February 2009

 A Publication of The Ohio Area Agency on Aging 8
 AAA8 
Serving Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry and Washington Counties
1-800-331-2644  -  www.areaagency8.org  
 
A Program of Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District

Rick HindmanThoughts
from the Director:

Rick Hindman
 
 
At Tax Time, Seek the Benefits You Are Entitled To...
 
Things Like Free Tax Preparation Assistance and Ohio's Earned Income Tax Credit

Ohio's older adults and families may qualify for an Earned Income Tax Credit (or "EITC"). The federal program lets employees who work for low wages get a larger tax refund. The amount of money you can get back through EITC is based on your annual taxable income and the number of children in your household. 
Here are the annual earnings maximums for Tax Year 2008:
Individuals: $12,880
Individual with one child: $33,995
Individual with two or more children: $38,646
Married couple: $15,880
Married couple with one child:; $36,995
Married couple with two or more children: $41,646

Credits also change depending on how many children are in the household. The most a person with no children can receive is $438; those with one child can receive up to $2,917; those with two or more children can receive as much as $4,824. 
 
A Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (or "VITA") program exists to do this. With VITA, certified volunteers prepare returns at no cost for taxpayers of low to moderate income (generally $39,000 and below).   To find a VITA site near you, call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887. 
To learn more about the credit or find a location for help in filing your taxes, visit The Ohio Treasurer of State's Office web site or AARP's tax site locator resource.
 
From February 1 through April 15th each year, the AARP Tax-Aide program offers free one-on-one counselling, as well as assistance on the telephone and internet to help individuals prepare basic tax forms, including the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ and other standard schedules. You can search by zip code to find AARP Tax-Aide site near you.
 
ODA Seeks Great Depression-Era Stories

great depression

The Ohio Dept. of Aging (ODA) is interested in hearing stories from seniors who lived through the Great Depression. Seniors willing to share should contact: Karla Warren, Communications Chief (ODA) at 614.728.8643 or [email protected].
 
ODA is interested in hearing details such as what hardships they might have had to endure, what efforts they remember their parents going to provide for their family, and any other related information they may be willing to share.
 
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ODA AAA8 Award Winners Announced 

AAA8 region winners for the three ODA state-level Award programs have been announced. Thanks to AAA8 employees who helped promote and nominate award applicants.

2009 Elder Caregiving Awardee: (Honored in May)
Donna Sullivan, Nelsonville
 
Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame Class of 2009: (Honored in May)
Clarence Reich, Woodsfield
 
2009 Joined Hearts in Giving: (Honored Feb. 13)
Dannie & Jane Devol, Logan
Dale & Betty Hedge, Cumberland
Tony & Darlene Quails, Woodsfield 
 
  
AAA8 Supports Launch of RUOK? in Monroe County
 
Contacting an elderly person or homebound individual on a daily basis helps to reassure their well being and provides a feeling of security. The Area Agency on Aging 8 in partnership with The Monroe County Senior Center and County Council on Aging is providing a new service called the RUOK? (Are You O.K.?) program. This computerized telephone calling system is a free service available to seniors 60 and older and disabled adults.
 
Monroe_RUOK?Partnering to launch Monroe County's Are You OK? Program were (from left): Ruritan member Margaret Schumacher; Alice Piatt of the Monroe Senior Center; Jean Baldwin, Monroe County Council on Aging; Rick Hindman, Director of AAA8; Ruth Payne, Monroe County Council on Aging; Ruritan member Terry Hickman; Sheriff Chuck Black; Jean Ackerman, Monroe County Council on Aging Treasurer; Sonny Block, Monroe County Council on Aging and Ruritan member Vernon Cline.
 
The system consists of a computer, telephone, printer and the RUOK software housed at The Monroe County Sheriff's Office (provided through a grant from AAA8). The computer stores subscriber names, numbers and call times. The system automatically calls each person at a pre-determined time. When RUOK hears a voice response on the phone it delivers a short pre-recorded message. System operators monitor responses. If the RUOK subscriber does not answer after a pre-set number of call attempts, an alert is given with the emergency contact information and efforts are made to check on the subscriber's welfare.
 
