Division of Aging Services [Vol. 3, issue 2 (Mar. 2013)]

March 2013

Volume 3, Issue 2

Chronic Disease Self Management Education
Two statewide work sessions are slated to be held through the Chronic Disease Self Management Education Grant from The Administration on Community Living and National Council On Aging. The first of these was held on February the 4th. Partner organizations from the Aging Network, Public Health, NonProfit, For-Profit, Higher Education and Faith Based Community met to make commitments and build a multi-disciplinary team that will work to imbed evidence based chronic disease self management education programs in systems across the state. Through this grant partners will be trained as master trainers and lay leaders in programs that address multiple chronic disease, diabetes, HIV/Aids, and Tomando a translated and culturally competent version for Spanish speaking individuals. For more information:
Megan Moulding Health and Wellness Aging Services Coordinator Livable Communities Georgia Division of Aging Services 2 Peachtree Street, Suite 33.457 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-657-8787 memoulding@dhr.state.ga.us

DHS State of Georgia
Division of Aging Services
DAS Mission:
The Division of Aging Services (DAS), together with the Aging Network, and other partners, assists older individuals, at risk adults, persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers to achieve safe, healthy, independent and selfreliant lives.

Inside this issue:

Chronic Disease Self Management

1

Education

Senior Job Training: Growing Needs,

2

Shrinking Budgets

Elderly exploitation awareness in Law 2

What Do You Believe about Older

3

Adults?

Congratulations

3

Blackberry Tips

3

Volunteer Engagement in Georgia's

3

Aging Network

Congratulations to SCSEP's Outstanding 4 Host Agencies

From the Director's Office

4

Page 2

Senior Job Training: Growing Need, Shrinking Budgets
Older Americans are working longer and many feel insecure about their retirement savings. With those trends in place, a little known senior job training program is seeing a greater and greater need--but in an era of budget cuts and deficit reductions, state and local officials worry it doesn't have the funding to meet it. The program is called the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). It has been around since the Older American's Act took effect in 1965, but has always lived in the shadow of other senior-focused programs passed that year, particularly Medicare. It is overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor, but administered by state, local and non-profit entities. Here's how it works: low-income seniors (125 percent of the federal poverty level and below) seeking employment can apply. If they meet certain requirements, including being unemployed, they are placed in jobs at non-profit community organizations, typically working 20 hours a week for minimum wage. The federal government funds their paycheck, and there is a 48-month cap for participation. The goal is to teach them new skills, such as food service or office administration, and eventually move them into "unsubsidized employment" at either their SCSEP site or somewhere that can make use of their recent experience.
To read more, this article was excerpted from: http://www.governing.com/generations/government-management/gov-seniorjob-training-sees-growing-need-but-shrinking-budgets.html
For information about Georgia's participation in the SCSEP program, contact: Sharon King, Aging and Social Services Coordinator for SCSEP, 404.657.5332 shking2@dhr.state.ga.us

Elderly Exploitation Awareness in Law Enforcement

Two new video's, one for ADRC and one for CCSP can be found on our YouTube channel. Access them
here: http://www.youtube.com/user/gaddhsdas

Terminology in Law Enforcement is changing. Notice the above excerpt from a "Wanted Poster" published by the Dunwoody, GA Police Department in January,2013. Not long ago, the words "Elderly Exploitation" would have been stated as "Financial Fraud" or "Financial Exploitation", but it is clear to see that such crimes against vulnerable populations will no longer be tolerated. The Division's Forensics Special Investigations Unit, works closely with various law enforcements agencies statewide to further education on the importance of reducing abuse, neglect and exploitation of Georgia's citizens.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
--George Washington Carver

Page 3

Volume 3, Issue 2

What do you Believe about Older Adults?

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) started a nationwide campaign inquiring about "What do you believe about older adults". DAS has been very participatory in this quest, made available to us by Megan Moulding. Outside of her wall are many banners proclaiming what we believe about older Adults.

Megan then photographed each individual with their sign and sent our submissions in to NCOA. DAS is proudly displayed with our signs as part of NCOA's Cover photo on Facebook. We ask you... What do you believe about older Adults?

