September 30, 2011
Greetings from the Secretary
Greetings Everyone,
This week I had an opportunity to visit with the Berks County Office of Aging. The day began
with an opportunity to address the Community Partnership. Members of the Berks County Office
of Aging team and representatives of community organizations form the private and public sectors
attended. The presentation and discussion which followed focused on the role of Area Agencies on
Aging and the potential of community collaboration.
Following the Community Partnership meeting the Berks County (ADRC Aging and Disabilities
Resource Center) Link was launched. The ADRC are practical demonstrations of community
collaboration which results in a ‘no wrong door’ access to information and assistance. Berks Link
will partner with community providers and businesses to assist individuals over 60 or anyone with
a disability in obtaining needed services. It is predicted in the future the common ground and
strengths found in these collaborations will become a resource to enable the design and delivery of
care systems in our communities.
Here at the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and the Department of Public Welfare’s Office of
Long Term Living, Joyce O’Brien, Director of the Bureau of Community Development
(joyobrien@pa.gov , 717-772-0205) and Marybeth Famulare (c-mfamular@pa.gov, 717-783-4502),
Project Manager ADRCs are available to answer any questions and serve as a resource.
The visit also included lunch with the citizens of Reading who attend the Family First Resource
Center. Here, dedicated staff, volunteers and attendees gather for activity and nutrition. The
Center serves participants from the African American community and is open to all. It extends its
mission through a monthly food pantry and home cooked meals. I also visited La Casa de la
Amistad Hispanic Senior Center which serves a vibrant active gathering place for citizens of
Reading from the Hispanic and Latino communities. Volunteers were honored for their service,
some for longer than 20 years.
I am sure the day could be replicated in communities across the Commonwealth. The Area
Agencies on Aging, providers and others come together in our communities to provide information,
reduce isolation, provide nutrition, and enliven communities inclusive of diversity. If you would
like to share something that is working in your community, you are welcome to contact me at
bduke@pa.gov.
A thank you is extended to all with the Berks County Office of Aging, Commissioners of Berks
County and the representatives of the community organizations of Berks for a great day and more
importantly for the collaboration which meets the needs of the citizens of Berks County.
As a member of the Governor’s Recovery Task Force, I am continuing to participate in a daily
conference call with Lt. Governor Cawley, representatives from PEMA, FEMA and other state
agencies to still respond to those in need of disaster recovery relief. At this time, the disaster
recovery centers (DRC) have been set up in counties most hard hit by flooding and staffing is being
provided to address needs. The Department is continuing to partner with the AAAs, our
Ombudsman and APPRISE volunteers and annuitants to provide staffing coverage for the centers,
which are open seven days a week between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Volunteers are welcome to
help staff the DRCs throughout the state. If you wish to volunteer ore are award of volunteers,
please call 717-783-6873.
For those of you who are not in affected areas, please consider reaching out to neighboring areas
which may have been impacted and offer your assistance.
Thank you to those who have worked and are working at the DRCs to provide support and
information to our fellow citizens. Jack Vogelsong is leading the disaster recovery efforts here at
the PDA/OLTL. He can be reached by calling 717-772-0371 or email at jvogelsong@pa.gov.
Additionally, if you are experiencing an issue that is related to disaster recovery, please call me.
My cell phone number is 717-307-0619.
Have a good weekend.
Brian Duke
Secretary
Disaster Recovery Resources
Please note there are many resources available to those who need assistance during this time of
recovery from flooding. Resources available:
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.fema.gov 1-800- 621-FEMA
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) www.pema.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Department of Aging www.aging.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Department of Health www.state.health.pa.us
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare www.dpw.state.pa.us
People may visit any DRC regardless of where they live or work. To register for assistance
online visit: DisasterAssistance.gov; the screens will prompt people registering through the
process.
PLEASE NOTE:
Housing is the major existing problem resulting from flooding. The Department of
Community and Economic Development is asking homeowners, who might have
available housing or landlords who might have vacant units to please consider listing
these property(s) on the PA Housing Search site: http://pahousingsearch.com or call
877-428-8844.
Our Team Here at PDA and OLTL
There are a few announcements relating to our team here at the Pennsylvania Department of
Aging and Office of Long Term Living.
I join with Secretary Gary Alexander in announcing that Bonnie Rose, who many of you know as
the former Director of the Bureau of Provider Supports, will join us as the Acting Deputy
Secretary, Long Term Living effective Monday October 3, 2011. Bonnie will be Acting until the
completion of senior level position processing then will be named Deputy Secretary. Our thanks
are extended to Kevin Hancock and Mike Hale who served as Acting Deputy Secretary, Long Term
Living during this period of transition.
Kevin Hancock will join the Pennsylvania Department of Aging as Director, Office of Community
Services and Advocacy and serve in a Chief of Staff capacity. Kevin brings his dedication and
professional expertise in project management and systems design to the position and it is good to
have him join our team.
Mike Hale will return to his position as Director of the Bureau QMMA.
