BRIA DXP (Prod)BRIA DXP (Prod)https://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=32681182024-03-29T15:44:40Z2024-03-29T15:44:40ZDeath and TaxesOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=379442662024-03-19T18:01:51Z2024-03-19T18:00:00Z<p>“. . . <b>in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin</b></p>
<p>This year I helped my mom file her taxes. It was something that my father always used to do. Dad had a system. He kept receipts and pay stubs. One drawer in an old filing cabinet in his workshop had copies of his tax returns going back well over a decade: each form, each worksheet and the documentation to go with them, clipped together with old-fashioned binder clips. These would be attached to the 1040 forms, completed in neat script in the way his accountant father had taught him to do it. Most years, there would be paper tape from his calculator, tabulating the amounts to be entered on the rows in the form. He could do the arithmetic in his head, but he always had a backup. Long after he switched from a typewriter to using a computer, and began paying most bills online, he continued to file his taxes on paper - and keeping a copy in that file drawer. Sometimes when I was home for a visit, he would remind me of those files, and others financial records that he kept in old file cabinets, and a few that he had stored in a war-surplus ammo box. “In case you need the information,” he said.</p>
<p>Dad passed away last summer. So as the filing deadline approached, I told mom I would help with her taxes. It made sense; I knew where to look.</p>
<p>So, on a recent afternoon I sat down at Dad’s old desk and started working on the taxes. Using last year’s filing as a guide, I assembled the tax forms and bank records and started on their 1040 form.</p>
<p>Unlike my father, I don’t fill out my tax forms by hand. Anyone who has ever tried to read my handwriting can tell you why. I took advantage of the e-file resources that are available, using the paperwork from 2023 and Dad’s meticulous notes from prior years to fill out the online questionnaires that populate the forms. It did not take long to complete the task. I filed their federal and state returns, saved an electronic copy, and replaced the old notes to the cabinet.</p>
<p>Sitting there at his computer, reading through notes in his familiar handwriting, it was like being there with him. It was not the first time we had talked about finances, or taxes. It brought back memories of other times sitting at his desk. Filling out my own tax forms for the first time, applying for college or learning to balance a checkbook. Earlier, I sat at the desk doing algebra homework, or wrestling with his old manual Royal typewriter learning how to do footnotes for a research paper. There are big events in life to remember, but some of the most surprising are the connections to mundane activities. I miss him in ordinary moments, in ways that can surprise me.</p>
<p>Experts on grief tell us that there is no one way to grieve. We all experience loss in different ways. In her <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324092339">book</a>, <i>Floating in the Deep End</i>, Pattie Davis wrote “. . . I had to let grief move at its own pace. As familiar as grief becomes in our lives, each occurrence seems unique.” The things that <a href="https://thelossfoundation.org/triggers-in-grief/">trigger a sense of grief or loss</a>, and the time required to process, will vary from person to person, and time to time.</p>
<p>An article in World Psychiatry by Sidney Zisook and Katherine Shear addressed <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2691160/">grief and bereavement</a> from a clinical perspective. They wrote, “…grief is not a topic of in-depth discussion at most medical schools.” Healthcare professionals may be ill-prepared in identifying or responding to grief. What is the difference between “normal,” uncomplicated grief and more debilitating grief or depression?</p>
<p>Zisook and Shear wrote, “…grief is not a state, but rather a process.” The spectrum of grief is broad and varied. Grief is not only about pain. Positive feelings and happy remembrances are part of the process, too. Grief is not something you “finish” or “get over.” Part of the process is finding new and meaningful ways of continuing the relationship with the deceased.” That may include holding onto a cherished keepsake, visiting a cemetery or sharing a memory. I never met my wife’s grandmother Ida, but stories told by the family keep her memory present, giving depth of meaning to the old photographs in the den. For others, it is continuing a practice or an activity you once did together, even if that happened to be the inevitable chore of filing taxes.</p>
<p>Learn more about coping strategies for grief by visiting our <a href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/-/resource-library/family-caregiving/coping-strategies-for-caregivers-after-death-of-loved-one">website</a>.</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/">resources available</a> for those who may be overwhelmed by the grieving process. If you, or someone you know is struggling with the loss of a loved one, counseling, therapy and treatment can help. Ask your physician, your faith leader or your counselor for guidance. If you are not sure where to turn, dial 2-1-1 for information on local resources. And if you are in a crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8.</p>
<p>But this blog post is about death <u>and</u> taxes. The due date for filing this year is April 18, instead of April 15, because of the weekend and the District of Columbia's Emancipation Day holiday, which falls on Monday, April 17. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Monday, October 16, 2024, to file. Individuals aged 65 and older who earned more than $14,050 in 2023 need to file a federal tax return. The threshold is higher for married couples.</p>
<p>There are multiple resources available for information and assistance for older adults to aid in filing their taxes.</p>
<ul>
<li>Benjamin Rose provides free assistance for older adults who need help in filing their tax return. VITA, the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance program provides valuable tax filing assistance to individuals in need, ensuring they receive their refunds promptly. To schedule an appointment, individuals can call 211 or visit <a href="https://www.refundohio.org/" target="_blank">https://www.refundohio.org/</a>. </li>
<li>Many people can take advantage of e-filing platforms. The IRS has information about VITA (above) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs that offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals. Information is available on the IRS website: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers</a></li>
<li>Ohio’s Department of Aging has an overview of income tax and benefits programs on its website: <a href="https://aging.ohio.gov/care-and-living/get-help/understand-your-benefits/income-taxes">https://aging.ohio.gov/care-and-living/get-help/understand-your-benefits/income-taxes</a></li>
<li>Access the IRS Tax Guide for Seniors on the IRS website: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p554.pdf">https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p554.pdf</a></li>
</ul>Orion Bell2024-03-19T18:00:00ZHealth and Human Services LevyOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=373703252024-02-26T20:37:22Z2024-02-26T20:36:00Z<p>This March, the health and wellness of Cuyahoga County is on the ballot.</p>
<p><b>Issue 26</b>, which will be brought to voters in the coming election, is a renewal levy that will maintain funding for critical Health and Human Services. The levy provides about half of Cuyahoga County’s entire Health and Human Services budget. Those funds help keep kids safe, provide residents with medical care and offer home and community-based assistance to older adults. </p>
<p>The 4.8 mill levy protects $137 million in funding for critical services—roughly half of local HHS funding. Revenue is earmarked specifically for health and human services and cannot be used for anything else. The levy also helps Cuyahoga County secure hundreds of millions in state and federal matching funds, all of it spent on health and human services throughout the county.</p>
<p>Issue 26 is not a tax increase. Property owners will continue to pay about $9.50 per month on $100,000 of auditor-appraised value. The 2024 renewal will support critical services and improve the quality of life across the county without raising taxes.</p>
<p>Benjamin Rose relies on funding from the levy to support a variety of our programs, including home meal delivery, activities at the Rose Centers, counseling and support services, transportation and more. The levy is vital to many of our community partners as well, including the ADAMHS Board, Cuyahoga County Division of Adult and Senior Services (DSAS), the Greater Cleveland Foodbank and MetroHealth, to name a few. We are part of a broad network of local charities, public agencies and volunteer groups who help promote the health, wellness and dignity of our neighbors, across the lifespan. Learn more about this vital work and programs supported by the Health and Human Services levy by visiting <a href="https://hhs.cuyahogacounty.gov/">https://hhs.cuyahogacounty.gov/</a></p>
<p>Here are some important things to remember about Issue 26:</p>
<p><b>Primary Election Day is Tuesday, March 19. </b>Early voting started on February 21, and continues through election day. If you are registered to vote, you can vote by mail, vote early in-person at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections or vote on election day, March 19, at your local precinct. </p>
<p>You can find out more information about the election, including the location of you polling place, and sample ballots, by visiting the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website: <a href="https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/">https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/</a></p>
<p><b>Get involved. </b>You can show your support for Issue 26 by requesting a yard sign, making phone calls or greeting voters at the polls on election day. For more information about Issue 26, visit <a href="http://www.voteforhhs.org">www.voteforhhs.org</a>. At this site you will find information about the levy, and ways that you can show your support for the measure. </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>Orion Bell2024-02-26T20:36:00ZA Place to Call HomeOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=365537922024-01-31T17:05:00Z2024-01-26T16:40:00Z<p>“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than any magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” — Charles Dickens,</p>
<p>The Benjamin Rose Institute was one of the first charitable organizations in the United States established for the benefit of older adults. Its story begins with someone at risk of losing their home. “During the Panic of 1893. . .Mr. Rose had occasion to aid an aged couple [who] had been friends of his many years before. . . They were left in their old age without any means of support.” Benjamin and Julia Rose created a trust whereby corporate trustees or a board of managers were empowered to utilize funds to assist older people either at their own home or other places of abode or homes to be established for them.</p>
<p>More than a century later, housing continues to be a challenge for older adults. In its <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/livable-communities/housing/2021-home-community-preferences/">2021 survey</a> of home and community preferences, AARP found that more than three-quarters of adults ages 50 and older indicated a desire to age-in-place. But many of them worry about their ability to do so. At Benjamin Rose, we believe that stable, sustainable housing is key to achieving comfort and dignity in retirement, and that strategies to promote financial security and individual dignity must address the challenges of <i>affordable</i>, <i>available</i> and <i>accessible</i> housing for vulnerable populations.</p>
<p><b>Affordable</b></p>
<p> A growing number of older adults struggle to find rental housing they can afford. According to the <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://nlihc.org/resource/extremely-low-income-renters-make-majority-severely-cost-burdened-renters">National Low Income Housing Coalition</a>, among extremely low-income households, those with 30 percent or less of the area median income, 72 percent are severely housing cost-burdened, meaning they are spending 50 percent or more of their income on rent. Older adults make up 30 percent of extremely low-income households. The NLIHC also reported a dramatic spike in <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://nlihc.org/oor">the annual change in median rental prices</a>. Average monthly rents rose by $179 in 2022, compared to average increases of $31 in the preceding years. Rising rents were accompanied by growth in <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/living/monthly-utility-costs-by-state/#:~:text=Rising%20inflation%20has%20had%20a%20significant%20impact%20on,released%20by%20the%20U.S.%20Bureau%20of%20Labor%20Statistics.">utility expenses</a>, which rose by more than 14 percent. </p>
<p>For older homeowners, one in four is housing cost-burdened, a rate less than half that for renters in most communities. Two-thirds or more of older households own their homes. But this population faces increasing maintenance and utility costs. Rising property values, and the associated increases in property taxes, places some retirees at risk. A growing number of the clients served by our housing and financial counseling programs at Benjamin Rose carry mortgage debt or other loan obligations in retirement. An article in the September 2023 issue of <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00134"><b><i>Health Affairs</i></b></a> projected, “By 2029, more than half of middle-income seniors (ages 75 or older) will have insufficient resources to cover housing and care needs.”</p>
<p><strong>A</strong><b>vailable </b></p>
<p>Americans in or nearing retirement also struggle to find available housing. A blog post on <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://www.apartments.com/blog/senior-housing-waiting-lists-how-to-get-on-them-and-get-approved"><b>Apartments.com</b></a> offers suggestions on how to go about getting on a <i>waiting list</i> for available senior housing. According to the site, the occupancy for market-rate apartments for older adults is “about 83 percent.” For subsidized housing programs, including HUD 202, Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and Housing Choice vouchers, waiting lists may extend for years.</p>
<p>The prospects for homeowners are challenging, too. For older adults seeking to downsize, or purchase a home in retirement, the market has changed dramatically. The average sales price of a “starter home” has increased by 64 percent since 2016, a much steeper increase than that of larger houses. Downsizers compete with first time homebuyers, and real estate investors, for listed properties. Increasing buyer demand was accompanied by a decline in available housing stock. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/death-of-the-starter-home-where-have-all-the-small-houses-gone/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHomebuilding%20is%20our%20way%20out,construct%20smaller%20homes%20these%20days.">Realtor.com </a> reported that active listings of starter home dropped by 60 percent between 2016 and 2021.</p>
