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welcome to "seniors
today," a
monthly program produced by the
commission on aging and
devoted to issues and interests
of montgomery county seniors.
This month, we learn about a
program that helps people with
organizing and paying bills.
We find out about a foundation
and photography school making
free portraits of seniors.
But first, there have been some
changes in hospital readmission
policies that can have serious
effects on seniors.
Joining me just tell -- joining
us to tell us more
are our
guests.
Welcome back to "seniors today."
it certainly is in the news that
there is an issue about hospital
readmissions.
It has something to do with
medicare.
Tell us about the problem.
>>
in efforts to make health
care more affordable and
increase the quality, we are put
to the test of preventing what
would be considered possibly an
avoidable readmission.
But it goes further than that.
It is now all readmissions.
Within 30 days, if we see a
patient come back to us, we will
not be reimbursed.
We have been incentivized
tremendously to provide better
care at a lower cost.
>> it is a national problem.
I understand it is less of a
problem in montgomery county.
What are the kinds of things
happening in the county and
hospital making it
better?
>> at washington adventist
hospital, we have put together a
contrary of resources to help
our patients when they are -- a
cadre of resources to help our
patients when they are
discharging.
We ensure patients are leaving
with medication so they do not
have to stop at the pharmacy
when they leave the hospital.
We have a follow-up call program
for patients so we called them
when they are back at home to
see how they are doing on a
weekly basis for about four
weeks.
We have other resources
depending on individual needs
that we will put in play.
>> the problem nationally for
people is they leave the
hospital
and maybe before health
care, they did not even have the
insurance.
>> the lack of medical
insurance
or financial resources is
definitely a challenge.
There are other challenges for
people, whether it is social
issues or other kinds of
issues
that come up for people that get
in the way of getting to the Dr.
For primary health care.
What that is something we work
on all the time to ensure
everybody has a medical home and
when they leave the hospital,
they are leaving with a doctors
appointment.
>> sometimes people do not have
their own physician.
They get sick
and they need a
follow-up doctor but they May
not have one.
>> we find readmissions are
largely due to people who do not
have a follow-up after half
capitalization -- after
hospitalization.
They need a place to go.
We do not want them to go to the
emergency room.
Judy mentioned the importance of
providing a follow-up, whether
it be a specialist or nurse
practitioner or a physician.
These programs ensure patients
do have a place to go following
discharge.
It has become part of the social
services role in care management
in hospitals to ensure
patients
know how to find a doctor or to
help them find a doctor.
As part of discharge planning.
When you discharge people,
you
want them to have a plan of care
when they leave the hospital.
We care for you with wellness
classes.
We care for you at the hospital.
We care for you after the
hospital.
We want to ensure you know what
to do and where to go when you
leave.
That might help to avoid an
unnecessary readmission.
>> at the national level, was
the problem that hospitals were
discharging patients too soon?
>> I do not think it was always
a matter of too soon.
It was what plans were put in
place for a successful
discharge.
>> inadequate planning?
>> there has to be teaching,
education, resources when you
get out of the hospital.
All of these things make it
doable for the patient.
Do they understand the warning
signs?
Do they know how to take
medication?
Do they have the medication?
Those are the things that must
be addressed.
>> it is important to know that
while we are very concerned
about the financial aspect of
readmissions, given that we can
be at risk financially, the
hospital, our core
concern is
the individual patient and
making sure they are connected
so they can stay as well as
possible.
That really is, for me, what the
driver is in helping individuals
in the community as well as
patients in the hospital.
We want to see them use
preventative health care
services and have a provider to
call, so it kind of goes hand in
hand.
>> you mentioned the walgreens
initiative.
That is a national thing for
them?
>> yes, they have a bedside
delivery program.
At washington adventist
hospital, we are a 340b
hospital
so the hospital is enrolled in
being able to -- with walgreens
-- we are able to provide
reduced
cost for medications
while you'
re in the hospital.
>> interesting notion.
I understand there are certain
conditions nationally that were
particularly problematic.
Pneumonia,
people get readmitted
because it comes back?
