For many families, the holidays are an opportunity to talk about plans for the future. It may also be a time when the needs of older relatives come to light. These resources can help inform the conversations around the needs of seniors.

• Money Smart For Older Adults from the Bureau of Consumer Affairs
• Fit After Fifty- Home Based Exercise Guide
• Hospital to Home- Plan for a Smooth Transition
• Hiring In Home Help Guide
• Advanced Health Care Directives Guide

For printed copies or help finding information specific to the needs of those in your family contact Senior Connections to speak with a trained senior resources specialist.

805-928-2552

The Advisory Council of the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, Area Agency on Aging (AAA), elected four new persons to the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council.

“The Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council is pleased to announce that Cindy Deibert of San Luis Obispo City, Sally Saenger of Santa Barbara, Dorothy Schlitz of Arroyo Grande and Lisa Marie Frantz of Paso Robles have been elected to a two- year term of office,” stated Barry Jay Marks, Chair, Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council.

“Ms. Deibert brings nearly three decades of experience as a social services director,” continued Mr. Marks. “Her experience will be invaluable as the Council reviews proposals for funding recognizing the social needs of older persons, such as the issue of social isolation. Previously, she served on the San Luis Obispo County Commission on Aging.”

“Ms. Frantz currently is engaged as the Community Relations Director at Creston Village, an assisted living facility in Paso Robles,” continued Mr. Marks. “In addition, Ms. Frantz is active with the Chamber of Commerce and the North County Aging Alliance. Her knowledge of the needs of at-risk older adults will be valuable.”

Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens • 528 South Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454 TEL. (805) 925-9554 • FAX (805) 925-9555

Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council Elects new members

The Advisory Council of the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, Area Agency on Aging (AAA), elected Cindy Deibert of San Luis Obispo and Lisa Marie Frantz of Paso Robles as members at its May 2020 meeting.

“The Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council is pleased to announce that Cindy Deibert and Lisa Marie Frantz have been elected to a two- year term of office,” stated Barry Jay Marks, Chair, Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council.

“Ms. Deibert bring nearly three decades of experience as a social services director,” continued Mr. Marks. “Her experience will be invaluable as the Council reviews proposals recognizing the social needs of older persons, such as the issue of social isolation. Previously, she served on the San Luis Obispo County Commission on Aging.”

“Ms. Frantz currently is engaged as the Community Relations Director at Creston Village, an assisted living facility in Paso Robles,” continued Mr. Marks. “In addition, Ms. Frantz is active with the Chamber of Commerce and the North County Aging Alliance. Her knowledge of the needs of at-risk older adults will be valuable.”

Recruitment for new members of the AAA Advisory Council is underway. For additional information contact Barry Jay Marks, Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council Chair, or AAA Director, at 925-9554, 1-800-510-2020, www.CentralCoastSeniors.org, or seniors@centralcoastseniors.org.

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Area Agency on Aging releases Request for Proposal to fund Fall Prevention services for older adults

The Area Agency on Aging for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties announces the availability of a Request for Proposal to fund Fall Prevention services for older adults and persons with disabilities in Fiscal Year 2020/21.

“The Area Agency on Aging is responsible for the allocation of monies from the State Budget authorized through Assembly Bill 74,” announced Jim Talbott, President, Board of Directors, Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens. “Funds will be able to provide in-home environmental assessments; instruction on behavioral, physical and environmental aspects of injury prevention, purchase on injury prevention equipment and services.”

“This funding is designed to target those ‘at-risk’, continued Mr. Talbott. “Those are individuals that have a high likelihood that they will suffer a fall based on certain indicators. Some common indicators include: suffered a previous fall or numerous falls, have been hospitalized for a fall or had surgery as a result of a fall, or have certain medical conditions that leaves them more susceptible to falls.”

“Falls among the senior population are both serious and costly,” continued Mr. Talbott. “One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. Each year 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. Each year at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.”

Locally, the 2018 Elder Needs Assessment survey conducted by this Area Agency on Aging revealed falling and fear of falling were among the top three concerns identified by over 1,100 senior citizens completing the survey, continued Mr. Talbott.

“Eligible organizations are invited to an Applicant’s Conference on Thursday, June 11, 2020 to learn more about the application process.”