<p><b>Accessible</b></p>
<p>In addition to being able to find it, and afford it, older adults also need housing they can actually live in. Most of the housing in the United States includes challenges to entering or navigating the home. Stairs leading to outside entryways, sleeping rooms and bathrooms on upper floors, narrow hallways and interior doorways, all limit options for aging in place for many older adults. The Center for American Progress (CAP) estimates that less than 5 percent of housing is accessible for persons with <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/recognizing-addressing-housing-insecurity-disabled-renters/#:~:text=Less%20than%205%20percent%20of,are%20both%20accessible%20and%20affordable.">moderate mobility limitations</a>, and less than 1 percent is accessible for wheelchair users. Federal guidelines for affordable housing units must meet Current Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS). But Section 504 only requires 5 percent of units to be accessible.</p>
<p>Accessibility considerations also includes the environment around the home. Walkability, access to transit, public services, shopping and other community amenities also impact the accessibility of housing and the ability of older adults to successfully age in place.</p>
<p><b>Addressing the challenges</b></p>
<p>Since 1908, Benjamin Rose has supported the housing needs of older adults. Today those services include: </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Margaret Wagner Senior Apartments</b> offers affordable rental housing to low-income older adults. This program is supported in part by HUD 202 funding and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).</li>
<li><b>Service coordination</b> for residents of low-income senior housing.</li>
<li><b>Rental and utility assistance programs</b> for persons ages 55 and older.</li>
<li><b>HUD-certified education and counseling for first-time homebuyers</b>.</li>
<li>Counseling and support services to address <b>foreclosure prevention, property tax assessments, and guidance for older adults in navigating housing decisions</b> as they age.</li>
<li><b>Financial wellness programs</b> that promote financial literacy, economic stability and access to benefits.</li>
<li><b>Matched saving and zero-interest loan programs</b> to help build individual wealth and avoid predatory lending practices.</li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to these services, we also advocate for effective policies and programs to promote affordable, available and accessible housing. Last year, the Ohio Senate established a <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="6320e42096778742ab7329ba" href="https://ohiosenate.gov/committees/select-committee-on-housing">Select Committee on Housing</a> to examine the housing needs across the state, including older adults and other vulnerable populations. In testimony submitted to that committee, Benjamin Rose made the following recommendations on public policy can that help address the housing needs of older adults.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Expand public affordable housing programs for low-income households.</b> Efforts to build and maintain and expand housing options must include both the public and the private sector. The National Low Income Housing Coalition advocates for policies and funding to ensure rental housing is available and affordable: making rental assistance universally available, building and preserving affordable and public housing, and providing robust renter protections.</li>
<li><b>Promote private investment in affordable owner-occupied and rental housing. </b>Subsidized housing only addresses part of the problem. Ninety percent of older adults do not qualify for public assistance with housing. Good public policy also promotes investment in affordable market rate rental and owner-occupied properties.</li>
<li><b>Update</b> <b>zoning and community planning guidelines that encourage accessible housing units and expand options for multi-generational and multi-family housing.</b></li>
<li><b>Invest in home repair and home modification programs.</b> Home repair and home accessibility modification programs are critical to addressing the housing needs of older adults. Household maintenance programs help preserve existing housing stock. Minor home modifications address mobility challenges in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundries. These programs preserve the value of homes and enhance safety and livability. Landlords should also be encouraged to maintain properties and enhance accessibility of dwelling units. Home repair and home modification programs are cost-effective ways to help people, owners, and renters alike, to age in place.</li>
</ul>
<p>Housing is more than just shelter. It is also a connection to place and community. It provides stability and comfort and dignity. Working together we can ensure that everyone, at any age, has a place to call home.</p>Orion Bell2024-01-26T16:40:00ZLooking Forward Looking BackOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=356078412023-12-21T20:57:06Z2023-12-21T14:38:00Z<p>Predicting the future is hard. Predicting the recent past can be even harder. What seemed significant or important in the moment, upon reflection, may not have been. Something trivial or random turns out to be consequential or life altering. Picking out milestones is easier if you have traveled a great distance. Looking back over one year in an organization that has been around for over a century is a bit like describing a trip based on backing out of the driveway.</p>
<p>But, it is the end of the year. It is human nature to pause and reflect and predict. So here goes. A lot happened in 2023.</p>
<p><b>A new look</b></p>
<p>You may have noticed our refreshed logo, or some changes to our website or our stationery. This year, we launched a rebranding effort to simplify and streamline our messaging and promote greater awareness of Benjamin Rose and our mission. The focus is on the people we serve in the community, their needs and their success. Over the past decade, Benjamin Rose has undergone a metamorphosis in our programs and services. We stepped back from direct healthcare programming and increased our emphasis on social and community programs that address social determinants of health. As part of that, we merged other nonprofits into the organization, and expanded on partnerships with others. The new branding emphasizes the common themes of all our programming and focuses on those who we serve. Programs and services are aligned around four serviced pillars:</p>
<p><b>Home and Community-Based Services </b></p>
<p>Whether it is a hot home-delivered meal, a chair yoga class, a friendly visit from a Senior Companion volunteer or counseling provided to an older adult or the family member who cares for them, Benjamin Rose has always focused on promoting the health and dignity of the people we serve. This past year, we expanded our caregiver support program, <b>WeCare…Because You Do</b>. We continued to build upon our <b> Nutrition Solution</b> service that provides “medically tailored” meals and counseling supports for persons living with a chronic illness or recovering from a hospital stay. And we added new training offerings for mental health professionals providing <b>Behavioral Health</b> <b>Services </b>for older adults. 2,500 people participated in one or more of these programs in northeast Ohio this past year.</p>
<p><b>Housing and Home Ownership</b></p>
<p>Affordable, accessible and available housing has always been part of the mission of Bejamin Rose. It is part of our “origin story,” the example Mr. Rose used to describe his intent in establishing the Benjamin Rose Trust. This past year, we increased our commitment. We broke ground at <b>Margaret Wagner House</b> on the renovation and expansion of affordable housing apartments for older adults. We expanded <b>rent and utility assistance</b> for older adults. And we added new courses and programs to enhance homeownership opportunities, including more first-time homebuyer preparation classes, and supports for older adult homeowners who may struggle with housing costs or property taxes.</p>
<p>We also focused our attention on public policy around affordable housing and homeownership. This included public policy forums featuring our staff alongside leaders from <b>Housing and Urban Development (HUD)</b>, the <b>Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)</b> and the <b>National Low-Income Housing Coalition</b>. The intersection of policy and practical application provides a powerful impact on what works, and why it matters. We understand that housing is a lifelong issue, and the effective policies and programs that promote homeownership and affordable housing options at all ages are critical to supporting people along the aging journey.</p>
<p><b>Financial Wellness</b></p>
<p>2023 saw the continuation of a variety of financial wellness and literacy programs. Income tax preparation assistance and benefits enrollment, programs to promote savings, zero-interest loans and educational workshops all help promote financial literacy and financial security for older adults. <b>COST (Connecting Our Seniors to Technology)</b> is a program that helps older adults span the “digital divide.” Computer literacy, combined with consumer education and financial literacy, helped older adults access the internet, and surf the web safely. Course completers also received free laptop computer assistance with low-cost, high-speed internet access. A recent survey found that only one client in four had a computer available at home, and fewer than half had access to broadband. COST is just one example of our more than 1,000 people benefitting from the financial education counseling services in 2023.</p>
<p><b>Research, Education and Advocacy </b></p>
<p>Pioneering work by the professional staff at Benjamin Rose helped establish the field of gerontology. That work, and the emphasis on applying research in the real world, continued in 2023. This is most notable in our work to support family and friend caregivers, the informal, uncompensated friends and family who provide the care that makes community-based care possible. Evidence-based caregiver support programs developed by Benjamin Rose were used in 60 communities across the US last year. People also accessed information through <b>Best Practice Caregiving</b>, which provides information on proven tools for caregiver support. Our staff is also at the forefront in the implementation of the GUIDE model (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience), a pilot program to support people living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers. GUIDE will, for the first time, include caregiver support as part of the care plan services covered by Medicare. We also partnered with the Ohio Department of Aging, Ohio State University and other organizations to launch the new <b>Golden Buckeye Center for Dementia Caregiving</b>. This project will help expand resources for family caregivers in Ohio.</p>
<p>Looking back, 2023 was a year of activities that built the experience and expertise of Benjamin Rose. It was a year that we were able to “rethink aging” and consider how to best meet the needs of the people we serve. And, like that car that is just backing out of the driveway, we are just getting started.</p>Orion Bell2023-12-21T14:38:00ZOpen Enrollment or Open Season? Orion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=342490962023-10-30T15:05:14Z2023-10-30T15:03:00Z<p>The signs of fall:</p>
<p>Football.</p>
<p>Turning leaves.</p>
<p>Pumpkin spice.</p>
<p>And advertisements for Medicare plans.</p>
<p>Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, the time when Medicare beneficiaries can compare coverage options and choose health and drug plans, began on <b>October 15, 2023,</b> and ends on<b> December 7, 2023</b>. If you watch television, or pass a billboard, you have seen them—ads promoting various Medicare Advantage plans, or assistance with finding a plan. There are many options. Some promote low (or no) monthly premiums. Others list additional amenities. There are offerings from well-known brands, and companies you have never heard of. There are celebrity spokespeople, earnest testimonials from program participants, and scripted conversations set in coffee shops and parks of friends talking about their perfect insurance plan. Research by the <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/press-release/kff-research-shows-that-medicare-open-enrollment-tv-ads-are-dominated-by-medicare-advantage-plans-featuring-celebrities-active-and-fit-seniors-and-promises-of-savings-and-extra-benefits-without-fund/">Kaiser Family Foundation</a> found more than 1,200 unique ads for Medicare aired on television more than 643,000 times last year. </p>
<p>Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap. Which plan is best for you?</p>
<p>Most American adults ages 64 and under obtain health insurance coverage through their employers. Workplace plans are also the source of healthcare coverage for spouses and dependents. Workplace plans may offer multiple tiers of coverage, but for the most part, the employee selects from a short list of coverage options. But in retirement, the consumer is faced with a wide array of choices. How do you know plan is the right one for you?</p>
<p><b>Medicare began in 1965</b>. President Lyndon Johnson <a href="https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Medicare_Signed_Into_Law.htm#:~:text=On%20July%2030%2C%201965%2C%20President,Harry%20Truman%20had%20proposed%20it.">signed the law on July 30</a> at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri. The program extended health coverage to persons ages 65 and older who were not well served in a health insurance marketplace that was primarily built on employer-sponsored health plans. Medicare enjoys broad popular support among those covered by the program, and the general public. If you are not covered by Medicare, you probably know someone who is. The broad reach of Medicare coverage extends its influence into how private insurance operates and how medical treatment is identified, covered and billed. According to the <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/what-to-know-about-medicare-spending-and-financing/">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)</a>, Medicare accounted for 21 percent of total national health spending in 2021, 26 percent of spending on both hospital care and physician and clinical services, and 32 percent of spending on retail prescription drug sales.</p>
<p>Healthcare has changed dramatically since 1965, and Medicare has adapted to meet the changing landscape. In 1980, the <a href="https://www.planmedigap.com/history-of-medicare/">Bachus Amendment</a> allowed for creation of Medicare supplement plans (“Medigap”) to augment traditional Medicare coverage. Coverage of prescription medications was broadly expanded in 2003, when President George W. Bush signed the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=when+was+prescription+coverage+added+to+medicare&sca_esv=576472481&sxsrf=AM9HkKnw3dsu7_cqa21JF5m2f2Vpmr6E_g%3A1698231836560&source=hp&ei=HPY4ZZu0H9G-0PEPoZWm2Aw&iflsig=AO6bgOgAAAAAZTkELD3sjmE40qI7P5T4et91ewnMkRVm&oq=when+was+prescription+coverage+added+to+&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6Iih3aGVuIHdhcyBwcmVzY3JpcHRpb24gY292ZXJhZ2UgYWRkZWQgdG8gKgIIADIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRirAjIFECEYqwJI22xQAFiQYHAKeACQAQCYAYUBoAGvIaoBBTMyLjE0uAEDyAEA-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&sclient=gws-wiz">Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act</a>. Private insurers began to offer coverage through Medicare (“Part C”) in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3117270/">1985</a>. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 expanded Part C coverage. Today these plans are referred to as Medicare Advantage plans.</p>
