Announcements Special Thanks, Healthier Living Alumni Community, Sudoku ...................................... 2Governor Rick Scott ...................................... 3Environmental Protection Reality TV vs. Real Florida ........................................... 4Social Security Adminstration Resolve to Create a Better Plan, Start a New Tradition.................................................. 5FinancialProperty Tax Benefits, Saving for Grandchildren ....... 6Consumer ProtectionHome Safety, Identity Theft , Protecting Consumers, Mortgage Assistance for Elderly, Fight Public Assistance Identity Theft ......................................... 7-9

Health & WellnessPhysical Exercise Boosts Brain Health, The Healing Power of Pets ....................................10-11FLORIDA'S ECONOMYFlorida Turnaround Story ......................................12-13SHINEAsk Lance, Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment, Changing Your Medicate Advantage Plan, Volunteer Spotlight...............................................14-16Communities for a LifetimeMake Volunteering Your Next Career Move, CFAL Community Selected ........................................17Public Service CommissionWhat Is the Public Service Commission? ...................18

Senior AthletesWanted: Senior Athletes ............................................19Veterans' AffairsVeterans' Hall of Fame, New Chairman .................... 20Elder Resources ..............................................21TechnologySeniors Become "Silver Surfers" ............................... 22Seniors Serving SeniorsA Fond Farewell From a Dedicated Public Servant ..........................................24

FEATUREPage 12

I’ve lived in Florida for practically my whole life, and I have been proud to raise my family in such a great state. As a grandfather, I am excited to take my grandchildren to some of my favorite spots across Florida and watch them experience the same things that I did.

Florida is not just a great place to raise a family; it is also a great place to retire. And based on many recent reports and news articles, it is apparent that many people agree with me. Because of the great weather, beautiful beaches, and no state income tax, Florida has always been a popular place for retirement. With vast improvements to the economy since 2011, Florida’s popularity has increased even more as a place to live, work, and play.

As you will read in other articles in this issue of Elder Update, our unemployment rate continues

to drop as more and more jobs are created. Busi-nesses are moving their headquarters here and making investments across the state. The drop of the overall crime rate and all of the individ-ual crime categories brings Florida to a historic 43-year crime low. And since coming to office, Governor Scott has saved Florida taxpayers over $65 million during sales tax holidays. As Florida continues to progress and surpass other states, more and more people are moving here – at a rate of more than 500 per day. Many of these new residents are age 60 and older and choose Florida as their place to retire.

In July 2013, RealtyTrac released its list of the top 15 retirement hot spots for real estate investing in the US. Seven of the 15 hot spots were Florida cities. CNN Money recently released its list of the top 10 places to retire. Not only is Florida in the top 10, but it is the only state that has two cities listed – St. Petersburg and Fort Lauder-dale. Forbes has Florida leading all other states with four cities listed in its 2013 Top 25 Places to Retire. This high honor went to Gainesville, Clearwater, Jacksonville, and Orlando.

Florida already boasts the largest elder popula-tion percentage in the nation, and our number of seniors is expected to more than double by the year 2030. When seniors move here to retire, they add significantly to the economy and contribute to the continued economic recovery occurring

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Governor Rick Scott

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 VOLUME 25, NUMBER 1

E L D E R A F F A I R S . S T A T E . F L . U S

NEWS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS

January/February 2014

continued on page 2

ELDER UPDATEMessage from the Secretary Chuck Corley, Department of Elder Affairs

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update2

SECRETARY'S MESSAGE (Continued from page 1)(USPS 403-710/ISSN 1060-4545)

Elder Update is a bimonthly publication mailed in state to Florida residents at no cost to recipients. Out of state, Elder Update can be accessed at http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us.

Rick Scott Governor

Charles T. Corley SecretaryAshley Marshall Communications DirectorShannon Knowles Editor-in-ChiefLiz Jameson EditorHaven Capone Layout & Graphic Design

Elder Update welcomes submissions from readers. However, due to the volume of submissions, acknowledgements cannot be mailed. Articles selected for publication must provide accurate information to Florida’s elders about aging-related programs and services and complement the Department’s mission. The editor reserves the right to edit submitted material.

Elder Update Department of Elder Affairs 4040 Esplanade Way Tallahassee, Florida 32399-7000 Phone: 850-414-2000 TDD: 850-414-2001

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Elder Update Department of Elder Affairs 4040 Esplanade Way Tallahassee, Florida 32399-7000

Periodicals postage paid at Tallahassee, Florida, and additional offices.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

in Florida. The Department of Elder Affairs recently contracted with the University of Florida’s Bureau of Business Research to complete a study that calculated the net economic benefit of the average retiree in Flor-ida. We found that Florida elders contribute $2,850 more to the state and local economy than they con-sume in public services. Older Floridians consume services in the housing and construction, health care, service, and entertainment industries, all of which helps create more jobs.

I am so pleased that Florida continues to attract retir-ees, and I am proud to lead the Department of Elder Affairs where we provide important programs and services for them. Older Floridians don’t just call Florida home – they actively live here. Through vol-unteering, mentoring, and contributing to the social and moral threads of our communities, they make contributions in countless ways. I hope our state con-tinues to attract retirees, for the tapestry of our state would not be as strong if not for the seniors who call Florida home.

Healthier Living Alumni CommunityDid you know there was an online alumni pro-gram for those participants of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) workshops? This is a community for graduates of CDSMP or Better Choic-es, Better Health®, the online workshop. We hope you will continue talking about your success and chal-lenges with your own self-management skills and meet new friends along the way. For more information or to join the alumni community, please visit https://hea lthyliving.sfconnected.net/login/context/GENERAL/redirect/https%3A%2F%2Fhealthyliving.sfconnect-ed.net%2F.

There is only one valid solution to each Sudoku puzzle. When you start a game of Sudoku, some blocks will be pre-filled for you. You cannot change these numbers in the course of the game. Each column must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9 and no two numbers in the same col-umn of a Sudoku puzzle can be the same. Each row must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9 and no two numbers in the same row of a Sudoku puzzle can be the same. Each block must contain all of the numbers 1 through 9 and no two num-bers in the same block of a Sudoku puzzle can be the same. Good luck!

SUDOKU

Solution found on page 23.Sudoku © Kevin Stone [Protected Puzzle]

SPECIAL THANKSElder Update staff is deeply gratified by the many generous donations given recently by our readers. Your generosity and kindness are truly appreciated, and your donations will be used to ensure the continued production of Elder Update.

Suzan CrawfordRuth BorgerCeil BulmahnEdna CoatesE.A. CochraneWilliam Moncrief

Alexander DoskaCarolyn McChesneyDoris KingJudith IronsCecilia BenavidesKarolyn Ovian

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 3GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT

Statewide Unemployment Rate Falls to 6.7 Percent as Private Sector Jobs Dramatically IncreaseThe statewide unemployment rate for September 2013 was 6.8 percent and 6.7 percent for October 2013. The statewide unemployment rate has remained below the national average of 7.3 percent since March 2013. Florida has created 440,900 private sector jobs since December 2010.

FLORIDA TAXPAYERS SAVED

Florida’s $112 million investment in Miami’s Port Deep Dredge Project

will create 30,000 jobs for Floridians.

WHAT'S WORKING

Florida Leads as Top Retirement Hot SpotCNN Money recently released its list of the top 10 places to retire. Not only is Florida in the top 10, but it is the only state that has two cities listed (St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale).

Forbes has Florida leading all other states with four cities listed in its 2013 Top 25 Places to Retire, This high honor went to Gainesville, Clearwater, Jackson-ville, and Orlando.

Florida’s Crime Volume Drops to a Historic Low of 5.2 Percent Governor Scott announced that according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s 2013 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report, Florida’s crime volume dropped to a historic low of 5.2 percent com-pared to the first six months of 2012. The number of violent crimes was down by 3.5 percent and the num-ber of non-violent crime fell 5.5 percent. Burglary and larceny are down 9.5 percent and 3.7 percent respectively, and the number of motor vehicle thefts decreased by 9.6 percent.

1,600 People Moved off Waiver Waiting ListGovernor Scott announced approximately 1,600 people, up from an estimated 750 people, will be moved off the Home and Community-Based Ser-vices (HCBS) Medicaid waiver waiting list. This is the first time that more than half of individuals with critical needs will be moved off of the APD waiver waiting list.

VISIT Florida Reports an Increase in TourismGovernor Scott announced that according to prelimi-nary estimates released by VISIT FLORIDA – the state’s official tourism marketing corporation – 22.9 million visitors came to Florida in the third quarter of 2013 (July-September), an increase of 1.7 percent over the same period in 2012. These numbers rep-resent the largest third quarter for visitation in the state’s history.

$2 Million in the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Initiatives to Local Community Organizations Governor Scott awarded more than $2 million in the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant initiatives to local community organizations which support Florida military installations. These grants will be utilized to protect, preserve, and enhance Florida’s military missions and installations, while maintain-ing Florida’s reputation as the most military friendly state in the nation. Additionally, these grants will strengthen Florida’s military bases ahead of any potential U.S. Department of Defense realignment or closure actions. This will protect more than $73 billion in investments and nearly 760,000 jobs the defense industry supports in Florida.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update4 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Cherie GravesFlorida Department of Environmental Protection

We have gone digital. We order food, shelter, and clothing online. We download music, games, movies, and apps. We update Facebook, Twitter, and Pinter-est. The remote delivers reality TV that remotely resembles reality.

Connections to our hi-res, HD, LED, Wi-Fi world make it difficult to get the physical activity recom-mended by health organizations around the planet. Fortunately, Florida’s state parks, trails, and estua-rine research reserves provide physical surrogates for digital favorites.

Angry Birds vs. Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail Sites along the Great Florida Birding and Wild-life Trail – St. George Island, Anastasia, Myakka River, and Paynes Prairie Preserve state parks – pro-vide excellent opportunities for spotting native and migrating species. Birds also flock to Florida’s three national estuarine research reserves at Rookery Bay, Guana Tolomato Matanzas, and Apalachicola.

Animal Planet vs. AnimalsSquirrels, white-tailed deer, rabbits, birds, alligators, turtles, and other Florida natives are at home in near-by state parks. For vari-ety, take a short road trip to Ellie Schiller Homo-sassa Springs Wildlife

State Park. Visitors can see West Indian manatees every day from an underwater observatory in the main spring. Park creatures also include black bears, bobcats, American crocodiles, and river otters.

Antiques Roadshow vs. Antiques ShowplaceThe Wesley House at Eden Gardens State Park holds the second largest collection of Louis XVI furniture in the United States. Originally built in 1897, Lois Maxon bought the house in 1963 as a showplace for her family antiques and heirlooms.

History Channel vs. Historic SitesThe modern history of San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park dates back to 1528. Panfilo de Navarez, Hernando de Soto, General Andrew Jack-son, and Confederate forces have occupied the site.

Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park is the site of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida. The park hosts the battle reenactment, complete with costumes and cannon, every March.

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is the site of Florida’s largest Civil War battle. A reenactment is held every February, and a Civil War Expo takes place in late summer.

HGTV vs. Home and Garden ToursCheck out the features of local home and garden state parks. Alfred B. Maclay Gardens features a brick walkway, a secret garden, a reflection pool, a walled garden, and a dazzling display of camellias and azaleas.

