KNOWLEDGE = POWER: Especially for caregivers: Calendar of events
Hello KIRC family!
As we inch closer to winding down 2022, let me take this moment to once again say THANK YOU to all of you who are part of the KIRC tribe and supporting this effort. Also, a hearty WELCOME to our new family members who have found us here at our new home at Substack.
Today’s post offers a return to the Calendar of Events and News You Can Use updates. My goal is to regularly sift through information and news which might offer support and guidance for caregivers.
I would love to hear from any of you about this effort to learn if you find it helpful?
Do you have an upcoming agency event others should know about?
What types of information would be most valuable to you?
New Tool Helps Family Members Avoid Improper Debt Collections by Nursing Facilities
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently issued a resource for family members and caregivers of nursing home residents. Federal law prohibits nursing homes from requiring residents’ family or friends from assuming personal financial liability of residents’ expenses. Nursing homes often illegally add language to admissions contracts requiring financial liability of a family member prior to admission.
The CFPB Know Your Rights Tool includes language that caregivers should look for in nursing home contracts like holding the caregiver as a “responsible party” or “joint and severally liable.”
It also provides information on getting help with debt collections issues from a long-term care ombudsman, legal aid, state nursing home survey agencies, state attorney general’s offices, and the CFPB’s complaint process.1
*Related Resources:
Common Nursing Home Problems and How to Resolve Them
Black People More Likely to End Up in Bad Nursing Homes
CalAIM Older Adults: Upcoming Changes in 2023-Part 3
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific
Event description: Starting January 1, 2023, a number of important changes will impact the way individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal and older adults on Medi-Cal receive their health care in California.
Is It Normal Aging or Dementia?
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
6:00 PM Pacific
Online event
Hosted by: Inland Caregiver Resource Center
Event Description: When someone is diagnosed with Dementia, it can be difficult to determine when they should stop driving. This workshop will discuss signs to look for, how to handle the discussion about driving and other tips to help with this dilemma.
Caregivers’ Comfort Creations 2023 Calendar
The new year is just around the corner. Do you have your 2023 calendars yet? Keeping it REAL Caregiving has teamed up with Caregiver’s Comfort Creations to make sure you don’t miss any appointments and help support caregivers to veterans at the same time.
Check out the selection of calendar and date-books created by a woman who spent years caring for her own parents and now works to help other caregivers. Julie Cook-Downing is the mastermind behind Caregivers’ Comfort Creations.
Be sure to use the PROMO CODE: KIRC when you order!
If you missed the KIRC interview with Cook-Downing, check it out here:
California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) Request for Interest (RFI) – Community Living Fund
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
11:00 AM Pacific
Teleconference
Event description: DOR is seeking 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations to provide services to individuals with disabilities, including older adults, through the Community Living Fund Program. This program advances California’s Master Plan for Aging and No Wrong Door models by expanding the capacity of disability and aging services and programs to provide person-centered institutional transition and diversion services for people of all ages and with any type of disability who do not qualify for existing services.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Red Cross – Online Caregiver Chat
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Central
Event description: Our caregiver chats are live interactions in a text only format — all interactions are done simply by texting and/or typing your responses.
Tools you can use…
2023 AmeriCorps Seniors Workforce Development Senior Demonstration Program
Description: AmeriCorps Seniors is publishing this funding notice with the purpose of creating the AmeriCorps Seniors Workforce Development Senior Demonstration Program (herein referred to as WFD) to support projects focused on supporting older adults as they seek to secure employment in professional, skilled labor, or para-professional careers. AmeriCorps Seniors will provide new, three-year demonstration grants to applicants with innovative models to help older adults secure employment in professional, skilled labor, or paraprofessional careers.
AmeriCorps will be holding an informational session coming up January 4, 2023.
Visit here for more details and to register
Food & Nutrition
Are you a family caregiver managing a household with limited resources? You may be eligible for help through various Food & Nutrition programs provided through the U.S. Government, which offers over 270 different benefits.
Check out the Food & Nutrition category of offerings here
In case you missed it…
Keeping It REAL Caregiving Coffee Chat & Support: Mother to my Mother
In this episode, meet a professional career woman who is now juggling and navigating caring for her mother, diagnosed with dementia. She shares key ‘lessons learned’ and has crucial advice for others: do not wait until crisis hits before you begin planning.
*To see more video interviews from Keeping It REAL Caregiving visit our website and SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube Channel.
The National Strategy on Caregiving: California at the Forefront
Keeping It REAL Caregiving shared with all of you earlier this year some of the details of the new National Strategy on Caregiving.
For those of you living in California, the California Department of Aging recently hosted a webinar to dive deeper into what the National Strategy means for the Golden State.
You can watch the recorded webinar here:
In the news…
BRAVO to New York State, as the Governor recently issued an executive order establishing the New York State Master Plan for Aging!
Why is this important? Consider this:
New York has the fourth-largest population of older adults in the U.S., with 3.2 million New Yorkers -about 16 percent of the population -over 65. New York’s population of those over the age of 60 is projected to grow to 5.3 million by 2030 with those over eighty years of age exceeding 1.2 million.
To learn more about New York’s MPA click here
Have a great week ahead. I would love to hear from some of you about your caregiving realities AND if you have tips or tricks you think could help others, feel free to share!
Until next time~
Julia
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