved and uninsured people. That expertise serves Delores and Linda well as they ‘go the extra mile’ to reach vulnerable seniors Delores Johnson (right), McKinney Community Health Center outreach coordinator, and Linda Gail (left), coordinator for the Southeast GeorgiaCares program, are presented the Mal Vass Award from Congressman Jack Kingston (center).

Georgia Generations

with the information they need to make informed Medicare Part D choices.” GeorgiaCares staff are available to assist seniors with completing and filing Medicare claims and appeals, applying for prescription assistance and reporting Medicare fraud. Counselors are also available to help consumers understand Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Fraud and Long-Term Care Insurance. For more information about the valuable services offered by the GeorgiaCares program, call toll-free at 1-800-669-8387. For more information, call the Southeast Georgia AAA at 1725 South Georgia Parkway West, Waycross, GA 31503; 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

Georgia Generations

Legacy Link

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

Forsyth County Senior Center director looks to future of new association

t a recent National Council on Aging (NCOA) meeting in California, Shelly Johnson (pictured at right), Forsyth County Senior Center director, met Barbara Prasch, newly elected delegate to the NCOA National Institute of Senior Centers. The meeting resulted in a grant for Johnson to initiate a State of Georgia Senior Center Association. A steering committee established by Johnson has had two preliminary meetings, which have produced the following aims: n Address best practices at senior centers n Professional development to maximize effectiveness n Network with peers through exchange of ideas and programs

n Embrace

educational opportunities to expand knowledge of aging, with an emphasis on “Baby Boomers.” There will be further opportunities to promote the association during the Living Well Aging Well conference in Augusta this Shelly Johnson Summer, and at the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies conference in Savannah in the Fall.

Johnson directs a vibrant senior center program with a variety of health initiatives, including exercise programs, healthy living through better eating and frequent health screenings. Through a close relationship with the County’s Parks and Recreation Department, Johnson is able to provide other entertainment and healthy activities to improve seniors’ mental and physical health. For additional information about the Georgia Senior Center Association, contact Johnson at 770-781-2178 or sajohnson@forsythco.com. Legacy Link encompasses these counties: Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White

Southern Crescent

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

“Own Your Future” Town Hall Meeting

he Southern Crescent Area Agency on Aging (SCAAA) hosted the “Own Your Future” Town Hall Meeting at the Troup County Senior Center on February 22. U.S. Representative Lynn Westmoreland stressed, “The GeorgiaCares Lifelong Planning Program is a great resource. It will help you have control of your own future.” Other speakers also emphasized the importance of planning for the future. Bob Goldberg, elder law attorney, shared that 50 percent of people 85 years and older will get Alzheimer’s disease and will need long-term care. Jack Wilkes, of Seniors Home Reverse Mortgage, explained that reverse mortgages can provide financial support, but individuals must be 62 years old and live in their homes to be eligible. Summer 2007

planner. Terannie Brumbelow, a geriatric care nurse, identified the different types of diseases that generally lead to long-term care. Belinda Jones, a SCAAA lifelong planner, identified long-term care services provided by the SCAAA, hospice and the Veterans Administration. The GeorgiaCares Lifelong Planning Program helps consumers Joel Sworney addresses the group as fellow presenters Jim Nelson, Bob Goldberg, Terannie Brumbelow and take control of their long-term Jack Wilkes listen. care future. For assistance, call 678-552-2852. Joel Sworney, long-term care repreFor additional information, sentative from Genworth Financial, stated contact the Southern Crescent AAA, that an insurance company’s credentials P.O. Box 1600, Franklin, GA 30217-1600; and track record are the most impor706-675-6721, 770-854-6026 or tolltant aspect of selecting long-term care free 1-866-854-5652. insurance. Jim Nelson, representing the Southern Crescent encompasses these counties: Financial Planning Association of Georgia, Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson outlined what to look for in a financial 13

Middle Georgia

Covers an 11-county area surrounding Macon, Warner Robins, Milledgeville

Your future should be your choice

mericans are continually discovering cures for many diseases and initiating preventive care for others. However, approximately 78 million baby boomers are reaching retirement age, and the nursing homes that we now have are inadequate to care for that influx of retirees. People are living longer — therefore, more people will live long enough to experience chronic illnesses. This means longer care for patients in nursing homes, whose bills probably would have been paid by Medicaid, though most of us recognize that the current Medicaid program is unstable. In addition, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned in January’s The Macon Telegraph that “the economy could be gravely hurt if Social Security and Medicare aren’t revamped.”