Orman House Historic State Park, an antebellum home overlooking the river in Apalachicola, features details of both Federal and Greek revival styles with wooden mantelpieces, molded plaster cornices, and wide heart-pine floorboards.

Eden Gardens State Park features a trail that high-lights the rose garden, butterfly garden, camellia garden, and Tucker Bayou.

iTunes vs. Live ConcertsForest Capital Museum State Park hosts Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass Festival the last weekend in September.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park hosts the Florida Folk Festival every Memorial Day week-

end. The event, ranked among the top 20 festivals in the Southeast, features traditional Florida

music, dance, crafts, and food.

Halo vs. Invasive Species ControlMore than one million acres of Florida’s natural areas have been invaded by exotic plants. Find out which state park, trail, aquatic preserve, or research reserve is recruiting volunteers to destroy lionfish, potato vine, or other invaders threatening Florida’s native ecosystems.

Cooking Channel vs. Outdoor CookingMany state parks provide covered picnic pavilions and grills that provide grill masters an excellent opportunity to showcase their talent. State parks also provide access to lakes, rivers, bays, and the Gulf of Mexico where chefs can reel in fresh entrees for the grill.

Live Chat vs. ChatChat with a live expert at any one of Florida’s national estuarine research reserves. Learn about research in the bay and about area creatures. Most any day, state park rangers, trail managers, and research reserve staff can discuss the ecosystem, historical signifi-cance, wildlife, and activities in their area.

PlayStation vs. PlaygroundBoundless Playgrounds® at the Wakulla Station Trailhead along the 16-mile Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail and on the Cross Florida Greenway at the Baseline Road Trailhead in Ocala provide recreational and educational opportuni-ties for children of all abilities. The big outside also includes space to run, jump, and ride bicycles.

In addition to the health benefits of physical activity in the three-dimensional real world, real Florida set-tings provide sensory data for all five senses. Find more ways to upgrade activity levels at FloridaState-Parks.org. Yes, there’s an app for that.

Learn more via the following sources:• Florida State Parks:

FloridaStateParks.org

• Florida National Estuarine Research Reserves: www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/programs/nerrs.htm

• Florida State Parks and Beaches app: www.floridastateparks.org/resources/mobileapp.cfm

Do you have a question about a state park, activity, or event? Call the information line at (850) 245-2157 to reach knowledgeable staff who can help.

Reality TV vs. Real Florida Florida’s state parks, trails, and reserves provide physical surrogates for digital favorites.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 5SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Rashad R. MujahidSocial Security Administration

Another New Year's Eve has just passed, offering a new opportunity to improve your life in any number of ways with a wise New Year’s resolution or two. (No doubt, for most of us the possibilities are end-less.) However, one good idea for many might be creating (or updating) a long-term financial plan.

According to a 2013 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, “The percentage of workers con-fident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement is essentially unchanged from the record lows observed in 2011.” Only 13 percent are very confident of being able to afford a comfortable retire-ment, while 28 percent are not at all confident.

If you are among those with lower financial confidence and you haven’t started to save for retire-ment already, now is the time to begin — no matter what your age. If retirement is near, you’ll want to jump into the fast lane right away. If you’re younger and retirement seems a lifetime away, it’s still in your best interest to begin saving now, as compound interest will work to your advantage. Experts agree that saving when you’re young will make a world of difference when the time comes to draw on your retirement savings.

Don’t take our word for it. You can check out the numbers yourself. A great place to start figuring out

how much you will need for retirement is to learn how much you could expect from Social Security. You can do that in minutes with Social Security’s online Retirement Estimator.

The Retirement Estimator offers an instant and per-sonalized estimate of your future Social Security retirement benefits based on your earnings record. Try it out at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

We encourage saving for retirement, but there are reasons to save for every stage of life. A great place to go for help is www.mymoney.gov. MyMoney.gov is the government’s website dedicated to teach-ing Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are planning to buy a home, balancing your checkbook, or investing in your 401(k) plan, the resources on www.mymoney.gov can help you.

Another excellent resource is the Ballpark E$timator at www.choosetosave.org/ballpark. This online tool takes complicated issues, like projected Social Secu-rity benefits and earnings assumptions on savings, and turns them into language and numbers that are easy to understand.

So turn over a new financial page in your life with the start of a new year, and get started at www.socialse-curity.gov. If you are unable to go online, you may call toll-free 1-800-772-1213 for assistance.

RESOLVE TO CREATE A BETTER RETIREMENT

FINANCIAL PLAN IN 2014

START A NEW TRADITION WITH SOCIAL SECURITYRashad R. MujahidSocial Security Administration

The holiday season has come and gone, and many traditions were celebrated over the past two months. Different families have different holiday traditions, but most have roots in a society or culture, and thus many people usu-ally observe the traditions. Essentially, tradi-tion is all about passing along certain beliefs and customs from one generation to the next.

We’d like to suggest that you start a new tra-dition for the New Year. Break the tradition of trudging to an office when you need to do business with Social Security. Replace the old-fashioned way of doing business and embrace the new, easier, more convenient way – online.

Sometimes it’s a good idea to break an old tradition and make a new one. Some tradi-tions evolve. Many of the things your par-ents or grandparents did in a Social Security office, you can now do online. For example, if you’re not receiving benefits, you can request your Social Security Statement or use the Retirement Estimator to get an accurate pic-ture of what your future benefits will be. You can read or listen to our publications, find out whether you qualify for benefits – even apply for Social Security disability, retirement, and spousal benefits online from the comfort of home.

Set up an online My Social Security account to get your benefit verification letter; check your information, benefits, and earnings record; change your address or phone num-ber; and start or change your direct deposit. You also can go online to get a replacement Medicare card or appeal a medical decision made about your disability claim. You can do all this and more at www.socialsecurity.gov.

The holiday season was a time filled with family and tradition. However, when it comes to doing business with Social Security, join the millions of people online, and start a new tradition for the New Year by going to www.socialsecurity.gov. If you are unable to go online, you may call toll-free 1-800-772-1213 for assistance.

Another New Year's Eve has just passed, offering a new opportunity to improve your life in any number of ways with a wise New Year’s resolution or two. However, one good idea for many might be creating (or updating) a long-term financial plan.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update6 FINANCIAL

Saving for Your Grandchild’s FutureCommissioner Drew J. BreakspearFlorida Office of Financial Regulation

Like everything else, the cost of raising a child has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the BabyCenter.com’s “Cost of Raising a Child Calculator,” new parents can expect to pay almost $20,000 a year to raise their child. Many young families are only able to save a little, if any, for their children’s college education.

A college education can provide your grand-children with many opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable to them, including an extra $630,000 in income over the dura-tion of their careers. Forbes.com cited a report from the Pew Research Center that found in a 40-year career, the average worker with a high school diploma makes about $770,000 while a worker with a bachelor’s degree earns about $1.4 million. Such an amount of additional money can provide many more opportunities to your grandchildren including a greater sense of security, the ability to improve their lives, expanded lifetime experiences, and an even better future for your great grandchildren.

The New Year is a reminder that it is never too early or too late to start contributing to your grandchild’s education savings. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition at a four-year public institution has increased nearly 51 percent over the last 10 years. These cost increases will very likely continue in the future. Further, the need for a college education will become more and more of a necessity to be able to compete for a good job as the world economy becomes more integrated. Thus, it has become very important to start saving early and to save regularly.

The State of Florida offers two college sav-ings options using the 529 IRS designated tax advantaged plan. The Florida Prepaid Plan allows you to prepay the cost of college tuition by making a lump sum payment or monthly contributions based on the age of the child and the plan you choose. The Florida 529 Savings Plan is a tax advantaged investment plan based upon the market performance of the underlying investments. This plan allows you to contrib-ute on a savings schedule that works for your budget.

Claudia KempFlorida Department of Revenue

You may be eligible for additional property tax benefits if you are a Florida homeowner age 65 or older. You must apply for these benefits at your county property appraiser’s office and satisfy certain requirements to be eligible. Additional information is available at your property appraiser’s office. Contact information for all Florida property appraisers can be found at http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/property/appraisers.html.

Additional homestead exemptions if you are age 65 or olderBoth exemptions described below are a local option decision. The county commission or governing authority of a municipality must adopt an ordinance to provide the exemptions.

The first exemption allows for an additional home-stead exemption in an amount up to $50,000. You may be eligible for this exemption if you meet these requirements:

• Own real estate that is your permanent residence,

• Are age 65 or older, and

• Have annual household income that does not exceed $27,590.

The household income amount was set at $20,000 in 2000 and is adjusted yearly based on the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). (See s. 196.075(3), F.S.) The $27,590 household income amount is for 2013. You can find the latest annual household income limitation on our website: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/property/resources/limita-tions.html

The second exemption allows for an additional homestead exemption equal to the assessed value of the property if the property’s just value is less than $250,000. You may be eligible for this exemption if you meet these requirements:

• Own real estate with a just value less than $250,000,

• This real estate has been your permanent resi-dence for at least 25 years,

• Are age 65 or older, and

• Have annual household income that does not exceed $27,590 (see note above regarding this estimation).

For either exemption, you will need to complete Form DR-501 and Form DR-501SC, which are available on the Department of Revenue’s website. These forms are also available from your property appraiser’s office. The deadline for filing for either exemption is March 1 of each year.

Discount for Disabled VeteransYou may also be eligible to receive a discount from the total amount of tax on your homestead property. To qualify for the discount, you must meet these requirements:

• Are age 65 or older,

• Have been honorably discharged, and

• Disability is combat related.

The discount is equal to the percentage of the vet-eran’s permanent, service-connected disability as determined by the United States Department of Vet-erans Affairs.

All forms and applications required to be completed for these exemptions should be filed with your county property appraiser. If the property appraiser denies your application, you may challenge that denial by filing a petition with your county’s value adjustment board. For more information, see Petitions to the Value Adjustment Board.

If you have any questions, contact your Veterans Service Office. You can also contact the Depart-ment of Revenue’s Property Tax Oversight program by email at dorpto@dor.state.fl.us or by telephone at 850-717-6570.

Property Tax Benefits for People Age 65 and Older

continued on page 23

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 7CONSUMER PROTECTION

Samantha Andrews Florida Department of Law Enforcement

According to the 2013 Identity Theft Fraud Report released by Javelin Strategy and Research, 12.6 mil-lion Americans were victims of identity theft in 2012. That is one victim every three seconds. Identity theft is on the rise, with one million more victims in 2012 than in 2011. The cost to Americans? $21 billion.

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your per-sonal information and uses it fraudulently. Identity thieves use stolen identities for a number of reasons, including purchasing goods or services, filing fraud-ulent tax returns, or even obtaining medical care or services. The ways in which identity thieves obtain your personal information are also numerous. Some-times it’s as easy as having your wallet or mail stolen. Other times it is as sophisticated as a thief posing as someone who legitimately needs information about you. Identity thieves can also obtain your personal information from unsecured websites or through buying it from “inside” sources.

On the heels of the holiday season and with tax refund season upon us, it’s important for you to understand how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft. The

following simple steps can help to minimize your risk:

• Do not throw away ATM receipts, credit state-ments, credit cards, or bank statements without first shredding them.

• Never give out personal information online sim-ply because someone asks for it.

• Never give your credit card number or Social Security number over the telephone unless you initiated the call.

