Valley Area Agency on Aging Presents:

Inside this issue

Flint City Water ......................1

Upcoming Evidence- Based Programs………………..2-3

MMAP Corner ........................4

Open Enrollment Schedule…………………………...5-7

Dates to Remember ...............8

Social Security Notes ..............9

6 Signs of Caregiver Burnout ..................................10

Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment 2016 .........11

RSVP Program ........................12

Mission: VAAA provides an-

swers, action and advocacy on

care for the elderly and disa-

bled adults of Genesee, Lapeer,

and Shiawassee Counties, by

enhancing lives, empowering

choice, sustaining independ-

ence and supporting caregivers

and families.

Fall 2015

225 East Fifth Street, Suite 200 Flint, MI 48502

Phone: (810) 239-7671 (800) 978-6275

www.valleyareaaging.net

1

Homebound and Receiving Flint City

Water? With the current water concerns in the City of Flint, Valley

Area Agency on Aging is working with Genesee County

Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD) to get

water filters to those who are homebound.

VAAA is taking contact information for homebound resi-

dents who are receiving Flint City water and forwarding the

information to GCCARD so that the water filters can be de-

livered.

Please call (810) 239-7671

if you are homebound and

VAAA will pass your

information along to

GCCARD.

Please check the Valley Area

Agency on Aging website at

www.valleyareaaging.net for

a listing of water filter pick-up

locations in your area.

2

Upcoming Evidence-Based Programs Below are the Upcoming Evidence-Based Pro-grams offered. For more information, please call Valley Area Agency on Aging at (810) 239-7671. Creating Confident Caregivers: 6 weeks, 2 hours each week A program for family members caring for a loved one with dementia and/or memory loss. Two hour sessions are held once a week for six weeks and lead by dementia care specialist. In this program caregivers will learn dementia and its effects on the brain, caregiver resources in Region 5, manag-ing behaviors, improving caregiving skills, how to handle everyday activities more easily, and taking care of yourself to better care for your loved one! Upcoming classes include: Lapeer County Community Mental Health: October 8 – November 12, 2015 6:00pm-8:00pm Eastside Senior Center: October 21 – November 25, 2015 10:00am – noon Burton Senior Center: October 21 – November 25, 2015 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Matter of Balance: 8 weeks, up to 2 hours each week This program is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels of older adults who have concerns about falls. During the 8 weeks, participants learn how to view falls as controllable, set realistic goals for increasing activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk, and exercise to increase strength and balance. A half an hour of exercises begins the 3rd session and continues through session 8. Upcoming Classes include: Eastside Senior Center: October 2 – November 20, 2015 1:00- 3:00pm

Swartz Creek Senior Center: October 1 – November 19, 2015 1:30pm – 3:30pm Forest Township Area Senior Center: October 7 – November 25, 2015 1:00pm – 3:00pm Davison Senior Center: October 21 – December 9, 2015 10:00am – noon Loose Senior Center: November 3 – December 22, 2015 2:30- 4:30pm

3

Upcoming Evidence-Based Programs

(Continued)

Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program: 8 weeks or can be ongoing; 1 hour once or twice a week The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is a low-impact activity program proven to re-duce pain and decrease stiffness. The rou-tines include gentle range-of-motion exercises that are suitable for every fitness level. Current Classes: Grand Blanc Senior Center: Tuesdays & Thursdays; 10:00am Eastside Senior Center: Fridays; 10:00am Swartz Creek Senior Center: Fridays; 11:00am

Personal Action Towards Health & Diabetes-PATH: Both classes are: 6 weeks, 2 ½ hours each week Personal Action Towards Health is designed to ben-efit adults with chronic health conditions including arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, asthma, bronchitis and depression. Family members, friends, and caregivers are also encouraged to attend the workshop. During the six weeks, participants learn self-management skills that may ease the symptoms of their chronic condition. Topics include dealing with difficult emotions, exercise, and relaxation, future plans for health care, medication usage, depression management, and work-ing with your health care provider. Upcoming Classes:

YMCA Flint: October 1 – November 5, 2015: 1:00pm – 3:30pm

Diabetes-Personal Action Towards Health- is a six-week community workshop that meets two and

one-half hours, one day per week. It is designed to benefit adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Family

members, friends and caregivers are also encouraged to attend this workshop. The self-

management workshop provides ways to take control of diabetic conditions through problem solv-

ing and action plans. Topics covered include exercise, nutrition, relaxation, and pain management.

