Fall 2001

GenerationsGeorgia

Also in This Issue: A Look at AAAs Around Georgia

Challengesand Choices:

Caregiving Today

Published quarterly by Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging

Also in This Issue: A Look at AAAs Around Georgia

Challengesand Choices:

Caregiving Today

TM

2 Georgia Generations

FALL 2001 Published quarterly througha cooperative effort of Georgia’s AreaAgencies on Aging.

Editorial Project Development:JAM Communications, Atlanta, GA

Design and Production:Wells-Smith Partners, Lilburn, GA

For information contact:Atlanta Regional CommissionAging Services Division40 Courtland St., NE, Atlanta, GA 30303404-463-3239jkauffman@atlantaregional.com

On the Cover:U.S. Congressman Nathan Deal ofGainesville, shown with his mother, Mary Deal, understands the responsibili-ties and the rewards of caregiving. See story, page 4.

Photo by Caroline Joe.

GenerationsGeorgia

Fall 2001, Volume 1, #1 © 2001 by the Atlanta Regional Commission. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, theAtlanta Regional Commission and JAM Communications make no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information. No part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means without written permission. All rights reserved.

Fall 2001 3

Whether youare an

older adult your-self, a caregiveror a friend con-cerned about thewell-being of anolder adult, AreaAgencies on Aging(AAAs) are ready tohelp. AAAs in com-munities across thecountry serve asgateways to localresources, planningefforts, and servicesthat help older adultsremain independent.

AAAs were estab-lished under the OlderAmericans Act in 1973to respond to the needsof Americans aged 60and over in every commu-nity. The services availablethrough AAA agencies fall into five broad cate-gories: information and consultation, servicesavailable in the community, services in thehome, housing, and elder rights. A wide range ofprograms is available within each category.

The services offered by Georgia’s 12 AAAscover a broad spectrum of needs, such as infor-

mation and referral, case management, in-homeservices, home-delivered meals, senior centers,transportation, and special outreach.

To read more about each of Georgia’s AAAsand the services available, turn to a statewidemap and news from each agency, beginning onpage 9 of this issue.

Northwest GeorgiaLegacy LinkAtlanta Regional CommissionNortheast GeorgiaSouthern CrescentMiddle GeorgiaCentral Savannah RiverWest Central GeorgiaHeart of Georgia AltamahaCoastal GeorgiaSouthwest GeorgiaSoutheast Georgia

AAAs – Gateways to Community Resources

123456789101112

1

11

Georgia is dividedinto 12 AAAs, eachserving a different

part of the state.They are:

2

34

5

6

7

89

10

12

Alittle over a year ago, Linda Flythe was teaching high school

biology and planning a career ineducation. Today she stays at home,spending her days feeding, bathingand dressing her 87-year-oldmother-in-law, Wylena Belles.

In June 2000, Belles suffered astroke that left her paralyzed in theright side of her body. Flythe and herhusband, John, found a suitablenursing home that could take hermother-in-law, but the bills — about$3,200 a month — soon became toomuch to handle. So in July, they

moved Belles into their Augustahome.

It hasn’t been easy. Flythe has alift to move Belles from the hospitalbed in the living room to a nearbychair, but she has to get her mother-in-law to the bathroom on her own.

“Physically, emotionally, it’s beenvery hard,” said Flythe, who is 50.

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, a

caregiver “provides unpaid care to a relative or friend

who is aged 50 or older to help them take care of them-

selves. Caregiving may include help with personal needs

or household chores. It might be taking care of a per-

son’s finances, arranging for outside services or visiting

regularly to see how they are doing. This person need

not live with you.”

Are You a Caregiver?

BY MARTHA NOLAN MCKENZIE

Nearly one out of every four U.S. households provides

care for an older adult. And that number will skyrocket

in the next 20 years. As Congress considers legislation

to aid caregivers, a Georgia U.S. congressman and three

state legislators share their caregiving stories.

4 Georgia Generations

ChallengesANDChoices:Caregiving Today

“But it’s the financial burden that’sworrying me the most.”

She has been using Belles’ sav-ings to pay for her mother-in-law’scare. “Once that money runs out,we’ll have to get her on Medicaid,”said Flythe. “I’m really not sure howwe’re going to pay all the bills, butall you can do is hope for the best.”

There are thousands of peoplejust like Flythe across Georgia —and many more throughout thenation — struggling to take care ofan aging spouse, parent, in-law oreven a friend or neighbor. To be sure,there are many others providing carefor disabled adult children or raisinggrandchildren. But with babyboomers entering their bifocal years,the questions that are burning in thenational psyche are, “Who’s going totake care of Mom and Dad?” and“Who’s going to take care of me?”

“It’s a huge, huge issue that isjust going to get bigger,” said SandraTimmermann, a gerontologist anddirector of the MetLife Mature Mar-ket Institute, in Westport, CT. “Theoldest boomers are now 55. Theirparents are in their 70s and 80s,which is when chronic conditionsbegin to show up. Eldercare will beto the coming decade what childcarewas to the previous decades.”

Indeed, nearly one quarter of allU.S. households — representing 22million people — provide care for arelative or friend over age 50,according to a 1999 MetLife study.More than half of all householdsexpect to provide care within thenext 10 years.