Congratulations

Wal-Mart Foundation helps COA start the year off right! As part of the "12 Days of Giving" holiday campaign, Wal-Mart awarded $10,000 to 10 non-profits that help senior citizens, and the SOWEGA Council on Aging was one of those organizations. "More than 3.6 million adults age 65+ live below the poverty line" Wal-Mart Foundation President Sylvia Mathews said, "Through these grants, we want to support local organizations who are helping seniors live more fulfilled and stable lives and also say `thank you' for all the wisdom and experience they've contributed." Wal-Mart received 21,677 nominations on its Facebook page for deserving non-profits in communities across the nation. The winners were selected by a panel from the Wal-Mart Foundation. Thank you Wal-Mart.

BlackBerry Tips
Purse and pocket dialing (or accidental dialing) along with an unintended international call or two, adds up to hundreds of wasted plan minutes for DAS. To avoid wasting resources follow these steps. First, use the blackberry case- this protects the bb buttons from accidentally being hit. Second use the lock button at the top of the blackberry every time you have completed the use of the phone. These steps will save time, resources and headaches.

Volunteer Engagement in Georgia's Aging Network
The latest issue of Volunteer Engagement in Georgia's Aging Network includes 1) a request for DAS to highlight your outstanding volunteers on our website, 2) terrific sample volunteer handbooks, 3) GAVA webinar news, and 4) an opportunity to get peers' feedback on your volunteer materials. Please contact Community Affairs Manager, Cynthia Haley Dunn Ph: (404) 657-1515 / Fax: (404) 657-5285 for additional information.

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DHS State of Georgia
Division of Aging Services

Two Peachtree Street 33rd Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303 1-866-55-AGING

Congratulations to SCSEP Outstanding Host Agencies
DAS hosted the 2013 SCSEP Annual Training, January 16-18, 2013, at the Stone Mountain Evergreen Marriott Conference Center. Participants included AAA SCSEP program and financial staff, AAA SCSEP sub-project staff, and out-of-state guests from SCSEP programs in Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina. On January 18, a special luncheon honored SCSEP Host Agencies--the community-based agencies that provide training and job development support for SCSEP participants.
All Host Agencies received DAS certificates of appreciation, but each SCSEP AAA was asked to nominate an Outstanding Host Agency in their service area. Six Host Agencies received a Georgia-shaped acrylic award, engraved with their agency's name as the 2013 Outstanding DAS SCSEP Host Agencies. The six award winners were Upson County Senior Center (nominated by Southern Crescent); Lowndes Middle School (nominated by Southern Georgia); Georgia Radio Reading Service (GaRRS) (nominated by ARC; Athens Habitat for Humanity (nominated by Northeast Georgia); Jasper Elementary School (nominated by Northwest Georgia); and Albany Senior Center Site 1 (nominated by SOWEGA). DAS thanks and congratulates these wonderful community organizations that provide such a vital service to Georgia's older workers. For more information on the SCSEP program, see: http://aging.dhs.georgia.gov/senior-community-service-employment-program

From the Director's Office
The Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, Doug Hooker, made the following announcement concerning the Division Manager of Aging and Health Resources in late January 2013.
"I'm pleased to announce that Kathryn Lawler has been selected as Division Manager, Aging & Health Resources. She's replacing Cathie Berger, who will retire on February 22nd. Kathryn brings a unique combination of both local and national experience in, and knowledge of, aging issues. She first came to work for ARC in 2002 as a Senior Principal Program Specialist in our Aging Services Division. In this position, she managed the development and implementation of Aging Atlanta, a partnership of community organizations and local governments, whose purpose was to prepare the metro region for the changing and increasing demands of an aging population. In 2006, she left ARC to become a consultant, providing strategic planning, project development and policy analysis to local, regional and national organizations focused on housing, long term care, transportation and community supports for the older adult population. We were fortunate to rehire her in 2009 as our External Affairs Manager, which subsequently transitioned into our Manager of Strategic Initiatives position. In this capacity, she provided leadership in identifying and executing key strategic initiatives across the agency.
Kathryn has a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Philosophy from Notre Dame University. Her considerable knowledge of our own aging program, as well as her knowledge and understanding of aging issues at a national level, will serve her well in her new position. In addition, her experience working with all divisions across ARC on various strategic issues will facilitate the continued integration of aging and health resources concepts into all aspects of ARC planning.
Please join me in congratulating Kathryn and offer her your support for her success! Also join me in wishing Cathie Berger our thanks for her years of service and best wishes for a happy, fulfilling retirement! "
Jay