• Reconcile your bank account monthly and noti-fy your bank of discrepancies immediately.

• Review a copy of your credit report at least once each year.

• If you find yourself a victim of identity theft, it is important to minimize the impact to your finances and credit report. You should take the following steps immediately if you suspect or know that your identity has been stolen:

• Contact the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to flag your credit report.

• Visit the Florida Attorney General’s website at myfloridalegal.com/idkitprintable.pdf to download an identity theft victim kit.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Com-mission at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338).

• File a report with your local law enforcement agency.

• If you received a notice from the IRS, call the number on that notice.

• Fill out the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, Form 14039.

• Call IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit 1-800-908-4490 if you think you are at risk of tax refund fraud due to a lost/stolen purse or wallet.

For additional tips on how to protect your identity, visit www.secureflorida.org, www.irs.gov/identity-theft, or www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

DON'T BE A STATISTIC: How You Can Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Marion SomersAuthor of Elder Care Made Easier

Dear Dr. Marion:We spent the holidays at my mom’s house, and I’m getting concerned about her safety while living alone. She refuses to move out and is in fact quite capable, but I worry about the little things – a fall in the bath-tub, safety when cooking, trying to maneuver in the dark in the middle of the night. What can I do to make sure her home is safe?

Julie, 56, Atlanta

Dear Julie:It’s so wonderful that your mom remains independent, but you’re right to think that a few extra steps need to be taken to ensure her safety when living alone. I’ve just partnered with Philips Lifeline to create an easy guide for this at www.LivingSafer.tv. You can down-load it and implement a few simple, commonsense changes in minutes. Just make sure to do it together with your mom – involving your senior is the most important part of the process. After all, this is all about helping her maintain her independence. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• The bathroom is where 80 percent of home acci-dents occur. Avoid falls by adding non-slip strips to the tub/shower floor and non-skid mats to the bathroom floor, along with safety rails in the tub/shower and next to the toilet.

• In the kitchen, even the most savvy cook has had a loose sleeve catch on an open flame. Make sure your mom wears tight fitting sleeves when cook-ing, and remove towels and curtains that may be hanging nearby.

• Elsewhere in the home, one of my biggest pet peeves is throw rugs – they’re an accident wait-ing to happen! Remove them along with any other clutter that can cause a fall. Increase light bulb wattage throughout the house to improve visibility at all times.

Dr. Marion Somers, Ph.D. is the author of Elder Care Made Easier and has over 40 years of expe-rience as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, speaker, and expert in all things elder care. She offers practical tools, solutions, and advice to help caregivers everywhere through her book, website, iPhone apps (Elder 411/911), cross-country speak-ing tours, and more. Visit www.DrMarion.com for more information.

HOME SAFETY

The bathroom is where 80% of home accidents occur.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update8 CONSUMER PROTECTION

Office of Attorney General Pam Bondi

The Attorney General’s Office strives to make Florida a safe and enjoyable state in which to live. During the holidays and the New Year, there can be an increase in scams affecting consumers, and it is important that people feel safe doing business in Florida. The Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Divi-sion works diligently to protect Floridians from fraud by pursuing unscrupulous individuals and businesses that deceive or otherwise scam innocent consumers and violate the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The Consumer Protection Division recently obtained an order granting a temporary injunction and asset freeze against Service Star Enterprise, Inc., a Fort Myers-based air conditioning company, and its owners. Based on complaints received by the office, Service Star often made unnecessary and excessive repairs, used intimidating sales practices, failed to honor requests for cancellation, and used contracts

that do not comply with Florida law. In some cases, they demanded payment in cash from senior citizens.

Additionally, the Court found sufficient evidence that technicians coerced senior citizens into paying cash for excessive and unnecessary repairs and replace-ments of their air conditioning units. The Court noted that, in some cases, technicians drove elderly custom-ers to the bank, or berated them on the cell phone in an attempt to compel them to withdraw thousands of dollars to pay for services.

Abusing customers who trust a company with their money to do an honest job is deplorable. The Attorney General’s Office will continue to pursue businesses that scam customers and violate Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Consumers can play an active role in protecting your-self from fraud.

By following these steps, consumers can help protect themselves:

• Research companies prior to making any pur-chases or other transactions;

• Put your phone number on the National Do Not Call registry by visiting DoNotCall.gov;

• Do not provide your Social Security number unless it is required, and certainly never give it out to a stranger over the phone or via the Internet;

• Be careful when providing any sensitive infor-mation via the Internet or over the phone; and

• Check your credit report every 12 months. The law provides you with one free credit report check once every twelve months. You can check your credit by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Please visit MyFloridaLegal.com for additional tips on how to make informed consumer decisions, avoid scams, and protect personal information. If anyone suspects fraud, he or she should contact the Attorney General’s Office immediately by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling our fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.

Did you know that Elder Update is available in braille or on available on digital audio cartridge

for persons with reading disabilities?

Contact the Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services toll-free at

1-800-226-6075 for more information

Protecting Florida's Consumers

If anyone suspects fraud, he or she should contact the Attorney General’s Office immediately by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling our fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 9CONSUMER PROTECTION

Cecka GreenFlorida Housing Finance Corporation

Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Hous-ing), in cooperation with Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA), Fannie Mae, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), recently launched the Elderly Mortgage Assistance Program (ELMORE).

Using $25 million in federal funding allotted to Flor-ida from the Treasury’s Hardest-Hit Fund (HHF), the ELMORE program will assist elderly homeowners with home equity conversion mortgages (HECMs) – better known as “reverse mortgages” – who, as a result of a hardship, are having difficulty making property tax and homeowners insurance payments. As a result, these homeowners may be facing fore-closure for non-payment of these required expenses.

“There are thousands of reverse mortgages in Flor-ida that are in delinquency,” said Florida Housing Executive Director Steve Auger, executive direc-tor for Florida Housing. “After implementing other HHF programs that target the more ‘traditional’ homeowner, it is now time to help homeowners who are in the twilight of their years, on a fixed income, experiencing a hardship, and facing foreclosure. This new program should help them sustain their homes, while they look at ways to free-up income to pay their homeowner expenses moving forward.”

Homeowners who meet specific qualifications may be eligible for a two-year, forgivable loan of up to $25,000. The funds will be distributed to the mort-gage servicer, on the homeowner’s behalf, in a lump sum to repay property-related expenses advanced by the servicer (e.g., property taxes, homeowners insur-ance, flood insurance, and association fees). Funds may also be used to pay upcoming property-related expenses for up to 12 months.

“The Obama Administration is committed to help-ing states like Florida find innovative ways to help homeowners avoid foreclosure,” said Chief Home-ownership Preservation Officer Mark McArdle, for Treasury. “This program will provide much needed assistance to elderly homeowners with reverse mort-gages, and Treasury is proud to partner with the State of Florida to implement it.”

“We commend the Florida Housing Finance Cor-poration for launching this new initiative to help elderly homeowners with reverse mortgages stay in their homes,” said Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Carol Galante. “The HECM program allows senior citizens to age in place by tapping into their home equity to help pay expenses. The ELMORE program builds on this goal by giv-ing qualified seniors who have experienced financial hardship an alternative to foreclosure.”

“In accordance with the Older Americans Act, it is the mission of the Department of Elder Affairs to address the needs of Florida seniors and to create an environment that allows them to remain in their own homes and communities as they age,” said Florida DOEA Secretary Charles T. Corley. “We support tools, such as the ELMORE Program, that help to accomplish this important task.”

“We are pleased to partner with Florida Housing on this important initiative for our struggling homeown-ers,” said Joy Cianci, senior vice president of Making Home Affordable® and Foreclosure Prevention at Fannie Mae. “We commend them for being the first state to implement a program to assist elderly home-owners in reverse mortgages with resources from the Hardest-Hit Fund and hope to see other states soon follow suit.”

Reverse mortgages offer unique benefits to elderly homeowners, allowing them to access the equity in their homes. However, with a reverse mortgage,

Join the Fight Against Public Assistance Identity Theft Nina AshleyFlorida Department of Children and Families

As members of the greatest generation, today’s seniors have lived their lives relying on a firm handshake and an honest smile to guide their interactions. Unfortunately, the world has changed dramatically and so have the techniques that fraud artists use to steal identities. That is why the Florida Depart-ment of Children and Families has imple-mented a new security measure to protect the identities of Floridians who apply for public assistance – which ultimately pro-tects all taxpayers.

The federal government estimates that three to five percent of public assistance dollars are lost each year to fraud. That is money that is needed to help families get back on their feet or a senior, perhaps you or some-one you know, make ends meet. Unfortu-nately, Florida has the highest per capita rate of reported identity theft complaints in the nation.

If you receive public assistance, you may already have been introduced to this new security measure, called customer authen-tication, which asks users to answer a few personal questions to verify their identity. This security measure has long been used in the private sector, and Florida is lead-ing the nation in using this technology to combat identity theft in public benefits. In a pilot program implemented earlier this year, the Department already saved three times more than had been anticipated, and appli-cations for benefits were processed more quickly.

If you or someone you know encounters this new security measure and is anxious about using it, remember that public assistance fraud costs us all – not just those who need the assistance but all of us. The few minutes it takes to use the customer authentication system is a big and effective step in the fight against identity theft. For more information, please contact us at 1-877-762-2237.

Florida Housing Launches Hardest-Hit Fund Mortgage Assistance for Elderly HomeownersFederal Assistance Will Help Homeowners Struggling With Their Reverse Mortgages

continued on page 23

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update10 HEALTH & WELLNESS

Physical Exercise Boosting Brain Function Leilani Doty, Ph.D.University of Florida Cognitive & Memory Disorder Clinics

Regular physical exercise (30-40 minutes at a time, five days a week), especially walking or bicycling and resistance training (building muscle strength and lifting weights), can improve brain func-tion in older people according to several research studies. Even men and women with memory and thinking functions that have begun to decline, as well as those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, appear to benefit from such regular physical exercise.

Aerobic exercises, such as walking, biking, and jog-ging, increase brain function. These exercises step up the heart and breathing rates and thus improve the

use of oxygen in the body. However, exercises that focus on relaxation, balance, and improving simple muscle tone, such as stretching and moving one’s arms and legs, do not show the same improvement.

Research shows greater brain activity and improved brain function on objective tests in areas of short-term memory, language, focus, switching thinking back and forth (conflict resolution), and making decisions. A surprising benefit that occurred in the memory area of the brain (the hippocampus) was its two percent increase in size. In addition there was an increase in BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein important to maintain and support the existence of neurons (brain cells), especially the synapses (the gaps between neurons).

Physical exercise for at least 30-40 minutes' dura-tion each day for five days a week appears to do the following:

• Keep brain cell connections strong;

• Sprout new connections between brain cells;

• Help messages move efficiently throughout the brain; and

• Develop new brain cells (neurons) in special areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, which is responsible for short-term memory.

A healthy body, especially healthy muscles, affects the ability to do physical exercise. Older people who do not exercise regularly can lose muscle strength, muscle tissue, and the ability to function well physi-cally and mentally.

Sarcopenia Centuries ago the Greek physician Hippocrates (460 – 370 BCE) described wasting syndrome. In a sense, wasting occurs in less active skeletal muscles (the muscles that move body parts such as the neck, trunk, arms, and legs). Less active muscles weaken and lose their form and mass. Such changes are called sarcopenia.

