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Inside NYS Aging: Issue 32 (October 2024) Inside NYS Aging is a monthly e-newsletter for New York's network of aging services providers. Click here to subscribe. Learn more about Inside NYS Aging: Issue 32 (October 2024)

NYSOFA and Partners Engage During Sepsis Awareness Month

Every 90 seconds someone in the U.S. dies of sepsis.
Sepsis claims the lives of more children than cancer – 18 children each day.
Sepsis is the primary driver of readmission to a hospital (30-day readmissions).

Find more of these stunning facts on NYSOFA’s website.

Take Action: Join The Partnership for Sepsis and Aging

During Sepsis Awareness Month, NYSOFA and partners engaged at multiple levels in the fight against sepsis, a life-threatening yet preventable condition. Our work on The Partnership for Sepsis and Aging (TPSA) is growing, with nearly 200 organization representatives joining us for the second TPSA meeting on September 20. Don’t miss our next gathering – join today to be a part of the conversation and learn about ways you can help older adults in your community.

Earlier this year, NYSOFA, Sepsis Alliance, the Home Care Association of New York State, and the Association on Aging in New York launched TPSA. It is designed to gather organizations for a collective force in educating the public about the signs and symptoms of sepsis in order to save lives.

We simply ask TPSA-member organizations to use some of the many free sepsis education resources and help your community understand the signs and symptoms of sepsis, regardless of age. Join today.

In Case You Missed It: Sepsis Livestream

To further raise awareness during Sepsis Awareness Month, NYSOFA joined TPSA partners and New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald on a livestream, discussing sepsis signs and symptoms and more. Catch an encore of the livestream here, hosted by NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen.

Read the TPSA one-pager
Visit NYSOFA's sepsis webpage
Watch an encore of LIVE With Greg: Sepsis
Read the NYSOFA-NYSDOH Press Release

NYSOFA and NYSDOL Join Forces on Older Worker Employment Initiative

In a joint effort to support older workers, NYSOFA and the New York State Department of Labor have announced the launch of a new resource page designed to help older adults overcome barriers to employment.

“NYSOFA is proud to work with the New York State Department of Labor in providing resources to the older adult workforce as older adults contribute unparalleled intellectual, social and economic capital that is the backbone of New York’s economy," said NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen.

Earlier this year, NYSOFA released the results of its Comprehensive Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults, which yielded over 27,000 responses from New Yorkers 60 and older. According to the survey, 24% of older adults rated employment as an area of concern (ranking it third among 17 broader areas), affecting an estimated 1,094,831 older adults. According to the survey, approximately 19% of older adults are working full-time, 11% are working part-time and 3% are unemployed but looking for paid work, with the remainder answering that they are fully retired.

The new resource page provides job search assistance, reskilling and upskilling opportunities, and information on navigating workplace age discrimination. Older adults will also find access to supportive services like job training, career coaching, and flexible employment options aimed at addressing the unique challenges that older adults face.

Spectrum News segment: NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen was recently interviewed by Spectrum News about the initiative. Watch the segment here.

Download Our Printable Flyer

Spread the news about this resource for older adults. Download and print our flyer (with QR code) to promote the older-adult worker resource page at tabling events and on social media.

Celebrating Diversity: What You Can Do

October is a time when many ethnic backgrounds are celebrated: Filipino American History Month, German American Heritage Month, Italian American Heritage Month, and Polish American Heritage Month. It’s also fitting that we celebrate Global Diversity Awareness in October, which recognizes and honors these and many other diverse customs, cultures, religions, and languages, including in our own practice as aging services providers.

For her monthly column, NYSOFA Advocacy Specialist Colleen Scott explores what diversity looks like in practice, and some important facts.

Read the Article

5 Questions with Colleen Scott

Colleen Scott has been the Advocacy Specialist at NYSOFA for ten years. In her role, she’s responsible for providing technical assistance and monitoring the efforts made by the state’s 59 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to serve culturally, geographically, racially, and linguistically diverse older New Yorkers and caregivers, including those in greatest social and economic need. Read this month's 5 Questions with NYSOFA Advocacy Specialist Colleen Scott to learn more about this work.