<p>Medicare Advantage was created as an effort to limit risk and control costs for Medicare coverage. A private insurer contracts with Medicare to offer comparable coverage, and absorbs the risk if spending exceeds the amount of the contract. This provides the federal government with more predictable expenses for budgeting. Companies have an incentive to control costs, and since consumers have the option to choose (or leave) a plan, the intended outcome is to focus on health promotion and wellness. Plans began to offer discount fitness memberships and incentives for participating in health and wellness activities. They employed nurses and caseworkers to monitor and encourage adherence to post-hospitalization rehab plans, maintain a healthier diet and keep medical appointments. Consumers were offered plan options that might offer lower out-of-pocket costs or include coverage for services outside of traditional Medicare.</p>
<p>Medicare Advantage plans must offer “comparable” coverage to traditional Medicare. But comparable can be in the eye of the beholder. Plans may control costs by limiting the number of providers offered, or options for treatment. Coverage areas and service quality can vary widely. There are excellent Medicare Advantage plans. There are excellent Medigap plans that augment traditional Medicare. And there are some that are not so excellent. How is a person supposed to know which option is best for them?</p>
<p>Medicare? Medigap? Medicare Advantage? Which brings me back to those commercials. The KFF study found that many ads offer information that is incomplete, or even misleading. A common tactic is to suggest calling a “Medicare Hotline” for more information. Most of these toll-free numbers are to the sales department of the carrier running the ad and are not calls to Medicare or independent Medicare advisors. Telemarketing and aggressive sales tactics may also overwhelm consumers. So how do you find accurate information to make the right Medicare selections to meet your healthcare needs?</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are reliable sources for information about Medicare plans.</p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="http://www.medicare.gov">Medicare.gov</a> website offers a wealth of information on coverage options, benefits and costs. The Medicare website also includes quality ratings, using a “5 Star” scale.</li>
<li>Another useful resource is the <a href="https://www.shiphelp.org/">State Health Insurance Assistance Program</a> (SHIP). SHIP counsellors are available in all states to help provide local, unbiased one-on-one counseling on selecting Medicare plans. The SHIP website includes a search function to find a counselor in your area: <a href="http://www.shiphelp.org">www.shiphelp.org</a>. In Ohio, the <a href="https://insurance.ohio.gov/about-us/divisions/oshiip">Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP)</a> coordinates SHIP counseling. OSHIIP is housed in the Ohio Department of Insurance.</li>
<li>The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers <a href="https://www.ncoa.org/article/a-7-point-checklist-for-choosing-a-medicare-advantage-plan">A 7-Point Checklist for Choosing a Medicare Advantage Plan</a> to help guide your review of Medicare plan options. </li>
<li>Your local <a href="https://www.areaagingsolutions.org/programs-services/aging-and-disability-resource-center/">Area Agency on Aging</a> or <a href="https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/aging-and-disability-resource-centers">Aging and Disability Resource Center</a> is also a source of information about Medicare and other benefits programs for older adults. The national Eldercare Locator has a phone number (1-800-677-1116) and a website at <a href="http://www.eldercare.acl.gov">www.eldercare.acl.gov</a> that can find local services based on your city, county or zip code. </li>
</ul>
<p>Health and healthcare expenses can be a source of concern for many older Americans. Finding a Medicare plan that works best for you - meeting your healthcare needs and your financial considerations – can be challenging. Fortunately, there are people and resources available to help guide you. And that assistance is only a click or a phone call away.</p>
<p>For further reading:</p>
<p>Read the KFF Research report on <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/press-release/kff-research-shows-that-medicare-open-enrollment-tv-ads-are-dominated-by-medicare-advantage-plans-featuring-celebrities-active-and-fit-seniors-and-promises-of-savings-and-extra-benefits-without-fund/">Medicare television advertising</a>.</p>
<p>Read the KFF Research report on the <a href="https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/generations-medicare-as-reflected-in-public-opinion-brodie-et-al.pdf">popularity of Medicare</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2022/demo/p60-278.html">US Census data on health insurance coverage</a></p>
<p>Learn the basics about <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare">Medicare</a>, <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics">Medigap</a> and <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/health-plans/your-coverage-options/compare">Medicare Advantage</a> programs by visiting Medicare.gov </p>
<p>Download a copy of <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-and-you">Medicare & You from Medicare.gov</a></p>Orion Bell2023-10-30T15:03:00ZPocketknives Orion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=333644602023-09-28T17:30:13Z2023-09-27T18:39:00Z<p>Do you carry a pocketknife?</p>
<p>Growing up, having a pocketknife was a rite of passage. At some point, an adult in your life would decide you should have one. Every man I knew carried one. They varied in size, shape and color. There were handles made of wood, bone, metal or plastic. There were knives with one, two or three blades. Swiss Army or Boy Scout knives had accessories: a file, scissors, screwdriver, even a fork and spoon. My first knife was a battered old Barlow. The color was worn off the handle so that the metal showed through. It had a leather punch in place of one blade, and a can opener. It was dull and hard to open. And, large enough that it was hard to lose in the laundry. That made a good knife for a seven year old.</p>
<p>Having a knife meant finding things to do with it. Whittle a stick. Carve your initials into something. My Dad taught me how to play <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://chestofbooks.com/crafts/popular-mechanics/The-Boy-Mechanic-700-Things-for-Boys-to-Do/Playing-Baseball-With-A-Pocket-Knife.html">knife baseball</a>. My grandfather would cut slices of apple, flicking the pieces off the blade into his mouth. The knife was letter opener, hole punch, nail file, tweezer. It was the tool needed to change a watch battery, strip wire or cut a vine. It could be a spatula or a putty knife. A knife was useful on a fishing trip or a hike in the woods. It was something you had on you because you might need it.</p>
<p>There is symbolism in those small knives. Musician <b>Chris Stapleton</b> wrote that the gift of a pocketknife is a show of respect. A sharp knife can be a sign of preparedness, utility or virtue. It is a small statement of independence. Late in his life, my grandfather engaged in a small act of defiance in the nursing home where he lived. Sharp knives were against house rules, but my Papaw would find a way to sneak one into his room. The effects of a stroke meant he was unlikely to slice an apple or clean his nails with a blade, but it was his knife, and he thought he should be able to carry it.</p>
<p>My dad always carried a pocketknife. The first one I remember was a Russell Barlow. It was old, a hand-me-down from his father. The wood grips had worn off the handle and had been replaced with lead. It was heavy and could wear a hole in a pocket. Dad kept it sharp and carried it for years. Eventually he replaced it with smaller (and lighter) knives: Case, Buck, or Schrade. He tended to break blades in his knives, or lose them somewhere, so a replacement knife was a pretty reliable gift idea. Sometimes the missing one would turn up. So, there were several in his desk drawer, or his dresser, or even in the glove box of his car. After all, sometimes you need a sharp knife.</p>
<p>My parents sold their home recently and moved into assisted living. This brought on a round of downsizing and sorting: going through the big desk that would not fit in the new apartment and the garage workshop full of tools he would no longer need. The kitchen in the new place was much smaller, too. No need to take all the cookware, cutlery and cannisters. Sorting, moving or discarding was the work of many hands. There were piles to give to family, donate to charity, move to the new place, or discard. Not everything found its way into the right pile. One item in particular did not make the move: the sharpening steel. (Is it a kitchen tool if you use it to sharpen your other knives, too?)</p>
<p>The boxes of cookware and kitchen utensils had been donated to charity. The sharpening steel had been in one of them. And so, I made a note to buy a replacement. He would need it to keep his pocketknife sharp. I picked one out and brought it with me on my next trip to Louisville. It went into the tool drawer in their new kitchen, alongside the tack hammer, the screwdriver and a few other tools he thought he might need in the apartment. It turned out to be the last thing I ever bought for my dad.</p>
<p>That my dad wanted a new sharpening steel says something about his outlook on life. He was forever tinkering with something. He would repair something forever rather than replace it. A pocketknife is a humble tool. A stand in for other gadgets. Keeping a knife also requires planning. To be useful, it must be kept sharp. Dad would routinely clean, sharpen and oil it. Honing it so that it would slice through a sheet of paper or slip easily through ripe fruit. A knife becomes dull with use. He needed steel because he wanted to make sure he kept his knife sharp. Sometimes you need a good knife.</p>
<p>There is also hopefulness symbolized in that pocketknife. Even near the end, there were still things Dad wanted to do. One more chore. One more adventure. More life to come. And whatever came next, he was ready. I’m reminded of that each day when I slip my penknife in my pocket.</p>Orion Bell2023-09-27T18:39:00ZEudaimoniaOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=316635102023-07-26T13:23:30Z2023-07-26T13:21:00Z<p>On a recent morning on my way to work, I listened to an interview on NPR about a recent study on student performance, which expanded on the existing assumption that happy students are generally better students. This study showed correlation between those students with good grades and those with a sense of purpose in their lives. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.npr.org/people/348778932/michaeleen-doucleff">Michaeleen Doucleff</a> interviewed Tania Clarke about her study of adolescent students:</p>
<p>“Eudaimonia”</p>
<p>DOUCLEFF: Eudaimonia - what does that mean?</p>
<p>CLARKE: It's about having the opportunity to understand what purpose in life feels like for you and having opportunities to cultivate your unique personal strengths and talents.</p>
<p>DOUCLEFF: So feeling like you're competent, functioning well and what you do matters to others. Clarke and her colleagues found that the kids who perform really well in math also had higher levels of eudaimonia, about 50% higher.</p>
<p>CLARKE: They have a higher sense of purpose, meaning, fulfillment and competence.</p>
<p>A sense of purpose - eudaimonia. Academic success, healthy relationships with others and life goals are all enhanced by it.</p>
<p>And it’s not just for kids.</p>
<p><strong>Senior Companions</strong> are adult volunteers who are matched with older adults to provide support and help maintain their dignity and independence. Volunteers are aged 55 and above, and work with individuals who are homebound or have other special needs. Senior Companions at Benjamin Rose may be matched with an individual, or may volunteer at a community site, such as a day center or senior housing location. As volunteers, they may help with errands and light meal preparation. They participate in conversation, share in a hobby or accompany a companion on an outing. They build friendship and social connections. And they have fun.</p>
<p>I always know when there is a training date for the Senior Companion volunteers at Benjamin Rose Headquarters. The conference center will ring out with laughter and conversation. Whatever else is on my schedule that day, I will try to drop in on their sessions. The joy and purpose in the group is contagious.</p>
<p>The volunteer assignments of Senior Companions are as varied and diverse as the volunteers and participants. Some provide respite for a family caregiver, allowing them a few worry-free hours away from the day-to-day care of a loved one. Others may assist with household chores or solving a crossword puzzle. Companions also provide perspective and empathy. Several years ago, I worked with a team of Companions at the Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis who provided input on signage – including language and placement, in the geriatric clinic. Years of accompanying patients to medical appointments and assisting with directions for someone unfamiliar with the healthcare campus made them the ideal consultant for improving communication and wayfinding. How long does it take for a person with limited mobility to get from the parking lot to the front entry? The Senior Companions knew.</p>
<p>During the pandemic, Companions were often unable to participate in face-to-face activities at the residential facilities or day programs where they normally volunteered. So, they took up phone calls and letter-writing to help stay connected with their clients. As the pandemic waned, normal activities resumed, including those lively training sessions. But the remote outreach that began during COVID-19 continues to be part of the work they do to help keep more than 1,300 vulnerable adults connected with the community.</p>
<p>The story about eudaimonia reminded me of another study. The late <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://medicine.iu.edu/blogs/faculty-news/remembering-mary-guerriero-austrom-phd">Mary Guerriero Austrom, PhD,</a> was a colleague on a variety of projects involving health and social supports for older adults. An active volunteer herself, in addition to being faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Mary worked regularly with the local area agency on aging, the Alzheimer’s Association and Catholic Charites (the sponsor of Senior Companions in Indianapolis). She was a great advocate for persons living with dementia, and the people, including Senior Companions, who help care for them.</p>
