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Diabetes Self Management Courses

Holiday time can make it difficult to stick to your healthy eating plan, there are so many goodies to indulge in. And you want to participate and feel all the joy that comes from sharing a special meal with family and friends. With party after party, it can get tough. Even more so for those who need to watch their food intake due to a health issue. Particularly those with diabetes, all those sweet treats are hard to resist- holiday cakes and cookies around every corner.

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Having the right tools to manage your diabetes can help, not just at holiday times, but all year long. Luckily, our friends at HQSI (Healthcare Quality Strategies, Inc.) offer a six-week program to help people learn to manage their diabetes. Below is a schedule for the Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP) as well as more information and how to contact them.

If you do not see a program that is convenient to you, contact HQSI to ask about future programs. If you manage a Senior Center or other program and are interested in having someone come to talk to your group about diabetes, you can also contact HQSI directly to coordinate something. With a New Year beginning soon, it is a good time to plan and make new health goals.

Workshop Location Dates Time To Register
Spruce Street Senior Apts.

15 Spruce Street

Kearny, NJ 07032

Tuesdays

 

January 10, 2017 to February 14, 2017

10:00 a.m.

to

12:30 p.m.

Call Sonia Salazar at:

(201) 997-4270

Elizabethport Presbyterian Ctr.

(Spanish)

 

184 First Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07206-1855

Wednesdays

 

January 11, 2017 to

February 15, 2017

9:30 a.m.

to

12:00 p.m.

Call Beatrice Beard at:

(908) 351-4850

YMCA of Newark and Vicinity

 

600 Broad Street

Newark, NJ 07102-4504

Wednesdays

 

January 18, 2017 to

February 22, 2017

10:00 a.m.

to

12:30 p.m.

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Sayreville Public Library

 

1050 Washington Road

Parlin, NJ 08859-1091

Thursdays

 

January 19, 2017 to

February 23, 2017

10:00 a.m.

to

12:30 p.m.

Call Jennifer at:

(732) 727-0212 ext. 25 or go to sayrevillelibrary.org

Franklin Township Senior Center

 

505 Dermott Lane

Somerset, NJ 08873

Wednesdays

 

February 1, 2017 to March 8, 2017

9:30 a.m.

to

12:00 p.m.

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Shore Medical Center

Jenkins Room

 

100 Medical Center Way

Somers Point, NJ 08244-2300

 

Thursdays

 

February 2, 2017 to

March 9, 2017

 

10:00 a.m.

to

12:30 p.m.

 

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Little Egg Harbor Township Community Center

 

317 W. Cala Breeze Way

Little Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 08087

Thursdays

 

February 2, 2017 to

March 9, 2017

10:00 a.m.

To

12:30 p.m.

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Church of the Holy Spirit

 

220 East Main Street

Tuckerton, NJ 08087-2242

Thursdays

 

February 2, 2017 to

March 9, 2017

1:30p.m.

to

4:00p.m.

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Annabelle Shimkowitz Senior Center @ Municipal Complex

 

330 Passaic Street

Passaic, NJ 07055-5815

Mondays

 

February 6, 2017 to

March 20, 2017

9:30 a.m.

to

11:30 a.m.

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

Montclair Public Library

 

50 S. Fullerton Avenue

Montclair, NJ 07042-2629

Fridays

 

March 3, 2017 to

April 7, 2017

 

10:00 a.m.

to

12:30 p.m.

 

Call Jarmaine Williams at:

(732) 955-8168

 

For each six-week workshop, we regret that there can be no new attendees after the second session.

 

For more information, please contact Jarmaine Williams:  (732) 955-8168

 

 

New Rules for Durable Medical Equipment in New Jersey

New Rules for Durable Medical Equipment in New Jersey

If you are a beneficiary with Original Medicare (a person who has Parts A and B of Medicare and not a Medicare Advantage plan) who uses  or plans to use certain durable medical equipment and supplies, such as oxygen, walkers, or wheelchairs, you should know about the new rules that started on July 1, 2013 in New Jersey.  The Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program is an attempt to save money for taxpayers and people with Medicare and may change the suppliers people with Medicare will need to use.

Most counties and zip codes in New Jersey will now be a part of this competitive bidding program.  You can check if your zip code is in a competitive bidding are by going to a fact sheet at http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and Education/Outreach/Partnerships/Downloads/DMEPOSBeneFactSheetMarch2013.pdf. 

As of July 1, people with Original Medicare who live in or travel to one of these areas and need the items listed below will need to get these items from an approved contract supplier if they want Medicare to cover these supplies, unless their current suppliers decide to become grandfathered suppliers (non-contract suppliers that choose to continue to provide certain rented medical equipment or oxygen under the terms of the program). 

Beneficiaries will need to find out which suppliers are Medicare contract suppliers to make sure Medicare will  pay for their medical equipment or supplies. You can find out if a supplier is a contract supplier for the program by visiting http://www.medicare.gov/supplierdirectory/search.html or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). 

