Project HOPE Stays Afloat in Boulder, Colo.; Offers Fiscal, Physical Help for Seniors According to a recent article by the Associated Press (September 19, 2004), the program, which combines the efforts of the Boulder County Housing Authority, the Boulder County Aging Services Division and the nonprofit Aging Services Foundation, gives recipients housing vouchers and funding for services such as transportation, housekeeping and meal preparation. According to Pat Critchfield, client services coordinator for the Aging Services Foundation, the program can make a big difference for seniors who would otherwise not be able to remain in their communities "because their resources would not match their needs." To be eligible for Project HOPE, an applicant must be at least 62 with an annual income of less than $30,450 and need assistance with daily activities and housing. The program can serve only 50 people at a time because there are a limited number of housing vouchers. Currently, the waiting list is six months to one year. For more information, read the complete article in the Denver Post. back to top Volunteers of America Improves Housing for Low Income Seniors in Ft. Collins Volunteers of America recently showcased its new Sanctuary Apartment housing complex for low-income seniors at a grand opening in Ft. Collins, Colo. The 59-unit Sanctuary Apartment complex represents one of Volunteers of America's first efforts in the Ft. Collins area to provide quality, affordable housing for low-income seniors. Each unit in the complex has its own entrance to the outdoors, and all units are wheelchair accessible and equipped with emergency pull cords so that residents can get help if needed. Residents must be 62 years of age or older, and the rent is based on the level of income. The complex is one of 15 facilities owned and operated by Volunteers of America in Colorado. Nationally, the organization owns and operates more than 200 affordable housing communities in 31 states that are home to more than 20,000 people. Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually based organization that provides local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement. For more information about the Sanctuary Apartment housing complex or the Volunteers of America, read the complete press release. back to top Helping Seniors in Times of Trauma As Hurricane Ivan pummeled the U.S. Gulf Coast last week, many were reminded of the importance of having systems in place to ensure senior safety in times of a disaster. According to a recent article in News-Medical.net (September 16, 2004), older people are much more likely to suffer in a disaster. "Many are shut-ins and have no way to get help. In addition, older people worry about disasters more than younger people," said John Morley, M.D., director of the division of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University. "We've done research on first responders and on children. But the most vulnerable population in case of disaster is the frail elderly. While every child has a responsible adult to take care of them, most frail elderly are their own most responsible adults," added Nina Tumosa, Ph.D., professor of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Some older adults live alone and are more dependent on services, such as meals or home health care, brought in from the outside. A disaster can play havoc with whether service providers can continue to offer the assistance many seniors depend upon. Saint Louis University and the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) at St. Louis Veterans Medical Center have received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create a teaching tool that reminds health care providers of the special attention they need to give frail elders in case of a disaster. The idea behind the tool is "to get everyone thinking and make sure our frail elders continue to receive the special help they need," Tumosa says. To learn more, read the complete article. back to top ExperienceSeniorPower.com Helping Seniors Get Online A growing number of older Americans are discovering the Internet, according to a recent article by the Associated Press (Sarah Karush; September 11, 2004). Across the country, programs have sprouted at senior centers and libraries to help people master the Internet, which advocates say is an important tool for seniors trying to overcome isolation and stay independent. In a new spin on those efforts, Michigan entrepreneur Tony Fama is helping seniors go online in the comfort of their homes with their own families in the role of instructor. Fama says he hopes his workbook and website, ExperienceSeniorPower.com, will help make the Internet something that links generations, rather than divides them. According to Fama, who worked as a social program director in a nursing home, ExperienceSeniorPower.com is the only structured computer program in the country that relies on kids to do so much of the teaching. Seniors can follow a step-by-step curriculum that introduces them to computers, email and the internet. A recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed that the percentage of people 65 and older using the Internet jumped 47 percent between 2000 and 2004. However, the technology gap remains wide; just 22 percent of seniors go online, compared with 77 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds, the study found. The main obstacles to Internet use among the elderly are lack of access, lack of skills and intimidation, according to V.J. Pappas, chief operating officer of Philadelphia-based Generations on Line, a nonprofit that provides Internet self-training software to libraries, senior centers and senior homes. Pappas adds that the Internet is important not only for enhancing independence and connecting people to the world, but also as an economic issue. Often the best deals on air travel and hotels are online, and the new Medicare prescription drug cards are easy to obtain online, while doing so by phone or mail can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Currently, ExperienceSeniorPower.com has about 6,000 members in the Detroit area, most of whom are part of an organized class, and about 1,500 in 17 other states who are at-home subscribers. For more information, read the complete article, or visit the ExperienceSeniorPower.com website. back to top Celebrate "National Employ Older Workers Week 2004" with the U.S. Administration on Aging and the U.S. Department of Labor Persons in America aged 65 and older represent one of the highest labor force participation rates in the developed world, according to the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA). This is just one sign of the changing patterns in retirement among the nation's 78 million baby boomers, and this trend is expected to result in an unprecedented number of mature workers participating in the workforce of the 21st century. One way to introduce employers to the benefits of employing older workers is by celebrating National Employ Older Workers Week September 19-25. National Employ Older Workers Week was initiated by the American Legion during post World War II. The week is set aside to encourage activities that recognize the important participation of older workers in the American labor market. For more information on National Employ Older Workers Week, visit the AoA website. back to top Reverse Mortgages Get Attention among Older Homeowners A recent article by the Associated Press (Adam Geller; September 18, 2004) highlights a growing trend among older homeowners - reverse mortgages. A reverse mortgage is an arrangement that allows