Aging Well Forum (2009)

Program

October 17, 2009
At Scoville Center
SUNY Adirondack
Queensbury, NY

The Glens Falls Home, Inc., in partnership with SUNY Adirondack, presented this day-long forum to provide training, education, and information for seniors, caregivers, and anyone who is interested in aging well.

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CLASS SCHEDULE

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TIME	LOCATIONS
	Auditorium	Room (TBD)	Room (TBD)	Bishop Community Room	Room (TBD)
8:30–8:45	SIGN-IN
8:45–9:00	WELCOME
9:00–9:20	BREAK — VISIT EXHIBITORS
9:20–10:20	Class 1 Children as Caregivers: Helping Your Parents Age Well	Class 2 Choosing an Elder Lawyer and Creating a Will	Class 3 Steps to Healthy Aging	Class 4 Understanding Medical Bills	Class 5 Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts as Estate Planning Tools
10:20–10:45	BREAK — VISIT EXHIBITORS
10:45–11:45	Class 6 Retirement Planning and Investment Strategies	Class 7 Staying Connected: Socialization Volunteering, Continuing Ed	Class 8 Legal Issues When You Appoint a Caregiver	Class 9 Taking Care of Yourself as a Caregiver	Class 10 Staying Safe from Scams, Fraud and Injury
11:45–1:00	LUNCH
1:00–1:20	BREAK — VISIT EXHIBITORS
1:20–2:20	Class 11 Getting your Voice Heard: Advocacy Issues and Strategies	Class 12 Estate Planning and Medicaid Planning	Class 13 Local Resources for Seniors and their Families	Class 14 Legal Issues when you are Appointed as a Caregiver	Class 15 Exercise & Movement for Fun and Fitness
2:20–2:45	BREAK — VISIT EXHIBITORS
2:45–3:45	Class 16 Taking Charge: Advance Planning Documents and Guardianship	Class 17 Planning for Long-Term Care and Nursing Home Ombudsman Program	Class 18 Overview of Health Benefits	Class 19 Alternative and Complementary Medicine	Class 20 Genealogy Using the World Wide Web

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

(Download as PDF)

• 9:20 – 10:20

Children as Caregivers: Helping Your Parents Age Well
What is a care plan and how can you develop one that works for you and your parent(s)? Topics will include understanding and talking about finances, health conditions, and appropriate living arrangements. One of the most important aspects of caregiving will also be discussed: determining when you need outside help and how to get it.
Choosing an Elder Lawyer and Creating a Will
Choosing an attorney is a big step. Learn what to expect from your attorney, ethical issues including who the client is in a family matter, and your rights to confidentiality. This session will also provide a basic overview of a basic Last Will and Testament—who should have one and what it should include.
Steps to Healthy Aging
What can you do to age as well as possible? Are there certain things that one should expect to happen as we age, or is physical and mental deterioration inevitable? Come and learn about cognitive vitality and ways to keep your mind sharp to continue to take on the challenges of life.
Understanding Medical Bills
What does all that code mean on your recent bill from the doctor? Reading medical billing statements can be so confusing. This session will help decipher what those statements mean and cover a summary of care covered by Medicare (Part A and B), Medicare Part C, Medicaid (Community and Institutional), Medi-gap Insurance, Prescription coverage including Medicare Part D and EPIC.
Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
These documents are valuable planning and asset management tools in your estate planning toolbox. This session will help participants learn what the differences are and when to use them in your planning. We will also discuss how you can use them in a way to insure yourself and your spouse a source of income during your lifetime.