>> it is common, especially
among seniors.
You want to make sure they have
adequate medication in the
hospital to treat them, and that
they get the follow-up post-
hospitalization.
Sometimes when you go home from
the hospital, you'
re not feeling
like yourself yet.
Sometimes when you are in the
hospital, medications are
adjusted.
You want to get back to the
provider to get you read it --
regular medication and make sure
that what you are admitted for
is on the mend.
>> if people want to get more
information about your programs,
give us the formula.
>> they can call 3-0-
754-
01-754-8800.
>> your hospital?
>> >>
maryland, as a state, is
doing well.
It sounds like montgomery county
is doing very well.
That
is reassuring.
We should not be too scared
about the articles we are
reading?
>> the care in montgomery county
is good.
We have the montgomery cares
clinic for the uninsured and
underinsured, so there is help
out there.
>>
we have a very supportive
hospital association with the
maryland hospital association
being active in supporting us in
what we do.
>> we are very fortunate.
Thank you both for coming in and
telling us what your hospitals
are doing and reassuring us.
When we come back, we will learn
about a program that helps
seniors with organizing and
paying bills.
Please stay with us.
We will be right back.
>> there are more than 10,000
county government phone numbers.
There'
s only one you need to
remember for non-emergency
calls.
311 is montgomery county'
s
government information system.
Have a problem or complaint?
Call 311.
The call center is open monday
through friday.
The website is available 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
>> if not for the Dr., he would
not be here.
>> if not for montgomery county
fire and rescue, he would not be
here.
>> if not for the phone call, we
would not have been there.
>> if I did not call, I do not
know where we would be.
>> montgomery county emergency
responders are there when you
need help at no cost to you.
In an emergency, do not ever
hesitate to call 911.
If you live in montgomery
county, you will never get a
bill or pay a dime.
>> if you have an emergency,
call us.
We are there for you.
>>
>> welcome back to "seniors
today."
the senior connection is a
wonderful nonprofit organization
that helps seniors to age in
place.
It provides a number of
volunteer services including a
transportation program, a
grocery shoppers program, and
one you May not be as familiar
with, a bill paying-paperwork
program.
Joining me to tell us more is
the director of the shoppers
program with the senior
connection and
a bill payer
volunteer.
Welcome to "seniors today."
most of us knows about --
most
of us know about the
transportation program.
It has been around a long time.
You have a new program.
tell us about that.
>> in 2012, two women,
professional daily money
managers, came to the senior
connection.
They approached
sue and said we
are seeing more clients coming
to us who would like to have
services to help them with their
monthly money management, but
they cannot afford us.
They were aware of a program
being offered through the aarp
foundation.
A representative and bill payer
program.
They said, can we start that at
the senior connection?
Through their guidance, we
started the program in the
spring of 2012.
Roberat
ta and
leah remain as our
program advisors.
They are on the advisory
council.
We have been going since the
spring.
Our first match between a
volunteer and client was made in
August of 2012.
Since that time, we have been
able to help 32 different senior
clients.
>> you are helping one of them?
>> I am helping one of them.
>> how did you get started?
>> roberta is a wonderful
recruiter.
I was working with her on
another volunteer program.
She suggested I might be
interested in this, and I was.
I went through the excellent
training program provided and
got matched with a client the
fall of 2012.
I have been working with my
client for a little over a year
now, and having a terrific time.
>> what do you do?
>> it sounds simple, but it is
fun also.
>> it is very important.
>> I deal with things that
people do not want to deal with
like the terrible b word --
budget.
One of the first things on the
intake process is talking about
how much money you have coming
in each month, how much you have
to spend every month.
If you do not use the --
if you
use the b word, you can get your
arms around it.
It helps the client.
It also helps the volunteer
understand the challenges the
client might be facing in having
an organized budget.
>> do you write checks?
>> write the checks, do not sign
them.
It is important to emphasize the
client is still fully in charge
of managing their money.
We are facilitators.
We just help with the paperwork
and organize the bills.
Put them in manila
folders,
things I wish I did for myself
at home.
>> is secretary of for being
part of the program?
