Agency Meetings & Activities in February

GWAAR Leadership Institute

Jane Gross 

2012 Aging Network Conference

Health Promotion  

Staff:  Janell Keeter, Jill Ballard, Lyndsay DeKeyser, Pam VanKampen, Valeree Lecey

Common Acronyms: 
EBPP - Evidence-Based Prevention Program

SO - Stepping On

LW - Living Well

FCS - Fidelity Coaching Session
CAARN - Community Academic Aging Research Network

ICTR - Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

March Activities: 

The team participated in two Prevention Summit Planning Committee conference calls.

The team held two statewide conference calls regarding the changes to III-D (effective March 31, 2012, III-D funds can only be used for EBPPs).

The team participated in an EBPP Coordinating Committee conference call.

Jill Ballard assisted in training two new Med-Wise leaders in Portage County as part of her work with the Community-Academic Aging Research Network (CAARN) project.  She also assisted in getting four CAARN proposals submitted for UW-Madison ICTR funding.  In addition, Jill worked with Anne Hvizdak (EBPP statewide coordinator) to secure speakers and develop the agenda for the upcoming Prevention Summit.

Janell Keeter, Lyndsay DeKeyser, and Valeree Lecey viewed a webinar titled, "Prevention Funding for Healthy Aging Programs."

Lyndsay DeKeyser conducted a SO FCS and, along with Anne Hvizdak, provided technical assistance to two newly-trained LW leaders.  In addition, she and Betsy Abramson (WIHA Deputy Director) conducted an EBPP listening session in Appleton.

Pam VanKampen conducted a LW FCS and attended the LW/SO Focus Group in Eau Claire.

Valeree Lecey and Anne Hvizdak facilitated a SO FCS meeting in Madison for eight FCs, including Janell and Lyndsay.  In addition, she conducted a LW FCS and a SO FCS.   Valeree continues to work on Elderly-Center for Health Enhancement System Studies (E-CHESS) activities and also  continues to work on developing the Spanish-language version of SO along with Dr. Mahoney and partners in the Hispanic community. 

Valeree provided a SO leader training in Bismarck, North Dakota, to 18 individuals allowing them to disseminate the program throughout their state.

Learn more about GWAAR's health promotion activities or visit the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging. 

Staff:  Claire Culbertson, Lyndsay DeKeyser, Janell Keeter, Jane Mahoney   

March Activities: 

The team is part of the NFCSP Training Planning Committee and had a conference call on March 5.  Speakers are confirmed for the four trainings; the morning speaker will focus on the Mental Health Needs of Family Caregivers. Afternoon sessions will include discussion groups related to Creative Ways to Use NFCSP Funds, Working with Families That Have Significant Issues, Caregiver Coalitions: Best Practices & Projects, and Supporting Grandparents & Relative Caregivers. 

The team attended the American Society on Aging (ASA) Conference in Washington, D.C., (March 28-April 1) and presented a workshop titled, "Coalitions: The Wave of the Future in a Poor Economy." The Caregiver Coalition RFP process was reviewed with a discussion about the 29 caregiver coalitions that have received funding since 2009.

Claire Culbertson and Jane Mahoney presented a poster related to the current Share The Care Project, sponsored by GWAAR, with the goal to establish Share The Care Stations and train Station Managers throughout Wisconsin.

Janell Keeter is part of the State Alzheimer's Conference Committee which meets regularly to plan the May 6-8, 2012, conference in Wisconsin Dells.  Janell also serves on the Scholarship Committee.  

Lyndsay DeKeyser and Lynn Gall (DHS) had a phone meeting with staff from the ADRC of Eau Claire County regarding the Alzheimer's Family Caregiver Support Program (AFCSP) which they will now administer. 

Claire Culbertson is working with several counties to offer a telephone support group for family caregivers. Kathy Hinks (ADRC of Kenosha County) and Siv Goulding (volunteer) will co-facilitate the group. Meetings begin on June 12 and run through November.  AARP Wisconsin will offer their toll-free telephone line for this purpose. 

Claire, with the assistance of Matt Culbertson Media, created a video to highlight the role of a Share The Care Station Manager in helping families or friends start a caregiver group to assist someone in need.  

Learn more about GWAAR's Family Caregiving activities or visit wisconsincaregiver.org  

Veterans' Programs

Veteran Self-Directed Program/  

The Veterans' Self-Directed Program currently has 25 veterans enrolled with 17 on the waiting list.

March Activities:

Staff continues to work on a process improvement project (NIATx)  to decrease errors made by providers and participants submitting their time sheets for payment for services. Results are being analyzed and a final report will be out soon.

Staff has started the program evaluation process and have contracted with the Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc.  The evaluations are scheduled to be completed in September 2012.