<p>Mary was part of a research team that studied the impact of volunteering as a Senior Companion on the companions themselves. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://academic.oup.com/innovateage/article/2/2/igy018/5052910">In a study</a> published in Innovations in Aging for the Gerontological Society of America, she wrote, “. . . older adult volunteers indicated that they were better off as a result of the experience, and 30% indicated that they were a great deal better off. Older adult volunteers tend to have greater satisfaction in life and greater quality of life. . . Older adult volunteers also experience other benefits, such as learning new skills and expanding their leadership ability . . . a greater personal sense of purpose and accomplishment as a result of their volunteering experiences.” Senior Companion volunteers address social isolation and improve the sense of health and wellbeing of the people they serve, and also themselves.</p>
<p>Servant leadership. A sense of purpose. Having an impact. Making a contribution. Eudaimonia. It’s good for others. And for you.</p>
<p>Note:</p>
<p>The Senior Companion program began in 1973 as part of a national initiative to promote volunteerism among older adults. Companion volunteers receive training through the host site. They may receive a stipend for out-of-pocket expenses. The program is administered through AmeriCorps Seniors, which provides partial funding. We are one of six projects in Ohio. For more information about becoming a Senior Companion, visit our website. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/-/for-older-people-and-families/senior-companion">https://www.benrose.org/-/for-older-people-and-families/senior-companion</a></p>
<p>Want to know more?</p>
<p><a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9674496/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20one%20way%20to%20interpret,performance%20and%20greater%20academic%20success">Read the study about eudaimonia among adolescents.</a></p>
<p><a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/07/06/1186154250/study-examines-what-aspects-of-mental-health-are-tied-to-doing-well-in-math-engl">Listen to the story on NPR.</a></p>
<p><a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/-/for-older-people-and-families/senior-companion">Learn more about Benjamin Rose’s Senior Companion program.</a><a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" name="_Hlk141187204"></a></p>Orion Bell2023-07-26T13:21:00ZLarchmere PorchfestOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=309086952023-06-28T13:44:22Z2023-06-28T13:43:00Z<p>The <a href="http://larchmereporchfest.org/">Larchmere Porchfest</a> returned this summer. On a recent Saturday, area residents and businesses hosted live music from their front porches and storefronts. Beginning at 1:00 p.m., when Austin Walkin’ Cane kicked off the afternoon at Fairhill Partners with a set of delta blues, more than thirty bands and solo performers entertained the crowds with a variety of musical genres. There was something for everyone.</p>
<p>The first Porchfest was held in Ithaca, New York in 1997. Today, Porchfest events are held across the United States and Canada. The Larchmere neighborhood held its first event in 2008, and except for the two years when COVID interrupted the festival, it has been held every year since. Porchfest provides a venue to hear a variety of local musical talents. It also helps promote area businesses and build a sense of community among the residents of Larchmere and the nearby Shaker Square and the Buckeye Shaker area.</p>
<p>Larchmere is generally defined as the area bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Fairhill Road, Kemper Road and Shaker Boulevard. Subdivisions were laid out in the early 20th century, and a business and commercial district developed along Larchmere Boulevard. The neighborhood is part of two Cleveland City Council Wards. Part of it lies in Shaker Heights. It is both part of and distinct from Shaker Square and the larger Buckeye – Shaker neighborhood.</p>
<p>My office is in Larchmere. On nice days, I will often take a walk at lunchtime. Crossing the parking lot of the Select Specialty Hospital and Mount Overlook, I will wander down Larchmere Boulevard. I might grab a bite at Honeybirch Bakehouse or the Larchmere Deli or grab a coffee at the Unbar Café. If there’s time, I might browse Loganberry Books. I can circle the block and cut through the pathway that connects our campus with Fairhill Partners. Errands in the neighborhood might include picking up laundry or running into Dave’s for groceries. There is a drug store, antique shops and many restaurants. There’s a movie theater and an RTA stop. A farmer’s market operates from April to December. Active neighborhood groups and a business association help promote a sense of community and advocate for improvements.</p>
<p><u>Livable Communities</u></p>
<p>Last year, Cuyahoga County launched its <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/09/cuyahoga-county-joins-aarp-network-of-age-friendly-communities.html">Livable Cuyahoga initiative</a>. The program is led by the Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS) and is part of a global effort by the World Health Organization to promote age-friendly communities. The City of Cleveland joined the effort in 2017.</p>
<p>“Livable Cuyahoga, a community for all ages,” aims to “take action to help individual communities improve various community services to better serve its older and younger residents alike.” It will bring together a variety of community partners to develop and improve community life in eight key domains, including housing, transportation, health services, social inclusion, employment and civic participation, social participation, outdoor spaces and communication.</p>
<p>This spring, Benjamin Rose and other individuals and organizations began exploring how we can apply the concepts of <a href="https://livabilityindex.aarp.org/search/Cuyahoga%20County,%20Ohio,%20United%20States">Livable Communities</a> in Larchmere and the larger Shaker Buckeye communities. Pat Frutig, a member of our board and a Larchmere resident, proposed we consider Larchmere as a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483864/">Naturally Occurring Retirement Community</a>, or NORC. A NORC is a neighborhood where many older adults have chosen to age in place. Reviewing the characteristics and amenities of these neighborhoods helps identify factors that promote livability and make it possible and practical to age in place. The Larchmere area scores well in walkability, access to transportation, shopping and other “age-friendly” elements. The presence of block groups and business associations point to opportunities for civic engagement.</p>
<p>Livability elements do not apply exclusively to older adults. The amenities of a neighborhood that make it possible to age in place also improve the quality of life for children, and adults of all ages. The Burton, Bell, Carr Development Corporation recently shared results of a community health snapshot of the larger Buckeye Neighborhood, which showed that residents are optimistic about the area. The majority plan to stay. Buckeye is on average younger than Larchmere, but both groups valued walkability, a variety of business offerings, safe paths and trails, traffic safety and opportunities to build a greater sense of community and placemaking. Livability is intergenerational.</p>
<p>Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are a community of neighborhoods. In many neighborhoods, older residents, even when not in the majority population, are a source of strength. They are more likely to be residents by choice. They are homeowners. They are block watch captains, poll workers and advocates. They are volunteers and business owners. They are neighbors.</p>
<p>One more thing. In addition to Porchfest there was another significant event in Larchmere last Saturday. Board members and supporters of Fairhill Partners gathered for brunch and to celebrate retiring CEO Stephanie FallCreek for her 30 years of service at Fairhill Partners, and to welcome her successor, Jeanna Davis. Stephanie was a tireless supporter of older adults and the Larchmere community. And Jeanna has great plans for the future. We look forward to continuing our work together.</p>Orion Bell2023-06-28T13:43:00ZCemeteries Orion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=299093052023-05-22T15:14:11Z2023-05-22T15:13:00Z<p>“There won’t be any grass on that one.”</p>
<p>I don’t remember the exact year she said it, but I remember where I was when I heard it. Shortly after my uncle died, I had gone along on a trip with my aunt and my parents to a rural cemetery in eastern Kentucky. The graveyard sits next to a small church near the house where my mother was born. A number of my kinfolk comprising four generations of family are buried there. It had been Memorial Day weekend, and we had gone to visit the gravesites. In many rural communities, Memorial Day (or Decoration Day) is not only a time to remember those who have passed on and to lay flowers on a grave. It may also be the time for maintenance of the plots: mowing, weeding, planting. The shade trees that stand along the gravesides are ones planted by the families of the souls buried there. Along with flowers for the graves, you may also take your hedge clippers or string trimmer when visiting.</p>
<p>My aunt’s comment was in reference to one of the graves at the Oak Hill Cemetery. Like most of the folk buried there, the deceased had been a lifelong resident of that community. She’d been the last of her family, and so there would likely be no one to tend to the site. She had passed during the winter, and since no one was nearby to plant grass or place flowers, the ground was sparsely covered with grass and weeds.</p>
<p>I have travelled to that part of the country many times since then. And often those trips have included visits to that cemetery, and others that are the final resting place for members of my family. Some lie in plots that were once part of a family farm: remote patches of ground that are tended by families of those buried there. There are more than 120 cemeteries in Rockcastle County.</p>
<p>Memorial Day’s origins in the United States date to the end of the Civil War. Decoration Day was first observed in 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate dead in Arlington Cemetery. General John A. Logan declared the date to be May 30, and said, “Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://dc.statelibrary.sc.gov/bitstream/handle/10827/35994/Chicora_Future_Small_Family_Cemeteries_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">more than 2,000,00 acres of land</a> devoted to cemeteries in the United States. Some are grand memorial gardens like Cleveland’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_View_Cemetery">Lake View Cemetery</a>. Many are modest affairs. Others are abandoned, perhaps to be rediscovered only when another use is sought for the land.</p>
<p>My memories of Memorial Day and trips to country cemeteries are reminders of the importance of family and ritual in our lives. The stories of rural cemeteries are also the story of the changing population in the US. Walking among the tombstones, one notices how many people died young. Infants and young children are buried alongside their mothers who outlived them. Young widows and widowers remarried. Families of six or more were common. I have walked those sites with my grandfather, my mother and her sisters, and heard stories of how they lived, and how they died. Extended families lived together, or nearby. Families that were tied to the land for generations moved on, following opportunities for a better life. As a nation, we are now less rural. We live longer. Our families are smaller, and we often live further from one another than the generations before.</p>
<p>As a nation we are more mobile, wealthier and healthier. Medical miracles, including vaccines, medications and advances in treatment and techniques, mean that more of us live to adulthood. More of us live into old age. Life expectancy at birth has increased by more than 30 years in the past century. More of us can expect not only to reach retirement age, but to have up to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2017/015.pdf">20 years (or more) in retirement</a>. But while we are living longer, we are doing so with fewer family and friend supports. The median household size today is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/10/01/the-number-of-people-in-the-average-u-s-household-is-going-up-for-the-first-time-in-over-160-years/">2.6 people</a>. And many people aged 75 and older live alone. Our challenge is finding better ways to support people as they age. How will we provide services? How will we pay for them? And how do we support the family and friends that provide the bulk of the informal and uncompensated support that makes home and community-based care possible?</p>
<p>Meeting the needs of older adults and the people who care for them is the mission of the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. Your donations of time, talent and treasure help us pursue that mission through our direct services, research and advocacy. Thank you for your support.</p>
<p>Despite my aunt’s prediction, that lonely gravesite at Oak Hill she noted years ago has grown in; its grass is as thick and green as those around it. A small endowment and contributions from the families provides support for maintenance of the property.</p>
<p>If you want to learn more about preserving cemeteries in Ohio, visit <a href="https://www.ohiohistory.org/preserving-ohio/history-preservation-where-you-live/cemetery-preservation/">https://www.ohiohistory.org/preserving-ohio/history-preservation-where-you-live/cemetery-preservation/</a></p>Orion Bell2023-05-22T15:13:00ZHello In ThereOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=292279272023-04-27T14:23:24Z2023-04-27T13:24:00Z<p><i>. . .Old trees just grow stronger</i></p>
<p><i>. . .Old rivers grow wilder every day, </i></p>
<p><i>Old people just grow lonesome. . ..</i></p>
<p> So goes the chorus of <b><i>Hello In There</i></b>, written by the late John Prine. Prine was a master storyteller. His songs contain characters and observations of the human condition, part ballad and part novel. More than any other contemporary songwriter, he often told stories from the perspective of, and with great affection for, older adults. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://americansongwriter.com/hello-in-there-john-prine-behind-the-song/"><i>Hello In There</i></a> tells the story of John and Loretta, a couple in later life, and the impact of a lonely existence on those who feel their best days are behind them.</p>
<p>According to a <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/Aging%20and%20Disability%20in%20America/2017OlderAmericansProfile.pdf">report</a> by the Administration on Community Living, nearly 14 million older adults live alone, including nearly half of women ages 75 and older. Living by oneself increases the risk of loneliness or social isolation, especially for those who find themselves “unexpectedly alone” due to “death of a partner, family separation, retirement, loss of mobility or lack of transportation.” Loneliness can take a toll on physical and mental health, contributing to greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, infections or dementia. </p>
<p>As an organization that addresses the needs of older adults, and one that is committed to continuous quality improvement, we regularly survey our clients and program participants. Results from our Client Experience Surveys help us measure the effectiveness of our programs and gain greater understanding of the people we serve. One of the questions we ask is whether or not people feel lonely.</p>