Who are these 22 million care-givers? They are typically relativesof the care recipient, and they aremostly women — although men arestarting to assume a greater role.Some assume the caregiving mantlegradually, but many others are

thrust into the position by a crisis.“Most of the time when people

call, they are totally overwhelmed,”said Sherry Cirilo, an eldercarecounselor with Harris, RothenbergInternational, a New York-basedchildcare and eldercare referralservice. “They say, ‘My father frac-tured his hip and can’t take care ofhimself anymore,‘ or ‘My mother’s

neighbors found her wandering inthe neighborhood, but I don’t want toput her in a nursing home.’ Theydon’t know where to start.”

For most caregivers, it’s a laborof love. “People generally talk aboutcaregiving in a positive way,” saidGail Hunt, executive director of theNational Alliance for Caregiving inBethesda, MD.

Fall 2001 5

TO NATHAN DEAL AND HIS WIFE,Sandra, taking care of aging par-ents is a family affair. Three yearsago, when Sandra’s mother, IdaLou Dunagan, developed Alz-heimer’s and her father, George,could no longer care for her onhis own, the Deals moved theolder couple into their A-framehome 18 miles north of Gaines-ville, GA. Six months later whenDeal’s mother, Mary Deal, losther leg to circulation problems,they moved her in as well.

“We look at it that they tookcare of us, and now we have theopportunity to take care ofthem,” said Deal, a U.S. Repub-lican congressman from the 9thdistrict. “You grow up, go to col-lege, move away, start a job, getmarried and raise a family.There’s something pretty niceabout being able to be reunitedwith your parents on a dailybasis. And the main thing is tohopefully allow them to growold with dignity.”

The new tenants have meantbig changes at the Deal home. TheDeals vacated their spacious mas-ter bedroom with large closetsfor the Dunagans, aged 86 and88. They now use the tiny bed-room in the top of the A-frameand keep most of their clothes inboxes. They had to add an

elevator — which meant losingtheir laundry room — when theymoved Mary Deal, now 94, intotheir daylight basement. And theytraded in their jeep for a van largeenough to hold five adults and awheelchair.

But the biggest changes havebeen in the area of personal

adjustments. “The main thing isgetting used to being tied downagain,” said Deal, whose youngestchild is a senior in college.

Deal admits most of the bur-den falls on his wife, since he isin Washington, D.C., from Mon-day through Friday while Con-gress is in session. Sandra worksfull-time teaching sixth gradeand comes home to take care

of everyone. They feel very for-tunate to have found a reliableperson to care for the Duna-gans and Mary Deal while San-dra is at work, and they have alot of other help besides.

Sandra’s sister and her hus-band moved from Florida to ahouse next to the Deals so they

could help with the Dunagans.The Deals’ son, Jason, 33, and hiswife and young child moved intoa house on the other side of theproperty. And their daughter,Mary Emily, 31, and her husbandmoved from New York back toGainesville, about one half miledown the road from the Deals.

“I guess we just feel that fam-ily takes care of family,” said Deal.

U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal: A Family Matter

“I guess we just feel that family takes care

of family.”

“I guess we just feel that family takes care

of family.”

PHO

TOS

BYCA

ROLI

NE

JOE.

Even so, assuming caregivingresponsibilities can be daunting.And today’s caregivers are undermore stress than ever before.Smaller families and increasingdivorce rates mean there are fewerpeople to share the burden. Longer life spans translate intomore years of required care.Increased geographic mobility hasled to adult children and their parents living in different cities, or even different time zones. And more women in the work force means caregivers areincreasingly juggling jobs and careresponsibilities.

“There are fewer people to providecare per older person,” said Hunt.“People are now living to 90 and mayhave 15 years of Alzheimer’s. Andwith hospitals trying to reducepatient stays, we’re seeing carerecipients being sent home muchsicker.”

Even those who can afford to hiresomeone to come in and bathe Dadhave trouble finding qualified work-ers to do it. “There is a huge short-age of home health workers,” saidTimmermann. “It’s a problem allacross the field.”

That means full weight of provid-ing care often rests on one pair of

shoulders. It can be physically, emo-tionally and financially draining.

Although the majority of care-givers say their duties don’t strainthem physically, elderly wives caringfor their husbands typically have aharder time of it. They are often suf-fering with arthritis, hip and backailments and fatigue, yet they helplift, support and move their spouses.

A caregiver’s wallet often sufferseven more than his or her back.Although some care recipients areable to foot the bill themselves,using their savings, private healthinsurance or Medicare or Medicaid,many need financial help from theircaregiver. Indeed, Medicare will onlycover 100 days of long-term care.Medicaid requires the recipient tospend down all of his or her assetsbefore receiving any benefit. Andonly about five percent of the popu-lation has private long-term careinsurance. That leaves savings asthe only source — either the carerecipient’s or the caregiver’s. The

MetLife study found that caregiversaverage $19,000 in out-of-pocketexpenses over a two- to six-yearperiod. And the costs can be muchgreater. The average cost (not cov-ered by insurance) of caring for aperson with Alzheimer’s is $175,000over seven or eight years, accordingto the Alzheimer’s Association inChicago.