Evelyn Chianelli has joined the Pennsylvania Department of Aging as a Special Assistant to fill
the role previously held by David Gingerich. Prior to joining the Pennsylvania Department of
Aging, Evelyn served in progressively responsible research assistant positions with the Legislative
Office for Research Liaison.
Medicare Open Enrollment
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!
This year, Medicare annual enrollment dates have changed.
Annual enrollment is October 15th – December 7th 2011.
Information on open enrollment is available at www.state.pa.us or contact Darlene Sampson at
717-772-0201 or email at bsampson@pa.gov to obtain resources, inform us of any needs related to
open enrollment or ideas on how to get the word out and help Pennsylvania navigate the open
enrollment process. Our APPRISE program is a great resource for older adults to receive free
health insurance/Medicare counseling. APPRISE counselors are specifically trained to answer
each person’s questions relating to Medicare. Please refer to the Department’s website listed
above for locations where APPRISE informational events are being presently offered.
Bureau of Advocacy, Protection and Education
PEER Recognition Day
PEER Recognition Day activities will be held at the Holiday Inn, Grantville on October 5, 2011
from 10:00 am -1:30 pm. The event will honor approximately 300 PEER volunteers for their
efforts in speaking for those older adults who cannot speak for themselves. The PEER
(Pennsylvania’s Empowered Expert Resident) program encourages residents and nursing facility
staff to work together to address concerns of individuals and groups. The PEER program trains
resident advocates to work with facility, staff and residents to enhance the quality of care and
quality of life for their peers. The project is part of the department’s Ombudsman Program.
For more information on the program contact Bob McNamara at rmcnamara@pa.gov or visit
http://www.aging.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/advocacy_%28ombudsman%29/19389
Guardianship – House Bill 1720
On September 28, 2011, the House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee held an informational
meeting to discuss House Bill 1720, sponsored by Chairman, Tim Hennessey. This legislation, also
known as the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act
(UAGPPJA), is intends to ensure only one state will have jurisdiction over a guardianship
proceeding at any one time.
Participants at the meeting included representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging,
AARP, Alzheimer’s Association, Public Policy Coalition, PA Bar Association and PA Association of
Elder Law Attorneys, Temple Institute on Protective Services and PA Board of Commissioners on
Uniform State Laws. Participants presented information regarding their experiences with cases
when petition for guardianship is filed in more than one state. They spoke about the practical
application of the proposed legislation and how the adoption of a uniform guardian law will benefit
the public. Currently, 29 states and the District of Columbia have adopted similar legislation.
Testimony from the participants favorably supported the proposed legislation, including the
comments by the Department. In addition, the Department’s s Bureau of Advocacy, Protection
and Education stressed the importance of the ensuring that proposed legislation is consistent with
current law and will be working with the committee to address their concerns.
The House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee is expected to vote on House Bill 1720 at its
next meeting on October 4, 2011. If you have any questions on this legislative matter, please
contact Kelly O’Donnell, Legislative Director, kelodonnel@pa.gov
Solicitor Training
The Institute on Protective Services held their first Solicitor training on September 27, 2011. The
training was designed to focus on the role of the AAAs and their attorneys in assisting clients to
recover lost assets.
Also, an administrative overview was provided by Secretary Duke. There were over 18, 103
allegations of abuse in FY 09-10, but a decrease in the number of reports that went on for
investigation. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging looks forward to working with the solicitors
as we develop initiatives across state agencies, revise the Older Adult Protective Services Act and
build on the strong foundation established by the Protective Service and Guardianship Committee,
as well as streamlining reporting and referral processes.
The Hon. Tim Hennessey, Chair of the House Aging and Older Adult Services provided an
overview of the House committee and a legislative update. Over 40 solicitors from across the state
participated in the training. Feedback from the attendees was very favorable and plans are
underway to develop similar programs. For more information, visit:
http://www.instituteonps.org/training/
Bureau of Individual Support
On September 27, 2011, The Office of Long Term Living (OLTL) received approval from the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid of the COMMCARE waiver amendment to unbundle
Residential Habilitation Services and Structured Day Habilitation Services (which is also placed in
the OBBRA waiver). Additionally, OLTL received approval of new rate methodology for new
service definitions.
Other Announcements:
Pennsylvania Department of Aging received AoA Grant
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging was notified this week of approved for a grant from the
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, for $100,000 to assist with
disaster relief in areas of the state declared by President Obama. This money will be used in the
21 counties of the Commonwealth that were declared disaster areas resulting from Hurricane
Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The Department intends to use these funds in assisting AAAs in
their recovery operations and for caregiver respite.
House Appropriations Committee Releases Draft Labor-HHS Funding Bill (from
NASUAD)
The draft bill includes $153.4 billion in discretionary funding, which is $4 billion below the FY11
enacted level and $27.5 billion below the President’s budget request. Of this total, AoA receives
$1.5 billion, which is $26 million, or 2 percent, below the FY12 level, and includes $819
million for OAA nutrition programs. These funding levels reflect the overall change in FY12
discretionary spending to $1.043 trillion, which is the amount to which the House, Senate, and
White House agreed in the most recent debt ceiling legislation, the Budget Control Act of 2011 (PL
112-25). Since there has not been a markup process, there is no committee report to accompany
this draft language, which would provide more detail about the recommendations of House
appropriators for funding specific aging services programs.
