Kinship chronicles, winter 2007

Inside This Issue:
Healthy Eating Tips for Kids Books that Help Grandparents and Grandchildren An Intergenerational Partnership Assist Grandparents

Winter Issue 2007

Single System of Care for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

A single system of care is afforded to grandparents though efforts of the five core Department of Human Resources ( DHR ) Division and Offices. If a grandparent walks though a Aging Services office or a Child Sup-

The new programs are as follows:
Emergency/ Crisis Intervention Services may be

older and/or disabled and make at least 160% of the poverty level.
A Monthly Subsidy Payment of $50 per
grandchild per month may be added to the monthly cash assistance check

port Services office, for example, staff will listen and refer grandparents to another DHR office based upon the grandparents needs.

through the TANF program. A grandparent must be 60 years of age or older and/or disabled and make at least 160% of the poverty level.

In addition to existing services for all grandparents, some DHR offices have created more services to assist grandparents.

used to help pay for the cost of The Childcare program
emergent needs (i.e. shelter, for low-income families will prioritize services for
utilities, school expenses, furthis population with
niture, etc). A grandparent grandchildren under five
must be 60 years of age or years old. Continued on page 3

Kinship Chronicles

Cliff's Notes

Newly Revised Fact Sheets

The second fact sheet, Medicaid and Long-

Georgetown University Long-Term Term Care, describes Medicaid's role in financCare Financing Project has released ing long-term care with a particular focus on two newly revised fact sheets pro- home and community-based services, and how viding up-to-date information on states' provision of these services may be aflong term care financing. The first, fected by the policy changes in the Deficit ReNational Spending on Long Term duction Act of 2005.

Care, looks at total spending for nursing home and home care services nationwide, in total and by

The fact sheets may be viewed/printed at the Georgetown University website, which is

major payers.

http://ltc.georgetown.edu/

Page 2

Partner's Pad " Legally Speaking"

Kinship Chronicles

Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) participated in the taping of " Legally Speaking." The taping highlighted special concerns of grandparents raising grandchildren.
The Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys works in conjunction with Clark Atlanta University to tape " Legally Speaking," which airs in the Atlanta area on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays at 11:00 a.m. on Channel 23.

With Jacqueline Bunn as the host, grandparents from various kinship care programs, and GLSP attorneys participated in the taping.
The participants discussed the different experiences of kinship care for the perspective of the relative caregiver and from an individual raised by a relative.
Wendy A. Jerkins, the Kinship Care Project Attorney with GLSP, produced the segment. The segment will air within a few weeks.

Easy and Healthy Eating Tips for Kids

1. Power Up with Breakfast
2. Grab Quick and Easy Snacks
3. Move More; Sit Less

The USDA Food and Nu- Eat a peanut butter and for fun exercise.

trition Services has an "Eat banana sandwich for a

Smart, Play Hard" cam- different breakfast.

paign. The campaign's

goal is to motivate children Grab and apple, or an

and their families to adopt orange or may other

healthy eating.

fruit for a quick treat,

Quench your thirst with water or 100% juice.
Munch on veggies, pretzels or popcorn.

Here are some of their easy tips:

Turn on the stereo and dance around the house

Mix low fat-milk or low-fat yogurt with berries for a cool shake.

Books That Can Help Grandparents and Grandchildren

Check out these books referenced in Author reaches out to teens olson, Julie. GrandLoving: Making

the Grandparents and More web- who are sad, discouraged or Memories with Your Grandchildren.

site: www.grandsandmore.com. depressed. Lots of personal 200 activities to do with grandchil-

stories from teens that dealt dren ages 0-8. Also, check out their

Cobain, Bev, R.N. When with depression .

website www.grandloving.com

Nothing Matters Anymore: A Sur-

vival Guide for Depressed Teens.

Johnson, Sue and Car-

Winter Issue 2007

Page 3

Intergenerational Partnership Assists Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Central Savannah River Area Agency on Aging

Bikes, toys, bedding, kitchen supplies, and furniture crowd the usuallybare conference room at the CSRA Regional Development Center (CSRA RDC). Upon the suggestion of Jeanette Cummings, Area Agency on Aging Director and Communities in Schools Board member, RDC employees are working with the "stay in school" network to help grandparents raising grandchildren.
One of the grandmothers, Mrs. W is 65 years old and is raising

Regional Development Center and Walton Options for Independent Living provided Christmas gifts for the entire family. Mrs. W fought back tears as she commented that this year has been particularly difficult. Mary Crawford, director of Communities in Schools of Augusta-Richmond County, states, "We believe that kids will prosper when surrounded by a caring community and working alongside caring adults."

The Area Agency on Aging program

of CSRA hope to foster communities

her two granddaughters. The girls' mother is bed

by connecting grandparents and other relative caregivers to community resources.

bound due to complications Picture: Anne Floyd (CSRA RDC Local Government from multiple sclerosis. Services Director)

Partners from the CSRA

"Our role is not
to force change, but to encourage healthy relationships"-- Irma Garcia Rose, Caregiver Support Coordinator, Grands Who Care Program

When Faced with Raising the Kids' Kids'... Relatives as
Caregivers in Chattooga County Grand's Who Care

The Grand Who Care Program, a Kinship Care Program subcontractor of Northwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging , recently had an extended article in the Summerville News regarding their program.

The newspaper explained the like. Irma Garcia Rose,

the complex issues of

was interviewed and had an

grandparents raising grand- opportunity to explain the

children such as social iso- program's goals and accom-

lation, health problems, plishments. The Grands

and depression and how Who Care currently services

the Grands Who Care pro- nearly one hundred families

gram helps grandparents in Floyd, Walker, Chattooga

address those issues, and and Gordon counties.

Continued, page 1

children in an expedited manner. for Primary Relatives in-

Single System of Care for

If there is no existing order of sup- volves certifying the grand-
port, staff will assist the grand- parent to receive 100% of

Grandparents

parent in obtaining these mon- foster care payments

ies.
Child Support Monies will be redirected to

through IMPACT training.

grandparents with physical custody of their grand- One-on-One IMPACT Training

Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services 2 Peachtree Street 9th Floor Atlanta, GA 30303
Next IssueSBuema"tmiBnelgarhTTsh"ime e

The Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services administers a statewide system of services for senior citizens, their families and caregivers. We work with other aging agencies and organizations to effectively and efficiently respond to the needs of elderly Georgians. The Division of Aging Services meets the challenge of Georgia's growing older population through continued service improvement and innovation.
The Division of Aging Services vision is to assist older Georgians in Living Longer, Living Safely, Living Well.

Tis' the Season to be Jolly.... " Granny Bo" from Project GRANDD Shares Her Joy

I was sitting here trying to think of me the chance to voice our

a way to say thank you to Project opinion, to vent how we han-

GRANDD, because just to say

dle our problems. The guests

thank you doesn't seem like

that visit are just great. The

enough. Anyone can say thanks, topics we discuss touch on

some mean it and others don't. So something that all of us are

here it goes straight from the heart. going through. We learn by

listening to each other. So

Thank you for all you and our

many times I have gone to

guest speakers whom I've had the meetings burdened down,

chance to meet, those who have ac- and after listening to others I

cepted me as an aging grandmother leave knowing that my prob- "Granny Bo's" Grandchildren

with disabilities of my own trying lems are non compared to

to make sure that the grandchildren others and that I am very blessed. I can be helped just like I am.

I am raising have every chance to learn and get an education and be able to take care of themselves.

thank God for Janice, Cheryl and Betty "Granny Bo"

Project GRANDD, and all of the

Bohanan

grandparents that make us a family.

Project GRANDD gives others and May this program continue so others