AoA Alzheimer's Innovations Grant

Veterans Caregivers Connections (VCC)
Staff:  Lisa Drouin 

The VCC Program's goal is to create a dementia- capable system with efficient referral processes that reduces family caregiver burden and delays nursing home placement for veterans with dementia.

March Activities:

Staff continues to hold caregiver programs and workshops and are referring and enrolling veterans and their families into additional programming opportunities.

A DVD to educate veterans and their caregivers on ADRCs and how they can provide assistance has been completed and is on YouTube and the accompanying brochure is available through the GWAAR website. Copies of both the DVD and the brochure are available together as a toolkit for distribution. The toolkits are being distributed to all Wisconsin counties and ADRCs, Veteran Service Offices, and other places throughout the state where veterans gather.

Staff has scheduled two caregiver events to be held May 21 and 22 to provide education to caregivers of veterans with dementia, as well as caregivers to other individuals with dementia. The event on May 21 will take place in Brookfield at the Brookfield Suites Hotel and Convention Center. The event on May 22 will take place at the Racine Marriott.

Learn more about GWAAR's veteran program activities by contacting Lisa Drouin or Bonnie Buhrow   

Medicare Education & Counseling

Staff: Peg Nugent (Statewide Medicare Trainer and Counselor and MIPPA Coordinator), Jane Mahoney (Eau Claire, Clark, and Dunn Counties), Debbie Bisswurm (Waukesha County)

March Activities:   

Peg Nugent participated in three conference calls and two meetings of the Virtual PACE Stakeholder's Advisory Committee, striving to understand how the Wisconsin Medicare-Medicaid integration project shares features and concerns with those being devised elsewhere in the country. 

Peg coordinated and conducted a Hispanic Outreach Summit to focus on targeting, cultural competency, best practices, and capacity-building to reach the growing population of Spanish-speaking Medicare beneficiaries in the state. 

Peg provided analysis of the targets for minority outreach in Milwaukee to the SHIP Director, Rita Cairns, and was asked by Rita to coordinate ongoing efforts by various agencies to enhance Medicare counseling and educational services to African-Americans in Milwaukee County and Hispanics in Southeastern Wisconsin. Peg also reported to the Medicare Task Force on MIPPA successes and on SHIP coordination outreach efforts in Milwaukee. 

Jane Mahoney has been setting up "The ABC's of Medicare" presentations at hospitals, community centers, and senior apartments in Clark, Dunn, and Eau Claire Counties. The presentations are geared toward people who are nearing age 65 and will include information on Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help, and Preventive Services. Many of these presentations are being scheduled in the afternoon and evening hours to accommodate working seniors. 

Jane has also been creating additional "placemats" (that highlight Medicare information) to be used at churches, dining sites, and community meal sites. 

Debbie Bisswurm continued to update the Medicare Resource Kits that are located throughout Waukesha County with the most current Medicare materials including the MIPPA brochure and the LIS/MSP & SeniorCare sheet reflecting the new income limits. 

She met with staff at food pantries and libraries to review Medicare materials and discuss presentations and/or other outreach opportunities at those locations. Debbie also met with the coordinators of senior programs at four local churches regarding the Medicare outreach. 

Debbie began developing a manual that will be used to help seniors navigate the Medicare Plan Finder on the Medicare.gov website. Once completed, this manual will be provided to the reference desks at all libraries in Waukesha County.  It will also be available on the GWAAR website.

Learn more about GWAAR's Medicare Education & Counseling services.  

Volunteerism   

Staff:  Janell Keeter & Lyndsay DeKeyser 

March Activities:

The team distributed a National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) funding opportunity to aging unit directors and volunteer county contacts titled, "What's Working: Effective Practices." The National Resource Center for Engaging Volunteers in the Aging Network is soliciting effective practices within volunteer programs and overall effective engagement of volunteers. 

The team attended sessions related to volunteerism at the American Society on Aging (ASA) Conference in Washington, D.C., in March. 

The team is working on the volunteer recognition portion of the Prevention Summit, which will be held June 12-13 in Neenah.

Learn more about GWAAR's Volunteerism activities.

SAMS/SAMSIR  

Staff: Carrie Kroetz

March Activities:

Carrie Kroetz met with staff at the Bureau of Aging & Disability Resources (BADR) regarding the GWAAR region Title III E - Caregiver National Aging Program Information System (NAPIS) numbers.  The group discussed discrepancies in past reporting and addressing problems for future reporting.  

Carrie and Carl Nelson (BADR) visited the Wolf River ADRC in Shawano to assist them with SAMSIR training.

Carrie attended a training by John Schnabl for new commission on aging members in Sawyer County.

Carrie met with the nutrition director in Milwaukee County to assist in correcting errors in SAMS and providing better NAPIS/National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) reporting.

Learn more about SAMS/SAMSIR activities.

