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Election 2016:
Where Do The Candidates Stand on Aging Issues?
There is only 1 week left until America chooses its next president—Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump. Where do the two major party candidates stand on issues of concern to older adults and the aging network? The National Center on Aging did the research for you.
Campaign Statements
Each candidate has posted some information on their campaign website relevant to benefits and programs for older adults.
Media Analysis
Several media outlets have published articles comparing the candidates’ positions on aging issues.
Organizational Analysis
Here is what some national organizations are saying about the candidates.
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Fight Fraud During Open Enrollment by
Guarding Your Medicare Number
Health
care fraud drives up costs for everyone in the health care system. One way to protect against such fraud is to guard your Medicare number. Fraud schemes often depend on identity
thieves getting hold of people’s Medicare numbers, so treat your number as you
would a credit card.
Follow
these important steps to protect yourself from fraud:
- Don’t share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by telephone, email, or by approaching you in person, unless you’ve given them permission in advance. Medicare will NEVER contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information.
- Tell your friends and neighbors to
guard their Medicare number.
- Don’t ever let anyone borrow or pay
to use your Medicare number.
- Review
your Medicare Summary Notice to be sure you and Medicare are only being charged
for actual services.
- Be
wary of salespeople who knock on your door or call you uninvited and try to
sell you a product or service.
- Don’t
accept items received through the mail that you didn’t order. You should refuse the delivery and/or return
it to the sender. Keep a record of the
sender’s name and the date you returned the items.
And
if you’re looking to enroll in a Medicare plan:
- Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you about Medicare plans unless you gave them permission.
- There
are no “early bird discounts” or “limited time offers.”
- Don’t
let anyone rush you to enroll by claiming you need to “act now for the best
deal.”
- Be
skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer
that sounds “too good to be true” – especially if you need to hand over your
Medicare number in order to receive these items or deals. Decline politely but
firmly.
-
By
law, any promotional items you’re offered to enroll in a plan must be worth no
more than $15, and these items can’t be given on the condition that you
enroll in a plan.
Call 1-800-MEDICARE to report
suspected fraud. Learn more about
protecting yourself from health care fraud by visiting www.Medicare.gov/fraud or by contacting your local Senior Medicare Patrol
(SMP). You can learn more from one of the several locations in Kentucky by calling 502-574-6520. To find the SMP in another state, go
to the SMP Locator at www.smpresource.org.
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 The OADC still has FREE Hearing Aid Batteries
Many thanks to Kentucky Assistive Technology Services (KATS) and POWERMAX who donated thousands of
new hearing aid batteries to be distributed to local residents. The Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens has three sizes (10s, 13s, and 312s) available on a first come, first served basis. The 'Best Used
By' date is 02/2016, but they are still in excellent working order.
Persons in need can come to the OADC office located on the 2nd floor of The Edison Center, in the Community Services Suite. The Edison Center address is 701 W. Ormsby Avenue, Louisville, KY 40203.
Please call Sarah Teeters for more information and/or to check availability at 502-574-5092.
You can also call KATS at 1-800-327-5287 for information on pick up at their site or to donate used hearing aids that will be refurbished and provided to those in need.
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 Accessible Conference Initiative Scholarships
The World Institute on Disability, in partnership with JPMorgan Chase & Co., is actively striving to make community development and policy conferences and training events more accessible to, and inclusive of, people with disabilities.
To spearhead movement toward full-inclusion, JPMorgan Chase & Co. is providing four National Training Institute scholarships for Disability Ambassadors at NeighborWorks America’s December training event.
Scholarship Ambassadors will receive complimentary registration and hotel accommodations, as well as disability accommodations from the World Institute on Disability team. Applicants should have disability inclusion experience and interest in issues of financial inclusion and housing justice.
For more information and application instructions, contact Kat Zigmont at kat@wid.org.
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 Administration for Community Living Releases New Brief on Importance of Oral Health
Good oral health is critical for older adults and younger adults with disabilities. Poor oral health is largely preventable and linked to a person’s overall health and serious chronic diseases. Unfortunately, older adults and adults with disabilities are at high risk of having poor oral health due to inadequate access to services and certain disabilities that make oral hygiene tasks hard to complete and obtaining services even more difficult.
