COUNCIL ON AGING FOR SOUTHEASTERN VERMONT
Annual Report - 2004

Our mission is to assist persons to achieve an optimum quality of life individually and in their communities through advocacy, information and access to resources and by supporting and working with their families and those close to them.

The vision of COASEV is that aging can be a vital, rewarding experience. As the designated Area Agency on Aging for Windham and Windsor Counties, we regularly review this vision in the context of our rapidly changing environment. We are committed to a focus on the quality of life that seniors, their families and their caregivers enjoy. We have the same commitment to the provision of quality, on-going services rather than crisis intervention, which is always a more expensive option. By working in partnership with a wide array of community-based organizations we make a difference.

COASEV Board of Directors

2004 - Accomplishments

This report is a brief summary of accomplishments during the past year. These accomplishments reflect the work of staff, volunteers and partner organizations in Windham and Windsor counties. Please accept our appreciation.

Direct Services for Seniors and Their Families

Certified case management staff work to ensure that elders, their families and caregivers have access to services and resources. Last year we:

• Secured a grant to expand mental health care to Medicare clients, and with the local community mental health agency, continued providing seniors with outreach counseling.
• Launched a new caregiver training school in partnership with Brattleboro Area Hospice.
• Successfully transitioned to a new "Making the Link" program, a collaboration placing case managers in physicians' offices to provide information and services to caregivers.
• Expanded our State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to full time through a grant to strengthen education outreach activities for seniors facing major changes in the health care insurance environment.
• Partnered with other organizations to help seniors navigate the required changes in Vermont's prescription drug program.
• Invested $40,000 in caregiver respite grants for those caring for folks with illness or disease unrelated to dementia, and managed another $90,000 in grants for caregivers of those with diagnosed dementia.

Nutrition

COASEV continues to administer a strong Home Delivered and Congregate Meals program in partnership with contractors and community volunteers. Nutrition education is a part of this program. Last year we:

• Helped launch the Brattleboro Senior Meals organization as an independent contractor.
• Produced a video to educate officials, showing the importance and scope of the home delivered meal program.
• Supported the delivery of 124,550 Meals on Wheels from 19 sites, and 96,630 congregate meals at 24 sites, and distributed emergency food packages around the region.

Transportation

COASEV continues to partner and/or contract with all public, private and volunteer transportation providers to maximize this much needed and undersupplied service. Last year we:

• Collaborated with COVE to increase funding and to expand support for all senior transportation providers.
• Created a small grant process for community-based transportation programs to supplement existing services and thus enable seniors to get where they need to go.

Wellness & Health Promotion

COASEV has a strong commitment to wellness and the concept of successful aging, believing that people can be contributing members of the community throughout life. Last year we:

• Awarded $20,000 in Successful Aging Initiative grants to 20 community groups to develop activities for seniors with a special focus for 2005 on encouraging wellness and health.
• Supported leaders of senior exercise programs by providing continuing education, networking, publicity, and an expanded resource section on our website.
• Piloted three Steps to Healthy Aging programs, and offered training for potential leaders to expand this program to new populations.
  

2004 - Challenges

COASEV will continue to focus on developing creative approaches to assisting seniors in an environment of limited resources and competing demands. Our work must recognize the following:

• The senior population continues to increase, but the funding resources have not grown commensurately.
• The changes that will be wrought by the Medicare Modernization Act with prescription drug benefits will require advocacy to ensure that older Vermonters, especially those with the lowest incomes, are not negatively impacted.
• As Vermont moves to a broader Medicaid entitlement program that encompasses community based long term care services, we need to work closely with partners to ensure success.
• We need to find feasible, creative solutions to public transportation enabling people to participate in their very rural communities.
  

Programs and Services

COASEV Local Office Contact Information

SPRINGFIELD: Main Office: 56 Main Street, Suite 304 Springfield, VT 05156 885-2655, FAX 885-2665 Senior Center: 139 Main St. Springfield, VT 05156 885-8213, FAX 885-5213

BELLOWS FALLS: Senior Center, 3 Hyde St. Bellows Falls, VT 05101 463-4947, FAX 463-3981

BRATTLEBORO: Senior Center: 207 Main St. Brattleboro, VT 05301 257-7552, 257-2338, FAX 257-2334 Town Office: 230 Main St. Suite 305 Brattleboro, VT 05301 258-3029, 258-9724 FAX 258-9725

HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS: Springfield Family Center 365 Summer St., Suite 225 Springfield, VT 05156 885-6636

LUDLOW: 6 Andover, Office #5 Ludlow, VT 05149 228-2594, FAX 228-2623

JACKSONVILLE: Jacksonville Municipal Ctr. Route 100 Jacksonville, VT 05342 368-2421

TOWNSHEND: Grace Cottage Hospital, Route 35 Townshend, VT 05353 365-7706, FAX 365-9500