<p>As you might expect, clients who are homebound, those who lack access to transportation and those living with serious mental illness or cognitive impairment were more likely to <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCLA_Loneliness_Scale">express loneliness</a>. It is one of the reasons we place so much emphasis on social connections and outreach in our work at Benjamin Rose.</p>
<p>For example, think for a moment about the best meal you ever ate.</p>
<p>I’m willing to bet it was not a meal you ate alone. Maybe it was fried chicken at your grandma’s house. Or a favorite restaurant on date night. Or the steak dinner to celebrate a big promotion. Food is a big part of life. More than calories. It is social connection, tradition and identity. We call some of it “comfort food” for a reason. Some of the clients we serve tell us that there are days when the only person they speak to is the driver who delivers their meal. Or that the only meal they don’t eat alone is lunch at one of our Rose Centers. Beyond the meals, there are activities, classes, shopping trips and entertainment that help connect people and build relationships.</p>
<p>Our Senior Companion volunteers are another resource to address social isolation. Trained volunteers are matched with other older adults to share conversation, run errands and participate in activities. Other volunteers provide telephone reassurance, deliver meals or lead group activities. It turns out that volunteering and serving others are great ways to reduce one’s own sense of loneliness. A sense of purpose can be a great antidote to social isolation.</p>
<p>Social connections are an important part of other programs, too. Computer literacy classes, financial education or group counseling sessions are more than just their course content. They also provide a forum for people to gather together. The folks who participate in our programs and services report that they feel better physically, feel better mentally, and are less lonely.</p>
<p>May is Older American Month and provides an opportunity to focus not only on the needs of older adults, but also on their contributions to society. Older people are not only recipients of our services, but they are often the providers of those services as well, as members of our paid and volunteer staff. You, too, can be part of fulfilling our mission to support caregivers and empower all people to age well, as a donor or a volunteer.</p>
<p>And even if you don’t have the time to deliver meals or lead a class, you can still have a positive impact on the lives of older adults. One of the ways you can help reduce social isolation is simply saying, “Hello in there.”</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>So if you're walking down the street sometime</i></p>
<p><i>And spot some hollow ancient eyes</i></p>
<p><i>Please don't just pass 'em by and stare</i></p>
<p><i>As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello"</i></p>
<p><a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVhA01J0Zsg">Listen to <b><i>Hello In There</i></b> on YouTube.</a></p>Orion Bell2023-04-27T13:24:00ZMargaret WagnerOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=283025222023-03-24T20:07:04Z2023-03-24T15:35:00Z<p>One of the things I love about Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging is the amazing history of the organization and the impact it has made in the field of aging. The Institute has served Cleveland area residents since 1908, fulfilling Benjamin Rose’s vision that people should be able to maintain their comfort and dignity as they age. The programs and services have always strived to be state of the art, and have helped influence and develop supports for older adults and family caregivers across the country.</p>
<p>Benjamin Rose had a vision. But much of the credit for how that vision became reality is due to Margaret Wagner.</p>
<p>Margaret Wagner came to Benjamin Rose as its Executive Secretary in 1930 and served as its chief executive until her retirement in 1959. Throughout her tenure, the agency evolved and adapted to better meet the needs of its clients and reflect sweeping changes in society, healthcare and social programs. She guided the organization through the Great Depression and the failure of the bank that held a portion of the endowment. Throughout the 1930s, she led the transition of Benjamin Rose from being a provider of modest pensions and payer of medical bills to an organization that delivered direct services, conducted research and advocated for sound public policy and quality programs for older people. She established a professional social services and intake program and hired licensed social workers to run it. Margaret Wagner and others wrote articles, taught classes and worked with many other organizations to develop an array of social services and supports. During her tenure, Benjamin Rose established one of the first geriatric care hospitals in the country, developed a model for community senior centers and promoted effective supports for persons living with chronic health conditions. Benjamin Rose Institute became known as a leading advocate for quality long-term care and skilled care services.</p>
<p>Margaret Wagner had a reputation as a fierce advocate for older adults, “the kind of person who would bang on the table to get her point across.” In <b><i>Benjamin Rose Institute, the First 100 Years, </i></b>there are examples of her taking a leading role in challenging the status quo. “We became familiar figures in City Hall,” she was quoted as saying. Whether it was dealing with planning and zoning requirements, or calling out mismanagement of Ohio’s Aid for Aged programs, she was a powerful and formidable voice for the aged.</p>
<p>Benjamin Rose began offering housing for older adults in 1938, and bought its first property outright in 1941, naming it Belford House. Two other properties were added during the decade, providing affordable housing and quality care. By the late 1950s, the board of directors decided to consolidate the homes into a single location, and Margaret Wagner, who had by now announced her plan to retire, was retained as a consultant to complete the project. The new building, known as Margaret Wagner House, opened in 1961. It was a state-of-the-art facility, built, as Ms. Wagner put it, “on the basis of what (we) had learned elders wanted – not on what others thought they should have.” Doorways were wide to accommodate walkers or wheelchairs. Window sills were low, fixtures were designed for ease of use. Fifty-years before universal design or adaptive equipment became common themes in the design of housing for older adults, they were present at Margaret Wagner House. “I loved the job,” she was quoted in 1961. “I personally tried out every chair bought for the home.” More than two decades later, Margaret Wagner moved into the building that bears her name, where she lived until her passing in 1984.</p>
<p>Margaret Wagner House continues to be a key part of service delivery at Benjamin Rose, and an illustration of how our programs and services continue to adapt to meet changing needs of older adults. Margaret Wagner House has been a skilled nursing home and rehab facility, a training site for nursing and medical school students. It hosted the first Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Ohio. It served as the site of our adult day programs and Behavioral Health Day Treatment. It houses the kitchen that supports our Home Delivered Meals and Community Meals programs. And, since 1998, it has been the home of Margaret Wagner Apartments, when the building began to be used for affordable housing apartments for older adults in Cleveland Heights.</p>
<p>This spring, we will break ground on a project to expand the number of apartments in the complex and undertake renovations to upgrade and improve the property. This will include the addition of 20 apartments, and renovation and refreshment of the existing apartments and common areas. We will replace aging elevators and HVAC systems, restore the main entry and lobby areas, and add new community spaces. And, just as was done in Margaret Wagner’s day, it will be done with high quality materials and finishes and in keeping with adaptive design concepts - “based on what older adults want.” It will be fitting tribute to a remarkable woman and her contributions to the field of aging. And a place that residents will be proud to call “home.”</p>Orion Bell2023-03-24T15:35:00ZTake Action on Dementia CareOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=276223182023-02-28T18:58:51Z2023-02-27T16:00:00Z<p>Approximately 6.5 million American live with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. According to <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf"><b><i>Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures</i></b></a>, experts estimate that 1 in 9 people ages 65 or older live with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association projects that these figures will double by 2050, as the population of older adults continues to increase. The incidence of dementia increases with age, and it is estimated that one in three older adults have a form of dementia at the time of death.</p>
<p>Alzheimer’s and other dementias present multiple challenges both to the people who live with the disease and their family caregivers. People with Alzheimer’s dementia live an average of four to eight years after a diagnosis, but some individuals may live as long as 20 years with the condition. Studies suggest that the person living with dementia “will spend an average of 40 percent of this time in the severe stage.” They are far more likely to require institutional care than individuals with other chronic health conditions.</p>
<p>Dementia takes a toll on family caregivers as well. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that more than 11 million Americans provided unpaid care for their loved ones with dementia. The lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia is estimated at $377,621. Three quarters of that is “borne by family caregivers in the form of unpaid caregiving and out-of-pocket expenses.”</p>
<p>In "Payment For Comprehensive Dementia Care: Five Key Recommendations," an article in <b><i>Health Affairs Forefront</i></b>, February 7, 2023. (DOI: 10.1377/forefront.20230206.835921) authors Nora Super, Gary Epstein-Lubow, David B. Reuben, Rani E. Snyder, Jane Carmody and Abby Maglich advocate a new model for a <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/26026/chapter/1" target="_blank">comprehensive dementia care program</a> that addresses the needs of both the persons living with dementia and their caregivers, and offer recommendations on alternative payment models (APMs) for the costs of care. (Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging staff collaborate with the authors on caregiving issues. <i>BRI Care Consultation</i> (BRI-CC) is one of six dementia care models cited in the article.) The full article can be found on the <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/payment-comprehensive-dementia-care-five-key-recommendations">Health Affairs website</a>.</p>
<p>Among the authors’ recommendations:</p>
<p><b>Comprehensive dementia care programs should address both beneficiary and caregiver needs. </b>The diagnosis of any chronic health condition is often accompanied by significant changes in family dynamics and relationships. The roles between parents and children, spouses or siblings may be altered dramatically as care needs evolve. The diagnosis may also initiate an expanded and more complicated relationship with the individual’s medical provider.</p>
<p>Nowhere is this more evident than with a dementia diagnosis. The potential loss of cognitive function may make other aspects of their diagnosis more complicated. Personality and behaviors may change. This impact on caregivers is significant. Caregivers of those with dementia are twice as likely to identify emotional, financial or physical difficulties, compared to other caregivers. As a group, these caregivers are more likely to suffer from depression and social isolation, more likely to experience stroke or heart disease.</p>
<p>A network of family and friend caregivers is key to the support of individuals with dementia. Beyond personal direct care that may be provided, they are often the advocate, the interpreter and the service coordinator for their loved ones. Addressing the caregivers’ needs helps reduce the burden of the role, and greatly enhances not only their health and wellbeing, but also that of the ones in their care.</p>
<p><b>Care should be widely available, including to rural and underserved communities. </b>Access to care can be challenging. Some of the populations most at risk for dementia are also among those with the greatest challenges in finding care and support. Older women, who are more likely to be low income and to live alone, are at higher risk for dementia. The incidence of dementia is greater among older African American and Hispanic Americans than among Whites. Social determinants of health, including environmental factors, household income, diet or social engagement, also play a role. Low income and rural populations often lack easy access to treatment or supportive services. As care models are developed, it will be important ensure access to vulnerable groups.</p>
<p><b>Moving Forward</b></p>
<p>In 2020, there were approximately 220,000 Ohioans living with dementia. In 2021, the <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://aging.ohio.gov/about-us/who-we-are/alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias-task-force">Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Task Force</a> was established to “examine the needs of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, the services available in this state for those individuals, and the ability of health care providers and facilities to meet the individuals' current and future needs.” Similar projects are underway in many states, and 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have published <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://portal.alzimpact.org/media/serve/id/5d23af19258fb">state Alzheimer’s Disease Plans</a>.</p>
<p>The authors note, “Because of the cognitive and behavioral manifestations of dementia, the scope of disease management is often broader than health care management of chronic diseases and includes social, legal, and financial issues. This complexity affects caregivers. . .. Moreover, <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/palliative-and-supportive-care/article/abs/dementia-caregiver-burdens-predict-overnight-hospitalization-and-hospice-utilization/529DC61AF73E8488F02A761C60AA97C8" target="_blank">the effects of caregiver burden often translate to costlier care for the person with dementia, such as hospitalization and placement in nursing homes</a>. Yet, to date, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/chronic-disease-management-why-dementia-care-is-different" target="_blank">does not have a comprehensive, coordinated way to pay for the unique challenges associated with dementia care</a>.” They conclude the article:</p>
<p>As a nation, we are in an ever-increasing crisis over how to care for vast numbers of individuals living with dementia. Dementia care must improve and should be delivered by evidence-based programs that address the essential care processes—including supporting caregivers—leading to better outcomes and lower costs. As payers consider payment models for comprehensive dementia care services, attention to key design components can help ensure that this payment mechanism achieves its intended goals and promotes health equity. The need is critical; the time is now.</p>
<p>Yes, it is.</p>