Upcoming Classes:

Davison Senior Center: October 6 – November 10, 2015: 12:30 -3:00pm

Grand Blanc Senior Center: October 19 – November 23, 2015: 9:00am – 11:30am

Eastside Senior Center: October 19 – November 23, 2015: 1:00pm – 3:30pm

What is the MMAP Program?

Valley Area Agency

on Aging works with

the Medicare Medi-

caid Assistance Pro-

gram (MMAP), Michi-

gan’s State Health

Insurance Assistance

Program (SHIP). This

program is a free ser-

vice that provides in-

formation about

Medicaid and Medi-

care, health plans,

prescription cover-

age, and more.

Trained counselors

will answer your

questions and help

you understand Med-

icaid and Medicare.

You can contact the

MMAP program at

1-800-803-7174.

We look forward to

hearing from you and

assisting you with

your Medicare/

Medicaid questions

and concerns.

MMAP Corner

Let’s talk about the Open Enrollment period for Medicare and Medicaid!

Open enrollment takes place from October 15 to December 7, 2015. During this time period, you have the opportunity to look over your old plan and compare it to any new plan that may be available in your area. This is a good time for you to review your health plan and prescription drug coverage for 2016.

Before the Open Enrollment period, you should receive information from your provider, insurance company, and/or your prescription drug provider regarding any changes in the coming year for 2016. When you receive this information, it is very important that your read this information thoroughly. If there are any changes in your plan for 2016, it will be in this information packet.

If you do find any changes in your plan, please feel free to call us at our toll free line. We can answer any question you may have about your plans. If you want to compare your plan with other options or change your plan, our counselors can help you do this as well. All of our counselors are state-trained in Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance policies, and prescription drug plans.

For an appointment, please call the toll free number above. During Open Enrollment, all counselors will see clients by appointment only. If you are aging into Medicare (turning 65), and need assistance looking for a health insurance or prescription drug plan, we can help you search for one. Keep in mind that you have three months before, the month of, and three months after the month of your birthday to enroll. This gives you a total of seven months for you to review plans. Most important is the drug plan; if you do not have a prescription drug plan at 65 years of age, you have to buy into one. Even if you don’t take any prescriptions, it is still important that you choose one so that you are not penalized in the future. If you have credita-ble coverage, then you are not required to do anything. You may, however, choose to look at other plans for comparison with the Medicare Plan Finder. It never hurts to compare and see what options are available.

Ruben R. Quintanilla

Regional Coordinator, Region 5 Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program, (MMAP)

4

By Ruben R. Quintanilla, Region 5 Coordinator

Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistant Program

Valley Area Agency on Aging, Flint, Michigan

5

Medicare Medicaid Open Enrollment

Schedule

October 2015 By Appointment Only

Call 1-(800)-803-7174

Sunday Appoint-ments only!!!

Monday Lunch 12:00PM 1:00PM

Tues Tuesday

Appointments starting at 9:00 AM

Wednesday 1 Thursday 2 Friday 3 Saturday

4 Sunday 5 Monday 6 Tuesday

7 Wednesday

8 Thursday 9 Friday

10 Saturday

11 Sunday 12 Monday 13 Tuesday 14 Wednesday

15 Thursday Davison S. C. 10135 E. Lapeer Rd. Davison, MI. 48423 Phone 810-658-1566

16 Friday Grand Blanc S.C. 12632Pagels Dr. Grand Blanc, MI. 48439 Phone 810-695-3202

17 Saturday

18 Sunday 19 Monday Durand S.C. 8618 E. Lansing, Rd. Durand, MI. 48429 Phone 989-288-4122

20 Tuesday Loose S. C. 707 N. Bridge St. Linden, MI. 48451 Phone 810735-9406

21 Wednesday Hispanic S.C. 150 S. Almont Ave. Suite C Im-lay City MI. 48444 Phone 810-724-3665

22 Thursday Clio S. C. 2136 Vienna Rd. Clio, MI. 48520 Phone 810-687-7260/ Flushing S.C. 106 Elm St. Flushing, MI. 48433 Phone 810-659-4735

23 Friday Montrose S.C. 139 S. Saginaw St. Montrose, MI. 48457 Phone 810-639-5899 Hasselbring S.C. 1002 W. Home Ave. Flint MI. 48505 Phone 810-785-1534