NYSOFA Pilots 'Ask The Experts: Nutrition Edition' Relaunch as Part of SNAP-Ed NY

NYSOFA provides SNAP-Ed NY nutrition programs to older adults at the statewide and regional levels, including monthly digital programming. We are excited to announce that NYSOFA is relaunching one of those digital offerings, Ask The Experts: Nutrition Edition. Watch for the newly relaunched program in October on Facebook and YouTube.

The program was traditionally hosted as a livestream by NYSOFA's SNAP-Ed Registered Dietitian Lisbeth Irish, featuring guests discussing a range of topics at the intersection of health and nutrition. NYSOFA is now filming the program in-studio in partnership with OGS Media, much like our companion SNAP-Ed NY program, What's Cooking with NYSOFA. Look for a pilot episode soon, hosted by Lisbeth and guest, Erin Willis, the Schuyler County SNAP-Ed region’s nutrition educator.

In the meantime, please also watch and share the latest edition of What's Cooking with NYSOFA, hosted by Registered Dietitian Wendy Beckman. The newest episode features Apple Chunk Cake. In this special episode Wendy brings her niece on set to help with the show!

NYSOFA is excited about the ongoing popularity of What’s Cooking with NYSOFA. The July program – Black Bean Salad – has over 100,000 views on YouTube alone.

Groundbreaking Alzheimer’s Research Highlighted at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference

With nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease today, including 426,500 New Yorkers, researchers are working tirelessly to advance science that will lead to earlier detection, preventions and additional new treatments for Alzheimer’s and all dementia.

At the end of July, more than 13,000 researchers attended the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024 to share the latest in Alzheimer’s and dementia science.

Read The Full Article to Learn More

FREE Digital Resources to Support Older Adults, Caregivers

Each month, on social media and at events, NYSOFA shares important resources about digital innovations to help older adults. Are you sharing too? These resources are free of charge — and they're making a difference.

Caregiver Resources

Do you perform housework for someone, help them shop for food, pick up their medication? You are a caregiver. Help is available.

Regular HEAP Benefit to Open Nov. 1

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit application opens on November 1, 2024 to help income-eligible individuals pay for heating their home.

HEAP Emergency Benefit

Applicants may also be eligible for emergency HEAP benefits if they are in danger of running out of fuel or having their utility service shut off. The HEAP emergency benefit is scheduled to open on January 2, 2025.

Efficiency and Repairs or Replacement

Applications are also open for the HEAP Clean and Tune Benefit as well as the Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement Benefit.

Clean and Tune helps people pay for energy efficiency services, such as the cleaning of primary heating equipment. The benefit may also include chimney cleaning, minor repairs and installation of carbon monoxide detectors or programmable thermostats, if needed, to allow for the safe, proper and efficient operation of the heating equipment.

For eligible homeowners, the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement benefit can help repair or replace a furnace, boiler and other direct heating equipment necessary to keep a home's primary heating source working.

Questions regarding the HEAP program should be directed to your HEAP Local District Contact.

Save the Date: National Lifespan Respite Conference on April 1-3

The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center, in collaboration with the Alabama Lifespan Respite Network, will host the 2025 National Lifespan Respite Conference in Huntsville, AL, on April 1-3, 2025. The conference will be preceded by the Lifespan Respite Grantee and Partner Learning Symposium (by invitation only) on April 1, 2025.

The theme for the conference is RAISE and Engage – Launch Respite Now, offering a call to action. In 2022, the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers was released by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. The report includes nearly 500 actions that can be adopted at every level of government and across the public and private sectors, including actions that each of us can take, to advance supports to strengthen the nation’s more than 53 million family caregivers.

Learn more on the conference website.

Reach Out and Play: Are You Game?

NYSOFA hosted more Reach Out and Play events in 2023 than any other state! Let’s retain the title, and do more!

Host a Reach Out and Play event in your area. It is a great way to make social connections through the power of play, and connect across generations!

