Good neighbor news of Georgia: helping older Georgians age successfully at home, 2008 May-June

Good Neighbor News of Georgia
Helping Older Georgians Age Successfully at Home
A Publication of the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services Maria Greene, Director
May / June 2008 (Issue #2)
Welcome to Good Neighbor News of Georgia, a networking resource for professionals and volunteers who help older adults maintain homes that are healthy, safe, affordable, and accessible. We focus on practical information to help nonprofits and civic groups, public agencies, faith communities, and caring companies increase their community impact and successfully collaborate to meet the needs of older homeowners.
What works for you? Each issue of Good Neighbor News features a success story from the field practical programs and volunteer projects that others can replicate in their communities. To submit topic suggestions, training announcements, resource development items, or other information for the July/August issue, write or call us at chdunn@dhr.state.ga.us or 404-657-8756 by June 2, 2008.
In this Issue
Features: Spotlight on Augusta, Combining youth development and aging services Resource Development: Free fundraising workshops, HUD seminar, Promotional donations Training & Networking: Reverse mortgages, Healthy homes, Tools for grassroots groups Information Sources: Assistive tech, Home modifications, State licensing, Absentee voting Aging Services & Information: About Georgia's Area Agencies on Aging
Spotlight on Augusta: Youth Volunteers Repair Homes
This summer, enthusiastic teens will repair houses for low-income older Augustans through a promising new collaboration between the youth service nonprofit Home Works of America and several Augusta organizations. The CSRA Area Agency on Aging, a division of the CSRA Regional Development Center, will join the CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Church of the Good Shepherd, Aquinas High School, and Augusta's local Home Works chapter to improve the living conditions of older adults in Augusta's neighborhoods.
Home Works of America, located in South Carolina, is a national faith-based organization that mobilizes young volunteers to provide repairs to homeowners in need. The nonprofit, which is eager to establish new affiliates, describes the chapter startup process at www.homeworksofamerica.org. To learn more about the CSRA Area Agency on Aging, visit www.csrardc.org.
Combine youth development and aging? Yes!
Incorporating young people into senior service projects not only builds character and strengthens the future of the aging services workforce.... It can also open up new partnership opportunities and funding sources for your organization. Interested in adding a youth development angle to your work? Visit the Corporation for National Service's Service Learning Clearinghouse for resources and ideas at www.servicelearning.org. Also see this helpful Southern Illinois University fact sheet on how to raise funds for intergenerational projects: http://www.siu.edu/offices/iii/Publications/funding.html.

Resource Development
Foundation Center Free Fundraising Workshops and Webinars
The Foundation Center Atlanta offers free webinars and workshops on fundraising topics such as grantseeking basics, board development, corporate giving, and the establishment of a new nonprofit. To learn more, visit http://foundationcenter.org/atlanta/at_calendar.html.
HUD 2-Day Grantwriting Seminar
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will host the "Art and Science of Grant Writing Training" in Atlanta, Georgia at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building on May 14-15, 2008 from 8:30 am 4:30 pm. The free two-day training is suitable for faith-based and/or nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local governments and individuals. First-come-first-serve registration is available on HUD's website at www.hud.gov/georgia. Seats are limited.
Donated Promotional Products
The company known as 4imprint is now accepting applications for its 2008 "one-by-one" charitable giving program. For the third year, the online and catalog promotional products retailer will award a $500 in-kind grant every business day of 2008 to a charitable organization in the United States or Canada. Donated products must be selected from the 4imprint catalogue. For more information on the application process and an annotated list of past recipients, visit http://onebyone.4imprint.com.
Training and Networking Opportunities
UGA Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners
June 23-24, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Housing and Environment Program will offer "Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners," a $50 Athens workshop that prepares educators, advocates, healthcare workers, housing professionals, and others for the "Healthy Homes Specialist" credential. Participants will learn to help consumers avoid contaminants, pests, mold, mildew, poor ventilation, and other home factors that can adversely affect health. For more information, visit http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/housing/training/healthy_home.php.
Reverse Mortgage Education
Federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loans, which are made available through HUD-approved lenders, enable adults, age 62+, to use the equity in their homes to pay for expenses such as home modification, long-term care services, and other needs. To learn more about reverse mortgages, visit these sites:
Consumer Information The National Council on Aging's "Use Your Home to Stay at Home" program and AARP's reverse mortgage education initiative offer online publications for consumers.
National Council on Aging: www.ncoa.org/content.cfm?sectionid=250 AARP: www.aarp.org/money/revmort/
Free HECM Counselor Training A 19-part version of the AARP Foundation's HUD-sponsored HECM counselor training is available at www.hecmresources.org. Click on "For Counselors" to learn more about HUD approval for agencies, qualifying exams, and live training options available (for a fee) through NeighborWorks America.