seniors to borrow against the equity in their homes. They give seniors ready access to money without having to make monthly payments, and the loan doesn't have to be repaid as long as they continue to live in the house. Reverse mortgages are still largely unknown to many seniors, but they are gaining in popularity. The number of federally-insured reverse mortgages has risen from fewer than 8,200 in 2001 to 21,600 last year. Lenders are interested in the potential for an even larger market as millions of baby boomers, less skeptical than their parents about relying on debt, approach their 60s. Reverse mortgages stem from a 1987 Congressional vote to start a government-backed loan program to let older homeowners more easily tap the equity in their homes. Borrowers must be at least 62 to participate. Reverse mortgages have been slow to catch on among seniors who are wary of being scammed, fearful that such a loan might mean forfeiting their homes and reluctant to depend too much on borrowed cash. Drawbacks include substantial fees, which are not always readily visible because they're built into the loan itself. The amount of cash available to homeowners can also vary greatly, depending on their age, the value of their home, where they live and fluctuations in interest rates. However, positive word-of-mouth among seniors and economic uncertainties of the past few years have provided particularly strong incentives for many seniors. Seniors considering a federally insured reverse loan, called a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, are required to discuss it with a counselor. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) maintains a list of all counselors, and AARP has its own list. Both websites feature calculators to give seniors an idea of how much money they'd be able to borrow. For more information, read the complete article. back to top American Society on Aging Invites Submission for 2005 Best Practices in Human Resources and Aging Competition The National Institute on Human Resources and Aging of the Brookdale Center on Aging of Hunter College, in collaboration with the American Society on Aging (ASA), is seeking to identify innovative human resource programs and practices among agencies in the area of health and human services, particularly those in the aging network. The organizations sponsor an annual Best Practices in Human Resources and Aging Competition to identify and present innovative programs to a national audience. The major areas of interest are recruitment, staff development and supervisory/ management practices that are replicable by other organizations. This year's submission deadline is October 15, 2004. Winners will receive the American Society on Aging Award for Best Practices in Human Resources and Aging, presented at the Fifth National Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging and The National Council on the Aging in Philadelphia, Pa., March 10-13, 2005; a complimentary conference registration; and one night's hotel accommodation. To learn more about the awards, including best practices of previous award winners, visit ASA's award website at www.asaging.org/awards. back to top Senior Center without Walls Connects Alameda County Elders by Phone An innovative new program for homebound seniors in Alameda County aims to connect them in spirited, friendly conversation - entirely by phone. According to a recent article in the Alameda Times-Star (September 19, 2004), the Senior Center Without Walls (SCWW) will begin in October. Isolated seniors can now sign up for the free program, which operates through telephone conference calls with other seniors. The conference calls are easy to dial into and are paid for by SCWW. The program may be ideal for seniors who don't participate in senior centers and adult day health care programs because they have difficulty with transportation or they prefer to stay in their own familiar, comfortable surroundings. SCWW will enable otherwise isolated seniors to enjoy shared experiences with their peers as well as get feedback and support. Conversation topics include a humor group, reminiscence, senior support, bingo, brain aerobics, ballot issues discussion, musical theater of the 1930s and a book discussion group. Other potential sessions are health education, language clubs, holiday celebrations, intergenerational storytelling, armchair traveling, sing-alongs and worship services. SCWW is sponsored by Senior Resources at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Oakland and will be supplemented by grants and donations. All teachers and group leaders are volunteers. To learn more, read the complete article. Interest seniors should call Terry Englehart, the program's creator, at (510) 444-0243 for a schedule of upcoming classes and groups or to register. back to top Boomerang Kids, Aging Parents Changing Housing Needs for Boomers A recent study conducted by Del Webb that shows many baby boomers anticipating empty nests can also expect that the nests won't be empty long. According to the 2004 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey, 25 percent of the boomers polled anticipate their adult children will move back in with them, a pattern known as "boomeranging." Currently, more than 25 percent of Americans ages 18 to 34 live with their parents, according to U.S. Census figures, a number that is expected to grow. Additionally, boomers may also choose to house their aging parents who are no longer able or willing to live on their own, making them a "sandwich generation." These changing dynamics are expected to impact boomer housing needs. The survey found that those who may face both the boomerang and sandwich generation phenomena are interested in communities that can help them accommodate these changes. Baby Boomers (ages 40- 58) are more than twice as likely as those aged 59-70 to prefer an active adult community that is part of a multigenerational development. For more information, read the complete press release . back to top Bay-Area Boomers Flocking to Sacramento's Active-Adult Communities A recent article in the Sacramento Business Journal (Anne Gonzales; August 13, 2004) gives a specific example of the growing popularity of active adult communities among younger boomers, a trend noted in the 2004 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey. According to the article, boomers are flocking from the Bay Area to greater Sacramento, largely due to the area's active adult communities. As the youngest of the boomer generation turns 40 this year, studies show that one out of four of the 27 million Americans aged 40 to 45 will consider buying a home in an active-adult community. According to John Schleimer, head of Market Perspectives in Roseville, Calif., the Sacramento area is becoming known as a retirement community, thanks to boomers moving to escape crowded urban areas, or to get closer to grandkids and the outdoors. Younger boomers are also finding that the age-restricted developments offer various amenities they enjoy, such as classes, exercise programs, golf and social activities. About a half dozen active-adult communities have been built or are in development in greater Sacramento. Using census and mortgage data, Schleimer expects to see demand for 1,800 to 2,000 more active-adult units a year in the Sacramento region through 2010. That number could jump another 33 percent, however, when considering those who haven't considered pre-retirement or retirement homes in Sacramento - prospective buyers with perhaps children, grandchildren or friends living in the area. To learn more, read the complete article. back to top | 
