Disability Network Marks 100th Nursing Facility Transition 

Nina Chubb spent a week in the hospital before being transferred to a nursing facility. Her insurance would only cover two weeks of residency at the facility. She owned a home, but she was going to need help with day-to-day tasks after leaving the nursing facility. After all, she had broken her right hip only about a year after breaking her left hip.  

Wendy Hartman, a transition outreach specialist at DNMM, visited Nina at the nursing facility. When Nina informed Wendy of the time-sensitive nature of things, Wendy informed Cindy Martin, the transition program manager, and the process was underway.

DNMM staff worked with Nina to create an independent living plan that included, among other things, the need for a lift-chair and in-home support services through the Department of Human Services Chore program.    

"Cindy [Martin] and Wendy [Hartman] were great! They got me a lift chair within a month of me leaving the nursing home," said Nina. "Cindy delivered the chair to me herself and she even helped re-arrange my living room to make it work best for me. I'm quite happy with the services Disability Network provided."

Community transitions is one of the five core services provided by Disability Network of Mid-Michigan. Through this program we help individuals with disabilities transition from institutionalized settings, such as nursing homes, into more independent community living.  

Starting with one transition specialist, the transition program now has four transition specialists and two outreach specialists. In fiscal year 2011, DNMM transitioned 76 people out of nursing homes. DNMM has a goal of transitioning over 100 individuals in just fiscal year 2012 alone!  

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Gifts From An Eagle Scout

Ethan Thompson, 17, is a senior at HH Dow High School. He is also a Boy Scout working on completing the requirements to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting.

As part of that process, Ethan decided to design, build and donate shelving units and an office mailbox to Disability Network. The project took him about a month of planning and a few weeks to finish construction. Ethan then delivered the items to many a smile at Disability Network.  

"The new mailboxes are wonderful and receiving them was timely as we had out-grown our previous set-up several times over," said Matthew Ivan, Public Relations Coordinator at DNMM. "We have also recently brought some new members onto our staff and these new shelving units will definitely come in handy. We greatly appreciate Ethan's efforts!"

Ethan plans to study Criminal Justice at Saginaw Valley State University after graduating high school. 

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Discount Prescription Cards Available thru DNMM

Disability Network of Mid-Michigan has recently joined forces with the Tri Hope Group in order to offer a discount prescription card. Users of the card can receive discounts of up to 75 percent!  

The cards do not require activation and the may be used by anyone, whether you have insurance or not.

Participating pharmacies include: Meijer, Walmart, Walgreens, Shop Rite, Costco, Duane Reade, Kroger's, Target, CVS, Rite Aid and more!

In addition to prescription discounts, the cards may also be used for discounts on lab tests and imaging services.

If you're interested in having one of these discount cards, please contact the Disability Network Mid-Michigan office at 989-835-4041.

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DNMM Enrolls in Kroger Community Rewards Program

Attention Kroger Shoppers! Supporters of Disability Network now have an easy way to support our mission of promoting independence for people with disabilities. All it takes is a Kroger Card and a few clicks at KrogerCommunityRewards.com.

With the Kroger Community Rewards program, using your Kroger Plus card earns dollars for Disability Network programs while saving you money on your groceries! By enrolling, you allocate a percentage of what you spend as a donation to Disability Network EVERY TIME you shop! It's that easy! And, it takes nothing away from your Kroger rewards points.

If you'd like to enroll in the program to help support Disability Network, just follow these steps:

• Register online at KrogerCommunityRewards.com 
• Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy to register your card with your organization after you sign up.
• Click on Sign In/Register
• If you are a new online customer, click on SIGN UP TODAY in the 'New Customer' box.
• Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering your zip code, clicking on your favorite store location, entering your email address and creating a password. Then agree to the terms and conditions
• You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email.
• Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
• Click on "Edit Kroger Community Rewards" information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
• Update or confirm your information.
• Enter 90870 or Disability Network of Mid-Michigan, select us from the list and click on confirm.
• To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization's name on the right side of your information page.

After that, just remember to swipe your Kroger Card at the checkout line for savings on groceries and a portion of those sales will be donated to Disability Network!

If you need assistance or if you have questions about the program, please contact Matthew Ivan at 989-835-4041.

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Tuesday Toolmen in Bay County 

Is your home in need of repairs? You may qualify for United Way of Bay County's Tuesday Toolmen program, which offers FREE minor home maintenance to low income households.

Applicants purchase the materials, Tuesday Toolmen provides the labor.  The following services are offered:

 Plumbing:

• faucet leaks or replacement
• drains, toilet leaks or replacements

Electrical:

• plugs, switches, lights, bulbs
• fans and doorbells

Miscellaneous repairs:

• doors, locks
• dryer vents, filters
• porch railings and minor repairs

Tuesday Toolmen is a program created through RSVP and UW Community Services Program to address home repair issues for senior citizens, low income families and disabled adults. The objective of this program is not to remodel homes or do extensive repair work, but to help our citizens in need with simple basic repairs to their homes to make it safer and easier to maintain.    

For more information or to find out if you qualify, call 989-893-7508 ext. 17 

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