Up to age 30, a person’s skeletal muscles grow larger and stronger. For each 10 years after the age of 30, three to five percent of muscle may be lost. As early as age 65, muscle loss may lead to less strength, less movement, and weaker bones. By age 75 or 80, the sarcopenia may lead to frailty, increased risk for falls and fractures, and less ability to walk, carry groceries, use stairs, open doors, untwist jar tops, or do other activities.

Scientists are still developing ways to carefully mea-sure, diagnose, and treat sarcopenia. Measures of muscle strength (strength of handgrip), mass (muscle bulk and shape), and gait (how well and fast a per-son can walk) identify changes that may point to sarcopenia.

Some of the following changes in the aging body may link to the development of sarcopenia:

• Changes in brain cells necessary to send signals to muscles throughout the body;

• Lower levels of hormones, such as growth hor-mone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth fac-tor, important to help keep muscles healthy;

• Poor diet such as not enough daily calories or protein to keep muscles healthy;

• Change in ability to digest and absorb protein;

• Fat creeping into muscles;

• Inflammation; and

• Insulin resistance which occurs with chronic high levels of cortisol, related to chronic stress.

continued on page 23

Regular physical exercise, like walking, bicycling, and

resistance training, can improve brain function

in older people.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 11

Barbara BallingerAgingCare.com

For elderly pet owners, who often live alone or in group facilities, pets can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase social interaction and physi-cal activity, and help them learn.

“A new pet can stimulate someone to read up on an animal or breed, which can be very mentally stimu-lating and important at that age,” says Dr. Katha-rine Hillestad, a veterinarian with the office of Doc-tors Foster and Smith in Rhinelander, Wis., which provides online advice and retails pet supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Pets provide other intangibles. “Dogs – and other pets – live very much in the here and now. They don’t worry about tomorrow. And tomorrow can be very scary for an older person. By having an animal

with that sense of now, it tends to rub

off on people,” says Dr. Jay P. Granat, a New Jersey psychotherapist.

Moreover, pets can reduce depression and lessen loneliness. “Older pet owners have often told us how incredibly barren and lonely their lives were without their pet’s companionship, even when there were some downsides to owning an active pet,” says Linda Anderson, who with husband Allen founded the Angel Animals Network in Minneapolis. The couple speaks about the joys of pet ownership and has authored books.

In Angel Dogs: Divine Messengers of Love (New World Library, 2005), the Andersons tell about Bon-nie, a golden retriever Marjorie and Richard Douse adopted, who became an indispensable family mem-ber. “We never felt alone when Bonnie was in the house. As we aged and tended to go out less, she provided us with loving companionship,” the Douses say in the Andersons’ book.

Psychologist Penny B. Donnenfeld, who brings her golden retriever mix Sandee to her New York City office, has even witnessed her ability to rev up elder owners’ memories. “I’ve seen those with memory loss interact and access memories from long ago,” she says. “Having a pet helps the senior focus on something other than physical problems and negative preoccupations about loss or aging.”

Pets benefit, too, particularly when older folks adopt older pets. “These lucky pets go from the pound

to paradise. Since most of the adopters are retired, they have lots of time to devote

to a previously unwanted pet,” says Chicago veterinarian Tony Kremer, who with his wife Meg operates Help Save Pets – Humane Society, which operates adoption centers.

Find the right pet for the right owner. Because people age

so differently, the decision needs to be made care-fully – and not just by grown, loving children who think it sounds like a way to pro-vide camaraderie. Because there’s no single right pet, ask

the following questions to help narrow the field, says Dr. Donnenfeld:

• Are you set in your ways? If you don’t like change, you may not be a good candidate, say the Andersons.

• Have you had a pet before? Amy Sherman, a licensed therapist and author of Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer’s Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life thinks it’s best if the elderly person is an experienced owner.

• Do you have disabilities? Dogs can be wonder-ful companions who encourage a senior with no major physical limitations to walk and interact with others, Dr. Donnenfeld says. For those who are physically challenged, cats often need less care than dogs, she says. A small dog that is paper-trained or an indoor bird is also some-times preferable, she says.

• Do you need a therapy pet? If the person is very infirm or impaired, he or she may be a candidate for an assistance or therapy dog to help with functioning or interacting.

• Is the pet the right age? A puppy or kitten may not be the best choice for elderly owners because of the care required. A young pet may outlive its owner. Birds especially have long life spans. Yet, it’s also important that the pet isn’t too old since it may start to have physical limitations and get sick, Dr. Donnenfeld cautions.

• Does the pet have a good temperament? Although some older owners may think a Great Pyrenees would be too big to handle, Daffron found one mixed two year old so mellow that it would have been a good pet for a senior. “Many older people might think they’d do better with a Jack Russell terrier because it’s small, but they are very, very, very high energy and require more effort and commitment. So much depends on personality,” she says.

• Is the pet healthy? It’s important that any pet be examined by a professional. “You don’t want to compromise an older person’s immune sys-tem since some pets carry diseases,” says Dr. Hillestad.

• One pet or two? While multiple pets can keep each other company, that may not be a good idea for an older person, says Dr. Hillestad. “Two

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Healing Power of Pets for Elderly People

continued on page 18

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update12

11.4% 6.7%RATEINCREASED TO

RATE AS OF10/2013

FLORIDA

UN YMENT RATEEMPLO

BELOW

NATIONAL AVERAGE

440,900 JOBSADDED830,000

LOSTJOBS

2009

258,000 JOB OPENINGSSTATEWIDE

AS OF 10/2013159,000 ONLINE JOBADS FELL TO

PAID DOWN $5.2 BILLION IN DEBT

ADDED $3.5 BILLION

DECREASEIN CLAIMS

SINCE 12/2010700,000 REEMPLOYMENT

ASSISTANCECLAIMS REACH 235,000FLORIDA BORROWS $3.5 BILLION FROM FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT05/2013 DEO REPAID THE GOVERNMENT LOAN IN FULL

90 MILLION+VISITORS

2012

81 MILLION VISITOR RATE

FELL TO

ECONOMIC IMPACT $61 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT $72 BILLION

UNEMPLOYMENT

PRIVATE SECTORJOB GROWTH

REEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCE

JOB SUPPLYand DEMAND

TOURISM

STATE DEBT

FLORIDA'S ECONOMY

Florida was one of the states hit hardest by the recent recession. Since then, Florida has made a significant economic turnaround. Below are facts and figures that tell an undeniable success story for Florida: our

economy is back on track, and Florida is becoming the perfect climate for business.

THENThe state lost more than 830,000 jobs, and unemploy-ment went from 3.5 percent to 11.4 percent.

Job demand fell from 275,000 online job ads in 2006 to 159,000 in 2009.

More than 700,000 Floridians were receiving unem-ployment benefits, and Florida had to borrow $3.5 billion from the federal government.

Visitation to the state fell to 81 million.

State debt increased by several billion dollars, and by 2011 Florida faced significant budget shortfalls.

NOWFlorida’s unemployment rate has dropped 4.7 points since December 2010, to 6.7 percent as of October 2013.

The statewide unemployment rate has remained below the national average of 7.3 percent for the eighth consecutive month.

In February of this year, the Florida Economic Esti-mating Conference predicted that the May rate would be 8 percent. The May rate was 7.1 percent, almost a full point below the prediction made in February.

Since Governor Scott took office, Florida has added 440,900 private sector jobs (a positive annual job growth rate for the past 39 months).

In September and October 2013 alone, Florida has gained more than 66,000 jobs.

Department of Economic

Opportunity

continued on page 13

Florida was one of the states hit hardest by the recent

recession.

Since then, Florida has made a significant economic turnaround.

Jennifer Diaz

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 13FLORIDA'S ECONOMY

The number of Floridians claiming reemployment assistance has dropped from 400,000 in December 2010 to about 235,000 in October 2013.

In May 2013, DEO paid off the balance of its $3.5 bil-lion Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund loan from the federal government. (Florida is one of 14 states to fully pay off its loan, plus interest.)

In October 2013, there were more than 258,000 job openings in Florida.

According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, Florida is projected to have one of the stron-gest job markets in the nation in the fourth quarter.

Tourism has also thrived. More than 90 million tour-ists visited Florida in 2012. Florida had a record-set-ting third quarter of 2013 with 22.9 million visitors.

The business community has changed its perception of Florida, and the nation has noticed. CFO Magazine ranked Florida the second best state in the nation for business. The National Chamber Foundation ranked Florida as having the number one talent pipeline in the nation. Fast Company magazine named Florida the number one state for innovation. Forbes ranked Florida in the top five for the best states for future job growth. More important are the actions that the busi-ness community is taking. Companies are voting for Florida through their relocations and expansions. Just a few examples are Amazon, Hertz, Time Warner, Boeing, Verizon, Univision, and USAA.

While government does not create private-sector jobs, government policy and administration affects the economy. Through regulation and administra-tion, government affects the risk and opportunity environment for business. A low-tax environment, combined with sound budgeting and sensible, pre-dictable regulation is the formula that allows the pri-vate sector to thrive. Florida has created a risk and opportunity environment that encourages economic growth and prosperity.

ABOUT DEOThe Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is the state agency charged with coordinating and implementing economic development, workforce development, and community development policies and programs. This new approach helps expedite economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.floridajobs.org.

Florida Turnaround Storycontinued from page 12

CONSUMER CONFIDENCETUMBLED

FLORIDA’S BUSINESS CLIMATEHIGHLIGHTED IN THESE

PUBLICATIONS:Area Develepment, Business Facilities, CEO, Fast Company,

Fitch Credit Rating Agency, Forbes, andNational Chamber Foundation.

THE HISTORICALLY CONSTANT INFLUX OF NEW FLORIDARESIDENTS FELL SHARPLY

NET INFLOWBACK

to ABOUT 500/DAY

TAXES and FEESRAISED

- CUT TAXES 24 TIMES SINCE 2010- MORE THAN 70% OF ALL BUSINESSES NO LONGER PAY THE BUSINESS TAX

DEP permitting time: 30 daysDBPR processing time: 1.91 days

OFR application review time: 5 days

DEP permitting time: 50.5 daysDBPR processing time: 41 days

OFR application review time: 22 days

MEDIAN HOME PRICESFELL FROM THE PEAK IN

2006 TO FEB. 2011 17.2% MEDIAN HOMEPRICES ARE UP OVERTHE YEAR IN 10/201348%

MIGRATION

HOUSING

TAXES/FEES

EFFICIENCY inGOVERNMENT

ECONOMICBUZZ

Information provided by DEO Office of Communications

media@deo.myflorida.com

"Florida ranks in the top 5 best states for future job growth." -Forbes

Florida has created a risk and opportunity environment that encourages economic growth and prosperity.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update14 SHINE

Dear Lance:I recently received notice from the Florida Department of Children and Families that I have been accepted into a Medicare Savings Program. What does this mean in terms of benefits, and how can I receive them?

R.S., OcalaDear R.S., Ocala:(Note to the reader: Medicare beneficiaries who have low income and low financial assets may be entitled to assistance with their medical costs through a Medicare Savings Program.)

There are several levels of Medicare Savings Program benefits, depending on a person’s or couple’s income (as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level) and their financial assets:

1. Qualified Individual (QI1)

2. Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)

3. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB)

The letter you received from the Florida Department of Children and Families will tell you to which of these three Medicare Savings Programs you are entitled.