Staff:  Carrie Porter

Key Issues:  

The Wisconsin State Legislature established the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission as part of the 2011-13 budget to examine issues related to the future of transportation finance in Wisconsin. All are encouraged to provide testimony in-person at these meetings or in writing as to the importance of transportation services for older adults. Talking points can be found on the GWAAR website. Two public hearings remain:

Appleton - April 26

Eau Claire - May 31

Nationally, we continue to watch the SAFETEA-LU reauthorization, the surface transportation act which funds roads and bridges as well as all transit and specialized transportation services. Although a bipartisan bill passed the Senate, the House did not pass a new bill prior to the expiration date of March 31.  A three-month extension was passed which will expire on June 30, 2012, so we will continue to track the bills coming from the House and Senate. For up-to-date information about these bills and other related information, visit Reauthorization Central, a webpage of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAAA).

March Activities:

Carrie Porter continues to monitor and provide assistance and updates on the Medicaid (MA) transportation brokerage. Recent issues include receipt of denial letters from LogistiCare. This is a requirement of the contract between LogistiCare and DHS. All members who are denied service should receive notice in writing which includes their right to appeal. DHS received confirmation from CMS that transportation for veterans going to VA facilities are not in the state Medicaid plan, therefore are not covered by LogistiCare. DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs continue to discuss how to provide these trips.

The next LogistiCare Advisory Council meeting will be on June 7 in Milwaukee. One of the topics for discussion will be the change to the meals and lodging policy for MA members. If you would like to provide feedback on this topic, please contact Carrie or another member of the advisory council.

Learn more about  GWAAR's Transportation-related activities and technical assistance.

Emergency Preparedness  

Staff: Jayne Mullins, Carrie Porter

March Activities:

The E-Team is organizing web links for an emergency preparedness page on the GWAAR website. This page is anticipated to be active by the end of April.

Jayne Mullins and Carrie Porter attended the 45th Annual Governor's Conference on Emergency Management and Homeland Security in Appleton on March 15-16. Some of the sessions attended include information on wind disasters, using social media for disaster messaging, assessing functional needs in specific populations in emergency shelters, considerations for pets in disaster situations, and much more.  Each speaker had different experiences, but common threads throughout the conference included the crucial role of local planning and individual readiness plans, practicing preparedness skills, and the importance of partnership development and collaboration before a disaster occurs. Find more information about conference presentations and topics.  

For more information about emergency preparedness, contact Jayne Mullins or Carrie Porter.  

Legal Services/Elderly Benefit Specialist Program  

March Activities: 
Sandy Martin completed the contract with Employment Resources Inc. (ERI) for Elderly Benefit Specialist (EBS) Supervising Attorneys to develop online training modules. 

Bob Kellerman, John Schnabl, and Sandy had regular calls with SeniorLAW--a legal services provider in Milwaukee--to discuss logistics for supervision of  the Legal Services program.    

As one of her goals for 2012, Sandy visited one EBS in March with plans to visit each county in the GWAAR service area this year.    

Learn more about GWAAR's activities in the area of Legal Services 

Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) 

Staff:  Mike Glasgow, Pam VanKampen

March Activities:

Regional Nutrition Director meetings are underway with two held in March; the first, in Sawyer County on March 28 and the second in Menomonie County on March 29.  

GWAAR staff are involved in planning for the Wisconsin Association of Nutrition Directors' (WAND) 40th Anniversary Celebration and Training to be held May 17- 18 in Stevens Point. Find more information

The second issue of the Nutrition News You Can Use quarterly newsletter was sent out in March with a new electronic format, thanks to the assistance of Kris Krasnowski.  The feedback has been very positive!  Take a look

Pam VanKampen attended a Nutrition Advisory Council meeting in Sawyer County to share an overview of the ENP and to seek input and challenge them to think big picture as we move to revitalize the Nutrition Program.  

Elder Abuse  

Staff:  Jayne Mullins

Jayne Mullins has been working with Sarah Cowen to finalize a two-day intensive training for 32 elder abuse social workers to be held April 26-27 in Neenah.   This is the third year GWAAR has collaborated with San Diego State University to pilot Adult Protective Services (APS) trainings for newer social workers in Wisconsin. The pilot training, partially funded by a Department of Justice grant, is being developed as a best practice model.

Jayne is working with GWAAR's fiscal department to evaluate the PSA's final 2011 Elder Abuse Direct Services reports and make preparations to reallocate remaining funds to counties with excess expenditures.  

Jayne attended a Department of Health Services (DHS) Northern Regional elder abuse/APS roundtable held in Rhinelander on March 23 for area elder abuse and APS social workers. These meetings provide updates as well as allow for social workers to discuss case specifics and gain input from colleagues on case resolution.

Learn more about GWAAR's activities  in the area of elder abuse and Adult Protective Services