The competitive bidding program will only cover certain categories of products.  The 8 product categories that are included in the program are:

1.         Oxygen, oxygen equipment, and supplies;

2.         Standard (power and manual) wheelchairs, scooters, and related  accessories;

3.         Enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies;

4.         Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices, Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs) and related supplies and accessories;

5.         Hospital beds and related accessories;

6.         Walkers and related accessories;

7.         Support surfaces (Group 2 mattresses and overlays); and

8.         Negative Pressure Wound Therapy pumps and related supplies and accessories.

In addition to the categories of items listed, Medicare will be starting a national mail-order program for diabetic testing supplies at the same time.  The national mail-order program will include all parts of the United States, including the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.  With this national mail-order program, people with Original Medicare will need to use a contract supplier for diabetic testing supplies delivered to their homes.  If these supplies are not delivered to a beneficiary’s  home, a beneficiary can go to any retailer that provides these supplies, but they may pay more. 

To assist beneficiaries, Medicare mailed information to people in the competitive bidding areas who use the items included in the program, in addition to those who use diabetic testing supplies across the country.  Approximately 5.7 million people with Medicare have been sent a letter and information.  You can review the letters, introductory brochure, national mail-order program fact sheet and other program education materials by visiting http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/Partnerships/DMEPOS_Toolkit.html.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey at 732-777-1940.  You can also contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-792-8820.

Register Online! NJFA’s 14th Annual Conference

Register Online! NJFA’s 14th Annual Conference

 NJFA’s 14th Annual Conference, “Addressing the Needs of Diverse Populations” will be held on Thursday June 14th at the Crowne Plaza Monroe.

 And you can register online at https://secure.americanweb.net/njfoundationforaging/

 In addition to our two keynote speakers, Linda Couch of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Suzanne Braun Levine nationally recognized author, we have a full day of great sessions!

 To read more about our keynote speakers, see our blog post from 3/12/12 http://blog.njfoundationforaging.org/?p=183

 The various breakout sessions are offered in both the morning and the afternoon. Topics range from managing chronic disease, to addressing the needs of LGBT seniors. NJFA has found many qualified panelists to share with you new data, evidence based practices, and practical solutions. Attendees can chose to attend a session on hoarding and learn how to identify it, what the ethical implications are and learn some solutions. Or, they can chose to attend a session where they’ll learn about new and innovative ways for seniors to stay active through the Move Today program.

 Want to know more? See our brochure online at: http://www.njfoundationforaging.org/NJFAConfBro_web.pdf

 Registration will begin at 8 am with a continental breakfast and after two keynotes and morning and afternoon breakout sessions, you’ll be on the road home by 3 pm!

You can register on our website, via email or by fax (609-421-2006)

 Questions? Give us a call at 609-421-0206 or visit www.njfoundationforaging.org

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Facts: Follow this Series

There is a lot of speculation and discussion about what affect health care reform legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will have on seniors and more specifically, Medicare.

Fact # 1 ACA will not cut your basic Medicare benefits.

There are actually some improvements to Medicare benefits as a result of ACA. One immediate improvement, according¬†to the Law,¬†is more help with prescription drug coverage. In Medicare prescription drug coverage there is something commonly referred to as ‚Äúthe donut hole‚Äù which refers to a coverage gap where seniors end up paying 100% of prescription drug costs. The new law helps you pay these costs right away. If you enter the donut hole this year, Medicare will send you a check for $250. You don’t have to do anything to get the check. It will arrive around 45 days after you reach the gap. In 2011, if you enter the donut hole, you’ll pay only half of what your plan charges for brand-name drugs‚Äîa 50% discount. By 2020, the donut hole will be slowly phased out and completely eliminated because of the Affordable Care Act.

Also as a result of ACA, a free annual well visit is now available in 2011. The free annual wellness checkup will allow you and your doctor to develop a prevention plan to keep you healthy. And a range of prevention services, such as cancer and diabetes screenings, will be provided free, no more cost sharing.

Another improvement related to the ACA, better care when you get sick! 80% of older Americans, have at least one chronic medical condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes. If you are one of them, you probably see several doctors, who may not always work together. The law will invest in testing new models of care for people with chronic conditions in order to provide better care, better coordination, and more patient-centered services. If you must be hospitalized, the law also will help you return home successfully, and avoid going re-hospitalization, by providing incentives for hospitals to make sure that you get the services you need in your community and by teaching you ways to take good care of yourself.

There are more facts that seniors need to know about how the new healthcare legislation will impact you and your Medicare coverage, stay tuned for more information from NJFA.

The information in this blog was gathered from language in the Affordable Care Act, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid and the National Council on Aging.

For more information check out the following links:

A brochure from Medicare:

http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11467.pdf

Webpage from the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD):

http://www.nasuad.org/affordable_care_act/nasuad_materials.html

Answers from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a):

http://www.n4a.org/advocacy/health-care-reform/

Straight Talk for Seniors from the National Council on Aging:

http://www.ncoa.org/public-policy/health-care-reform/straight-talk/