Those are just out-of-pocketexpenses. The financial toll explodeswhen lost wages are considered.And since as many as two-thirds of

ANNE MUELLER DOESN’T THINKof herself as any kind of a hero.She doesn’t even feel particu-larly inconvenienced since tak-

ing in her 55-year-old neighbor,a legally blind man with mentalretardation.

“I’m pretty lucky,” said theRepublican state representa-tive from Savannah. “He’s notthat hard to take care of.”

Mueller and her family hadlived down the street fromRobert Williamson for over 30years when his parents died

and he asked to movein with them. Muellerdidn’t hesitate — heranswer was yes. Oneyear ago, she becameRobert’s legal guar-dian, moved him intoher own bedroom andshe took up residencein a recliner in the den.

Mueller picks outRobert’s clothes,cooks his meals, cutsup his meats and takeshim wherever heneeds to go. Shedoesn’t see it as animposition. “He can

feed and bathe himself, so it’sreally not a hardship,” saidMueller.

Her daughter, 41, and threegrandchildren, aged 17 to 19,also live with Mueller and helpout with the chores when she

is in Atlanta during session.“They can all cook, and theylike Robert,” she said. “In fact,my 18-year-old and some ofhis buddies took Robert out todinner and a movie on hisbirthday. I didn’t ask him to, oranything. It was his idea.”

The most bothersomeaspect of the arrangement forMueller is financial. Robertreceives about $775 eachmonth in Social Security dis-ability, and he holds down ajob at a social center thatearns about $21 a week. Fromthose, Mueller buys Robert’sclothes, his food (“He eats likea horse!” Mueller claims), paysfor his medical insurance andhis phone bill. There is usuallyvery little left over for“extras.”

“The other day he wanted awatch, so I bought it for him,”said Mueller. “He likes to givegifts, and I often buy them. Itdoesn’t sound like much, but itadds up over time.”

6 Georgia Generations

State Rep. Anne Mueller: A Kind Neighbor

“I’m pretty lucky – he’s not that hard

to take care of.”

Nearly one out of every four U.S. households provides care to a relative orfriend aged 50 or older.23%

22.4 million households

“I’m pretty lucky – he’s not that hard

to take care of.”

all caregivers are now employed, it’sa factor that can’t be ignored.

“Somehow it’s more sociallyacceptable to take off work to carefor a sick child than it is to care for asick parent or spouse,” said PatFreeman, executive director ofLegacy Link, Inc., an Area Agency onAging in Gainesville, GA.

As a result, nearly 30 percent ofcaregivers either quit work or retireearly so they can provide care.Another 20 percent reduce their hoursfrom full to part time, and still morepass up promotions or job opportuni-ties. The end result is a staggeringaverage of $566,000 in lost wages.

Despite the huge financial cost ofcaregiving, many experts in the fieldsay it’s not the most significant. “Weknow the financial impact is huge,”said Hunt. “We know the physicaltoll can be large. But the emotionaltoll is the real kicker.”

Georganna Sinkfield agrees. TheDemocratic state representative fromAtlanta cared for her mother beforeplacing her in a long-term care facilityrecently (see story, page 8). “Theemotional stress is the hardest totake, and it’s a stress that never lifts,”said Sinkfield. “It’s a heavy load tocarry.”

The load is particularly weightyfor those caring for people withAlzheimer’s and other forms ofdementia and for those who jugglecaring for children as well as agingparents, the so-called sandwichgeneration.

Alzheimer’s presents uniquechallenges to caregivers. The dis-ease comes on very subtly, and thechanges are often missed by familymembers for several years. Duringthe final stages, the patient typicallybecomes incontinent and unable toperform most, if not all, personalcare tasks.

And the real kicker is that theaverage Alzheimer’s patient livesseven to eight years with the dis-ease. “So the caregiver has a verybig job in front of him,” said JohnThames, family and communityservices director for the GreaterGeorgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’sAssociation.

Thames knows from first-handexperience. Both his parents suf-fered from Alzheimer’s over a 10-year period. “It’s called ‘the longgood-bye,’“ said Thames. “You see

the person you love disappearing infront of your eyes.”

Caregivers who are raising chil-dren under age 18 while they areproviding care for an older relativeare also under a unique type ofstress. Inez Brown knows all aboutit. The access coordinator for Univer-sity Hospital in Augusta spends somuch time caring for her 71-year-oldmother that she hardly gets to seeher two children during the week. Assoon as she gets up in the morning,Brown heads across town to see hermother, who has chronic diabetesand significant memory loss. Shegets her up, dresses her, feeds herand settles her into a chair for theday. Brown is back at lunch to feedher mother, and then she goes overstraight from work to fix dinner,bathe her and get her into bed. Her16-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son have become pretty self-sufficient, but Brown hates spendingso much time away from them.

“I always feel guilty,” she ex-plained. “I feel like I have to be withmy mother, but I know my childrenneed me, too.”

JOE BURTON IS INVOLVED IN A DIFFERENT TYPEof caregiving. In fact, he doesn’t consider itcaregiving at all.