-- is their criteria for being
part of the program?
>> the client has to be in full
charge of their financial
decisions.
They have to want to participate
in the program and be able to
make those decisions.
They have to be 62 years and
older.
As a single person, their income
cannot exceed for this year
$45,100.
Their assets cannot exceed that
as well.
We do not include the home,
automobile, or retirement funds
in assets.
Definitely some eligibility
requirements.
>> how do they get involved in
this?
Is there an application?
>> we'
re very happy to be on
this program because we are
always trying to do outreach.
We have wonderful volunteers.
Over the course of our
existence, we have been working
with about 40 different
volunteers.
We are always looking to do
outreach for volunteers.
We have been struggling to get
clients to sign up for the
program.
We have done outreach to
different residential
communities, montgomery county
aging and disability, hospitals,
local banks to let them know so
they can pass on to their
clients coming through who need
more help than they can give
sitting down in 15 minutes at
the desk.
>> you are ready to take on more
clients.
>> we are definitely.
We just trained our third class
of volunteers in November.
We had 18 that were trained.
We have matched about 10 of
them.
We have a few more clients we
are working to match up.
We are working to spread the
word to get more clients.
>> let'
s give folks your phone
number so they can call you if
they want to get involved.
>> 301-942-
1049.
>> an important thing in terms
of recruiting clients and
volunteers is the way the
program is set up, there is
regular monitoring and oversight
to protect the client primarily.
>> the privacy question would be
a constraint for some people.
How do you deal with that?
>> it is a trade-off.
I see the client'
s bank
statement and have an
understanding of what checks are
being written.
I need to provide certain
reports to mary.
That is important and a
safeguard for the client because
someone is looking over my
shoulder and making sure all of
the checks that are written and
signed by the client are
appropriate and in keeping with
what we all understood were
normal expenses.
I think it is a fair trade-off.
I think it is good for both the
client and the volunteer to know
we'
re getting this kind of
oversight.
>> there are a number of
safeguards built in.
Routine monitoring of all client
files takes place on a monthly
basis.
We also have -- our volunteers
only work with a designated
account.
That checking account can have
no more than $3500 in it.
They are working with limited
funds.
We have a
monthly monitoring by
another volunteer who has been
trained to do that.
Our volunteers are vetted,
trained, we do basic ground
checks on them.
We offer liability coverage to
project -- protect both clients
and volunteers.
>> I gather your client is very
happy?
>> yes, that is certainly the
feedback I get when I visit.
I have a new friend.
That has been the most
satisfying part of working in
this program as a volunteer.
>> how often do you?
>> twice a month.
I go once a month to balance the
checkbook and go another time to
write out most of the bills.
>> it is a very exciting
program.
You'
re waiting to take on more.
>> would love to have some more.
Thank you.
>> thanks for
coming in and
sharing a very exciting new
program for senior connection.
When we return,
we will conclude
the show with a look at a
partnership between a foundation
and a photography school
offering a wonderful service to
some seniors for free.
Please stay with us.
We will be right back.
>>
>> for those dealing with the
daily struggles of caring for a
loved one, we hear you.
That is why aarp created
a
community to help us better care
for ourselves and the ones we
love.
>> are you sure they can recycle
this?
I cannot wait to make a new
start with maybe I will be on
the red carpet at the premiere.
>> you can recycle more plastics
in montgomery county including
deli containers, lids, and cups.
For more information on
recycling, contact the division
of solid waste services.
Recycle more plastic today.
>>
>>
welcome back to "seniors
today."
the washington school of
photography and the fenwick
foundation are working together
to offer free portrait shots to
seniors living in some
retirement communities in the
area.
Joining me to tell us more are
the executive director of the
fenwick foundation and the
executive director of the
washington school of
photography.
Welcome to "seniors today."
this is an exciting new project.
Tell us how the washington
school of photography got
involved in the project.
>> one of
our board members knew
one of their board members and
started talking.
We both want to serve seniors.
What can we do?
We sat down one day and figured
out what we could do for seniors
and veterans in our area.