The benefit afforded the first two levels, QI1 and SLMB, is that the Medicare Part B premium, $104.90 in 2013 and the same amount for 2014, is paid for you by Medicaid. This is a savings of nearly $1,260 per year, as you are responsible for any deductible and co-insurance when you receive medical services under Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan.

QMB recipients get their Medicare Part B premium paid for them by Medicaid. They are not responsible for any Medicare deductible amounts, or coinsurance for most medically necessary services, if they have Original Medicare (not a Medicare Advantage Plan, with the exception noted below).

For QMB recipients, it is essential that they go to physicians who accept both Medicare and Medicaid, in order to get their Medicare deductible and co-insurance amounts waived. QMB recipients should explain to their physician, or to the medical office staff, that they have Medicaid assistance at this level. If you are a QMB recipient, ask whether you will be accepted as a patient under this arrangement. Not all physicians will agree to do so, as the amounts they receive for their services to QMB recipients are less than usual.

In many Florida counties, QMB recipients can get their Medicare benefits through a Special Needs Plan (SNP). This is a special type of Medicare Advantage Plan that is offered by private insurance companies and is specifically designed to serve the needs of QMB recipients. As in Original Medicare, there are no deductible or copayment amounts due from patients for most medically necessary services.

Special Needs Plans for QMB recipients offer additional benefits that are not available through Medicare. These may include dental, vision, and hearing services, as well as transportation to approved destinations for a set number of times per year, and a monthly allowance for over-the-counter medications. Each plan can offer different additional benefits, but the savings can be substantial.

Once again, you must ask your doctor’s office as to whether they will accept you as a patient who has a Special Needs Medicare Advantage Plan. The doctor must be a Medicaid provider.

Finally, if a person is accepted into any of the Medicare Savings Programs mentioned above, he or she is automatically entitled to “Extra Help” with prescription costs. The benefits of “Extra Help” are a low or no-cost prescription plan premium if enrolled in Original Medicare and a substantial reduction in the cost of medications. For persons enrolled in a Special Needs Program, their prescription costs are normally reduced a substantial amount with the addition of Extra Help.

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program and are not receiving Extra Help, contact the SHINE counselor program. SHINE counselors can do the following:

4. Help you determine whether you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help based on your income and financial assets;

5. Provide you with the form to apply for a Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help. In addition, they can provide you with the web addresses to apply for these benefits online;

6. Explain the benefits to which you are entitled under any of these programs; and

7. Inform you as to whether Special Needs Programs for QMB beneficiaries are available in your county and how to enroll or make contact for further information.

LANCE JARVISLynne Meagher, Brevard County Area Coordinator for SHINE, has moved out of state. She has writ-ten the monthly Ask Lynne column for many years, and her service to Brevard’s seniors through SHINE is legendary. I will be writing this column from now on, but Lynne’s will be a hard act to follow. I will appreciate your questions and feedback.

If you have a question you would like the answered in our new Ask Lance column, please email us at information@elderaffairs.org or send mail to Elder Update: Ask Lance, 4040 Esplanade Way, Tal-lahassee, FL 32399-7000 and look for a response in one of the next issues.

(Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is an award-winning volunteer-based program at the Department of Elder Affairs

that provides information and free, unbiased counseling for people on Medicare,

their families, and their caregivers. Trained counselors provide personal and confidential assistance over the phone or at local counseling sites. To speak with a SHINE counselor, call our Elder Helpline toll-free at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337).

SHINE

Your Questions Answered by a SHINE CounselorASK LANCE:

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 15

Zena Sulkes and Pene Miller SHINE ProgramFlorida Department of Elder Affairs

For many individuals, walking or run-ning is a common-place occurrence. It is not thought about; it is just done. For others, mobility must be planned. This includes assistance with equipment, such as crutches, walkers, or mechani-cal devices like wheelchairs or scoot-ers, to name a few.

If a person were in a short-term situ-ation like breaking a lower limb, hav-ing the proper assistance (crutches or wheelchair) would be a simple answer to mobility. However, if a person were immobile over a longer period (i.e., years), procuring a walker, wheel-chair, or scooter could be much more complicated and time consuming. For individuals who are Medicare benefi-ciaries, the process can be even more daunting.

Medicare refers to walkers, wheel-chairs, and scooters as durable medical equipment. These are items that can be used over and over, and improve the individual’s quality of life. When pur-chasing such items, Medicare benefi-ciaries must use a local durable medi-cal equipment supplier. Currently, if you live within certain areas of Flor-ida, and depending on the equipment needed, you may need to use a specific supplier. This is the result of the DME-POS (Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies) competitive bidding program which is helping to curtail fraud and keep costs lower.

If a Medicare beneficiary is in need of a wheelchair or scooter, more is needed than a simple visit to the medi-cal doctor. Planning must be made for various costs. Recently, Zena Sul-kes, a SHINE (Serving Health Insur-ance Needs of Elders) counselor, needed to get a motorized scooter to assist with her own mobility issues. Normally, Zena assists other Medi-care beneficiaries with their needs, but this time she was able to experience it first-hand. The process took over four months, beginning with the required mobility evaluation, and did not end with the delivery of her scooter.

There are several things to be aware of concerning the process of obtaining a wheelchair or scooter:

FIRST, there must be a face-to-face evaluation by your doctor. Medicare will help cover only 80 percent of the cost (Medicare B) after the deductible is met. Your doctor must submit a writ-ten order to Medicare stating the medi-cal need, in which all of the following conditions must be met:

• You have a health condition that causes difficulty moving around in your home.

• You are unable to do activities of daily living (like bathing, dress-ing, getting in or out of a bed or chair, or using the bathroom) even with the help of a cane, crutch, or walker.

• You are able to safely operate, and get on and off the wheelchair or scooter, or [must] have someone with you who is always available to help you safely use the device. (Resource: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Publication #11046)

Zena said, “Make certain that you are aware of the requirement for this piece of equipment. ‘It hurts when I do a lot of walking’ will not get you a power chair. Your need comes under the category of ‘medical necessity’ as prescribed by your doctor.”

SECOND, check out the possible options that meet the criteria the doctor has prescribed. Zena pointed out that upgrading to a better piece of equip-ment may be an option if affordable.

THIRD, be diligent with monitoring the progress of the wheelchair or scooter request. From the date of the mobility evaluation, Medicare has 120 days to make a judgment on the wheelchair or motor scooter and have it delivered. If no judgment is rendered and there is no delivery by the 120th day, Medicare will require the process to be started over with another mobility evaluation. Zena checked with Medicare’s dura-ble medical equipment supplier once a week during this four-month period.

She was approved for a motor scooter at 113 days post-evaluation. The local supplier delivered the scooter with three days to spare before the deadline.

FOURTH, be aware of other expenses needed with a wheelchair or scooter. When the scooter was delivered to Zena, the supplier explained the equip-ment, its usage, and warranty and ser-vice procedures. It was at this time that she found out that to continue driving a car, she would need a platform for the scooter, as well as a heavier vehicle

to handle the extra load. She bought a bigger car and paid to have the plat-form installed. If she had been totally unable to walk, she would have needed a van with a movable ramp. To pro-tect the scooter from the rain, you may want to purchase a cover. Zena was not aware of some of these expenses until the scooter was delivered.

If you are investigating the possibility of obtaining a wheelchair or motorized

SHINE

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continued on page 23

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update16 SHINE

Patty ShafferSHINE Program Florida Department of Elder Affairs

Not seeing the desired “advantage” in your Medicare Advantage plan? Medicare beneficiaries sometimes find the Medicare Advantage plans they have kept or chosen during the Annual Enrollment Period do not meet their needs. If you find yourself in this situation, you may leave that plan and return to Original Medi-care using the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP), which runs from January 1 through February 14 each year.

Keep in mind that you cannot switch from one Medi-care Advantage plan to another, nor can those in Original Medicare use this period to join a Medi-care Advantage plan. Beneficiaries also may not join, switch, or drop a Medicare Medical Savings Account plan. You may only use the MADP to disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare. This may include joining but not switching a Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage.

There are a few situations to keep in mind when dis-enrolling from a Medicare Advantage plan.

Regardless of whether the advantage plan included Part D drug coverage or not, enrollees are eligible for a coordinating “Part D Special Enrollment Period” to enroll in a prescription drug plan.

Individuals enrolled in a Medicare Advantage-Only (MA-only) Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) plan must request disenrollment from the MA-only plan in order to be eligible for the Part D Special Enroll-ment Period.

If you are thinking about using the MADP to go back to Original Medicare, it is also important that you consider the various ways you can otherwise cover the costs associated with Original Medicare, such as deductibles, co-insurance, or co-payments. Some options include applying for a Medicare Sav-ings Program or purchasing a Medicare Supplement policy. However, disenrollment from your Medicare Advantage plan will not alone qualify you for Guar-anteed Issue to purchase a Medicare Supplement (“Medigap”) policy, and there are specific income and asset requirements for each Medicare Savings Program.

To disenroll from your Medicare Advantage plan during the MADP, you must notify your plan in writ-ing that you wish to disenroll. To verify that the plan received your notice, be sure to mail it “certified mail.” You may also enroll in a stand-alone prescrip-

tion drug plan, which will automatically disenroll you from your Medicare Advantage plan and switch you to Original Medicare with the selected stand-alone drug plan.

Once your choices have been made, coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan gets your disenrollment notice. Your health care (Original Medicare) and prescription drug coverage (stand-alone Part D plan) will be with you until the end of the year. You may change coverage again, if needed, during the Annual Election Period, which runs from October 15 – December 7 each year.

January 1 – March 31 is the Medicare General Enroll-ment Period available each year to individuals who didn’t sign up for Part A or Part B when they were first eligible for Medicare. This is the annual opportu-nity to apply for Medicare hospital and medical cov-erage, which would become effective on July 1, 2014.

If you have questions regarding the information found in this article, or would like help with ques-tions about Medicare, please feel free to contact the SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program directly by calling the Elder Helpline toll-free at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337).

Carol Clark SHINE Local Coordinator Putnam County

WHEN I JOINED SHINE, Putnam County had not been serviced by SHINE in quite awhile, and it was difficult to get the opportunity to explain the benefits of the services we offer. Overcoming all the misinformation that was out there and con-fronting the concept of “there is no free lunch” was quite a challenge. Even today, when I attempt to explain SHINE, there are some people who ask, “What company do you work for?” or “How much does it cost to join your plan?”

There were some weekly and monthly columns in the local newspaper, but I didn’t want to get that involved, so I wrote a letter to the edi-tor explaining SHINE and asked if he would print it. That brought some encouraging results, but not for long, so one of my counselors encour-aged me to talk to the newspaper editor about a monthly column. This took a few months and a lot of perseverance and by that time, I had lost my nerve. Mike Lawrence, a former Putnam County SHINE counselor, wrote the first column and submitted it with my name. The response was encouraging, so I have continued this column since January 2010, and it has made a wonderful difference in Putnam County.

SHINE VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

If Your Medicare Advantage Plan Doesn’t Fit…Change It

If you find that your new Medicare Advantage Plan isn't fitting into your life, you can return to

Original Medicare during the Disenrollment Period.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 17COMMUNITIES FOR A LIFETIME

Janine HarrisCommunities for a LifetimeFlorida Department of Elder Affairs

The City of Miami Gardens, a Community for a Lifetime since April 2007, has been chosen as one of six communities across the nation to participate in the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) Livable Community Learning Col

laborative. The Alliance for Aging, Inc., the Area Agency on Aging that serves Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, will also collaborate with the City of Miami Gardens in this effort.