<p>Benjamin Rose is a leader in serving the needs of family caregivers. Learn more about our <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/services-for-your-clients">caregiver supports</a> on our <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/-/bricareconsultation">website</a>.</p>
<p>Citation:</p>
<p>"Payment For Comprehensive Dementia Care: Five Key Recommendations", Health Affairs Forefront, February 7, 2023. DOI: 10.1377/forefront.20230206.835921</p>Orion Bell2023-02-27T16:00:00ZSister AndreOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=267493732023-01-31T18:12:38Z2023-01-26T21:30:00Z<p>Earlier this month<b>, Lucile Randon</b> passed away in her sleep at her home in Toulon, France. Her passing made world <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/01/worlds-oldest-person-nun-sister-andre-dies-in-france-at-age-118.html">news</a>, because she was 118 years, 340 days old. Born in France in 1904, Randon entered the order of the Daughters of Charity in 1944. She chose the name Sister Andre, in honor of her older brother. She spent the next sixty-five years caring for orphans and older adults in hospitals and care homes. She retired at age 100, but remained active, even as her eyesight failed. She gave interviews as recently as 2022. When asked about her secret to her longevity, Sister Andrea credited a daily glass of wine and piece of chocolate.</p>
<p>She was a survivor of World War I and World War II. She was also the oldest documented survivor of COVID, having contracted the disease at age 117. Her status as a “supercentenarian” made her something of a celebrity, but she wasn’t unique. Until 2017, she wasn’t even the oldest living person in France. Randon’s status as the “oldest living person” came in April of last year, with the passing of Kane Tanaka. At her death, Sister Andre was the fourth longest-living person, ever.</p>
<p>Supercentenarians, individuals who have lived for 110 years or more, are a source of fascination in popular culture. Mere longevity is part of it; the perspective of a person who has seen two centuries, lived among five generations, and held connections to people, places and events beyond the living memory of anyone else are all equally intriguing. These “eldest of elders” are sometimes attributed mystical properties. Interviews are sprinkled with questions about the person’s secret to a long life, purpose and perspective. So what <i>is</i> the secret of a long and happy life?</p>
<p>Wikipedia maintains a list of the longest-lived people, and oldest living people. Does a review of both lists offer any insights on longevity? Perhaps.</p>
<p>Reviewing the list of <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_oldest_living_people#cite_note-GRG-3">Oldest Living People</a> suggests. . .</p>
<ul>
<li>It helps to be female. All but four of the fifty oldest people alive today are women.</li>
<li>Stay active in retirement. Thumbnail biographies of supercentenarians often include a question about current habits and routines. <b>Fusa Tatsumi</b> did gymnastics and applied her own makeup. <b>Maria Branyas</b> “took up sewing, music and reading.” <b>Kane Tanaka </b>practiced calligraphy and solved mathematical puzzles.<br />
</li>
<li>Don’t retire too soon. One of the common themes across the life stories of the people on this list is that they continued their vocations long past the age of 65. Maybe not full time, or maybe at some reduced level of effort, but they continued to work. The kind of work varies—teachers, nurses, store clerks, farmers. But work is both activity and identity for many.</li>
<li>Maintain community connections. The supercentenarians may have outlived their contemporaries, but their stories include relationships with intergenerational family members, neighbors, faith communities and others. They were not alone.<br />
</li>
<li>Practice healthy habits. The biographies often include mention of a diet or exercise regimen. Walking regularly, eating sensibly. And, it’s never too late to start. <b>Marie-Louise Meilleur </b>gave up smoking at age 102.<br />
</li>
</ul>
<p>While many attribute their longevity to healthy habits, there are great variations in opinions about what those health habits are. Sister Andre enjoyed a glass of wine. <b>Juan Vicente Perez, </b>the world’s current oldest living man, has a daily glass of aguardiente. But Maria Branyas is a teetotaler. If you were hoping the secret to long life was connected to coffee, bourbon or candy bars, there is somebody out there who will agree with you, but it’s probably not your doctor, dietician or physical therapist.</p>
<p>Most of us won’t reach the status of supercentenarians. But longevity is increasing. Advances in medicine and preventative health care, as well as efforts to improve air and water quality, promote safety and reduce accidents and injury have contributed to doubling of the average lifespan since 1920. Quality of life, not just quantity, is what matters. The lives, and life stories, of these remarkable people have much to tell us about our own lives. And how we live them.</p>
<p>Notes:</p>
<p>Learn more about how science and advocacy have affected longevity by reading <b><i>How Humanity Gave Itself and Extra Life</i></b>: <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/magazine/global-life-span.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/magazine/global-life-span.html</a></p>
<p>Blue Zones are areas around the globe where “people live better, longer” and are ten times as likely to reach age 100. The <b>Blue Zones Project</b> explores the impact of community on health and well-being, and how to support people in their effort to “live longer, healthier, happier lives.” <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://info.bluezonesproject.com/home">https://info.bluezonesproject.com/home</a></p>Orion Bell2023-01-26T21:30:00ZLooking BackOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=257191092022-12-21T16:06:22Z2022-12-20T14:49:00Z<p>“The only time you should ever look back, is to see how far you’ve come.” -- Berta Lippert</p>
<p>Soon we will be closing the books on 2022. It has been a year of change and growth at Benjamin Rose, as we adapted to changing environments and sought out ways to meet the needs of older adults and family caregivers.</p>
<p>When the year began, many COVID protocols were still in place. Like many agencies, our programs were delivered remotely, online or in limited settings in an effort to limit community spread. This presented challenges for a population on the wrong side of “the digital divide.” Fewer than one-third of the clients we surveyed had access to a computer or laptop in the home. Fewer than half had high-speed internet available to them. Benjamin Rose partnered with other agencies to offer Wi-Fi access, computers and computer literacy and other online programs to help older adults gain access to services. And we expanded our own virtual presence in other areas, including <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/-/for-older-people-and-families/behavioral-health-services">behavioral health counseling</a>, <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/financial-health-wellness">financial education</a> and caregiver supports, all the while looking forward to reopening in-person programming and services.</p>
<p>Widespread availability of vaccines, and consistent adherence to safety protocols helped lower the incidence of COVID in the community, so in March, our <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/rose-centers-for-aging-well">Rose Centers</a> reopened, offering programming and daily meals for participants for the first time in two years. Group therapy programs and in-person classes resumed. Our Senior Prom event returned in July, and participants celebrated with a Paris-themed party with dinner and dancing, and even crowned a prom king and queen. In August, we honored graduates and course completers of ESOP programs with our Triumph celebration. Earlier this month, the Caregiving Conference returned, with a day of keynote lectures, expert panels and workshops addressing caregiving for persons living with dementia. While in-person programs and events returned, we continued to provide online and remote programs, helping reduce barriers to access and growing our impact in the community.</p>
<p>The past year provided many opportunities for <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/advocacy">advocacy</a> for issues important to older adults. One of our first in-person events in 2022 was hosting a listening session for the Strategic Action Plan for Aging (SAPA) to help guide investment in aging services in Ohio. We also hosted, in partnership with the Center for Community Solutions, a Senior Forum with candidates for Cuyahoga County Executive. We partnered with the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition (MHAC) to relaunch the Ohio Aging and Behavioral Health Alliance, to raise awareness of the mental health needs of older adults. We partnered with Cleveland VOTES to promote civic participation among older adults, and offered a series of advocacy workshops throughout the year to raise awareness of federal, state and local policies that affect older adults and family caregivers. Civic engagement and community participation are vital to empowering older adults and ensuring their voices are heard in the public square.</p>
<p>2022 was also a year of program innovations. Our caregiver support programs expanded their support into new geographic areas, and pilot programs introduced these proven, <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/applied-aging-research/evidence-based-programs">evidence-based services</a> to new populations, including persons living with developmental disabilities, and older adults living alone. We continued our partnership with the Family Caregiver Alliance to broaden access to caregivers supports nationwide, through <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://bpc.caregiver.org/#home">Best Practice Caregiving</a>. Best Practice Caregiving offers information on a variety of proven caregiver support programs, and will soon offer a consumer-facing app that will help individuals find programs available in their communities.</p>
<p>Benjamin Rose, in describing the purpose of the institute that bears his name, told the story of a colleague who was at risk of losing his home. Housing and housing supports have always been central to the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging’s mission, and 2022 was a year that we expanded our investment in housing. This spring, we launched a new website for <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.branchesre.org/">Branches Real Estate</a>. Branches is the only nonprofit real estate brokerage in the state of Ohio, focusing on helping lower-income home buyers find available properties, helping promote owner-occupied housing and putting families on a path to generating generational wealth. Stable housing is key to aging with dignity, and Branches complements our ESOP programs in first-time home buying, financial literacy, foreclosure prevention, financial education and advocacy services.</p>
<p>Our second major investment in housing is the renovation and expansion of <a data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["6320e42096778742ab7329ba"]" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/margaret-wagner-apartments">Margaret Wagner House</a>. Margaret Wagner House opened in 1960, as a state-of-the-art skilled care facility. As we shifted our focus to more community-based programs, the building hosted our adult day program, the original Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Ohio, and the prep kitchen for the Rose Centers’ nutrition programs. For the past twenty years, it has also offered affordable housing for older adults. This year, we secured funding tax credits to renovate the entire building and add twenty additional apartment units to the property. This multi-million dollar project will break ground in 2023 and add to the available high-quality, affordable senior housing in our community. We look forward to sharing our progress with you on this project in the year ahead.</p>
<p>All of the examples above were made possible because of the generous support of our community partners, our donors, volunteers and staff. Together, we made 2022 a year when we emerged from the pandemic, stronger and more committed than ever to our mission. We are proud of the work in the past year, and eager for the year ahead. Thank you for joining us on this journey.</p>Orion Bell2022-12-20T14:49:00ZHoliday TravelOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=251157702022-11-29T18:03:13Z2022-11-28T23:55:00Z<p>The late John Hughes directed many successful comedies. In one of his most loved films, Steven Martin plays Neal Page, a man trying desperately to make it home to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family. <b><i><a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093748/">Planes, Trains and Automobiles</a>, </i></b>released in 1987, also starred the late John Candy, and is a holiday staple on basic cable.</p>
<p>Like a lot of folks, I hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, a trip home to visit with family in Louisville. Three generations of us at dinner—that doesn’t happen very often. But, when it does, it’s probably a holiday.</p>
<p>And I was hardly alone. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://newsroom.aaa.com/2022/11/thanksgiving-travel-ticks-up-just-shy-of-pre-pandemic-levels/">AAA estimated</a> 55 million of us <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/2022-holiday-travel-report">travelled</a> 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving weekend. Nine out of ten of us went by car. (It felt like I was sitting in traffic with most of them when I drove through Cincinnati.) Travel has “mostly” returned to pre-pandemic levels. That includes “planes, trains and automobiles,” as well as cruise ships and buses. Thanksgiving, from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday evening, is one of the busiest times of year for travel.</p>
<p>This year, restaurants were busier on Thanksgiving, too. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/11/01/thanksgiving-meal-restaurant-inflation/10651890002/">Many media outlets</a> reported on the relative value of dining out on Thanksgiving. The Consumer Price Index for groceries rose more than 9 percent over last year, much faster than the relative cost of eating out. But despite the costs, the reported shortages of turkeys, and the challenge of fitting 4.8 cubic feet of turkey, dressing and side dishes in the average 4.3 cubic-foot sized oven, most Americans ate Thanksgiving dinner at home. Someone’s home, anyway.</p>
<p><a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/why-there-s-no-place-like-home-for-the-holidays">Franklin T. McAndrew</a> wrote about why we are drawn to travel home at holiday time. Topophilia or “attachment to place” is the feeling of comfort or security that connects us to places. Where we live – or where we once lived, is “closely tied to our sense of who we are.” That sense of home can be fluid. A Pew Research study found that one-in-four Americans identify “home” as the place we were raised, followed by where we live now, or where we have lived longest. “No matter where they come from, people tend to think about home as a . . . place that represents order, a counterbalance to the chaos that exists elsewhere.” “Home,” wrote Robert Frost, “is a place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”</p>