For more information please contact the Area Agency on Aging at 805-925-9554 or seniors@centralcoastseniors.org.

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HICAP can help

HICAP can help with your open enrollment questions

HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program) is offering free Medicare Part D drug searches during the open enrollment period of October 15^th through December 7^th.

“HICAP recommends that Medicare beneficiaries review their Medicare Part D plans annually”, stated Jim Talbott, President, Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens. “Each year the Prescription Drug Plans (Part D of Medicare) change the monthly premiums, deductible, formularies, gap coverage and pharmacy networks. So it is important that beneficiaries review their current Plan to see how it will meet their needs in 2017. And they also can review and consider the other Drug Plans available in California to find the best plan to meet their needs.”

“Since 2006 Medicare beneficiaries have had access to prescription drug coverage offered by private plans, either stand- alone prescription drug plans or Medicare Advantage drug plans”, continued Mr. Talbott. “Since 2006 the share of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Part D Plan has increased from 52% to 71% of all eligible beneficiaries.”

“HICAP is funded by both the State and federal governments to serve as advocates for Medicare beneficiaries”, continued Mr. Talbott. “To secure the free Prescription Drug Plan search services contact HICAP and complete a worksheet. HICAP uses the medicare.gov website to complete the search for each person based on their prescription drug utilization. A custom search result is prepared that presents the three least expensive drug plans for that person among the 30 Plans available in California.”

HICAP offers free and unbiased counseling and information on Medicare issues. HICAP does not sell, recommend, or endorse any insurance product, agent, insurance company, or health plan. Part D drug searches are a service of the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, HICAP with financial assistance, in whole or in part, through a grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services, the federal Medicare agency.

For more information about the Medicare Part D drug searches, contact the local HICAP office at (805) 928-5663, hicap@centralcoastseniors.org, or www.centralcoastseniors.org

This scam has been around for a while.

Recently, we have received reports of it happening to senior citizens on the central coast.

Here is how the scam works:

People reported receiving a voicemail urging them to return a call to an 809 area code phone number.  The unsuspecting victims return the call only to hear a pre-recorded message.  In the phone bill the next month, they were charge an excessive amount (some times more that $1,000 per minute) for the call to the Dominican Republic.

What can you do:

Some callers may be able to get the charge resolved, but it often takes several months.  The following tips are from an article from the AT&T website

AT&T recommends the following tips to help avoid the 809 area code scam:

• Return calls to familiar numbers only. As a general rule, return calls from numbers that contain familiar or recognizable area codes. You may call your directory assistance or long distance operator to check the area code location.
• Carefully read your telephone bill. Make sure that you only receive charges from your provider of choice. Ensure you thoroughly understand charges listed on your phone bill, have chosen to do business with all of the listed providers billing for those charges and have authorized additional fees invoiced. If your local service provider has changed, you will receive a final bill from the former provider and a notice of service disconnection.

If you believe that you have been scammed:

• Contact the carrier with whom the charge originated, whose name and toll-free telephone number should be printed on the same bill page as the charge in question. Often, the problem can be resolved with a single phone call.

• If the carrier with whom the charge originated does not agree to resolve the problem, contact AT&T. AT&T will work with you and the carrier to help remove fraudulent charges from the phone bill.

Senior Connection can help with information and referrals to help prevent and resolve scams.  Contact us today.

Nominations for Older Americans Month Awards is due by April 27th, 2015

Award categories:

Senior Citizen of the Year
Senior Citizen Program of the Year
Public Official of the Year
Media Advocate of the Year
Caregiver of the Year
Older Worker of the Year
Intergenerational Effort of the Year

Download the Nomination forms here:

This question is frequently asked by people who contact the Senior Connection Program. It may come from a frail senior overwhelmed by the constant challenge of determining whether an envelope is a bill, an important notice or a cleverly disguised advertisement.  It also comes from family members concerned about an elderly relative who has stopped paying bills or whose money seems to be disappearing. The callers can see the problem, but are left asking “Where can we find help?”

Unfortunately, there are not “one size fits all” answers.  The right solution will depend on the person’s condition, personal preferences, their support network and access to financial resources.

The following list of terms can be helpful for people in the process of looking for help.

