Sunday, January 16, 2000
Long-Term Care Planning
Lynn Shank and Harry Shank from Texas Assurance Care Agency
Learn about options for funding long-term health care expenses at home,
assisted-living facilities, nursing homes and community-based housing. A
summary and discussion of expenses covered by Medicare, Medicaid, private
health plans, and long-term care insurance is included. New legislative and
tax changes affecting long-term care and changes in the Medicare's home care
program are discussed. How to determine if you should consider long-term
care insurance, and how to select a company and an agent are offered as well.
Texas Assurance Care Agency specializes in Senior Insurance Planning with Long-Term Care Insurance, Medicare Supplements Annuities, Health, and Life Insurance. Harry Shank is a CSA Certified Senior Advisor. Lynn Shank is actively involved in the senior community in Austin and surrounding areas. She is a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, is on the advisory board of Travis County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and is a charter member of the Williamson County Senior Forum. Lynn is a contributing writer for Senior Lifestyles Newspaper and serves on the Census 2000 Committee for Cedar Park and the planning committee for the Governor’s Conference on Aging. The Shanks teach long-term care insurance classes for Seton Good Health School, and also do joint programs with the Alzheimer's Association on Memory Loss and Long-term Care. Their classes are free of charge and are strictly informational. The Shanks were recent guests on Cathy Greene's show, "Mature Texans," on Channel 17.
Sunday, February 20, 2000
Alzheimer's Disease
Amy Matta, SWA, Director of Services and Education, Alzheimer's Association - Greater Austin Chapter
The Alzheimer's Association, Greater Austin Chapter, is a nonprofit organization that provides family support, community education, public awareness and supports research for the prevention, cure and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The Greater Austin Chapter serves Travis, Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Llano, Lee and Williamson counties, and is affiliated with the network of 220 chapters of the National Alzheimer's Association. More than 100,000 people in the Austin area are affected by the disease. These numbers are expected to quadruple by the year 2025. Even with the vast numbers of patients and caregivers, little, if any, financial support is available. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid is available in most cases, and health insurance rarely covers Alzheimer's disease. Because of the dual emotional and financial burden imposed on Alzheimer's caregivers, it is vital that they have resources for coping with the effects of this illness, which can extend from 2 to 20 years.
Sunday, March 26, 2000
Family Eldercare Programs
Samantha Young from Family Eldercare
The Family Eldercare operates a variety of community-based programs and develops partnerships in support of older adults, people with disabilities, and those who care for them. The organization provides advocacy for adults and people with disabilities so they may safely remain in their homes and communities in Central Texas. They offer: Guardianship and Money Management Program, Eldercare Consultation and Referral, In-Home Care and Respite / Personal Assistant Services, Elder Shelter, Eloise's House, Aging in Place, Summer Fan Drive, Texas Money Management Program, and volunteer opportunities.
Sunday, April 30, 2000
Meals on Wheels and More, and Elder Options of Texas
Mary Teeters, Director of Client Services, Meals on Wheels and More
Cheryl Culbertson, Owner, Elder Options Of Texas
Meals on Wheels and More (United Austin for the Elderly, Inc.) was founded in 1972 as a nonprofit charitable corporation created to assist elderly and homebound people in need. The eight founding volunteers cooked and delivered meals to 30 people, using two East Austin church kitchens. Twenty-seven years later, Meals on Wheels and More is cooking for about 1,600 people a day and serving hundreds of others through its four other programs: Groceries to Go, Care Calls, Medi Wheels and Handy Wheels. All of their programs are designed to keep people healthy, independent and in their homes.
Elder Options of Texas is a comprehensive resource directory that makes locating senior services and information throughout much of Central Texas a lot easier. There are currently two directories with each one including a variety of health- and senior-related resources and contacts including: retirement and assisted living communities, personal care homes, Alzheimer's care, home healthcare agencies, adult day services, long-term care and nursing facilities, state and local agencies, social service organizations, and more. The two directories available now feature the Travis, Bastrop and Hays county areas, and the Williamson county area (soon to be updated in March 2000 to also include Bell and Burnet counties). A percentage of the profits from the sale of the Travis, Bastrop, and Hays Counties Edition will be donated to Meals on Wheels and More, benefiting the homebound elderly and disabled in the Austin community.
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