Capacity Building Tools for Groups that Serve Older Adults
Visit the Faith in Action website to download dozens of free tools to help nonprofits and faith groups build their capacity to serve the needs of older adults. Topics include fundraising plans, board involvement, communicating with legislators, soliciting individual donors, volunteer job descriptions, event management, and more. Faith in Action is an interfaith volunteer program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Visit www.fiavolunteers.org.
Information Sources
Assistive Technology Product Links
ABLEDATA (Link: www.abledata.com/) ABLEDATA provides objective information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States. ABLEDATA is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), part of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) of the U.S. Department of Education.
CENTER FOR AGING SERVICES TECHNOLOGIES (CAST) (Link: www.agingtech.org) CAST is an international coalition of more than 400 technology companies, aging-services organizations, businesses, research universities and government representatives working together under the auspices of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (www.aahsa.org). To find product lists, visit the site's "Clearinghouse" section.
Home Repair Slots Announcement
Senior Connections, a metro Atlanta nonprofit that currently has $1.5 million available in public and private home repair funds, is announcing open slots for repair projects in Cobb, Gwinnett, Fulton and DeKalb counties. Repairs average $10,000 per home, and help is available for free or on a cost-share basis, depending on a client's income. For more information, call 770-455-7602, ext. 158, or visit www.srconn.org.
Most Popular Home Modifications
What are consumers' top home modification needs? Researchers at the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification surveyed California-based home modification providers to identify the state's most pressing consumer needs. The full list is available to participants in the University of Southern California's online Executive Certificate in Home Modification. To learn more, visit www.homemods.org.
Top 12 Minor Modifications Raised Toilet Seats Handrails Grab Bars Hand-Held Showers Modified Faucets Shower Seats Slip-Resistant Flooring and Non-Skid Strips on Stairs Light Switches (large-size, glowing, two-way, and rockers) Lowered Door Viewer Modified Electrical Outlets Lever Door Handles Push Bars on Doors and Nightlights
Top 5 Major Modifications Widen doorways / hallways Construct ramps Adjust cabinet, countertop, appliance heights Add roll-in shower Make yard/garage modifications (automatic door openers, new/modified walks, etc)
Top 5 Repairs Secure loose stair railings and make other stair repairs Repair plumbing Make electrical repairs Make carpeting and/or floor repairs Eliminate exposed wiring hazards

Finding State-Licensed Professionals
Make sure that consumers select qualified professionals to assist with aging-in-place needs. Licensed professionals in a variety of related fields are listed in the Georgia Secretary of State's online license database. The tool, which is searchable by county, includes categories such as residential / general contractors, occupational and physical therapists, architects and interior designers, and more. https://secure.sos.state.ga.us/myverification/
Absentee Voting for Older Adults
A voter who requests an absentee ballot by mail is not required to provide a reason why he or she is voting absentee. (Absentee ballot requests made in person, however, require that the voter meet one of several established criteria, such as being disabled or 75+.) Absentee ballots may be requested as early as six months before an election (but not on or the day before the event). Applications are available from county board of registrars' offices or online at the link below:
Voting Information: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/voting_information.htm County Registrars: http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/registrars.asp
Aging Services & Information
Georgia Senior Homeowner's Resource Guide
Download your copy today! Visit www.aging.dhr.georgia.gov, and click on "Publications" to the left.
About Georgia's Area Agencies on Aging
Local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) can help individuals access information about thousands of resources throughout Georgia in service areas such as housing, meals, transportation, home-based assistance, and more. Georgia's aging network consists of the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Aging Services, the state's 12 Area Agencies on Aging, and cooperating organizations that provide services to individuals. Area Agencies on Aging meet the needs of diverse Georgians, such as those described here:
Older adults and persons with disabilities Family members and caregivers of people who are older or living with a disability Individuals and families who are preparing in advance for long-term care needs and/or
retirement needs Professionals in the fields of healthcare, education, social services and advocacy Businesses of all sizes that care about the ways in which aging, caregiving, and/or disabilities
may affect their employees' daily lives Friends, faith communities, and volunteers who want to make a positive difference in the lives
of older adults, caregivers, and/or people with disabilities
To find an AAA near you, call 1-866-55-AGING or visit www.aging.dhr.georgia.gov. To search for an AAA by city or county, click this direct link: http://aging.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-
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Please share this issue with interested colleagues and volunteers. If you received the publication from a contact and would like to be placed on the e-distribution list, please write chdunn@dhr.state.ga.us or call 404-657-8756. Good Neighbor News of Georgia is a publication of the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services. - Cynthia Haley Dunn