The learning collaborative will bring together resi-dents, business leaders, local government represen-tatives, and others to identify ways to support the needs of all residents across the lifespan. According to n4a, an important part of the collaborative is the focus on developing the social capital of older adults by training the communities to engage in Self-Directed Volunteer Teams to address a chal-lenge or opportunity in the community.

This effort was supported by funding from the

MetLife Foundation and the National Associa-tion of Area Agencies on Aging. Miami Gardens will receive six months of technical assistance to conduct a community focus group to explore liv-able community strategies of interest; assistance in developing and implementing an action plan that can be realized incrementally without the reliance of additional resources; access to best practices models from across the country; and the oppor-tunity to participate in a national thought-leaders meeting in Washington, D.C. For more informa-tion about the Livable Communities Collaborative, contact Stephanie K. Firestone, Director, at 202-580-6021, and for additional information about the City of Miami Gardens Community for a Lifetime initiative, contact Assistant City Manager Vernita Nelson at 305-622-8000.

ZsaZsa Ingram-FitzpatrickCommunities for a LifetimeFlorida Department of Elder Affairs Senior volunteers are people who do not count the cost, are moved by a strong spirit and motivation to help improve society, and who believe they can, in their own small ways, make the world a better place in which to live. Silently, they make the agonies of life less difficult and more bearable. They are like beacons of hope that make the world a brighter place.

As the world’s population is becoming older, many senior take on encore careers as volunteers. They bring the same level of energy to the doors of their volunteer organizations as they did to the doors of their employers.

Senior volunteers’ functions are as varied as the organizations or programs with which they work. People sometimes think that volunteers’ roles and responsibilities are very narrow and limited. How-ever, research and statistics have documented that the roles volunteers can fill are only limited by the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the individual.

In one year, 880,028 elder Floridians contributed a total of 154,195,121 volunteer hours. Calculated at a full 40-hour week, this volunteer contribution is equivalent to 74,132 full-time positions. Using the Independent Sector’s estimate of $18.85 an hour, these volunteer hours have an estimated economic value of about $3,303 per volunteer each year, which results in a total value of $2,906,578,028 for the state.

At a per capita level across the population of elders in Florida, the estimate of elder volunteers is only 36 hours per elder in 2011, which is modest relative to

other states. However, those seniors who do volunteer in Florida spend an estimated 175 hours of their time in service to others, which is far above the national average and ranks seventh against other states. These findings suggest that those Florida elders who are able and inclined to do so are highly committed to civic engagement.

From June 2012-June 2013, the state’s 11 Planning and Service Areas reported that over 1,974,470 hours of direct, indirect, and episodic volunteer service were rendered in programs and services for elders, valued at $37,218,775.

Volunteers can provide clerical support or be helping hands at fundraising events. They can also spear-head a capital campaign, write grants, develop direct

services programs, and provide leadership for the organization.

In the CARES office located in Planning and Service Area 8 (PSA 8), volunteers Ellis and Mary Lavrack, ages 82 and 81 respectively, brought in a change of pace that connected and glued the staff as a unit.

“The Lavracks’ dedication as volunteers is the epit-ome of life after retirement. Mr. & Mrs. Lavrack’s previous experiences brought an enhancement to the office, which aided in our everyday clerical and organization tasks.

“Mr. Lavrack’s being a teacher for several years allowed him to contribute to the CARES team immensely. Mrs. Lavrack’s loving and caring demeanor as a homemaker allowed her to be very organized with attention to details with all office sup-plies. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lavrack displayed excellent work ethics. They were always punctual, friendly, reliable, and hard working, and you never saw one without the other,” said Diana Johnson, CARES Assessor for PSA 8.

Before volunteering with the CARES office, the Lavracks were volunteers with Roving Volunteers in Christ Service (RVICS) throughout the United States and Canada. In February 2001 a family emergency necessitated a move to Florida. The Lavracks found their volunteer work to be very satisfying and wanted to find an opportunity in their new hometown. They contacted the Senior Friendship Center in Ft. Myers and were connected with the local CARES office.

Volunteering expanded the Lavracks’ network and boosted their social skills, which gave them a sense of giving back to the community. Ellis Lavrack said it best regarding their 20 years of volunteering: “Volunteering has really made our retirement years worthwhile.”

Volunteersare seldom paid; not because they

are worthless, but because they

are priceless!~ author unknown

Make Volunteering Your Next Career Move

CFAL Community Selected For Livable Communities Learning Collaborative

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update18 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

Bev DeMelloFlorida Public Service Commission

With the word service in your name, you have to be on top of your game, something we strive for at the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC).

So, how do we serve? We make sure that water comes out of your faucet when you want it, lights come on when you flip the switch, and a dial-tone sounds when you pick up the phone. That’s service. Imagine if your water, electricity, natural gas, and telephone didn’t work this reliably. Fortunately, you rarely have to think twice about these essential services, thanks, in part, to our continuing service.

The FPSC works to guarantee that you get your money’s worth for several of your utility services, and we’ve been at it for more than 120 years. We are the state agency responsible for making sure that investor-owned electric, water, wastewater, and natu-ral gas companies provide you with safe and reli-able service at a reasonable cost. We also ensure that competition provides you with affordable telephone service.

Tracing its history to 1887, the FPSC was established by the Florida Legislature to regulate railroad pas-senger and freight rates and operations. At various times, the FPSC has regulated a number of indus-tries including telegraph service, toll bridges, intra-state trucking, bus service, and airlines. Changes in the laws, advances in technology, and shifts in the economy cause some industries to no longer require economic regulation.

As utilities have changed over the past century, our work has changed to keep pace with them, as reflect-ed by our various name changes:

• Florida Railroad Commission,

• Florida Railroad and Public Utilities Commission,

• Florida Public Utilities Commission, and currently

• The Florida Public Service Commission.

The FPSC consists of five commissioners who each serve four-year terms and can be reappointed. Elected by majority vote of the five commissioners, the com-mission chairman serves a two-year leadership term and is responsible for coordinating administrative functions.

For each vacant commissioner seat, the Governor appoints a new commissioner from a list of at least

three nominees submitted by the FPSC Nominating Council. Prospective commissioners are chosen for their knowledge and experience in fields related to the FPSC duties, such as accounting, economics, energy, engineering, finance, law, natural resource conserva-tion, or public affairs. Newly appointed commission-ers must be confirmed by the Florida Senate.

The commission’s service is a delicate balancing act: balancing the needs of the utilities and their share-holders to earn a reasonable return on their invest-ments with the needs of consumers for safe, reliable service at a reasonable cost. Whenever an electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater utility under the FPSC’s jurisdiction wants to change its rates, the utility must come before the commission.

When a rate change request is submitted, the FPSC performs an extensive investigation. The FPSC holds one or more customer hearings within the utility’s service area so that commissioners can hear from the public. The PSC also conducts a technical hearing, where evidence is presented by expert witnesses, who are then cross-examined by the utility, inter-venors, staff, and by the Office of Public Counsel appointed by the Legislature to represent utility customers. FPSC staff then reviews the record and prepares a recommendation. Commissioners con-sider the staff’s recommendation in a public com-mission conference where they make their decisions. In addition to setting utility rates, the PSC ensures that the utilities provide their services in a safe and reliable manner. We also ensure service quality by inspecting the utilities’ equipment to make sure it meets our safety and service standards. If violations are found, refunds, fines, and settlements are used to get utilities to take corrective action and return to compliance.

The FPSC is dedicated to educating Florida’s consum-ers on the constantly changing choices they face. We want consumers to know how to protect themselves and know where to turn if they can’t resolve their utility problems on their own. We produce a variety of fact sheets, brochures, and consumer tips to help you make wise choices about everything from energy and water conservation to reducing your utility bills. It’s easy for consumers to contact us with complaints or questions by calling 800-342-3552. Both English and Spanish-speaking analysts are ready to help with questions or concerns about your electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater service. You can also reach us via email at contact@psc.state.fl.us, fax 1-800-511-0809, or by mail at 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850.

puppies may bond with each other rather than with the owner,” she says.

Are finances an issue? Pets cost money. A small puppy can run more than $810 its first year for food, medical care, toys, and groom-ing while a fish is less expensive – about $235, according to the American Society for the Pre-vention of Cruelty to Animals. If the pet takes ill, dollars snowball. Groups are available to help allay costs.

Susan Daffron, author of Happy Hound: Devel-op a Great Relationship with Your Adopted Dog or Puppy (Logical Expressions, 2006), has taken pets to nursing homes through shel-ter outreach programs. “I go down halls and people will say, ‘Oh, this looks just like my dog,’” she says. She has also helped elderly folks adopt the right animal. One woman, 86, wanted to be able to walk a dog but didn’t want a hyper pet. “She was good at judging her limi-tations,” Daffron says.

Angie Jones became interested in training therapy dogs after bringing her dog Hunter to visit her late father in a retirement home. “It took us a half hour to get to my dad’s room because everyone stopped us along the way and wanted to pet the dog and tell me about their dog,” she says.

“Hunter brought my father great joy and opened the door of communication since he was more of a recluse,” says Jones who started Central Ohio Good Shepherds, a chapter of Therapy Dogs International, Inc.

Where to find the pet: while breeders are a good source, some shelters also provide a pet for less and offer the advantage of rescuing it from euthanasia. Purina Pets for Seniors part-ners with 200 shelters nationwide to provide seniors pet adoptions at a reduced cost – see www.petsforpeople.com.

Shelter employees often know the pet’s per-sonality well and can make a good match, says Daffron. Online pet shopping is also possible, thanks to sites like www.petfinder.com, which pairs owners with 250,000 adoptable pets from 11,000 animal and rescue groups nationwide.

The Healing Power of Pets for Elderly Peoplecontinued from page 11

WHAT IS THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION?

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 19SENIOR ATHLETES

Nick GandyFlorida Sports Foundation

The ideal of success as a senior athlete begins at the Florida Senior Games.

As many athletes set their sights on representing Florida and bringing home a medal at the 2015 National Senior Games, the Florida Senior Games offers many opportunities to achieve goals and strive for personal bests.

Whether the goal is to stay active throughout the year, finish a 5K Road Race, win the State Cham-pionships, or set a state record, it all starts with having a vision. A vision to define the goal leads to the focus and commitment to train and achieve the goal. Through persistence and discipline, the goal can be reached.

The 2014 Florida Senior Games Calendar of Local Senior Games celebrates the achievement of goals throughout the state. After local qualifying events from January through May and September through November, it all comes to a conclusion at the 2014 Florida International Senior Games & State Cham-pionships, December 6-14, in Lee County.

The 2014 State Championships is a qualifier for the 2015 National Senior Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Florida’s 19 local senior games stretch from Pen-sacola to South Florida. Senior Games events are affordable and offer Florida’s seniors a wide vari-ety of opportunities to experience the thrill of vic-tory and make some new friends on the field of competition.

Two new local games join the roster this year as South Florida athletes have the option of competing in the Cutler Bay Senior Games in March and Cen-tral Florida athletes can now enjoy the Lake Senior Games in Clermont in April and May.

