COUNCIL ON AGING FOR SOUTHEASTERN VERMONT
Annual Report - 2005

The vision of the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont is that aging can be a vital, rewarding experience. We:

• give personal service for successful aging
• help people remain as independent, healthy and involved as possible
• connect seniors and their caregivers to the information and services they need

As the designated Area Agency on Aging for Windham and Windsor Counties, we are the source for Older Americans Act funds for the 46 communities we serve. We believe that we offer and provide consistently high quality customer service to seniors who reach out to us for assistance. We remain committed to working with other community-based organizations to offer the best quality service possible.

COASEV Board of Directors

2005 - 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. Of special note, last year we:

• Received a Certificate of Appreciation from USDA Rural Development for our participation in its home repair program.
• Our new "Making the Link" program, a collaboration placing case managers in physicians' offices to provide information and services to caregivers, was highlighted nationally.
• Expanded our State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) staff and strengthened education outreach, targeting Medicare Part D enrollment. We helped nearly 800 individuals in appointments, and reached over 3000 at presentations plus an estimated 26,500 through CATV shows.
• We gave dementia respite grants to 60 caregivers of people with diagnosed dementia. We participated in the National Family Caregiver Support Program, giving caregiver respite grants to another 56 clients caring for folks with illness or disease unrelated to dementia.

Nutrition
In partnership with contractors and community volunteers, COASEV supported the delivery of 124,021 Meals on Wheels from 19 sites, the serving of 95,529 congregate meals at 27 locations, and the distribution of hundreds of emergency food packages. Clients say:

• "Many many thanks for your Meals on Wheels which have helped me through a period when I had trouble moving about and only one usable arm."
• "Many thanks for the emergency food kit I recently received. We have a lot of cold and snow now - just think what it could be later in the winter."

Transportation
Working together with public transit providers and community-based transportation programs, COASEV purchased service and facilitated access to medical appointments, shopping, meal sites and recreational activities. Client comment:

• "The enclosed small check is in appreciation to COASEV for transportation provided to seniors in the Brattleboro area through Brattleboro Taxi. My husband and I cannot drive or walk very far due to health problems and rely on the Senior Van for grocery shopping and adjacent services, such as P.O., bank, drug store. It also gets us out of the house to see people and to have a healthy lunch. This is surely a wonderful help to many."

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. This program received an Achievement Award from the National Association of AAAs.
• Added a Dance for Healthy Aging to our Walk for Healthy Aging fundraisers.
• Piloted new Steps to Healthy Aging programs, obtaining grants to fund the pedometers, and offered training at the statewide SAIL Summit to expand this program to new populations.

2006 - Challenges

COASEV continues to be asked to offer a multitude of support services to a growing senior population with level or decreased funding. The mandate from the Older Americans Act remains clear that we are the advocate and the focal point for senior issues. We are charged with monitoring, evaluating and commenting upon all policies, programs, hearings and community actions.

In order to continue this role we must develop and strengthen our partnerships with other community based service providers in order to realize a comprehensive service delivery system.

The rapid growth of the senior population means that we will need better transportation choices especially for seniors with mobility or income limitations.

Our challenge is to find creative ways to achieve our mission and to seek better ways to improve our services. With the support of a dedicated Board and committed staff we can achieve this.

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 Health Insurance Program: 56 Main Street, Suite 200 Springfield, VT 05156 885-6636

BELLOWS FALLS: Senior Center, 18 Tuttle 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 295-3001 Bugbee 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 assistance 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. 800-642-5119

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, to decipher the many new drug card options, and to enroll in their plan.

SUCCESSFUL AGING RESOURCES - COASEV staff offers information and services promoting successful aging and independence, including offering Successful Aging Initiative Grants to community groups for innovative projects.

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 (State certified) 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 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.

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.

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, 2005

Revenue Sources
Federal Funds:
Older Americans Act Nutrition Services Incentive Program Other Programs	$ 810,951 103,936 118,573
	$ 1,033,460
State of Vermont Funds:
General Fund Medicaid Waiver Agency of Transportation Medicaid Administration Other Programs	$ 395,046 365,692 58,165 49,938 143,042
	$ 1,011,883
Local Funds:
Grants and Other Participant Contributions Donations Town Funds * United Way	$ 56,013 43,664 27,195 25,001 11,750
	$163,623
Non-Cash Contributions	$ 314,775
Total Support and Revenue	$ 2,523,741
Program Expenditures:
Individual Advocacy Services:
Case Management/Advocacy Legal Assistance Health Insurance Counseling Medicaid Administration Information & Assistance Other Programs	$ 701,588 49,938 46,313 42,420 29,628 109,071
	$ 978,958
Independent Living Services:
Home Delivered Meals Congregate Meals Respite and Other Specific Assistance Transportation Other Programs	$ 688,707 466,332 218,507 94,916 60,865
	$ 1,529,327
Total Expenditures	$ 2,508,285
* Income provided by Towns leverages federal matching funds, enabling additional services to be offered to community residents.
Board of Directors David Armstrong Chester Woody Bickford Springfield Pat Bowen East Dover Janet Cramer Brattleboro Harriet Goodwin, Vice Pres. S. Woodstock Pat Crocker Woodstock Katharine Dodge, Secretary Putney Michael B. Gregg, MD Guilford Bess Richardson Dummerston Edith Serke, President Windham John Wilcox Dummerston Carol Young, Treasurer Rockingham Toby Young Putney Advisory Council Executive Committee Woody Bickford, Chair Springfield Charlotte Bond, Co-Secretary E. Dover Robert Hollman Bellows Falls Dorothy Humphrey, Co-Sec. Guilford Emily Kunreuther Marlboro Barbara Page Brattleboro Martha Quinlan, Vice-Chair Ludlow Estelle Schwartz Winhall Doris Shattuck Chester Ardis Smith Weston Elizabeth Stead Putney Janet Stowell Townshend Senior Staff Executive Director: Joyce Lemire Case Management Program Director: Paula Fellows Contracts Administrator: Cheryl Baxley Financial Manager: Dick Woodside Wellness Coordinator: Jenny Gelfan   Top of Page