24 Saturday

25 Sunday 26 Monday Eastside S. C. 3065 N. Gene-see Rd. Flint, MI. 48506, Phone 810250-5000

27 Tuesday Krapohl S. C. 5473 Bicenten-nial Dr. Mt. Morris, MI. 48458, Phone 810-785-2270

28 Wednesday Burton S. C. 3410 S. Grand Traverse Rd. Burton, MI. 48529 Phone 810-744-0960

29 Thursday Swartz Creek S. C. 8095 Civic Dr. Swartz Creek, MI. 48473 Phone 810-635-4122

30 Friday Thetford S. C. 111495 N. Center Rd Clio, MI. 48420 Phone 810686-0630

31

6

Medicare Medicaid Open Enrollment

Schedule

November 2015

By Appointment Only

Call 1-(800)-803-7174

1 Sunday Scheduled Appointments Only,

2 Monday Carman Ains-worth S. C. Cheri S., Bob, Ann

3 Tuesday Lapeer S.C. 287 W. Nepessing St. Lapeer, MI. 48446 Phone 810-735-9406

4 Wednesday Imlay City S C. 395 E. Third St. Imlay City, MI. 48444 Phone 810-724-6030

5 Thursday Flushing S.C. 106 Elm St. Flushing, MI. 48433 Phone 810-659-4735

6 Friday Montrose S.C. 139 S. Saginaw St. Montrose, MI. 48457 Phone 810-639-5899

7 Saturday

8 Sunday

Lunch 12:00PM 1:00PM

9 Monday Durand S.C. 8618 E. Lansing Rd. Durand, MI. 48429 Phone 989-288-4122

10 Tuesday Thetford S.C. 4014 N. Center Rd. Clio, MI. 48420 Phone 810-686-0230

11 Wednesday Forrest Township S.C. 130 E. Main St. Otisville, MI. 48463 Phone 810-631-3407

12 Thursday Loose S.C. 707 N. Bridge St. Linden, MI. 48451 Phone 810-735-9406

13 Friday Hasselbring S.C. 1002 W. Home Ave. Flint MI. 48505 Phone 810-785-1534

14 Saturday

15 Sunday Appointments start at 9:00AM

16 Monday Krarpohl S. C. 5473 Bicenten-nial Dr. Mt. Morris, MI. 48458 Phone 810-785-2270

17 Tuesday Swartz Creek S.C. 8095 Civic Dr. Swartz Creek, MI. 48473 Phone 635-4122

18 Wednesday Burton S.C. 3410 S. Grand Traverse Rd. Flint, MI. 48529 Phone 810-744-0960

19 Thursday Davison S.C. 10135 E. Lapeer Rd. Davison, MI. 48423 Phone 810-658-1566

20 Friday Grand Blanc S.C. 12632 Pagels Dr. Grand Blanc, MI. 48439 Phone 810-695-3202

21 Saturday

22 Sunday 23 Monday Eastside S.C. 3065 N. Gene-see Rd. Flint, MI. 48506 Phone 810-250-5000

24 Tuesday Clio S.C. 2136 Vienna RD. Clio. MI. 48420 Phone 810-687-7260

25 Wednesday Brennan S. C. 1301 Pingree Ave. flint, MI. 48503 Phone 810766-7238

26 Thursday

Closed

27 Friday

Closed

28 Saturday

29 Sunday 30 Monday Carman Ains-worth S.C. 2071 S. Graham Rd. Flint, MI. 48532 Phone 810-732-6290

7

Medicare Medicaid Open Enrollment

Schedule

December 2015

MEDICARE MEDICAID ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

2015 OPEN ENROLLMENT

DECEMBER SCHEDULE “BY APPOINTMENT ONLY”