It’s a new year. Follow the path of Olympic athletes with the Olympic Ideals of Vision, Focus, Com-mitment, Persistence, and Discipline at the 2014 Florida Senior Games. For more information, visit www.flasports.com, and share your story on the Florida Senior Games Facebook page, facebook.com/floridaseniorgames.

WANTED:Senior Athletes With Vision, Focus, Commitment, Persistence, and Discipline

2014 FLORIDA SENIOR GAMES CALENDAR OF EVENTSDELRAY BEACH SENIOR GAMESJanuary 31 - February 7, 2014Ph: (561) 243-7277www.MyDelrayBeach.com

LAKE SENIOR GAMESApril 15 - May 31, 2014Ph: (321) 356-6544www.lakeseniorgames.com

LEE COUNTY SENIOR GAMESFebruary 9 - March 25, 2014Ph: (239) 533-7434www.leeparks.org

PENSACOLA SENIOR GAMESSeptember 8 - September 21, 2014Ph: (850) 380-9583www.pensacolaseniorgames.com

GULF COAST SENIOR GAMESFebruary 18 - February 23, 2014Ph: (941) 742-5923www.mymanatee.org/parks

TAMPA BAY SENIOR GAMESSeptember 29 - October 17, 2014 Ph: (813) 635-3519www.hillsboroughcounty.org/seniorgames

POLK SENIOR GAMESFebruary 22 - March 9, 2014Ph: (863) 533-0055www.polkseniorgames.org

GAINESVILLE SENIOR GAMESOctober 3 - October 5, 2014 Ph: (352) 338-9300www.gainesvillesportscommission.com

HEARTLAND GAMES FOR ACTIVE ADULTSMarch 1 - March 31, 2014Ph: (863) 784-7033www.southflorida.edu/aca-demic/commed/hsg.aspx

JACKSONVILLE SENIOR GAMESOctober 6 - October 11, 2014Ph: (904) 630-2681www.coj.net/seniors

GOOD LIFE GAMESMarch 6 - April 14, 2014Ph: (727) 669-1361 ext. 233www.goodlifegames.org

EXPERIENCE KISSIMMEE SENIOR GAMESOctober 11 - October 18, 2014 Ph: (407) 742-8218www.experiencekissimmee.com/SeniorGames

CHARLOTTE COUNTY FIT FOR LIFE SENIOR GAMESMarch 7 - April 13, 2014Ph: (941) 681-3742www.charlottecountyfl.com/communityservices/seniorgames/

ORMOND BEACH SENIOR GAMESOctober 25 - November 1, 2014 Ph: (386) 676-3291www.ormondbeach.org

CAPITAL CITY SENIOR GAMESMarch 8 - March 17, 2014Ph: (850) 891-3875www.visittallahassee.com/seniorgames

GOLDEN AGE GAMESNovember 1 - November 8, 2014 Ph: (407) 688-5129www.sanfordfl.gov

CUTLER BAY SENIOR GAMESMarch 17 - March 22, 2014Ph: (305) 238-4166www.cutlerbay-fl.gov

MARTIN COUNTY SENIOR GAMESNovember 1 - November 10, 2014 Ph: (772) 221-1419http://econnect.martin.fl.us

THE VILLAGES SENIOR GAMESMarch 31 - April 12 & October 2014Ph: (352) 753-1716www.districtgov.org/departments/Recreation/seniorgames.aspx

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL SENIOR GAMES & STATE CHAMPIONSHIPSDecember 6 - 14, 2014Lee County, FL Florida Sports FoundationPh: (866) 354-2637 games@flasports.comwww.flasports.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update20 VETERANS' AFFAIRS

Steve MurrayFlorida Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Governor Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott hon-ored six Floridians during an induction ceremony Nov. 12 at the Capitol for the new Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame.

Governor Scott said, “Florida is the most veteran-friendly state in the nation. We must continue to support our veterans who have served the Sunshine State. This Veterans Hall of Fame will show our support to those who worked so hard and made sac-rifices for our state and nation and have helped ensure freedom for all.”

Governor Scott and First Lady Scott awarded Hall of Fame Medals and Certificates to the following inductees:

JOHN R. D. CLELAND, Major General (Retired), U.S. Army (Melbourne)

The late REP. SAM M. GIBBONS, former U.S. Army Major (Tampa) – represented by his son, Clifford Sam Gibbons

JOHN L. HAYNES, Major (Retired), U.S. Marine Corps (Monticello)

ROBERT F. MILLIGAN, Lieutenant General (Retired), U.S. Marine Corps (Tallahassee)

JEANNE GRUSHINSKI RUBIN, Captain (Retired), U.S. Navy (Sunrise)

ROBERT J. SILAH, Captain (Retired), U.S. Navy (Tampa)

The Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame recognizes and honors those military veterans who, through their works and lives during or after military service, have made a significant contribution to the state of Florida through civic, business, public service or other pur-suits. It is not a traditional military hall of fame, as it focuses on post-military contributions to the State of Florida.

“We have an impressive pool of outstanding patriots who call Florida home,” said retired Army Col. Mike Prendergast, executive director of the Florida Depart-ment of Veterans’ Affairs. “These six inductees and the others who will follow in future years are inspira-

tions to all of us who served honorably to defend the freedoms we enjoy today.”

Inductees are recommended annually by the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Council based upon pub-lic submissions and approved by the Governor and Cabinet. In selecting its nominees for submission, the council gives preference to veterans who either were born in Florida or adopted Florida as their home state. Governor Scott and the Cabinet unanimously accepted the council’s recommendations for the inau-gural class on Sept. 24, 2013.

“This ceremony sets forth a proud tradition of rec-ognizing veterans for their leadership and civic con-tributions to the state,” said retired Air Force Col. Bruce Host, a former Leon County Commissioner who serves as council chair. “We look forward to recognizing many more veterans in future years.”

As part of the ceremony, the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Wall was unveiled on the Plaza Level of the Capitol Building. The Capitol Building is also home to the Florida Medal of Honor Wall, paying tribute to Florida’s 25 Medal of Honor recipients.

The nomination period for the 2014 class will be announced early next year.

For more information, visit http://www.floridavet-eranshalloffame.org/index.asp

Florida Veterans Foundation Welcomes New Chairman Retired Army Col. Washington Sanchez has been named chairman of the Florida Veterans Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organiza-tion established by the Florida Legislature in 2008 to help support the efforts of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Sanchez will oversee the Foundation’s mission to assist Florida’s veterans and their families. Sanchez replaces retired Marine Corps Maj. John Haynes, who retired after leading the foundation since 2010.

Following his 27-year military career, Sanchez served in several capacities with the Depart-ment of Florida, Military Order of the Purple Heart, including State Commander.

For more information on the foundation, visit www.FloridaVeteransFoundation.org or call (850) 488-4182.

Governor Scott Honors First Class of Inductees Into Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame

From left to right: Governor Rick Scott; First Lady Ann Scott; Capt. Jeanne Grushinski Rubin, (Retired), U.S. Navy; Mike Prendergast, Executive Director, Florida Department

of Veterans Affairs; Bruce Host, Chairman, Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Council.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 21ELDER RESOURCES

Information & Referral

1-800-96-ELDER(1-800-963-5337)

Access to information regarding elder ser-vices and activities is available through the Elder Helpline Information and Referral service within each Florida county. For the hearing or speech impaired, all Elder Helplines can be accessed through the Florida Relay by simply dialing 711 from anywhere in the state.

Florida Area Agencies on Aging (Counties Served)

Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc. 5090 Commerce Park Circle Pensacola, FL 32505 850-494-7101 • 1-866-531-8011 (Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties)

Area Agency on Aging for North Florida, Inc. 2414 Mahan Drive Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-488-0055 • 1-866-467-4624 (Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla and Washington Counties)

Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc., dba Elder Options 100 SW 75th Street #301 Gainesville, FL 32607 352-378-6649 • 1-800-262-2243 (Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee and Union Counties)

Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging, dba ElderSource 10688 Old St. Augustine Road Jacksonville, FL 32257 904-391-6600 • 1-888-242-4464 (Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns and Volusia Counties)

Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. 9549 Koger Boulevard North Gadsden Building, Suite 100 St. Petersburg, FL 33702 727-570-9696 (Pasco and Pinellas Counties)

West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc. 5905 Breckenridge Parkway, Suite F Tampa, FL 33610-4239 813-740-3888 • 1-800-336-2226 (Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk Counties)

Area Agency on Aging of Central Florida, Inc., dba Senior Resource Alliance 988 Woodcock Road, Suite 200 Orlando, FL 32803 407-514-1800 (Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties)

Senior Choices of Southwest Florida 15201 N. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 1100 North Fort Myers, FL 33903 239-652-6900 (Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota Counties)

Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Inc. 4400 North Congress Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33407 561-684-5885 • 1-866-684-5885 (Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties)

Aging and Disability Resource Center of Broward County, Inc. 5300 Hiatus Road Sunrise, FL 33351 954-745-9567 (Broward County)

Alliance for Aging, Inc. 760 NW 107th Avenue, Suite 201 Miami, FL 33172 305-670-6500 (Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties)

If you need information about, or referral to, a service provider outside Florida, call the national Eldercare Locator Service at 1-800-677-1116. An information specialist will assist you Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 11p.m. Eastern time. For people with Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDDs), all Elder Helplines, as well as the Eldercare Locator Service, can be accessed through Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771.

FLORIDA ELDER HELPLINE DIRECTORY Please call the telephone number below in your area for information and referrals.

Are you worried that an elder relative or friend may be the victim of abuse? You can report known or suspected cases of abuse by calling Florida’s Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873).

Elder Helpline Can Assist Non-English Speakers

By calling the Elder Helpline, Florida’s elders can access information and referral services through a translation service. Telephone interpreters provide live, on-the-line assistance by translating from English into as many as 148 different languages.

Alachua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Bradford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Brevard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-514-0019Broward . . . . . . . . . . . . . 954-745-9779Calhoun . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Charlotte . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Citrus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 DeSoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Dixie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Duval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Escambia . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-531-8011Flagler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Franklin . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Gadsden . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Gilchrist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Glades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Gulf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Hardee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-336-2226Hendry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Hernando . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-336-2226Hillsborough . . . . . . . . . 800-336-2226Holmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Indian River . . . . . . . . . 866-684-5885Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Jefferson . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Lafayette . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243

Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Leon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Levy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Liberty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Madison . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Manatee . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-336-2226Marion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-684-5885Miami-Dade . . . . . . . . . 305-670-4357Monroe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305-670-4357Nassau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Okaloosa . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-531-8011Okeechobee . . . . . . . . 866-684-5885Orange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-514-0019Osceola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-514-0019Palm Beach . . . . . . . . . 866-684-5885Pasco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-963-5337Pinellas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-963-5337Polk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-336-2226Putnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Santa Rosa . . . . . . . . . . . 866-531-8011Sarasota . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-413-5337Seminole . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-514-0019St. Johns . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464St. Lucie . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-684-5885Sumter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Suwannee . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-262-2243 Volusia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-242-4464Wakulla . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624Walton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-531-8011Washington . . . . . . . . . .866-467-4624

Seniors Become “Silver Surfers”  Skype, Facebook, and Texting

Help Elders to Battle Depression and Make Social Connections

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update22 TECHNOLOGY

Stacey HiltonVisiting Angels

As the winter season kicks into high gear for fami-lies, older loved ones can feel cast aside, isolated, and alone. Grandkids are busy with classes and activities, while parents balance work and family life. So in all the hustle and bustle, who’s staying in touch with Grandma and Grandpa – especially if they don’t live close by?