The Republican state senator from the 5thdistrict of Atlanta lives with his wife and his 50-year-old Down’s Syndrome daughter, Ginny.And, indeed, Ginny requires very little care.

“She takes care of herself,” said Burton, 78.“She cleans the house, works in the yard, stud-ies her Sunday School lessons and has a joblabeling video tapes at a small company. Sheworks hard, and the people she works for arevery pleased with her.”

About the only thing Ginny doesn’t do, saysBurton, is drive. So he or his wife, Bessie, dropsher at her job, and she takes a bus home.

It’s a small inconvenience indeed. “Ginnyhas brought so much joy into our lives,” said Burton. “It’s true what they say about Down’sSyndrome children — they are the happiest,most loving people you’ll ever meet. Ginnymakes friends with everybody, and she hugseveryone she meets. She’s just a joy.”

State Sen. Joe Burton:A Helping Hand

Fall 2001 7

“She’s just a joy.”

On average, caregivers provide personalcare assistance and household mainte-nance chores for 18 hours a week.

80%Caregivers providing unpaid assistance

seven days a week

Brown is solving the problem bymoving with her children into hermother’s apartment. “At least thisway I’ll get to see my kids,” she noted.

As daunting as the problems ofcaregiving are, they are only goingto grow. People over 85 are thefastest growing segment of the pop-ulation, and half of them need somehelp with personal care. And by2030, when boomers reach age 65,

one in five Americans will be atleast 65, for a total of about 70 mil-lion older people. And the same fac-tors that are stressing caregiverstoday are likely to continue. Cou-ples will still divorce, adult childrenwill continue to move away fromtheir parents, women will stay inthe work force and couples willcontinue having fewer children.

“It’s definitely going to become a

more pressing issue in the future,”said Jeanette Cummings, director ofthe Central Savannah River Agencyon Aging in Augusta. “The demo-graphic changes ahead will put morepressure on the system. It will bemore and more of a challenge forcaregivers to have access to theresources they need.”

There are some bright spots onthe horizon, however. Companies,which lose as much as $29 billion ayear in lost productivity by caregiv-ing employees, are starting to opentheir eyes to the issue. Some of thelargest companies have linked withfirms that provide eldercare benefits.Their employees, for example, cantalk to an eldercare counselor on thephone, or even have a geriatric caremanager visit their parent or spouse.

Caregiving assistance is rare inmid- to small companies, but that,too, is changing. The Central Savan-nah River Agency on Aging four yearsago began a program to educate areaemployers about the needs of care-givers. “We go to industries and talkto employers about the stresses oncaregivers, and we tell them aboutthe community resources that areavailable,” said Cummings.

Progress is being made in thelegislative arena as well. Before heleft office, President Clinton signedoff on the National Caregivers Sup-port Program, which gives $125 mil-lion to states to establish or expandtheir caregiving programs. A billcurrently before Congress wouldgive a $3,000 tax credit to familycaregivers.

“We’re definitely seeing moreattention being paid to the issue,”said Timmermann. G

Next issue: Tips and resourcesfor caregivers.

IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGOwhen Georganna Sinkfieldcalled her mother in South Car-olina to chat and discoveredsomething was wrong.

“I had talked to her theweek before, and she seemedfine,” said Sinkfield, a Democ-ratic state representative fromAtlanta. “But she sounded sostrange when I called a weeklater that I got right in my carand drove over to see her.”

Sinkfield was shocked bywhat she found. Her mother,who is now close to 90, hadlost a tremendous amount ofweight, and she had becomevery forgetful. “I knew shecouldn’t take care of herselfanymore,” said Sinkfield. “Thatwas hard to accept, becauseshe had always been a go-get-ter. She was the one who tookcare of everyone else.”

Sinkfield brought hermother, Roberta Montgomery,to her home in Atlanta andbecame her primary caregiver.Her husband, Richard, helpedout when he could, but he hada busy law practice. Her grownchildren had already movedout of the house, and, as anonly child, Sinkfield had nosiblings to help out. “I knew

that I was the bottom line,”she said.

She took care of her motherwhile she was not in session,and hired a friend to care forher while she was. Things wentalong pretty well for four years,until her mother broke herfemur bone in 1997. “After that,it was like everything went onfast-forward,” said Sinkfield.“She never walked again andher health got worse andworse, and she was eventuallydiagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”

Then a little more than ayear ago, a bout of pneumonialanded her mother in the hos-pital for three weeks, and thedoctor said she couldn’t goback home. Sinkfield placed

her mother in the long-termcare unit of Wesley Woods inAtlanta.

“Now it’s a different type ofcaregiving,” said Sinkfield. “Idon’t have to bathe her anddress her anymore, but I goover every day. I do her hair, Italk to her doctors, take heroutside and just spend timewith her.”

The eight years Sinkfieldhas spent taking care of hermother have taken a physicaland financial toll, but theemotional stress has been thehardest on her. “My mom wassomeone I could always talkto, and I miss that so much,”she said. “You just miss yourmom — it’s as simple as that.”

State Rep. Georganna Sinkfield: An Emotional Toll

“You just miss your mom —it’s as simple as that.”

