Senior issues newsletter [Vol. 35, No. 16 (Sept. 30, 2014)]

Senior Issues Newsletter

Time to Talk about 2015 CO-AGE Issues
CO-AGE workgroups are developing materials and strategies for each of the CO-AGE priority issues chosen by the membership this summer. Instead of the traditional fact sheets, CO-AGE will unveil a totally new Priorities Brochure at the CO-AGE meeting in Ellijay on October 9th. The new brochure will be posted on the website the week after the CO-AGE meeting at www.gcoa.org . Download it and go to see your legislators!
2015 CO-AGE Priorities
Budget priority: Funding for Home and Community Based Services
Legislative Priorities: Helping Law Enforcement Fight Elder Abuse Repositioning Aging Services for Responsiveness Supporting Family Caregivers
Remember to talk with your local legislators whether or not they have leadership positions. If CO-AGE is successful in its advocacy efforts, every Senator and Representative will be voting on the budget and legislation. Get the word out!
CO-AGE Meeting in Ellijay on October 9
Don't forget to register for the CO-AGE Fall Meeting. It will be held Thursday, October 9th, at the North Georgia Community Center in Ellijay, GA. The attendees will be addressed by the Speaker of the House, David Ralston. Workshops will address each of the priorities plus how to talk to your legislators. This meeting is scheduled right before the start of the Georgia Apple Festival on October 11-12. RSVP to Eric Ryan at 404-657-5344 or joryan @dhr.state.ga.us.
Joint Study Committee Meets
The Joint Study Committee on Emergency Relocation of Abused Adults met on September 2nd in Lawrenceville. Created by SR 828, this legislative study committee looked at the rise in the number of unlicensed personal care homes in Georgia. Residents of these facilities include seniors and adults living with mental illness and disabilities. Georgia has seen an increase in the number of complaints about the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults living in these unlicensed facilities. This year, the General Assembly passed legislation with tougher penalties and state agencies are collaborating to reduce these incidents. For more information read the news article at http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2014/09/nightmare-vulnerable-unlicensed-carehomes/
Shut Down Unlicensed Personal Care Homes
Training on investigation and prosecution of adult abuse in unlicensed personal care homes will take place on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. It will be held in the Georgia Public Safety Training Center Auditorium located at 1000 Indian Springs Drive, Forsyth, GA 31029. The training will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. Continuing education credit for POST, CLE, EMS, NASW pending. Lunch is provided. There is no charge for the seminar, but registration is required. The link for registration is www.surveymonkey.com/s/UnlicensedPCH. If you do not have OKEY #, please put N/A in that field. You will be unable to complete registration if the field is left blank.

The Senior Issues Newsletter is a publication of the Georgia Council on Aging, and its partners in the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia's Elderly. Volume 34, No. 16 September 30, 2014

GRANDPARENT SCAM ALERT!!
Scammers are posing as relatives to convince elderly victims to wire cash to help them out of an emergency situation. These con artists are stealing from the elderly by posing as grand-kids in trouble. Learn more from a news article at this link http://www.psmag.com/navigation/businesseconomics/fraud-phones-loved-ones-illusion-invulnerability-grandparent-scam-88636/
Please note that you can pay your CO-AGE membership dues online now at http://www.gcoa.org/joinmailing-list-1 . Membership fees are voluntary but help pay for innovative programs and outreach.
Every Vote Counts!
Georgia Elections are Tuesday, November 5th. The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Monday, October 6, 2014. Go to your County voter registration office to register to vote, your local library or you can register online at https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/#noback-button . Just remember that your registration has to be received by Monday, October 6th.
Mark Your Calendar for These Events
General Assembly Convenes: Monday, January 12, 2015 Senior Day at the Capitol: January 26, 2015 Be There 4 Seniors Rally: February 5, 2015
For information on Senior Day, contact Eric Ryan at 404-657-5344 or joryan@dhr.state.ga.us.
Department of Community Health Board Meeting: November 13, 2014 Meets at 10:30 a.m. on the 5th floor at 2 Peachtree St., Atlanta Committees meet at 9:00 a.m. prior to the Board meeting.
Department of Human Services Board Meeting: November 12, 2014 Meets at 1:00 p.m. usually on the 29th floor at 2 Peachtree St., Atlanta
Department of Public Health Board Meeting: October 14, 2014 Meets at 1:00 p.m. at Sloppy Floyd Building 2 Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr., SE, Suite 1252 (East Tower), Atlanta
Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Board Meeting: October 30, 2014 Meets at 1:00 p.m., usually on the 24th floor at 2 Peachtree St., Atlanta
Georgia Council on Aging is excited to showcase an improved website at www.gcoa.org. The redesigned site is not only more attractive but easier to navigate and more interactive. Please let us know if you have any problems in finding what you are looking for or have any suggestions.
View the July 10, 2014, CO-AGE meeting, held in Macon on the GCoA website Home Page. The April 24th meeting video continues to be posted on the CO-AGE page.
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