While Medicare does not cover most oral health services, states have a number of options for expanding oral health, as this policy new brief describes.
Publicly-funded dental preventive and treatment services for adults are sparse because Medicare covers only a few medically-related dental procedures. Additionally, many state Medicaid programs have little dental coverage for adults. Some funding for oral health is available under the Public Health Service Act through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Community Health Centers Program. The 2016 Older Americans Act Reauthorization added oral health to the list of its disease prevention and health promotion services.
For more details on this issue and potential options for expanding access to oral health, read the full policy brief from ACL.
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Louisville Joins AARP/WHO Network as the 4th Age-Friendly City in Kentucky!
We are excited to announce that the City of
Louisville was welcomed into the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities! We
are the 120th community to join the national network and the fourth in Kentucky
with Berea, Bowling Green and Lexington.
Affiliated with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities®, the AARP Network of Livable Cities and Communities helps participating communities become great places for people of all ages by adopting features such as safe, walkable streets; better housing and transportation options; access to key services; and opportunities for residents to participate in civic and community activities.
This
recognition is the result of many dedicated and passionate individuals who
believe in making Louisville a place where all people, regardless of age or
ability, are able to flourish. The Age-Friendly City distinction is an
incredibly exciting opportunity for our community to become more supportive not
only of our older residents but also for residents of all ages."
In the first year of planning, community members should look forward to multiple upcoming chances to share their visions for our city by participating in surveys, listening sessions, and idea posts in their neighborhoods.
Follow upcoming announcements and progress at #AgeFriendlyLou
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 To see if you qualify, contact: asthma@louisville.edu or call 502-852-2273
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LIHEAP
Launches a New Automated Phone and On-line Appointment System
Louisville Metro Community Services launched a new
automated telephone and on-line appointment system that will help clients
schedule a home energy assistance appointment and hear or see information
regarding the program and/or required documentation needed for an appointment.
LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program,
is a federally-funded, income-based program that provides financial help
to low-income households in meeting the costs of heating their home. The
LIHEAP Subsidy Phase begins on November 1, 2016 and will operate through
December 9, if funds are still available. Residents wishing to apply must
have an appointment made in advance.
A new, toll-free service will be utilized for LIHEAP
appointment scheduling and is now available twenty four hours a day, seven days
a week.
The caller can follow the prompts to get the
information needed and/or to schedule an appointment if available. The
system provides a confirmation number indicating that an appointment was
successfully scheduled.
Scheduling an
Appointment by Phone
By telephone: Call 502-991-8391. Clients must have an appointment before visiting the
site to apply.
- Choose the desired location for your appointment
(see below for the six office locations)
- Choose a Date/Time for your appointment
- Record your Name – say and spell your first and
last name slowly
- Enter a contact phone number
- Enter your 12-digit LGE account number (if
applicable)
- Enter the last four digits of your Social
Security number and Date of Birth
- Receive your appointment confirmation number
(have pen/paper ready)
- Appointment details (location, date and time)
will be repeated
- List of Documents to Bring to the appointment
will be given
Scheduling an
Appointment On-line:
Appointments can
also be made at www.louisvilleky.gov/cascheduler.com
For the Subsidy Phase of LIHEAP,
residents can apply regardless of the status of their utility bills.
Applicants must be Louisville Metro/Jefferson County residents with a
household income at or below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines and willing
to provide the following documentation at the time of their appointment.
Proof of all household income for the
preceding month (Food Stamp award letter, Social Security Award letter, pay
stubs, etc. or proof of $0 income. Note: Zero Income forms are available
at the Community Services office at 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Suite 201 or by clicking here.)
- Proof of Social Security Number or Permanent Residence
card (Green Card) for each member of the household.
- Most current heating bill; or statement from your
landlord if heating expenses are included in your rent; or statement from
your utility company if you participate in a pre-pay electric program.
Please bring the account number and name on the account for all heating
fuel sources and electric.
Individuals who are unable to apply for
this program in person may send a representative on their behalf with a note
including the applicant’s signature and phone number. Call 574-1157 for more
details on how this process works. Residents who are homebound and who are
unable to send a representative, may call 485-7230 ext. 2239.