Call 1-(800) - 803-7174

Sunday In December all

Centers will conduct their own appoint-ment for the

month

Monday

All Senior Centers will

conduct their own appoint-

ments

1 Tuesday

All Senior Cen-ters will con-

duct their own appointments

2 Wednesday

All Senior

Centers will con-duct their own appointments

3 Thursday

All Senior Cen-ters will con-

duct their own appointments

4 Friday

All Senior Cen-ters will con-

duct their own appointments

5 Saturday

All Senior Centers will

conduct their own appoint-

ments

6 Sunday In December all

Centers will conduct their own appoint-ment for this

month

7 Monday Last day for Open En-rollment

Lunch at 12 to 1pm

Dates to Remember

Hank Allen Genesee County Senior Representative

Doris Buckner, Secretary City of Flint Senior Representative

James Capitan Shiawassee County Senior Representative

Dave Caudle, Treasurer Genesee County Senior Representative

Brenda Clack Genesee County Commissioner

Marla Dais Genesys Regional Medical Center

Joanne Densmore Lapeer County Senior Representative

Ron Elder , Chair Shiawassee County Senior Representative

Judy Garza Genesee County Senior Representative

Gary Holzhausen Shiawassee County Commissioner

Linda Jarvis, Vice Chair Lapeer County Commissioner

Bonnie Kavalunas Lapeer County Senior Representative

Kathryn Pierce HealthPlus/VAAA Appointee

Cathy Metz Hurley Medical Center/VAAA Appointee

Sandra Michalek Shiawassee County Senior Representative

Valley Area Agency on Aging

October 15, 2015: Open Enrollment Begins October 20, 2015: Legislative Committee 10:00 a.m. Advisory Council 11:00 a.m. October 23, 2015: VAAA Board of Directors 10:00 a.m. November 11, 2015: Agency closed in observance of Veterans Day November 17, 2015: Legislative Committee 10:00 a.m. Advisory Council 11:00 a.m. November 20, 2015: VAAA Board of Directors 10:00 a.m. November 26, 2015: Agency closed in observance of Thanksgiving November 27, 2015: Agency closed in observance of Day after Thanksgiving December 7, 2015: Last Day of Open Enrollment December 15, 2015: Legislative Committee 10:00 a.m. Advisory Council 11:00 a.m. December 18, 2015: VAAA Board of Directors 10:00 a.m. December 24, 2015: Agency closed in observance of Christmas Eve December 25, 2015: Agency closed in observance of Christmas December 31, 2015: Agency closed in observance of New Year’s Eve January 1, 2015: Agency closed in observance of New Year’s Day

8

News ● Events ● Workshops

Have questions about Social Security?

Visit www.socialsecurity.gov

Replacing your Social Security Card? Know Before You Go

By: Stephanie Holland, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist Keeping your Social Security number card in a safe place is vital to pro-tecting you against identity theft. Nev-er keep it in your purse or wallet — this is the most common way people lose their card. Getting a replacement Social Security number card is free, but you will have to provide the proper documents to get a new one. When replacing your card, you will need original or certified copies of documents, which include: Proof of citizenship: If you have not already established your U.S. citizen-ship with us, we need to see proof of U.S. citizenship. We can accept only certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship, like your U.S. birth certifi-cate or U.S. passport. Identity: We can accept only certain documents as proof of identity. An acceptable document must be current (not ex-pired) and show your name, identify-ing information (date of birth or age), and preferably, a recent photograph. For example, as proof of identity, we must see your:

U.S. driver’s license; State-issued non-driver identification card; or U.S. passport. If you do not have one of these docu-ments, or you cannot get a replace-ment for one of them within ten days, we will ask to see other documents, including a(n): Employee identification card; School identification card; Health insurance card (not Medicare card); or U.S. military identification card. What’s more important than having your card is knowing your Social Secu-rity number. This is how we identify you, tally your wages correctly, and how we eventually issue you accurate retirement benefits. You might not even need your card for identification purposes if you know and consistently use your correct number. For more information about replacing a lost or stolen Social Security number card, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

9

Social Security Questions and Answers

Question: Do I have to give my Social Security number whenever I’m asked?

Answer: Giving your Social Security number is voluntary. If requested, you should ask why the person asking

needs your Social Security number, how it will be used, what law requires you to give your number, and what

the consequences are if you refuse. The answers to these questions can help you decide whether to give your

Social Security number. However, the decision is yours. Keep in mind that requestors might not provide you

their services if you refuse to provide your Social Security number. For more information, visit

www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs to read or print our publication, Your Social Security Number And Card.

10

6 Signs of Caregiver Burnout The tasks of caring for an elderly loved one can add up quickly, leaving you exhausted and stressed out. Chances are, if you've been a care-giver for more than a few weeks you've experi-enced a certain degree of caregiver burnout. Keep your eyes peeled for these six common signs of burnout. If you find yourself thinking or saying these things, you may want to seek help from your doctor and consider finding some respite care: I just don't feel like talking to or seeing anyone today—even my friends and family. If you discover that you consistently don't want to interact with people, especially close family and friends, it could be a sign that caring for your el-derly loved one is becoming too draining.