The Are You OK? telephone reassurance system eases the concerns of friends and family who may find it difficult to maintain consistent, reliable contact. It also helps guarantee the independence of aging resident who live alone.

"Every day at a pre-arranged time, RUOK automatically makes computerized monitoring calls inexpensively and without interruption to normal community services," said AAA8 Director Rick Hindman. "RUOK is a great community service and we are pleased to help bring it to the residents of Monroe through key county partnerships."
 
The system is designed to check at-risk adults on a daily basis in collaboration with The Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Chuck Black. This program is not designed to replace, but to supplement, emergency response systems. Funding support for the program's telephone line was provided by The Monroe County Council on Aging and Ruritan Club, as well as AT&T. For more information call the Monroe County Senior Center at 472-1312.
Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer Visits Perry County PASSPORT Client

SchafferThe popular PASSPORT program that allows elderly Ohioans to receive less-expensive care in the comfort of their own homes is making a difference to one Perry County family.

Buckeye Hills (AAA8) Area Agency on Aging and its provider Cambridge Home Health hosted a home visit with a PASSPORT Client in Perry County. Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer took time to visit with Dannie Dyer in his home in New Lexington.

Dyer is 66 and enjoys being able to stay in the comfort of his home because of equipment and home care services provided through PASSPORT.

AAA8 Provider Meeting Rescheduled for Feb. 4

tackDue to the winter weather forecast, the Provider meeting scheduled for Wednesday January 28 was rescheduled for Wednesday, February 4 from 10am to 12 noon at the Marietta County Club.
AAA8 Provider Co-Op Organizational Meeting Hosted in January

Across rural Appalachia, the possibility for health care cooperatives will be critical in meeting current and future demand. In the fall, AAA8 providers heard from Ohio State's Cooperative Development Center. Tom Snyder, Ph.D., who shared successes from other regional cooperatives that have been developed.

To kick off 2009, provider representatives met with Snyder to develop more detailed plans on creating a cooperative for the region. Working subcommittees were established and work has begun to investigate possible grants to support the co-op.
From ODA: The Digital TV Transition
 
DTVOn Feb. 17, 2009, all full-power broadcast television stations - including local network affiliates that provide news, weather and other information - will begin broadcasting an exclusively digital signal. According to a 2007 Ohio Association of Broadcasters survey, this means more than 720,000 Ohio households - including seniors - may turn their TV on to find nothing but static.
 
What older consumers have to do to prepare for this transition depends on how they currently receive television programming.
If consumers have purchased a new television in the last 2-3 years, odds are it includes a digital tuner and it's ready for the switch. Check the owner's manual or talk to the television retailer to be sure.
If consumers currently subscribe to cable or satellite television service, they most likely don't need to do anything. The provider will ensure that consumers have the equipment necessary to continue receiving their favorite shows.
 
If consumers rely on an antenna, they may have to purchase additional equipment or services to keep their shows coming. They have three options that balance cost with ease of installation.
 
Option 1: Subscribe to Cable or Satellite.
Option 2: Purchase a converter box. Converters are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $50-250, but consumers may need to buy a separate converter for each TV in the home and additional cables or adapters. The federal government offers free $40 coupons to offset the costs. Call 1-888-DTV-2009 or visit www.DTV2009.gov for details.
Option 3: Purchase a new TV.
 
For more information, visit www.DTV.gov.
 
Facts about digital television and seniors:
  • According to the National Association of Broadcasters, nearly 20 percent of U.S. homes rely exclusively on antennas to receive free, over-the-air broadcasts. Another 15 percent have at least one antenna-connected TV. .
  • According to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, at least eight million adults nationwide rely on analog television sets and over-the-air television signals.
  • In Ohio, as many as 720,000 households of all ages are at risk of losing their TV signals if they don't act, according to the Ohio Association of Broadcasters.
  • As a group, seniors watch more TV than younger cohorts - an average of just over six hours each day among those age 55 or older, according to Nielsen surveys.

Visit AAA8 Web Site for Events

  • Buckeye Hills Executive Director: Misty Casto
  • Buckeye Hills Assistant Executive Director & Area Agency on Aging Director: Rick Hindman
  • Home Care Director: Jane Skeen, LSW
  • Communications Director: Gwynn Clifford