8 Georgia Generations

Source of statistics: American Society on Aging

Respite care helps Rome couple face caregiving with courage

New federal funding is now available to help care-givers, Debbie Studdard, Director, Coosa Valley

Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Georgia, recentlyannounced. “I’m excited that there is now a focus onthe needs of caregivers as well as those being caredfor,” said Ms. Studdard. “The Aging Network has knownfor a long time that unrelieved caregiving affects thehealth and well-being of the caregiver, but until now,little was done to alleviate the special stressesinvolved. Now, we are able to offer more caregiver sup-port, which is available in all 15 of the counties weserve in Northwest Georgia.”

One couple in the area who is being helped by respitecare is John (nicknamed Jack) and June Sweet of Rome,GA. June managed without respite care for a year, but

found it very dif-ficult. She couldn’tschedule a timeto shop, to keep adental appoint-ment, or go to thebeauty shop,because she didnot know if shecould secure a dependable sit-ter to stay with Jack, who hasAlzheimer’s disease.

Caregiving,she found, takes determination and courage. “Youhave to face it head on and do whatever is necessaryto make life as comfortable as possible,” June says.

A Look at AAAsAround Georgia

Here are the programs and services offered by Georgia’s AAAs.

Our special “Spotlight” highlights a different AAA in each issue ofGeorgia Generations.

Fall 2001 9

Northwest GeorgiaCovers a 15-county area surrounding Rome, Dallas, Dalton, Cartersville

Determination and love: Caregiver June Sweetwith husband Jack.

SPOTLIGHT ON

She offers encouragement to other caregivers. “Facingthe difficulties strengthens you,” she comments, and,“Fear is thereuntil you start todo it. You dothings you neverthought youcould do. Itmakes you lessafraid to tacklenew things.”

Each step ofJack’s diseasehas required thatthey adapt to newsituations andconditions. “Every day is a new day,” she says. “Youmove on. You just move on.”

A schedule of respite care has helped. “I have respitecare for five hours a day, twice a month now, and I am sothankful for it,” June explains. “The best thing is, it givesme a schedule. I know I can get out and do those things I

need to do. And I know when I walk out of the house thatall will be well when I return. The caregivers are trained

and caring, and they tend to send thesame ones on a consistent basis.”

The love between the Sweets isvery apparent and is unfolding dailyin new ways, as they accept thechanges in his condition that requirechanges in their lifestyles. June isvery thankful for having respite careas a form of regular caregiver sup-port. It makes it easier for her toshoulder the daily responsibilities ofcaring for her husband.

For information, contact: AAA ofNorthwest Georgia, P.O. Box 1793,

Rome, GA 30162-1793; 706-295-6485.

Caregivers are offeredclient-choice program

Caregivers in this region of NorthGeorgia should write down our

telephone number and keep ithandy. This AAA in Gainesvillewould like to help seniors, familiesand other caregivers locate neededinformation and assistance.

Legacy has administered a“client-choice” program for care-givers of individuals withAlzheimer’s for three years. TheLegacy Express Program givesvouchers to families in need ofassistance, and the family care-givers can choose the services theyneed, decide when they need helpand pay for services with a voucher.Beginning July 1, 2001, the same“client-choice” voucher programwas started for caregivers of elderlypersons in four counties in theregion.

If you are interested in learningmore about these programs andservices, call the numbers listedbelow, or e-mail pvfreeman@dhr.state.ga.us.

For further information,contact: Legacy Link, P.O. Box

2534, Gainesville, GA 30503-2534; 770-538-2650 or toll-free 1-800-845-LINK.

Covers a 13-county area surrounding Gainesville, Cumming, Clarkesville, Toccoa, Hiawassee

Northwest Georgia encompasses these counties:Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd,Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens,Polk, Walker, Whitfield

Legacy Link encompasses these counties: Banks,Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart,Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White

Legacy Link

INTERESTING FACT:An estimated 10 percent of peo-ple 65 years of age and older, andnearly half of those 85 and older,suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

10 Georgia Generations

Expanded Aging Connection providescaregiver counseling service

As the Area Agency on Aging for the metroAtlanta region, the Atlanta Regional Commis-

sion (ARC) supports the development of a compre-hensive system for delivery of services for olderadults. To this purpose, ARC contracts with localgovernments and community agencies that imple-ment a coordinated aging program in each of theregion’s counties. These agencies, referred to asCounty-Based Aging Programs, serve as focalpoints in the delivery of services to older adultsand their families in their respective counties. Inaddition, ARC contracts with community agenciesto serve specific population groups with specialneeds.

ARC receives funds from the Georgia Depart-ment of Human Resources, as well as the OlderAmericans Act, Social Services Block Grant, theCommunity Care Services Program, the State ofGeorgia, and from local match and private resources.The range of services available through contracts with

county government and local service agencies includesinformation and referral, case management, trans-portation, in-home services, home-delivered meals,congregate meals, senior centers, volunteer services,respite services for caregivers, specialized outreach,legal services, long-term care ombudsman,Alzheimer’s services and home-sharing.

While service agencies play a vital and critical role inproviding important services to older adults, familieshave always been the primary caregiver of long-term

care for family mem-bers. Recognition ofthe role families playin providing long-termcare has slowly movedto the forefront ofnational policy-making with therecent establishmentof the National FamilyCaregiver SupportProgram.