That was to provide our
photography services.
>> what is it that you do?
>> we schedule them through the
foundation.
We do professional hair and
makeup with independent hair and
makeup folks for schools in the
area.
They go into the studio and get
a professional portrait taken.
They can come back in and
watch their friends getting
their hair and makeup done.
It is an amazing event every
week.
>>-what foundation is relatively
new -- the fenwick foundation is
relatively new.
Tell us about its origins.
>> we were started in 2011.
The concept was many seniors,
many of us have a friend or
family member who lives in an
assisted living or skilled
nursing facility.
Many of these individuals
are in
a manner of speaking prisoners
in
place.
They do not have the means or
opportunity to get out of the
facility to enjoy the types of
activities we take for granted.
The foundation was started
to
work with the management and
staff at the facilities to get
the seniors out of the
facilities and enjoy
event such
as major league baseball games,
basketball games, movies,
theater, the kennedy center,
regional theater, and family
restaurants.
Get them out of the house, get
them moving, healthy and
beneficial activities for them.
>> you have this marriage here.
It started fairly recently, in
the last year or two?
>> I believe it was the summer.
Our first group came through in
August.
>> where are these folks coming
from?
>> they are from nursing
facilities.
>> monterey county?
>> all over the area.
>> do you have some from
montgomery county?
>> we started working recently
with easter seals adult day care
center in montgomery county.
We will be scheduling them.
We have done activities with
them, not yet the photo shoots,
but they will shortly be
scheduled to have a photo shoot
done.
We are hoping to reach out to
even more facilities,
senior and
nursing facilities in montgomery
county, and hopefully start
scheduling them to come in for a
photo session as well as other
activities.
>> you work with a lot of
veterans?
>> yes, we do.
We are working with the armed
forces retirement home in
northwest washington.
They have an assisted living
facility and an independent
living facility.
We are working with the D.C.
Veterans affairs facility.
They have community living
centers which are the equivalent
of a nursing home, skilled
nursing facilities.
We are working with some of
their outpatients.
There is a specific program for
caregivers for veterans who are
disabled, living at home, and
their caregivers devote their
full time taking care of them,
so we'
re working with them as
well.
>> if people want to find out
more, could you give us a phone
number?
>>
they can go to our website,
www.
Vfenwickfoundation.Org.
>> great.
Give us a flavor of what happens
when someone comes in to have a
picture taken.
>> it is really fun.
We bring them into the gallery
as a group.
They can see the shots on the
wall, a different photography
exhibit every month.
They are taken into hair and
makeup.
Sometimes they are hesitant and
sometimes they are tripping over
each other.
Even the men want hair and
makeup.
While that is going on, our
staff is talking to people,
hearing their stories.
That has been the most amazing
part.
It is to get the pictures done,
but also to listen and touch.
Hair and makeup is done one at a
time.
They go into the studio where a
photographer and assistant
takeover, frame
them up, take
their photo.
It is edited and printed on the
spot.
They can take it home that day.
>> are these professional
photographers or volunteers?
>> we have graduates of our
year-long program and some
instructors.
We have a team of people who
shoot, edit, and print.
>> you have a phone number for
people wanting to know more
about the school of photography?
>> 654-1998.
>> it is an exciting program.
I imagine it is very rewarding,
not only to the individual, but
as you say, it is something for
the family as well.
>> yes, we can send the
portraits to their families.
Some have been on display in the
nursing homes.
While that is going on, there
have been times where there has
not been a dry eye on our staff
when people have left.
We have met a Miss
American
contestant, 1930'
s she was
fabulous.
We meet amazing people and
hopefully send them home with an
experience and pictures.
>> it is a great partnership.
More can be done.
Thanks for coming in and telling
us about the new program which
sounds very rewarding.
>> thank you.
>> you can access a great deal
of information about county
services for seniors by going to
the montgomery county senior
website at 222
www. --
or call the senior resource
line.
Also, we have an e-mail address
you can use to send us comments
or suggestions for future topics
on our show.
Seniorstoday@
--
as always, thank you for
watching "seniors today."
>>