<p>Trips home for the holidays are usually joyous occasions, times for family and friends to gather. Thanksgiving is a time to count one’s blessings. It is also an opportunity to think about the steps we can all take to help ensure those blessings continue. How is everyone’s health? Are there physical changes? How is your loved ones’ state of mind? What are they planning to do for the upcoming holiday season? Or the year ahead? Are there household projects or weekly chores that should be tended to? Is there time to talk about, and listen to, what is on their mind? We invest a lot of time and effort into our holiday travel. Setting aside some time for a conversation with our family members can be one of the ways that we make it “worth the trip.”</p>
<p>And, if your trip home leads to conversations about the health and well-being of a loved one, or the realization that <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregiving-and-holidays-stress-success/?via=caregiver-resources,caring-for-another,caring-at-home">caregiving</a> duties are taking a toll on a family member providing care, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging offers a variety of <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/resource-library">resources</a> and <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/help-at-home">supports</a> for information and services to support caregivers and empower people to age well.</p>
<p>Happy holidays, and safe travels.</p>Orion Bell2022-11-28T23:55:00ZA lot of what I know about caregiving, I learned from my brother.Orion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=242170002022-10-27T13:59:43Z2022-10-27T13:58:00Z<p>I was two years old when Daniel was born. My brother was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy and he was also considered, in the terms of the day, as “profoundly mentally retarded.” His physical and cognitive development would be limited, if it happened at all.</p>
<p>For my parents, the realization of his condition came as the milestones of growth and development—his ability to lift his head, sit up, or crawl—did not happen, or came later than would be expected. Our brother Rodney, even though three years younger, took his first steps before Daniel did. Daniel’s childhood would be different than most kids, and so would his brothers.</p>
<p>The world was very different in the 1960s. There were no special education programs where we lived. There were no community accommodations guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. For many kids with special needs born in that era, the only option for care offered was a bed in a state hospital facility. My parents chose to raise Daniel at home. And so began my gradual introduction to family caregiving.</p>
<p>My early memories of growing up with Daniel are that it was like an extended “toddlerhood.” He rode in a stroller and slept in a crib. He jabbered but didn’t speak. Small for his age, blessed with a happy disposition and a big smile, he went anywhere we would go. He was spared the seizures, and spastic movements that often accompanied CP. People who didn’t know him might ask about “the baby” even when he was three or four years old. My parents were looking for answers about a diagnosis, or available therapies for his condition, but in my world, he was my brother, and that was that.</p>
<p>As he grew, people no longer mistook him for a baby. Too large for a stroller, my folks found a transport chair for him to ride in. They built a car seat, modified a walker so that he could walk and maintain his balance. A friend with welding skills converted a wheelchair into a cart that allowed Daniel to go with us on family bike rides. Slowly, he mastered feeding himself, toileting and other activities of daily living. The school district expanded access to special needs kids and provided transportation. Eventually, curb cuts, ramps and automatic doors became more common, and the world opened up a little more.</p>
<p>But there were many challenges. Daniel would never be fully independent, and he could not be left alone. Someone always had to be with him. My folks, and once we were old enough, my brother and I, would take turns watching him. Running errands, going to work or school or attending events often meant that someone stayed home. After Rodney and I graduated, and Daniel “aged out” of the school system, the responsibilities for caregiving fell more heavily on my parents. There were few options for attendant care or respite at home. Daniel was no longer a minor, and so my parents became his legal guardians, and also began to plan for his care when they would no longer be able to provide it.</p>
<p>The experience of growing up with Daniel introduced me to the world of family caregiving. The decision to raise him at home was the right one. He is healthier and happier because of it. The rewards of living with him and sharing in the joys of his life are too many to mention. At the same time, caregiving, even in a loving and supportive environment, presents challenges to those providing care. It can create stress and social isolation. It can wreck other relationships or limit career opportunities. The personal, financial and health sacrifices are real.</p>
<p>Family caregivers, the informal providers of support for their loved ones, provide an estimated $480 billion in uncompensated care for their loved ones each year. That’s more than the value of care paid for by Medicare, private insurance, out of pocket costs and charity combined. Beyond the direct care provided, family caregivers are also advocates, interpreters and champions for their loved ones. Successful examples of community-based long-term care have one thing in common – a network of informal supports. But until recently, caregivers have often been an afterthought.</p>
<p>The <b><i>RAISE Family Caregivers Act</i></b>, which became law on January 22, 2018, directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national family caregiving strategy. In September of this year, the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council released its initial report to Congress, outlining “the challenges faced by family caregivers, federal programs currently available to support them, and provided 26 recommendations for better supporting family caregivers.” Bipartisan in its approach, and reflecting the needs of caregivers from all generations and economic backgrounds, the recommendations from the Council “form the foundation of the <a href="https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy">National Family Caregiving Strategy</a>, which will include action steps to increase recognition and support for family caregivers.”</p>
<p>One of the realizations found in the RAISE report is that the needs of caregivers are universal and not defined by the health conditions or care needs of their loved ones. My parent’s challenges in meeting the needs of a child with developmental disabilities were similar to those of a spouse caring for their partner with multiple sclerosis, a grandparent raising a grandchild, or an adult child seeking supports for an elderly parent with dementia. Caregivers address the needs of their loved one, regardless of the reasons why care is needed. They face the challenge of balancing their caregiving responsibilities with their other obligations of career and family. Caregiving is not an aging issue. It is not a disabilities issue. It is a <b><i>family</i></b> issue.</p>
<p>And speaking of family. . .</p>
<p>My brother Daniel is now in his fifties. And like a lot of middle-aged men, he needs to watch his weight and his cholesterol. He shares a cottage with other adults with disabilities. He is content. Last week I sat in on his care conference with my parents and discussed his health and plans for the coming year. When he was born, kids with his level of disability lived an average of 13 years. Odds are, he will live a normal lifespan, a testimony to the power of family caregivers, and their impact on the health and wellness of those in their care.</p>
<p>For the past 30 years, Benjamin Rose has focused on the needs of family caregivers. Our <a href="https://www.benrose.org/-/bricareconsultation">BRI Care Consultation</a>, <a href="https://www.benrose.org/-/for-older-people-and-families/wecare">WeCare</a> and <a href="https://www.benrose.org/-/share">SHARE</a> programs offer effective supports for caregivers. <a href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/best-practice-caregiving">Best Practice Caregiving</a> helps raise awareness, and utilization of evidence-based family caregiver support programs. Learn more about our programs, and how to access supports on <a href="https://www.benrose.org/">our website</a>.</p>
<p>The RAISE Act provides an opportunity for real, meaningful discussion about the roles of family in caring for older adults and persons with disabilities. Read the National Caregiver Strategy here: <a href="https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy">https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy</a> and provide your <a href="file:///C:/Users/jhayes/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/FAJ0FK9G/We%20need%20your%20input!%20%20Please%20%20submit%20your%20comments%20by%20November%2030,%202022">feedback</a> on the recommendations.</p>Orion Bell2022-10-27T13:58:00ZHungryOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=233928832022-09-27T20:38:47Z2022-09-27T20:38:00Z<p>This month, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition in Health will focus the nation’s attention on the importance of a high quality diet and the impact of diet on hunger and health. Millions of Americans are afflicted with food insecurity and diet-related diseases—including heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes—which are some of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S. Hunger and diet-related diseases have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including older adults and persons with disabilities.</p>
<p>The Conference’s focus is on <b><i>Five Pillars to End Hunger</i></b> and increase healthy eating: 1) Improve food access and affordability; 2) Integrate nutrition and health; 3) Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices; 4) Support physical activity for all, and 5) Enhance nutrition and food security research. These pillars will help shape public policy, public awareness and public conversations about hunger and health.</p>
<p>Let’s talk about food. . .</p>
<p>We all eat. And we all talk about food and eating. Food Network and the Cooking Channel are basic cable staples, offering round-the-clock shows about food – making it, eating it, and competitions about making it and eating it. Public television has plenty of food shows, too. Think America’s Test Kitchen or the Joy of Cooking. The latest season of the Great British Baking Show launched on Netflix earlier this month. If your preference runs to travel programming, lots of those shows are about eating in other places. There are millions of Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok accounts mostly comprised of plates of food, decorated cakes or food preparation techniques. A friend posted a photo on his Facebook page, celebrating that he had found a store in his area that sold Frute Brute, a beloved cereal from his childhood. Celebrity chefs, including Cleveland’s own <a href="http://www.michaelsymon.com/">Michael Symon</a>, host television shows, market cookbooks, cookware or lines of prepared meals. Independent restaurants promote their appearances on <i>Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, </i><a href="https://www.guyfieri.com/">Guy Fieri’s</a> show built around sampling food from across the country.</p>
<p>We sing about food, too, whether it is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBsPZV14I-k">Jimmy Buffet’s ode to the cheeseburger</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye8mB6VsUHw">Cookie Monster’s <i>C is for Cookie</i></a>. Mostly food songs seem to celebrate excess, but not always. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUsr1GUZ3oU">A Tribe Called Quest’s <i>Ham ‘N’ Eggs</i></a>, is mostly about cutting back on fatty foods and cholesterol. Even Cookie Monster discovered that <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaHkwE7TaNg">A Cookie is a Sometime Food</a></i>.</p>
<p>You may remember learning about the Food Wheel or the Food Pyramid in health class, or more recently, <a href="https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate">MyPlate guidelines</a>. These charts and nutritional guides developed by the United States Department of Agriculture are intended to help raise awareness of proper nutrition and portion sizes. The USDA began issuing guidance of what to eat in the 1890s. The public health focus on diet and nutrition expanded during World War II, even seen as part of national defense. Today, we routinely expect to see nutrition labels on canned foods or prepared meals. Many restaurant menus, even at drive-thrus, include some information about calories, fats or other nutritional data. Not all the labeling originates from government guidelines. Organic, free-range or wild caught labels have conflicting definitions. I saw “gluten-free” bottled water at the grocery store. I can’t figure that one out either.</p>
<p>We talk about food, sing about food, read about it, take pictures of it or watch it on TV. Food and nutrition are something we talk about at Benjamin Rose, too. Our Rose Centers offer daily, hot meals at the sites, and our Home Delivered Meals provide a regular source of nutritious meals to those who are homebound or otherwise unable to prepare food for themselves. We work with community partners to offer nutrition education, shopping tips and meal preparation classes, and to arrange for fresh produce and pantry items to ensure that clients are able to eat well.</p>
<p>One of the most exciting concepts in nutrition programs today is the notion of “food as medicine.” It’s not a new idea. We all know the sayings “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “you are what you eat.” But today we are able to study and measure the impact of diet on health. Our <b>Nutrition Solution </b>service offers medically-tailored meals to clients, as part of an overall plan of diet, education, counseling and exercise. Participants come to the program as part of a hospital discharge, or a treatment plan for chronic health condition, such as heart disease, hypertension or diabetes. Cleveland was selected as one of five sites for a Collaborative Approach to Public Goods Investment (CAPGI), which allowed us to take the program to scale, with the involvement of multiple community investors, including United Way of Greater Cleveland and others. Early results are promising, showing that Nutrition Solutions helps improve the health and well-being of the participants, enhances their medical treatments, and reduces hospitalizations or emergency room use. It is part of a larger conversation about improving health and quality of life.</p>