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION: Gates-Briggs Building 26 N. Main St., Suite 322 White River Jct. VT 05001 295-2200, FAX 295-3001Bugbee Senior Center 262 N Main St., WRJ 295-9068, FAX 295-2073

WINDSOR: Windsor House, 54 Main St Windsor, VT 05089 674-9152

WOODSTOCK: Thompson Senior Center 1141 Senior Lane Woodstock, VT 05091 457-3277, FAX 457-4168

SENIOR HELP-LINE - Personalized information and assistance is available from staff answering the phone weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Information and referrals are provided for simple requests, or step-by-step assistance for more complicated situations facing seniors and their families in Windham and Windsor Counties.
800-642-5119

MEALS ON WHEELS - Volunteers deliver meals for people age 60 and over plus adults with disabilities who are having difficulty preparing healthy, adequate meals due to illness, physical disability, hospital recovery or advancing age.

CASE MANAGEMENT - Case managers (all are now certified by the State of Vermont) coordinate, advocate and monitor the on-going care needs of elders and adults with disabilities who wish to remain in their community. Some participate in the "Making the Link" program at physicians' offices.

CONGREGATE DINNERS - Old and new friends gather at more than twenty different locations in Windham and Windsor Counties for healthy noontime dinners, good company, great conversation and a variety of activities.

ADVOCACY - Local, community-based staff provide information on benefit eligibility and community services, such as prescription coverage, food stamps, housing, and social security.

TRANSPORTATION - We enlist the help of volunteer drivers from community groups, Senior Centers and other community organizations and we contract with public transit to provide door-to-door, accessible transportation for medical appointments, shopping, senior meals, and community activities.

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM - Friendly visitors aged 60 years and older provide limited companionship, respite and transportation services at no cost to homebound seniors. The friendly visitor receives a stipend and mileage reimbursement.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT & DEMENTIA RESPITE - COASEV staff provide caregivers with support, information, options and respite grants enabling them to continue to care for frail elders in their home environment.

HEALTH INSURANCE COUNSELING AND ASSISTANCE - Trained staff and volunteers assist seniors and their family members to understand or resolve health insurance billing problems, to compare insurance plans, and to decipher the many new drug card options.

LONG TERM CARE OPTIONS - COASEV staff offer presentations of available options and eligibility for individuals or groups seeking information about Long Term Care options.

MENTAL HEALTH - This collaboration between COASEV and the local community mental health agency provides supportive counseling and mental health services to older adults in their homes and communities.

Financial Statement (Unaudited)

Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc.
Year Ended September 30, 2004

Revenue Sources
Federal Funds:
Older Americans Act Nutrition Services Incentive Program Medicaid Administration Other Programs	$ 969,305 122,549 55,366 146,111
	$ 1,311,331
State of Vermont Funds:
General Fund Medicaid Waiver Agency of Transportation Other Programs	$ 253,433 275,171 69,133 76,293
	$ 674,030
Local Funds:
Grants and Other Participant Contributions Town Funds * Donations United Way	$ 111,045 92,285 29,728 23,235 10,125
	$ 266,418
Non-Cash Contributions	$ 282,548
Total Support and Revenue	$ 2,534,327
Program Expenditures:
Individual Advocacy Services:
Case Management/Advocacy Medicaid Administration Legal Assistance Information & Assistance Other Programs	$ 805,942 47,962 49,932 33,160 49,021
	$ 986,017
Independent Living Services:
Home Delivered Meals Congregate Meals Respite and Other Specific Assistance Transportation Other Programs	$ 683,917 478,604 184,101 109,750 68,065
	$ 1,524,437
Total Expenditures	$ 2,510,454
* Income provided by Towns leverages federal matching funds, enabling additional services to be offered to community residents.
Board of Directors David Armstrong, Chester Pat Bowen, East Dover Harriet Goodwin, Treasurer S.,   Woodstock Michael B. Gregg, Secretary, Guilford Bill Osgood, Norwich Bess Richardson, Dummerston Edith Serke, President, Windham John Wilcox, Dummerston Carol Young, Vice-President,   Rockingham Toby Young, Putney Advisory Council Executive Committee Woody Bickford, Springfield Ruth Gabranski, Cavendish Barbara Page, Brattleboro Shirley Perkins, Secretary #3,   Dummerston Martha Quinlan, Vice-Chair, Ludlow Estelle Schwartz, Winhall Elizabeth Stead, Secretary #2, Putney Karen Trombley, Chester Karen Walter, Secretary #1,   Westminster Senior Staff Executive Director: Marie Saunders Case Management Program Director:   Paula Fellows Contracts Administrator: Cheryl Baxley Financial Manager: Dick Woodside Wellness Coordinator: Jenny Gelfan Top of Page