The Reach Out and Play initiative was created by Ageless Innovation, makers of the animatronic pets that are a core part of NYSOFA's programs to combat social isolation and offer companionship tools to older adults. NYSOFA is partnering with Ageless Innovation to spread the word and encourage participation in Reach Out and Play.

The events revolve around newly reimagined board game classics that have been redesigned with older adults in mind.

Why?

Creating social connections through the power of play is a great way to combat social isolation and loneliness. And, intergenerational connections are key to addressing ageism. More quality time spent together fosters connections which promote positive attitudes.

Where?

Events will be hosted in a variety of settings, ranging from Adult Day Centers to faith-based settings to libraries and living rooms.

When?

Most events will be hosted throughout the fall.

How?

Ageless Innovation has developed resources to support Reach Out and Play events (see below), and NYSOFA has distributed thousands of Joy for All Games to Area Agencies on Aging and our community partners to support Reach Out and Play events.

Learn More

Download the Reach Out and Play: Community Event Toolkit to learn how to host an event.

Questions? Email reachoutandplay@agelessinnovation.com.

EBT Card Freeze: Protecting SNAP and Other Benefits

NYSOFA has written previously about SNAP skimming – a scam for stealing benefits that affects older adults and other beneficiaries of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is out with information and campaign materials about the new freeze/unfreeze card feature to help beneficiaries secure their EBT card and protect benefits from scam-related theft through the ebtEDGE mobile app.

You can freeze your EBT card when it is not in use and then unfreeze the card to make a purchase. Freezing your card is easy. Follow these four simple steps:

Open www.ebtEDGE.com or download the ebtEDGE app on your mobile device (available on the: Google Play Store and Apple App Store).
Securely log in to your account.
Tap the new “Freeze/Unfreeze Card” icon on the home screen.
Select “Freeze My Card Everywhere” and click “OK.”

Freezing your EBT card will block all purchases, balance inquiries, and transactions. Whenever you go shopping, use the ebtEDGE app to unfreeze your card and freeze it again after you check out.

LIVE with Greg: Upcoming Livestreams

NYSOFA has a solid lineup of upcoming livestreams with NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen. More are in the pipeline. Follow us on social media for the latest. Here's what we have in store – so far – for LIVE with Greg in October and November.

Do You Have Questions About Your Health Insurance?
October 10 at 1 p.m.
Streaming Live on YouTube Here

Medicare’s open enrollment period begins on October 15, 2024. More than 500 trained HIICAP counselors located in local offices for the aging across the state are available to answer questions about health and long-term care insurance issues. Join us for some tips with our guest, NYSOFA HIICAP coordinator Heather Leddick.

UPDATE: New Alzheimer's Research
October 24 at 1 p.m.
Streaming Live on YouTube here

More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. Amazing new research is making important inroads. Join our guest Erica Salamida, Community Outreach Director for Alzheimer’s Association New York Coalition. She’ll share some of the latest research on diagnosis and treatment advances, environmental impacts on brain health, as well as services and supports.

Celebrate Veterans Day and Discover Resources
November 7 at 1 p.m.
Streaming Live on YouTube here

Commissioner of the NY State Department of Veterans’ Services (NYSDVS) Viviana DeCohen joins us to celebrate Veterans Day a few days in advance! A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Commissioner DeCohen currently deploys her experience to advocate for New York’s veterans and their families. NYSDVS helps ensure our veterans receive benefits granted to them by law for their service in the United States military.

Food Insecurity, How YOU Can Help!
November 20 at 1 p.m.
Streaming Live on YouTube here

The holiday season brings many of us together to celebrate. Many families prepare meals with loved ones, but some folks are not so fortunate. NYSOFA Nutrition Consultant Jen O’Keefe will join the show to talk about solutions and resources for combatting hunger in New York State. YOU can help raise awareness about food insecurity: find out how.

About Inside NYS Aging

Inside NYS Aging is a publication of the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA). It provides news and resources for aging services providers and their partners in their efforts to promote services and supports for older adults. Please share this newsletter widely with any organizations or professionals that reach older adults. Read past issues in the newsroom on NYSOFA's website.

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