• 10:45 – 11:45

Retirement Planning and Investment Strategies
There are many strategies to help plan for income and resources throughout your entire life. While this workshop can’t offer specific investment advice, it will cover what you should look for in an investment strategy, including some specific tools to generate lifelong income. We will also cover the pros and cons of reverse mortgages as an investment strategy.
Staying Connected:
Socialization, Volunteering and Continuing Education
According to the Federal Administration on Aging (http://www.aoa.gov), the demand for older volunteers is increasing dramatically. If you have the hours to spare, somebody can use your talents. The pursuit of knowledge through lifelong learning has wonderful benefits for adults. Come learn what your community has to offer to keep your brain active and your knowledge base growing.
Legal Issues When You Appoint a Caregiver
Many people understand the basics of naming a person to act on your behalf if you are not able, but what should you consider before appointing someone to act in your stead? This session is geared toward helping a parent or spouse understand the role, duty and responsibilities of a Trustee, Guardian, Power of Attorney, or Health Care Agent.
Taking Care of Yourself as a Caregiver
Helping family members as they age is the hardest job you might never get paid for. Come learn how to accept and honor your limits, avoid caregiver burnout, and free yourself from guilt. We will also cover the all-important “Asking and getting help from other family members and community services.” Come join others who know what it feels like to be part of the “Sandwich Generation”—those who are planning for their own aging while balancing the needs of their children and their aging parents.
Staying Safe from Scams, Fraud and Injury
As the “People’s Lawyer,” the Attorney General serves as the guardian of the legal rights of the citizens of New York. They protect consumers and investors, charitable donors, the public health and environment, civil rights, and the rights of wage-earners and businesses across the State. Learn more about these watchdogs who work to protect seniors from scams, fraud and injury.

• 1:20 – 2:20

Getting Your Voice Heard
The best advocates for any cause are those that have a personal stake in the issue that they are advocating for. Hear from two of the premier member organizations that focus on issues relative to seniors and their caregivers and learn how you can get involved.
Estate Planning and Medicaid Planning
Estate planning is making sure that your assets pass to your heirs according to your wishes. This workshop will discuss basic planning documents as well as basic overview of estate tax rules. Medicaid planning considerations and options for protecting assets in the event you need long-term care and qualifying for Medicaid, including techniques such as transfers and Trusts will also be covered.
Local Resources for Seniors and Their Families
Local resources are the backbone of the service continuum for seniors and their caregivers. Come and hear how the NYConnects system is designed to be a one-stop shop for all services related to the long-term care system, and how the “Single Point of Entry” system can help you navigate through the myriad of options for care.
Legal Issues When You Are Appointed as a Caregiver
Many people understand the basics of naming a person to act on their behalf if they are not able to, but what are the responsibilities for agreeing to take these roles on? What you should know before you make this commitment to someone you love.
Exercise and Movement for Fun and Fitness
Research shows that your cells will age more slowly when you are active and that even those who are very frail can gain strength from exercise. In this class we will look at several ways that seniors can get moving and have fun! We will try forms of yoga, Zumba, chair exercises and t’ai chi chih that have been especially designed for the mature practitioner. Come prepared to participate!

• 2:45 – 3:45

Taking Charge: Advance Planning Documents and Guardianship
Advance Planning Documents are what carries your wishes out when you are no longer able to. Critically needed planning documents that will be discussed include Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, MOLST (Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment), Living Will and DNRs. We will also cover what legal Guardianship means and what is involved in an Article 81 proceeding.
Planning for Long-Term Care
and the Nursing Home Ombudsman Program
An overview of the options for long term insurance coverage and care, and how these decisions can play out when it comes time to access them. We will also discuss how to plan for nursing home care and the importance of the Nursing Home Ombudsman.
Overview of Health Benefits for Seniors
What are the requirements and application processes of Medicare (Part A, B and C), Medicaid (Community and Institutional), Medi-gap Insurance, EPIC, Long-Term Care Insurance, and Nursing Home Diversion and Transition waiver? When is it appropriate to apply for what? Learn about the range of health and long term care options that might be available to you to help with the cost of care.
Alternative and Complementary Medicine
The term “alternative medicine” is often used to describe practices used independently or in place of conventional medicine. The term “complementary medicine” usually describes practices used in conjunction with or to complement conventional medical treatments. Mainstream medicine may be used for diagnosis and basic information and alternatives for health-enhancing measures. Come learn what these alternatives have to offer and when to use them.
Genealogy Using the World Wide Web
The worldwide web is a great resource for research, but can sometimes be overwhelming with far too many choices. Where to go on the web and what sites can help you with researching your family history will be covered in this workshop, along with some tricks for getting the information you want and minimizing the distractions of “too much information.” This course will include a live demonstration of some of the most popular sites in genealogy research.