<p>Learn more about the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health: <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefault.salsalabs.org%2FT3e5270fc-efb6-4d03-8236-e6540011b8da%2F9d21de52-405c-428d-8565-42bb2b242fc3&data=05%7C01%7Cobell%40benrose.org%7Cf220a11e4ec94c99d43208da9670c6ba%7Ce54953e5037546edb816acd799430c7a%7C0%7C0%7C637987708371571351%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0XkmG%2BI%2FSOjsRCueOxHyi%2Bg0fW4OiahJ0L8uNt4n3%2F0%3D&reserved=0" target="_top">White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health</a>!</p>Orion Bell2022-09-27T20:38:00ZGenerations in MusicOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=225769122022-08-29T13:48:03Z2022-08-29T13:46:00Z<p>I came across a video from this year’s Newport Folk Festival of Joni Mitchell singing a duet with Brandi Carlile. It was the first time in more than a decade that Joni Mitchell had performed live. The video would have been remarkable just for that. Even more so, given that Mitchell experienced a devastating brain aneurysm in 2015, and had to relearn to walk and speak. At Newport, she sang before an appreciative crowd. She was seated, and her voice was in a lower register than when she was younger. Brandi Carlile sat beside her and harmonized on several songs from Mitchell’s catalog that were first recorded before Carlile was born. It was a remarkable performance, and one that highlighted the relationship, and the appreciation, of one generation of performers with the next.</p>
<p>Online posts of Lady Gaga show a performer with great appreciation and connection with artists from earlier generations. More than a decade ago, Gaga struck up a professional relationship with Tony Bennett. Bennett reportedly admired her voice and her interpretation of classics from the American Songbook. They made multiple recordings together, commercial successes that introduced both of them to new audiences. Gaga’s more recent appearances with Bennett display kindness and empathy for a colleague who is dealing with dementia, supporting and encouraging his appearance on stage. A YouTube video of her with Liza Minnelli at this year’s Academy Awards further demonstrated her appreciation for performers from an earlier generation. When Minnelli appeared overwhelmed by her role in announcing an award, with Gaga leaned over and reassured her, “I’ve got you.”</p>
<p>Musicians, perhaps more than other performers, seem to display a connection, an appreciation, across generations for the work of others. One of Roseanne Cash’s most successful albums is <i>The List</i>, her reinterpretation of classic songs, inspired by a list of essential country music standards that her father thought she should know. The most successful album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, <i>Will the Circle Be Unbroken<b>, </b></i>brought together country music and Bluegrass performers from earlier eras with the NGDB, who were rising stars when the sessions were recorded. The LP helped revive the commercial success of Bluegrass music.</p>
<p>The connection across generations is not limited to pop or country music. Herbie Hancock, himself a young jazz phenom in the early 1960s, played with giants of the genre. In the 1980s, he collaborated with hip-hop performers and had videos on heavy rotation on MTV, and today works with younger performers. Musicians with careers that began in their teens continue to tour into their 70s or even 80s. Revivals of Big Band music, swing and other formats often came about because of one generation of musicians’ appreciation for the work of those came before them.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is because of the nature of music itself. The ability to play an instrument, or sing on pitch, stays with people throughout their lives, as long as they continue to do it. Joni Mitchell’s singing voice at this year’s Newport Festival was not the familiar soprano of her recordings, but her interpretation of <i>Both Sides Now</i> was no less artful. Singing or playing an instrument blends physical ability and dexterity, breath and memory. It incorporates symbolic language, aural and verbal cues. Even people who don’t read music often learn chords and lyrics, even if they never read charts or sheet music. Performance in a group requires coordination and communication. Music is a creative art, but it also a form with structures, rules and patterns. Two people who have never met can connect over a song they both know. And perform it together. Even if you “can’t carry a tune in a bucket” you probably have experienced a group connection over your college fight song, a hymn or a performance of the Star-Spangled Banner.</p>
<p>We don’t really know why music affects us. But we know it does. Our <b>Center for Research and Education</b> explores the role of music in addressing the needs of persons with dementia. Some of the most popular events at our <b>Rose Centers for Aging Well</b> feature performers who share music and dance. Beyond its entertainment value, music demonstrates the importance of intergenerational connections. Our lives are richer, more connected and more complex because of it.<br />
<br />
<b>Learn more about our work with music and aging:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/-/resource-library/staying-active/music-therapy-for-dementia-care">https://www.benrose.org/web/guest/-/resource-library/staying-active/music-therapy-for-dementia-care</a></p>
<p><b>Check out the schedule of events at the Rose Centers:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.benrose.org/rose-centers-for-aging-well">https://www.benrose.org/rose-centers-for-aging-well</a></p>
<p><b>Listen to the music mentioned in this blog:</b></p>
<p>Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile at Newport Folk Festival<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aqGjaFDTxQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aqGjaFDTxQ</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Joni Mitchell Interview in the Guardian<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/27/joni-mitchell-interview-archives-early-years-cameron-crowe">https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/27/joni-mitchell-interview-archives-early-years-cameron-crowe</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZO0FyqGN2Q">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZO0FyqGN2Q</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2021/11/29/tony-bennett-lady-gaga-concert-lon-orig-jk-tp.cnn">https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2021/11/29/tony-bennett-lady-gaga-concert-lon-orig-jk-tp.cnn</a></p>
<p>Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli at the Oscars<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma5SGTqkXeM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma5SGTqkXeM</a></p>
<p>Roseanne Cash and The List<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aNe7Tl9tFM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aNe7Tl9tFM</a></p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_List_(album)">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_List_(album)</a></p>
<p>Will the Circle Be Unbroken - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band<br />
<a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l0C4hCkU5TPYZF169hyVyDVZRT6ElsiII">https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l0C4hCkU5TPYZF169hyVyDVZRT6ElsiII</a></p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_the_Circle_be_Unbroken_(Nitty_Gritty_Dirt_Band_album)">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_the_Circle_be_Unbroken_(Nitty_Gritty_Dirt_Band_album)</a></p>
<p>Herbie Hancock interview in The Guardian<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/24/herbie-hancock-miles-davis-told-me-i-dont-pay-you-to-get-applause">https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jun/24/herbie-hancock-miles-davis-told-me-i-dont-pay-you-to-get-applause</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Herbie Hancock’s Rockit<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHhD4PD75zY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHhD4PD75zY</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p>Orion Bell2022-08-29T13:46:00ZHomeOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=214556162022-07-20T13:13:40Z2022-07-20T13:11:00Z<p>“[In 1898], Mr. Rose had the occasion to aid an aged couple whom. . . had been friends of his many years before. . .. Reverses had come and they were left in their old age without any means of support.” </p>
<p>Benjamin Rose shared the story above when asked about his intentions in establishing the Benjamin Rose Trust and the Institute that bears his name. A former colleague, whose business had failed, was at risk of also losing his home. Benjamin and wife Julia decided that this would be their legacy, a fund to help “needy aged people.” He directed that his commercial and business interests be placed in a trust that would continue to fund the Institute and its mission. And one of the first issues addressed by the Benjamin Rose Institute and its board was affordable and appropriate housing. </p>
<p>In the 1930s, the Institute bought a house in Cleveland and converted it into a home for older adults. Clients of Benjamin Rose were living longer and facing significant health issues. Many boarding houses offered limited or substandard care. The Institute’s board and staff determined they could do better. Other houses were added. And services for the residents expanded to meet their needs. It would be many years before the terms “long term care service,” or “aging in place” came into common use, but at Benjamin Rose it was understood that in order to age in place, there had to a place. A place to call home. </p>
<p>Safe, stable, affordable housing is key to living with dignity as we grow older. And most people prefer to age to in place. In its <a href="https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/community/info-2021/2021-home-community-preferences.html" target="_blank">2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey</a>, AARP asked about retirement plans among adults, and an overwhelming majority report they want to stay where they are. It’s a sentiment shared by people everywhere: to grow old in a familiar setting, among the people, places and things that are important to us. But nearly half of Americans worry about their ability to do so. What happens if I can no longer drive? Or if family and friends are no longer nearby? </p>
<p>From its earliest days, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging has focused on supports that help people to age in place, and community programs that help make that possible. The programs have evolved over time, as we continue to find new ways to meet the needs of older adults and their family caregivers. But a one constant throughout has been a focus on housing. Today, this includes offering affordable housing for low-income older adults at Margaret Wagner House. It includes pre-purchase housing counseling, foreclosure prevention and property tax counseling from <a href="https://www.benrose.org/esop-cleveland" target="_blank">ESOP</a>. It’s workshops for older homeowners on how to maximize the value and livability of their homes. And, it is services delivered in the home by our <a href="https://www.benrose.org/rose-centers-for-aging-well" target="_blank">Rose Centers For Aging Well</a> and <a href="https://www.benrose.org/services-for-your-clients" target="_blank">Eldercare Services Institute</a>, that help promote health and wellness and help make the dream of aging in place a reality. And there is more to come. </p>
<p>The new website for <a href="https://www.branchesre.org/" target="_blank">Branches Real Estate</a> is now live. Branches, a subsidiary of Benjamin Rose is the first nonprofit real estate brokerage in Ohio, and is focused on helping low and moderate income homebuyers find affordable properties, promote home ownership and help families build equity and intergenerational wealth. Because, in order to age in place, you need a place to call “home.” <br />
</p>Orion Bell2022-07-20T13:11:00ZMy High School ReunionOrion Bellhttps://ns1.benrose.org/c/blogs/find_entry?p_l_id=3268118&entryId=206697332022-06-22T17:48:09Z2022-06-22T17:46:00Z<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A few weeks ago, I attended an all-class reunion of my high school in Louisville. Thomas Jefferson High School graduated its first class in 1966. Changes in population led to its closure as a high school the year after I graduated, although it continues as a middle school. In its short life as a high school, Thomas Jefferson, or “TJ” for short, <a href="https://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1128&context=athlete">won state championships</a> in cross country, gymnastics and football. There were basketball standouts, including Ron Thomas, who played in the NCAA and the pros. Nate Northington, a graduate of that first senior class, <a href="https://andscape.com/features/nate-northington-the-first-black-football-player-in-the-sec-finally-understands-his-place-in-history/">was the first African American to play football in the Southeastern Conference</a>. There were National Merit Scholars, and standouts in art and music. Thousands of students passed through the halls of TJ and went on to college, careers and families. For a few hours that afternoon, several hundred of us gathered to share stories and reconnect.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Former students and faculty members gathered in the gym. There were registration tables arranged by graduation year, with name tags and memorabilia. Some people brought their yearbooks, varsity letter jackets and other remembrances. There were tours of the school. There were group photos of classmates, teammates and teachers. There wasn’t a lot of ceremony – you never could hear the PA in the gym very well, anyway. And many of the attendees gathered for lunch and conversation. It was a time to reminisce and to reconnect with classmates and faculty.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Social media has changed a lot of things. People I haven’t seen in years have kept up with each other on Facebook or Twitter. We’ve seen photos of one another’s kids and grandkids, learned about hobbies, travel, careers and life events. We’ve shared postings about family and friends that we’ve lost, and those we have lost contact. “Whatever happened to . . . ?” I didn’t have to say much about moving to Cleveland, or what its like to be empty nesters in a new city, or other things that have happened since the last reunion. Likewise, I knew about a friend’s guitar shop and another’s recent retirement. And, that some classmates missed the reunion because of graduations or weddings in their families. Social media has kept us in touch, or at least made us feel somewhat connected. But there was something I did have to explain.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">“Your job, is that a nursing home?”</p>
<p>“No. We provide community supports for older adults and their families.”</p>
<p>“So, like a retirement community?”</p>
<p>“Our focus is on helping people remain at home.”</p>
<p>“So, it’s not a nursing home, then?”</p>
<p>“Our mission is to support caregivers and empower all people to age well and live with dignity through research, consumer-responsive services and client advocacy.” (It’s good to have an elevator speech.) It was an opening to talk about our counseling services, our caregiver supports, the Rose Centers, our affordable housing programs and our research in aging. Benjamin Rose is a great story to share. And in a room full of people who last attended high school forty years ago, it was a story that resonates with many. I heard about a parent’s dementia, how living with MS is changing retirement plans for one couple, and about a family raising a child on the autism spectrum. These were conversations I could not have imagined among our sixteen-year old selves. It was a reminder of how much we have in common, despite, or because, we are getting older.</p>
<p><a href="https://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1128&context=athlete">https://encompass.eku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1128&context=athlete</a></p>Orion Bell2022-06-22T17:46:00Z