The House and Senate are currently on recess, a stopgap measure has been approved by both
chambers in order to fund the federal government until they return next week, at which point the
House is expected to consider a Senate-passed continuing resolution (CR) to authorize federal
spending through November 18. For draft text of the legislation, please visit:
http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/FY_2012_Final_LHHSE.pdf.
State-by-State Census Data Released
The U.S. Census Bureau has released findings from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS),
which covers more than 40 socioeconomic topics, including education, employment status, age, and
household type. See the Census Bureau's American FactFinder database to find statistics for your
area. Selected high-level highlights can be found here. In addition, the Census Bureau released a
set of four comprehensive briefs based on the 2010 ACS. These short reports supplement detailed
tables in American FactFinder with additional analysis on four key topics: Health Insurance
Coverage, Employment Ratios, Household Income, and Foreign-born from Latin America and the
Caribbean. Additional reports will be released through the end of 2011. For information visit:
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/2010_acs_briefs/
Poverty Data Released
Also the U.S. Census Bureau published Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the
United Sates: 2010. This annual report contains the official national findings from the Current
Population Survey. According to the report, real median household income declined between 2009
and 2010, while the poverty rate increased over this same time period. The report noted the
inflation adjusted income of households headed by persons aged 65 and older decreased by 1.5
percent from $31,872 in 2009 to $31,408 in 2010 and the poverty rate among persons aged 65 and
older increased from 8.9 percent 2009 to 9.0 percent in 2010, For more information on the 2010
Census Data, visit link listed in the article above.
Dates to Note for September, October and November:
National Senior Center Month – September
National Preparedness Month – September
National Hunger Action Month – September
National Active Aging Week – September 25 – October 1
Resident Rights Month – October
PEER Recognition Day – October 5, 2011
National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month - November
**Please note: Our apologies to the Pennsylvania Adult Day Services Association. While
focusing on disaster recovery in the past editions we omitted an announcement of
National Adult Day Services Week – September 18 – 23. Our Adult Day Services
providers are a valued part of our long term care continuum.
In the News
Berks County Launches Initiative
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=335632
Secretary of Aging speaks with Berks County AAA and County officials
http://www.bctv.org/special_reports/basic_needs/don‐t‐expect‐more‐state‐money‐for‐older‐people‐
department/article_3f7607e6‐ea30‐11e0‐86e2‐001cc4c002e0.html
Two York County organizations seek to change attitudes about aging
http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_18997487
Seniors get a helping hand into the computer age
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/seniors-get-a-helping-hand-into-the-
computer-age/article_27962d34-e7cf-5244-b23a-1b2f30612204.html
Free Medicare advice coming; Seniors will be assisted with enrollment options at the annual event
at the Area Agency on Aging
http://www.ldnews.com/lebanonnews/ci_18962600
Training and Events
Proper Documentation and Investigation Training – Institute on Protective Services,
October 6, 2011, in Meadville; October 25, 2011 in Allentown; and November 9, 2011 in Mars.
http://www.instituteonps.org/training/
Long-Term Care Delivery System Subcommittee (LTC Sub) of the Medical Assistance
Advisory Committee (MAAC) on October 11, 2011, at the Department of Aging’s Offices, 555
Walnut St. Harrisburg, PA, Forum Place Building, 5th Floor Conference Rooms.
Pennsylvania Senior Center Association Annual Conference
October 26-27, 2011, Penn Stater, State College
http://www.paseniorcenters.org/staff/calendar.htm
Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition is offering two Suicide Prevention
Forums, October 25, 2011 – Wilkes Barre, and Nov 2, 2011 – Clarion. For information and
registration visit:
http://www.ltltrainingpa.org/events/index.cfm?ekeyid=856
PCOA Annual Meeting – November 1-3, 2011 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
For more information, contact Donna Reinaker at 717-783-
Pennsylvania Adult Day Services Association Annual Conference
November 17-18, 2011, Inn at Leola, Lancaster. Contact: krenitv@mennohaven.org or call (717)
709-4510.
2011 Nursing Home Transition Conference – December 7-9, 2011, Hershey Lodge and
Convention Center – Contact the Long Term Living Training Institute at 717-541-4214 or email
Nancy Orlowski nancy@ltltrainingpa.org.
Training for protective services is available through the Department of Aging /Temple
University’s Institute on Protective Services. For information visit the Institute’s site
http://www.instituteonps.org/training/
Training programs offered by the Long-Term Living Training Institute – check this out! There
is a wealth of training opportunities.
http://www.ltltrainingpa.org/index.cfm
** If you have something you wish to include, feel free to contact us. Kindly direct your comments
and suggestions to Christina Reese in the Press Office chreese@pa.gov.
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