LIHEAP
applications will be completed at the time of the appointment at one of the six
locations listed below. Please note that 810 Barret Avenue is closed and
is no longer a location this year.
- Northwest Neighborhood Place/Academy at Shawnee, 4018 W Market Street, 40212
- South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Avenue, 40215
- Neighborhood Place Ujima/Duvalle Education Center, 3610 Bohne Avenue, 40211
- Neighborhood Place/Bridges of Hope, 1411 Algonquin Parkway, 40210
- Newburg Community Center/East, 4810 Exeter Avenue, 40218
- Southwest Government Center/Dixie Highway location. 7219 Dixie Highway, 40258
LIHEAP assistance received is a one-time benefit, paid to the heating vendor. All offices will be closed November 24 and 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Callers who require more information can contact MetroCall 311 by simply dialing 311 or 574-5000, email metro.call@louisvilleky.gov, visit the website’s On Line Customer Service or Live Chat atwww.louisvilleky.gov/metrocall, tweet @LouMetro311, or download the free Mobile 311 app from the website. You can also call Metro United Way’s 2-1-1 help referral service.
LIHEAP is made possible by the United
States Department of Health and Human Services and is a pass through grant from
the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which contracts with
Community Action Agencies across the state. Louisville Metro Community Services
serves as the administering agency of Louisville Metro Community Action
Partnership. For more information about Community Services, visit our website:http://www.louisvilleky.gov/government/community-services or call
574-1157 (TDD available at Metro Call – 574-5000); or Community Action Kentucky
at 1-800-456-3452.
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO DELIVER "MEALS ON WHEELS"
Routes Available Now!
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program provides nutritional meals to homebound seniors in the Louisville area. You can make a huge difference in your community by investing a couple hours a week.
You pick the day(s) you can volunteer and we will train you!
Contact Todd Adams at 574-6917
Senior Nutrition Program
Louisville Metro Government
Department of Community Services
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Louisville Asset Building Coalition’s VITA Volunteer Program
Who will you
help as a volunteer?
The Louisville
Asset Building Coalition (LABC) offers free tax preparation help to low-to
moderate- income households. We understand that many individuals may miss out
on credits and deductions they’ve earned because they can’t afford to pay for
professional tax preparation. We know that many eligible households are
paying for more costly, often predatory, tax preparation services – money that
could be saved or used to maintain stability.
Who volunteers?
Neighbors like
you. You do not have to have an accounting background – just a desire to make a
difference. And there's a role for everyone.
Volunteer Opportunities (est. training hours):
Volunteer Recruiter (2hrs): To reach the number of volunteers required to meet the needs of the community we are looking for individuals who can help by using their own contacts in the recruitment efforts.
Greeter/Screener (2hrs or less): Greeters are the first to meet the clients when they enter a tax site. They are welcoming and are there to ensure that the client meets the program qualifications and gets answers to basic questions. The screener reviews the client information packet and all tax documents, ensures the accurate completion of the Intake forms and records client responses to questions regarding their tax returns.
Financial Coordinator (4hrs): A Financial Coordinator helps clients get organized to see the Tax Preparer, chat with them about their financial challenges and opportunities, and provide information about resources they can use.
On-site Tax Preparer (20hrs): An on-site tax preparer prepares Federal and State income tax returns, with easy-to-use software provided by the IRS. This position will have direct contact with the public.
Drop-off Tax Preparer (20hrs): A drop-off tax preparer prepares Federal and State income tax returns at a separate location, with easy-to-use software provided by the IRS. Limited or no direct contact with the public is required.
Quality Reviewer (25hrs or less with prior experience): The Quality Reviewer reviews tax returns completed by volunteer tax preparers, ensuring that every taxpayer receives quality service and that the tax returns are error-free.
Self-File Navigator (10hrs): Clients that qualify based on income guidelines have several free tax software options they can use to file their own tax returns online. Our Self-File Navigators assist them with completing their own returns. This is a great option, particularly for our clients that are single and employed by companies that provide them with W-2 tax statements.
Workshop Facilitator/Coach (4hrs): The workshop facilitator will help to introduce interested participants to the online self-file option in an effort to increase confidence levels in filing their own taxes. A basic knowledge of computers is helpful.
To learn more - visit labcservices.org or
call (502) 814-2715
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