programs in the 11 counties of the Middle Georgia Area, which These includes Baldwin, issues have Bibb, Crawford, prompted Houston, Jones, our governMonroe, Peach, ment to Pulaski, Putnam, put in place Twiggs, and educational Sandra C. Hill (left), GeorgiaCares Lifelong Planning Wilkinson. For programs on specialist, counsels Sheila Milikin (right) on long-term information, planning for care needs for her family member. please call 478retirement 751-6536. Let your future be your choice! years. Otherwise, families will probably The Middle Georgia Regional Develdecide futures for relatives hurriedly while opment Center Area Agency on Aging in the middle of a medical crisis. is located at 175-C Emery Highway in The GeorgiaCares Lifelong Planning Macon. For more information on services, Program was implemented to inform call 478-751-6466. individuals that they can choose to age at home. The Middle Georgia RDC/Area Middle Georgia encompasses these counties: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Agency on Aging has certified Lifelong Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, Wilkinson Planning staff to provide educational

Central Savannah River

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

Augusta Chronicle reporter honored as News Medium of the Year

om Corwin has covered science and medicine for the Augusta Chronicle for several years, after leaving behind politics and general assignment duties. He has won numerous state reporting and writing awards and was honored by the National Epilepsy Foundation and the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. On March 1, Corwin was honored as the News Medium of the Year by the Augusta unit of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in recognition of his advocacy efforts on behalf of older individuals, persons with disabilities and their caregivers. He has collaborated with the CSRA Area Agency on Aging to bring attention to the issues facing these populations. 14

new prescription drug benefit, Medicare Part D. Corwin worked with the GeorgiaCares staff at the Area Agency on Aging to publicize this new benefit through a series of articles. He also represented aging and health care issues when he served as a panelist for the 12th District Congressional Forum, sponsored by the AARP, the CSRA Coalition of Advocates for the Aging and the CSRA Area Agency on Aging in October of last year. For more information, contact the Area Agency on Houston Lirette, NASW unit chairman (right), presents Aging at 706-210-2000, the 2007 News Medium of the Year Award to Tom Corwin (left). 1-888-669-8387 or www.areaagencyonaging.com. In January 2006, Medicare realized its Central Savannah River encompasses these most sweeping changes since its inception counties: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, more than 40 years ago. The most signifiWarren, Washington, Wilkes cant change was the implementation of the Georgia Generations

Southwest Georgia

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

Let’s celebrate!

the care receivers! Did you ever notice how assisted-living and nursing homes veryone likes a celebrafrequently schedule tion. The very word special days on brings an anticipatory smile their calendars? to your face. Whether Made-up events the occasion is a national such as Italian or religious holiday, a Night, Christmas birthday or anniversary, or in July and an a special day you choose ice-cream social to recognize — a celebraare added to the tion means something out normal holiday and of the ordinary is about to birthday celebrahappen. tions for several As caregivers, we can Ida Belle Stafford celebrates her good reasons. become bogged down in 102nd birthday at the downtown Celebrations give senior center in Albany. the humdrum, ordinary people something routine that often is not to look forward to, to jog memories of very pleasurable. Looking forward to getsimilar happy events in an earlier life and ting up and doing it again tomorrow lacks to stimulate a joyful outlook. inspiration, and it’s not any more fun for

Family caregivers providing care at home might find that some simple celebrations would lighten the hearts of both the caregiver and the care receiver. Try a banana-split party, or celebrate May Day and plan a picnic (even if it is on the back porch). Get some “peanuts and popcorn and Cracker Jacks” and watch your favorite baseball or softball team on TV, or, if you can, go to the local park. Use your imagination and have a little fun. It’s good therapy for caregivers and can provide some joy to care receivers! For further information, contact the Southwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging at 1105 Palmyra Road, 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, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth

Coastal Georgia

Covers a 9-county area surrounding Brunswick and Savannah

Coastal seniors advocate for change

ransportation, prescription drugs and supportive services are among the concerns facing Coastal Georgia’s older residents. Forty-three senior advocates from Coastal Georgia traveled to our State Capitol in Atlanta to discuss these issues with their local elected officials. Senior Week at the Georgia Capitol was held February 27 through March 3, sponsored by the Georgia Council on Aging. This year’s theme was “Working Together for a Better Life.” During Senior Week, seniors from all over Georgia take the opportunity to meet with their legislators and discuss the priorities of the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE). The three-day trip to Atlanta was coordinated and sponsored by the Coastal Summer 2007

Georgia Area Agency on Aging (AAA). The purpose of the trip was to educate and engage local seniors to participate more actively in public affairs, and to advocate on issues that are important to them and all older Georgians. Coastal Georgia seniors met with Cathy Stanley, a Brunswick resident, speaks to the legislators to seek their support on crowd about the issues impacting grandparents several issues, including more fundraising grandchildren in Georgia. ing for home and community-based appointments, grocery store and other services, improved transportation and important things.” support for grandparents who are responFor further information, contact the sible for raising their grandchildren. Coastal Georgia Area Agency on Aging at “It is important to let our elected 1-800-580-6860. officials know what we need in McIntosh County,” says Sadie Ryals, an 83-yearCoastal Georgia encompasses these counties: Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, young advocate. “Our seniors need transLiberty, Long, McIntosh portation to take them to their doctor 15