In response to thisnew caregiver initiative,ARC has expandedAging Connection, theregional and county-based information and referral system,

to include specific information related to caregiving. A nurse has also been hired at the regional level to serve

as a Caregiver Counselor to providetelephone assistance to caregivers.Additionally, ARC’s Web site, agingatlanta.com, is being adapted toprovide more in-depth information forcaregivers. Further, ARC is contractingwith two service agencies to implementvoucher programs that allow caregiversto purchase services and/or supplies toassist in the caregiving process. Futureplans call for distributing additionalcaregiving information through one-stopemployment centers, human resourcedepartments within the work place, and

faith-based organizations. For additional information on caregiver support, call

the Aging Connection at 404-463-3333.

County Contacts:Cherokee County Cherokee CountySenior Services; 770-345-5312Clayton County Clayton County AgingProgram; 770-603-4050Cobb County Cobb Senior Services, 770-528-5364DeKalb County Senior Connections, 404-377-9901

Douglas County Douglas Senior Services,770-489-3100Fayette County Fayette Senior Services,770-461-0813Fulton County Fulton County Aging Program, 404-730-6000Gwinnett County Gwinnett CountySenior Services, 770-822-8850Henry County Henry County Senior Services, 770-898-7670Rockdale County Rockdale County AgingProgram, 770-922-4533

Atlanta Regional Commission encompasses these counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas,Fayette, Gwinnett, Fulton, Henry, Rockdale

Three loving generations: ARC's Joy Lankford (left) iscaregiver for her mother Nancy Jones, with assistancefrom her daughter Nancelyn Lankford Hayes.

Covers a 10-county area surrounding Atlanta

Atlanta Regional Commission

Fall 2001 11

Atlanta RegionalCommission404-463-3333

NortheNew help line locatescommunity resources

One of the greatest challenges ofcaregiving is knowing how to

locate services, as well as coordinat-ing the care to meet your family’sneeds. In the Northeast Georgia area,there are many choices in the kinds ofservices that can aid in caregiving.Fortunately, Northeast Georgians haveaccess to excellent resources that canhelp individuals locate these services.

One important resource, which isavailable over the phone, is the new211 number. This is an informationhelp line that locates community

resources in the Northeast Georgiaarea. Another resource is the AAAAging Connection. By calling theAging Connection at 1-800-474-7540, caregivers can gain informa-tion on a variety of programsincluding financial counseling,home care assistance, home deliv-ered meals, elder care choices, coun-seling needs, Medicare/Medicaid,senior center services, housingoptions, elder abuse, transportation,homemaker services, in-home respitecare, and adult day care.

One of the keys to successfulcaregiving is finding the combinationof services that works for you andyour family. Selecting a variety ofservices can be useful in helpingfamilies provide care in their homes.Remember, there are people andresources that are readily accessi-ble. These resources are only aphone call away.

For information, contact: Northeast Georgia RDC, 305Research Drive, Athens, GA 30610-2795; 706-369-5650.

Voucher program focuses on improving home safety

Home safety is the focus of the Southern CrescentAAA’s newest project. The agency has developed a

collaborative effort with community leaders, serviceproviders, and a contractual arrangement with Care Link

AmeriCorp, which isdeveloping a voucher pro-gram that will focus onhome safety. This pro-gram will begin in TroupCounty and will beexpanded into additional

counties within our service area. The program’s objective is to assist the homebound

elderly and their caregivers in providing a safe homeenvironment, thereby preventing falls. To identify

problem areas in the home, a complete and accuratehome safety assessment tool has been developed. Cor-recting these deficiencies through home modifications,yard work, assistive devices, and/or the installation ofsafety equipment should result in the reduction of fallsand other home accidents.

Statistics show that 90 per cent of hip fractures aredue to falls each year. Of that number, only 25 percentmake a full recovery. By preventing falls, we hope toreduce the serious problem of hip fractures among older adults.

For further information, contact: Southern CrescentAAA, P.O. Box 1600, Franklin, GA 30217-1600; 706-675-6721 or toll-free 1-866-854-5652.

Covers a 12-county area surrounding Athens, Winder, Monroe, Covington, Madison

Covers a 10-county area surrounding Franklin, Newnan, LaGrange, Griffin, Carrollton

Northeast Georgia encompasses these counties:Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison,Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton

Southern Crescent encompasses these counties: Butts,Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike,Spalding, Troup, Upson

12 Georgia Generations

INTERESTING FACT:Nationwide, 90 percent of hip fractures are due tofalls each year. Only 25 per-cent make a full recovery.

Northeast Georgia

Southern Crescent

eCaregivers can accessprofessional counseling

Depression, grief issues, life stylechanges and family problems

are common in the over-60 popula-tion. Many seniors are unable toleave their homes to obtain counsel-ing services. The Central SavannahRiver (CSRA) Agency on Aging con-tracts with the Family CounselingCenter of the CSRA, Inc. to provideprofessional counseling to older per-sons (60+) in their homes or place ofresidence. On July 1, 2001, the pro-gram was expanded to includeincreased community education andsupport services for:

■ Family members who are care-givers for seniors with serious andchronic illnesses and disabilities.