I used to really enjoy reading mystery novels, but for some reason, even a thrilling ‘Whodunit' doesn't seem to hold my interest anymore. If your favorite hobbies and pastimes aren't inter-esting to you anymore, it may indicate that you need a break from being a caregiver. Sometimes taking care of mom is too much—I feel like I want to end it all. Thoughts of suicide or hurting your elderly loved one are dangerous warning signs of extreme

burnout and probable depression. You should im-mediately seek help from a mental health profes-sional if you find yourself having violent thoughts. I've been eating weirdly lately. Abnormal eating patterns, whether it's eating too much or not enough might be an indication of ex-treme stress. I've been sleeping weirdly lately. If you can't seem to fall asleep at night, or have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, you may be feeling the effects of too much caregiving responsibility. It's been several weeks and I can't seem to shake this cold. Stress can wreak havoc with your immune system. Illnesses that last longer than they should are a sign of reduced immune system functioning that could be due to your caregiving duties. By: Anne-Marie Botek Contributing Writer, Agingcare.com

Chances are, if you’ve been a

caregiver for more than a few

weeks you’ve experienced a

certain degree of caregiver

burnout.

11

Law Does Not Provide for a Social

Security Cost-of-Living

Adjustment for 2016

With consumer prices down over the past year, monthly Social Security and Supple-

mental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 65 million Americans will not auto-

matically increase in 2016.

The Social Security Act provides for an automatic increase in Social Security and SSI

benefits if there is an increase in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The period of consideration in-

cludes the third quarter of the last year a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was made to

the third quarter of the current year. As determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,

there was no increase in the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2014 to the third quarter of

2015. Therefore, under existing law, there can be no COLA in 2016.

Other adjustments that would normally take effect based on changes in the national av-

erage wage index also will not take effect in January 2016. Since there is no COLA, the

statute also prohibits a change in the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social

Security tax, as well as the retirement earnings test exempt amounts. These amounts

will remain unchanged in 2016. The attached fact sheet provides more information on

2016 Social Security and SSI changes.

The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet announced Medicare premi-

um changes for 2016. Should there be an increase in the Medicare Part B premium, the

law contains a “hold harmless” provision that protects approximately 70 percent of So-

cial Security beneficiaries from paying a higher Part B premium, in order to avoid re-

ducing their net Social Security benefit. Those not protected include higher income

beneficiaries subject to an income-adjusted Part B premium and beneficiaries newly en-

titled to Part B in 2016. In addition, beneficiaries who have their Medicare Part B pre-

miums paid by state medical assistance programs will see no change in their Social Se-

curity benefit. The state will be required to pay any Medicare Part B premium increase.

Information about Medicare changes for 2016, when available, will be found at

www.medicare.gov.

For additional information, please go to www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. # # #

12

VALLEY AREA AGENCY ON AGING

PRESENTS:

RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Put Your Experience to Work!

A part of Senior Corps, the Retired & Senior Volunteer

Program (RSVP) is America’s largest volunteer network

for people 55 and over, with more than 500,000 volun-

teers helping in their own communities nationwide. With

RSVP, you can apply the skills and wisdom you’ve ac-

quired throughout your life to make a positive difference

in the lives of others. You choose how and where you

want to serve, how much time you want to give, and

whether you want to share the skills you have or develop

new ones.

RSVP matches volunteers with local organizations, giving you countless opportunities in your community to

make an impact where it’s needed most, such as:

• Respite for caregivers who need to take breaks from caring for loved ones

• Transportation to and from medical appointments for seniors

• Mentoring in area schools

• Food delivery and food pantry support

• Much, much more!

Giving Back is Good for You, Too!

Research shows that older Americans who volunteer live longer and report better health. Volunteering can also

lead to more friendships and a more positive attitude!

Other RSVP Benefits:

• Mileage reimbursement to and from your assignments

• Excess auto liability insurance

• Supplemental life insurance while you’re in service

• Recognition events

• Group activities and opportunities to meet new people

• Quarterly newsletter with community resources

RSVP is sponsored by Valley Area Agency on Aging. Please call 810-239-7671 for more information and learn

how you can make a difference today!

Kathryn Boles, President, CEO of VAAA says, “RSVP is a great way for seniors to give back to the community.

We cannot thank our volunteers enough for all that they do.”

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Valley Area Agency on Aging and the RSVP

program, please call us at (810) 239-7671.