That’s why Visiting Angels, one of the nation’s largest in-home senior care companies, has started a “Silver Surfers” program – helping seniors learn to surf the net. Caregiving Angels and a Social Media Maven go into seniors’ homes to teach tech – everything from

text messaging and Skype to Facebook and the Inter-net. Seniors earn a “Silver Surfers” certification when they crush a wave of new technology, giving them a sense of accomplishment. The program is part of Visiting Angels’ larger Social Care Program – a care plan for different life stages that helps seniors socially connect and engage, cope with loss, understand life changes, and prevent social isolation.

Social Care: “Silver Surfers”Why Grandma 2.0 Likes It!

Skype played a vital role in 72-year-old Kathryn’s life when she moved to Florida, leaving her son behind in Washington. Kathryn’s Visiting Angels caregiver helped her move cross-country, taught her how to Skype, and helped her create a Facebook page – just in time for the birth of her new granddaughter, Kate, in Washington! Kathryn stays in touch with her son and is involved in her new granddaughter’s life through Skype and Facebook. Not only is Kathryn

a proud grandmother, but she’s proud of her “Silver Surfers” certification!

“Because of this program, I was able to experience two of the greatest joys in life – becoming a grand-mother and seeing my son become a new father,” says Kathryn. “Skyping and Facebooking with my son and his family are now a normal part of my life. It helps me feel like I’m still an important part of their lives even though I’m miles and miles away.”

Log on to Battle Blues: The Visiting Angels Social Care: “Silver Surf-ers” program also helps older Americans battle depression. One fourth of all seniors over the age of 65 suffer from depression.

Recent studies show the following:

• Seniors who surf the internet can reduce depres-sion by 20 percent;

• A University of Arizona study finds seniors who use Facebook showed a 25 percent improve-ment in mental “updating” skills – essentially improving their working memory; and

• Another study shows seniors who visit social networking sites like Facebook have a positive emotional experience when measured by breath-ing rates, brain stimulation, and pupil dilation.

“With our Social Care Program, we identify all the stages of life so we can care for seniors in a holistic way – care for their mind, body, and spirit. These social connections play an important role in helping seniors heal from loss, validate the merit in their

lives, and allow them to live comfortably in their own homes,” says Visiting Angels CEO Larry Meigs.

“We started Social Care: Silver Surfers as part of the program because we discovered when seniors reach out to family and friends with a text or through Face-book, they make immediate connections. This makes them feel in touch with their loved ones and less isolated. They often want to write a letter, but good luck getting the grandkids to write back. Send a text though, and those grandkids will respond right away. They’re learning new technology, and that stimulates their brains and keeps them thinking. They crave learning, and now we’ve brought the classroom right into their homes.”

Visiting Angels Social Care: Silver Surfers ProgramAngels teach seniors how to do the following:

• Use a cell phone, text, and send e-mail;

• Skype or use Face Time;

• Create a Facebook page/account and interact with family and friends; and

• Log in, shop online, or research information on a search engine.

Visiting Angels was established in 1991 in Balti-more as an independent agency caring for seniors in their homes. Today, Visiting Angels has more than 450 private duty agencies throughout the United States. Visiting Angels agencies employ only experienced caregivers and conduct the most comprehensive background screenings to ensure that their caregivers meet or exceed the company’s high standards for a variety of care services. Silver Surfers and Social Care are a component of the Visiting Angels’ Life Care Navigation program aimed at providing a holistic plan for each senior that includes both social and medical components. For more information on Visiting Angels or to find a location near you, please visit www.VisitingAn-gels.com or call 1-800-365-4189.

"Skyping and Facebooking with my son and his family are now a normal part of my life. It helps me feel like I’m still an important part of their lives even though I’m miles and miles away.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update 23ELDER UPDATE

Treatments for Sarcopenia Help Skeletal Muscles and the Brain Current evidence suggests that regular physical exer-cise, the most important treatment for sarcopenia, is also critical for brain health. Skeletal muscles and the brain benefit from physical exercise, resistance train-ing, and strength training, involving exercises such as walking (walking on a treadmill counts), bicycling (even on a stationary bike), lifting or pushing against weights, and home chores such as washing and wax-ing the car or gardening.

Using one’s legs and arms to pull or stretch resis-tance bands (wide elastics) or ropes increases muscle strength, bulk, and endurance.

Regular aerobics exercise, resistance training, and strength training seem to help treat or prevent sar-copenia and increase neurons in the brain. In addi-tion, scientists have reported a positive effect on the neuromuscular system (nerves and muscles working together), hormone concentrations, and the rate at which the body converts food to protein (and then muscle).

Benefits to brain cells affect memory and other think-ing functions such as talking to others, writing, pay-ing bills, decision-making, and planning an activity or event.

Build up Exercise Slowly and SafelyTo avoid injury and achieve the best results, it is important to check with one’s doctor before starting new exercise. As part of the medical evaluation, con-cerns about memory or thinking problems should be brought to the attention of the physician.

Use of a physical therapist may be appropriate to set up the best exercise program and to avoid injury. As a rule, it is important to begin exercise carefully and to increase it slowly.

Of course, also important for good brain function is an overall healthy lifestyle including nutritious food, consumption of adequate water (unless a doctor lim-its fluids), good sleep, positive relationships, having a sense of purpose, low stress levels, and careful management of any health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, irregular heart rhythm, or thyroid imbalance.

For further information and references cited, please contact Leilani Doty, Ph.D., Director, Uni-versity of Florida Memory Disorder Clinic at (352) 273-5550; fax (352) 273-5575, Box 100236, Gaines-ville, FL 32610-0236. Clinic appointments: (352) 294-5000. Partial funding: Florida Department of Elder Affairs Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (2013).

Physical Exercise Boosts Brain Functioncontinued from page 10

homeowners have specific responsibilities that are set by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which insures most reverse mortgages, including the timely payment of property-related expenses. If the homeowner falls behind on those obligations, the servicer may issue a demand for payment-in-full of the reverse mortgage or even foreclose on the property. The ELMORE program – for those who qualify and demonstrate they will be able to reasonably recover from the hardship that contributed to the property-related expenses becom-ing delinquent – can be the support that an elderly homeowner needs to ensure that his or her home is preserved.

Florida homeowners with reverse mortgages who want to see whether they qualify for the ELMORE program should first contact their reverse mortgage servicer. If the servicer is unable to assist, a home-owner should then contact the toll-free ELMORE Application and Information Line at 1-(800) 601-3534 to apply and/or receive more information on the program. Additional information is available at the ELMORE program website at www.FloridaEL-MORE.org or www.KnowYourOptions.com/reverse.

First announced on February 19, 2010, by the US Department of the Treasury, the “Housing Finance Agency (HFA) Innovation Fund for the Hardest-Hit Housing Markets” (HFA Hardest-Hit Fund) provides federal funding to states hardest hit by the aftermath of the burst of the housing bubble. To date, $7.6 bil-lion has been infused into the HFA Hardest-Hit Fund for 18 states and the District of Columbia; Florida’s allocation stands at more than $1 billion. The goal is to help create sustainable homeownership in our state.

Sudoku © Kevin Stone [Protected Puzzle]

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Florida Housing Launches Hardest-hit Fundcontinued from page 9

According to the College Savings Plan Network’s 2013 Mid-Year 529 Report, families are increasingly using 529 plans to pay for their children’s college educations. This may be because there is greater flexibility with contributions.

Of course, you may choose to save in a variety of other ways, including in a savings or money market account. The advantage of methods such as these is that they still allow access to the money in the event your grandchild does not attend college. The disad-vantage is that you lose the tax benefit of the IRS designated plans, such as 529 plans.

This year, when your grandchildren’s birthdays or a gift-giving holiday comes around, consider making a deposit into their college savings accounts instead of purchasing gifts that will soon be tossed aside. They may not appreciate it now, but as adults, they will appreciate the investment you made in them and their future.

Consider enlisting the advice of a registered financial planner and/or investment advisor who is educated in college savings plans. They may be able to help you to select a method that works best for your family’s financial situation and financial goals. Visit www.FLOFR.com and click on Verify a License to ensure the professional whom you choose is appropriately licensed. Every little bit you save now will add up to a big educational payoff for your grandchild.

scooter, contact the local SHINE program. A SHINE counselor can provide free and unbiased assistance to help you review your Medicare coverage and locate a durable medical equipment supplier in your area.

To contact a SHINE counselor, call the Elder Helpline toll-free at 1-800-963-5337. If you have internet access, you may visit the SHINE website at www.floridashine.org for more information. To find a local SHINE counseling site near you for personal-ized assistance, click on the “Counseling Sites” tab at the top of the web page.

Saving for Your Grandchild's Futurecontinued from page 6

Medicare's Coverage of Durable Equipmentcontinued from page 15

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014Elder Update24 ELDER AFFAIRS

SAVE THE DATE • 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. EST • MARCH 26, 2014

Join us at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida for free food, entertainment, exhibitors, and

health screenings. Let's celebrate Florida seniors!

For more info, call: 850-414-2353 or email at information@elderaffairs.org

Lynn ViskOffice of Communications Florida Department of Elder Affairs

As a proud, 71-years-young Florida senior, I am finally arriving at that time of my working life that always seemed so remote—RETIREMENT! After working for 50+ years (mostly in legal, including Elder Law) and wist-

fully watching many co-workers retire, it’s finally my turn! My husband and I are both in good health, so “it’s time”!

It seems fitting that the final act of my professional career would be providing direct service to you, my fellow senior Floridians, through my current work with our Department of Elder Affairs. For the last three years, I have worked

in the Department’s headquarters Call Center in Tallahassee. It has been my pleasure and privilege to speak with thousands of you, and with your con-cerned families and friends, with the goal of helping to find the assistance and information needed to improve your quality of life.

Many of you have shared with me your problems and heartaches dur-ing challenging times, and many of you have shared your successes after assistance was obtained. My greatest joy has been your positive feedback, which has kept me passionate about my personal role in the Department’s mission, “To foster an environment that promotes well-being for Florida’s elders and enables them to remain in their homes and communities” and its vision, “All Floridians aging with dignity, purpose, and independence.”

I will enjoy my last workday as part of your DOEA team on February 11, 2014. I am looking forward to complet-ing long-deferred personal projects (for

example, “When I retire, I’ll organize my photographs…”) and, especially, to traveling with my sweet husband of 42 years as we enjoy leisurely visits with friends and family around the country.

Even though I won’t be able to talk with so many of you in my retirement, I’m confident I will meet many Flo-ridians of my generation and, when needed, refer them to the county Elder Helplines.

You can rest assured that our fine DOEA Call Center team will continue to be available to assist you, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

While I will miss daily interaction with my dedicated co-workers, what I will miss most is YOU! Best wishes to you all, and thank you again for the privilege of serving you!

While I'll be exploring new vistas, you'll continue to be in good hands with our outstanding Call Center team.

Standing, left to right: Andreka Bryant, Princess Shell, Tim McCann, and Liz Jameson. Seated: Lynn Visk.

Farewell A devoted public servant entering a well-earned retirement

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