■ Grandparents and senior rela-

tive caregivers of children and thoseaffected by mental retardation ordevelopmental disabilities.

As the roles of caregivers becomemore complicated, the CSRA AAA ispreparing to meet the needs. Foradditional information or referral

contact CarolDavis at 706-722-6512 or fprc@bell-south.net

For furtherinformation, con-

tact: Central Savannah River RDC,3023 Riverwatch Pkwy., Suite A,Augusta, GA 30907-2800; 706-210-2018 or toll-free 1-888-922-4464.

Information and assistance are part of new services

The Southwest Georgia Council on Aging (SOWEGAAAA) has some new clients — caregivers. For the

first time, the caregiverof an elderly person willhave an opportunity tobenefit directly from AAAservices. The proposedservices include infor-mation and assistance(I&A), a consumer choicevoucher program, in-home respite, day care,

education and training, and case management. To findout more about these programs, contact I&A at

229-432-1131 in Albany or 1-800-282-6612 if you liveoutside the calling area. We look forward to developinga variety of programs that give quality service deliveredas planned, flexibility to serve the caregiver and to rec-ognize the caregiver’s role.

Caregivers in our area will also have access to ourother programs, such as legal services, ombudsman andemergency back-up for caregivers.

Caregivers are the backbone of our long-term care sys-tem. Our lawmakers are to be congratulated for recogniz-ing this and passing the National Family Caregivers Act.

For further information, contact: Southwest GeorgiaCOA, 308 Flint Avenue, Albany, GA 31701-2508; 229-432-1124 or toll-free 1-800-282-6612.

Covers a 14-county area surrounding Albany, Bainbridge, Moultrie, Thomasville

Covers a 14-county area surrounding Augusta, Tomson, Martinez/Evans, Waynesboro, Sandersville

Southwest Georgia encompasses these counties: Baker,Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee,Miller, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth, Mitchell

Central Savannah River encompasses these counties:Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins,Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro,Warren, Washington, Wilkes

Fall 2001 13

INTERESTING FACT:Almost 100 million peoplein the United States haveone or more chronic condi-tions. Over the next 25years, this number isexpected to increase to 134 million Americans.

Southwest Georgia

Central Savannah River

As the roles of caregivers becomemore complicated, the CSRA AAAis preparing to meet the needs.

AAA announces plans for caregiver needs assessment

Since the National Family Caregiver Support Programwas introduced, there have been various approaches

to utilizing this new funding. To determine the bestapproach for the coastal region, the Area Agency onAging decided to contract for a Family Caregiver NeedsAssessment of the nine-county area.

Coles and Associ-ates, based in GrandPrairie, Texas, waschosen from the pro-posals submitted andhas begun contactinghundreds of individu-als, organizations,

churches, and most importantly — family caregivers.When the results are submitted, the agency will be betterequipped to develop local programs to offer importantneeded support.

In addition to programs that will be developed, theagency will also offer the “Caring for You, Caring for Me— Education and Support for Caregivers” program devel-oped by the Rosalyn Carter Institute.

For additional information about caregiver support activity in the coastal region, call Patt Whitmore at ext. 226.

For further information, contact: Coastal GeorgiaRDC; P.O. Box 1917, Brunswick, GA 31521; 912-264-7363 or toll-free 1-800-580-6860.

Toll-free call initiatesreferrals for services

The Heart of Georgia AltamahaAAA is a large, rural region in

the central and southeastern por-tions of Georgia. Services and pro-grams that are provided in theregion include: Gateway Services;Care Management; Elderly LegalAssistance; Institutional ElderAbuse Program; Long Term CareOmbudsman; Respite Care; Multi-Purpose Senior Centers; Home-maker Services; HICARE; HealthPromotion and Material Aid.

All clients entering into services

are processed through the AreaAgency on Aging’s “Gateway” Sys-tem. A toll-free number — 1-888-367-9913 — is available for clients,

providers, family members, andphysicians to call to initiate thescreening process. A registered

nurse or social worker will conductthe telephone screening and makeappropriate referrals for services.For information on all of our pro-

grams and services, callthe toll-free number.

For further informa-tion, contact: Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC;P.O. Drawer 1260,

Baxley, GA 31515; 912-367-3648 or toll-free 1-888-367-9913.

Covers a 9-county area surrounding Brunswick and Savannah

Covers a 17-county area surrounding Baxley, Dublin, Vidalia, Jesup, Swainsboro

Coastal Georgia encompasses these counties: Bryan,Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty,Long, McIntosh

Heart of Georgia Altamaha encompasses thesecounties: Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge,Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens,Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen,Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox

14 Georgia Generations

Coastal Georgia

Heart of Georgia Altamaha

A registered nurse or socialworker makes appropriatereferrals for services.

INTERESTING FACT:The majority of U.S. caregiversprovide unpaid assistance forone to four years. 20 percent,however, provide care for fiveyears or longer.

Valuable programs include Alzheimer’s adult day care

The Southeast Georgia AAA, a division of the South-east Georgia Regional Development Center, contracts

with several qualified agencies that provide valuableservices to seniors in the region. One such agency isPublic Health Personal Support Services, Inc. in Valdosta.This agency partners with Valdosta State University toprovide an Alzheimer’s Adult Day Care Program, as wellas a support group.