Daily Money Management

Daily money management is the service of ensuring timely payment of bills, maintaining a budget and protecting a senior from fraud and financial abuse.

Who can help with this?

Non professional assistance- Trusted family members and friends often take on this role.  Though it is not required by law, formalizing the role with a written agreement that outlines tasks and responsibilities is helpful for everyone involved.  Power of attorneys and living trusts are example of these types of agreements.

Professional bookkeeper-  A bookkeeper keeps records of financial transactions, prepares necessary payments, and can provide budget reports.  This service can be an ideal solution for a person who is capable of understanding and monitoring their financial situation, but may have trouble with the details.  This service may be offered by a large accounting firm or a small private practice. In California, a bookkeeper does not require a special license to have a private practice.

Professional Fiduciary Services- These services are provided by a licensed professional for people in a conservatorship or under a durable power of attorney for health care or finances.  They manage matters for individuals including daily care, housing and medical needs, and also offer financial management services ranging from basic bill paying to estate and investment management.  In California, professional fiduciary services can only be provided by a licensed professional. (Family members and people providing services for less than 2 persons are exempt). The following are common credentials considered appropriate for operating a professional fiduciary service:

• Licensed Professional Fiduciary
• Bar License (Lawyer)
• Certified Public Accountant

Representative Payee– A representative payee is a person designated by the Social Security Department to receive and manage Social Security benefits for a person incapable of managing the benefit on their own.  More information on representative payees. Social Security does not honor power of attorney documents.

Background Checks

It is appropriate to ask anyone (even family or friends) who has the responsibility of managing finances to complete a background check. There are a number of tools to help consumers perform background checks:

Laws for Using Background Checks

        Department of Justice Criminal Records

Financial Planning

This service provides advice to people about managing their investments and plans for retirement. Often they advise on the purchase of investments including securities and other properties.

Who can help with this?

Professional financial planners/ advisers

The professional helps you to:
1. Clarify your present situation through collecting and assessing all relevant financial data such as all assets, liabilities, insurance coverage, wills, etc.
2. Identify both personal and financial goals and objectives.
3. Identify financial problems which create obstacles to you reaching your goals and objectives.
4. Provide a written plan and course of action.
5. Implement or coordinate the implementation of the strategy you decide is best to reach your goals.
The professional may coordinate the implementation of your plan with other professional advisers.
6. Periodically review your plan to assure you that it is making progress toward the attainment of your goals.

The following links are resources to help consumers make choices about financial planning.

From the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure

CFPB- Know your financial adviser

FINRA- Broker Check

Important Legal Terms for Financial Management

The following terms relate to legal roles that are part of a discussion about managing someone else’s money.

Power of Attorney– This is a document that grants authority of one person to another person (called the attorney in fact or agent under power of attorney) to make decisions and execute financial transactions. The attorney in fact has a legal duty to act under the direction of or in best interest of the granting person. Durable Power of Attorneys are documents that state that the agent retains the authority granted in the document in the event that the granting individual becomes incapacitated.  See information about durable power of attorney for health care and advanced health care directives.

Trustee- A trustee is a person or entity granted authority by a trust to manage assets.  Successor Trustee–  A successor trustee is a person designated to assume the role of trustee if and when the primacy trustee is unable or unwilling to perform the role.

Conservatorship–  A conservatorship is established when a probate court determines that a person does not have the capacity for decision making.  In a conservatorship the court appoints a conservator to act as the guardian for the incapacitated persons estate (property) and/or person (the incapacitated persons health and physical welfare).

Who can help me find the resources that are right for me?

Senior Connection can provide information and referrals for people facing decisions related to managing finances, as well as other matters encountered by older adults, their loved ones, and caregivers.

Advance Health Care Directive

An Advance Health Care Directive is a legally recognized document that allows a person to provide information to your family, friends and physician(s) about your health care preferences,  including the types of special treatment you want or do not want at the end of your life. The advanced health care directive document is meant to be completed by anyone 18 years of age or older and it can be changed at any time, should one’s wishes change.

You can give specific instructions about any aspect of your health care. Along with documenting the type of care you wish to receive, you are also able to to appoint another person as your ‘health care power of attorney’ to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make your own decisions. You can name an alternate agent in case your first choice is unwilling, unable or unavailable to make decisions for you.

POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)

POLST  is a form that states what kind of medical treatment patients want toward the end of their lives. Printed on bright pink paper, and signed by both a doctor and patient, POLST helps give seriously ill patients more control over their end-of-life care.
Changes to the California POLST Form were approved by the statewide POLST Task Force and the Emergency Medical Services Authority Commission. The new form went into effect on October 1, 2014. Previous versions of signed POLST forms remain valid.  View Form on line.

Want to get copies of either form?

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Share your input with Congresswoman Lois Capps and help shape the agenda for the upcoming 2015 White House Conference on Aging! [Read more…]

Many seniors are uncomfortable with using legal services.  Some fear the high cost.  Others have a hard time understanding legal processes.  There are resources for seniors needing legal help.  The following are different types of legal resources available for free or low cost.

Justice without an attorney

Not every case requires Perry Mason.  There are many tools available for the average citizen to resolve a dispute or take legal actions without representation form an attorney.  Self representation, alternative dispute resolution and legal advocacy resources are sufficient for many issues that people face.

Self Help Legal Resources

People who want to represent themselves in a legal matter have a couple of resources at their disposal.  For disputes resulting in damages of less than $7,500, small claims court is a  venue to get before a judge without an attorney.  Small claims court advisors (SLO and Santa Barbara County) can help with filing the appropriate forms and understanding small claims proceedings for any novice.

Each county (SLO and Santa Barbara) has a law library where a person can research legal issues and get assistance from the clerk in finding information on any legal topic.  These libraries are open to the public.  In Santa Barbara County the law libraries have an additional resource to help with self-representation called the Legal Resource Center.  During certain hours an attorney employed by the center provides first come first serve legal advice at the law library at no cost.

Mediation

Some disputes can be resolved without an attorney.  One method is mediation.  It is particularly helpful when all sides agree to participate.  Mediation can be used to successfully resolve consumer, family, and landlord tenant disputes.  Each county’s District Attorney’s office has a consumer mediation program (SLO and Santa Barbara) to help resolve disputes between businesses and customers.  This is a great tool for someone who may have been taken advantage of by a misleading sales offer or an unscrupulous contractor.  Many of the Boards and Bureaus of the California Department of Consumer Affairs offer consumers assistance in resolving disputes with businesses under their license. Click here to find out more about the Department of Consumer Affairs.  In addition to these resources, both counties have non profit organizations (SLO and Santa Barbara) that offer mediation services for a variety of disputes.  Mediation services typically cost a fraction of what one might pay in attorney fees.

Estate Planning

Estate Planning services are rarely offered for free or at a reduced rate.  The best way to save money is to do as much as you can yourself.  For example, there are many free forms and seminars on how to complete an Advanced Health Care Directive for yourself.  For people with simple estate plans the California Bar website has a standardized will form that you can use to draft a will.  The bar also has several publications that can help you understand the different estate planning options like trusts and wills.  Knowing what you want can help you save money when you finally sit down with an attorney.

If you have any questions about local resources for legal issues call us– we can help you find the right resources for you.

Many people use the terms home care and home health care interchangeably.  However, the terms refer to two distinct types of services.

Home Care

Home Care (also called homemaker services, personal care or custodial care) is non-medical in home assistance.  It includes tasks like companionship, housekeeping, assistance with transportation, hygiene, toileting and more.  Currently, caregivers are not required by law to have any special training or meet any criteria other than those specified by the employer (new state regulations are expected to start Jan 2016).  The training and certification programs for Certified Nurses Assistants (CNA) are applicable to many of the tasks performed by in home caregivers.  These services are not covered by Medicare, Medicare supplements or any other health insurance plans.  They may be covered under a long term care insurance policy.

 Home Health Care

Home Health Care (also called Skilled Nursing) is medical assistance in the home.  This includes services that must be performed by trained medical personnel including injections, wound care, physical therapy, medical hospice care, etc.  It does not include assistance with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, housekeeping, etc).  Home Health Care Companies must be licensed by the state and the personnel must keep up their individual professional licenses.  These services can be covered for short periods of time by Medicare and other health insurance plans.  Insurance covered services are usually available as part of a hospital discharge plan and last for a month.

Questions about care options