Altamaha Homecare Inc. in Baxley providesAlzheimer’s In-home Respite and Caregiver Relief underthe new National Family Caregivers Support Program.Also, Southern Home Care Services/Eldercare in Val-dosta offers numerous services including Homemaker,Personal Care, Alzheimer’s In-home Respite, and Care

giver Relief under the new National Family CaregiversSupport Program.

The Community Care Services Program (CCSP) isoperated through the Southeast Georgia AAA, and Diver-sified Resources (Waycross, Tifton, and Valdosta) con-tracts with the AAA to provide care coordination andcase management for home-delivered meal clients.

Ward Management (Folkston and Valdosta) contractswith the agency to provide Ombudsman services to nurs-ing home care recipients and their families.

For further information, contact: Southeast GeorgiaRDC; 3395 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503-8958; 912-285-6097 or toll-free 1-888-732-4464.

Choices in home- andcommunity-based services

The Middle Georgia Area Agencyon Aging (AAA), a division of the

Middle Georgia Regional Develop-ment Center, is located in Macon.

Within the 11-county region, theMiddle Georgia AAA provides the fol-lowing home- and community-basedservices: home-delivered and con-gregate meals, transportation,respite, legal services, long-termombudsman, homemaker, elderabuse prevention, nutrition/wellnesseducation, job training and place-ment, and HICARE.

Subcontractors providing serv-ices for the AAA are Meals onWheels of Macon and Bibb County,Older Americans Council of MiddleGeorgia, Houston County Council onAging, Georgia Legal Services, Mid-dle Georgia Community ActionAgency, Southern Home Care/ Elder-care, Putnam County Board of Com-missioners, Pulaski County Councilon Aging, and Wilkinson CountyBoard of Commissioners.

Call us at 478-751-6466 or toll-free 1-888-548-1456 for information

and assistance regarding any ofthese services.

For further information, contact:Middle Georgia RDC, 175-C EmeryHighway, Macon, GA 31217; 478-751-6466 or toll-free 1-888-548-1456.

Covers an 11-county area surrounding Macon, Warner Robins, Milledgeville

Covers a 18-county area surrounding Waycross, Valdosta, Tifton, Douglas, Folkston

Middle Georgia encompasses these counties: Baldwin,Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski,Putnam, Twiggs, Wilkinson

Southeast Georgia encompasses these counties:Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks,Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier,Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, Ware

Fall 2001 15

Middle Georgia

Southeast Georgia

INTERESTING FACT:20–40 percent of caregivers are in the “sandwich generation,”with children under age 18 tocare for in addition to their older relative.

16 Georgia Generations

How can I help?

AARPAssuming responsibility for the homecare of loved onescan involve assisting with daily activities, managing high-

tech medical treatments,and dealing with issuesaround dying. AARP’s “Life

Transitions” program can help you meet these criticalresponsibilities. Find out more at www.aarp.org/lifeguide

Bridgebuilders, Inc.Personal Care in the comfort andprivacy of your own home.Customized services delivered

with compassion, integrity and professionalism. 600 S. Central Ave., Hapeville 30354; 404-765-4300.

Georgia Alliance for Staffing Solutions

An alliance that promotes quality long-termcare for seniors and persons with disabili-ties by seeking innovative solutions to

improve staffing and support caregivers. www.agingatlanta.com

Georgia Council on AgingThe Georgia Council on Aging advocates on behalf of older Georgians and their families. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.gcoa.org

Grady GoldGrady Senior Services was created with the special careneeds of older adults in mind! People over 60 can receive

comprehensive evaluationsand care for common prob-

lems seen in older adults. 404-616-0800.

Sixty Plus, Piedmont HospitalA program to enhance thewell-being of older adults andtheir families by providingservices, education and sup-

port. 1968 Peachtree Rd., Atlanta 30309; 404-605-3867.

PfizerThe “Health, Medicines & Lifestyles”icon on Pfizer’s Web site, will leadyou to topics that include “Profileof Caregiving,” “Exploring Your Health On Line,” and manymore. www.pfizer.com

Sunrise Assisted LivingThe pioneer of the Assisted Living concept of care and

changing the way America agessince 1981.Call 770-649-6560 for more

information or visit www.sunriseassistedliving.com

Georgia Generations is published and supportedby Georgia’s Area Agencies on Aging. Additionalcirculation support is provided by the generoussponsors listed here. For more information onbecoming a sponsor of Georgia Generations,please call 404-463-3222.

Thanks to these Georgia companies and organizations for their generous support.

Sponsors

Many people ask...

OLDER ADULTS AND CAREGIVERSacross Georgia can now be recognized in a uniqueway. The Thanks Mom and Dad Fund® has beenestablished to honor someone special in your life orto honor the memory of someone who was aninspiration to you.

With each contribution, those honoredreceive a certificate recognizing the role they playedin the donor’s life. Your contributions are tax-deductible and provide support for many of the pro-grams described in this issue. If you would like moreinformation about the Thanks Mom & Dad Fund,®you can call 1-800-676-2433.