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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2020

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NATIONAL CENTER ON ELDER ABUSE

Red Flags of Abuse

Our communities are like structures that support people’s safety and wellbeing. One of the most important ways we can all contribute to this ongoing construction project is by looking out for warning signs of maltreatment. Does someone you know display any of these signs of abuse? If so, TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY. Everyone, at every age, deserves justice. Report suspected abuse as soon as possible.

Emotional & Behavioral Signs

  • Unusual changes in behavior or sleep
  • Fear or anxiety
  • Isolated or not responsive
  • Depression

Physical Signs

  • Broken bones, bruises, and welts
  • Cuts, sores or burns
  • Untreated bedsores
  • Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
  • Unexplained sexually transmitted diseases
  • Dirtiness, poor nutrition or dehydration
  • Poor living conditions
  • Lack of medical aids (glasses, walker, teeth, hearing aid, medications)

Financial Signs

  • Unusual changes in a bank account or money management
  • Unusual or sudden changes in a will or other financial documents
  • Fraudulent signatures on financial documents
  • Unpaid bills

WHAT IS ELDER ABUSE?

Elder abuse is the mistreatment or harming of an older person. It can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, along with neglect and financial exploitation. Many social factors—for example, a lack of support services and community resources—can make conditions ripe for elder abuse. Ageism (biases against or stereotypes about older people that keep them from being fully a part of their community) also play a role in enabling elder abuse. By changing these contributing factors, we can prevent elder abuse and make sure everyone has the opportunity to thrive as we age.

HOW CAN WE PREVENT AND ADDRESS ELDER ABUSE?

We can lessen the risk of elder abuse by putting supports and foundations in place that make abuse difficult. If we think of society as a building that supports our wellbeing, then it makes sense to design the sturdiest building we can—one with the beams and load-bearing walls necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy as we age. For example, constructing community supports and human services for caregivers and older adults can alleviate risk factors tied to elder abuse. Increased funding can support efforts to train practitioners in aging-related care. Identifying ways to empower older adults will reduce the harmful effects of ageism. And leveraging expert knowledge can provide the tools needed to identify, address, and ultimately prevent abuse.

HOW CAN WE REPORT SUSPECTED ABUSE?

(This section has been edited to include links specific to NJ.)

No matter how old we are, justice requires that we be treated as full members of our communities. If we notice some of these signs of abuse, it is our duty to report it to the proper authorities. Programs such as Adult Protective Services (APS), the Long-Term Care Ombudsmen and Disability Rights New Jersey are here to help.  If you or someone you know is in a life-threatening situation or immediate danger, call 911 or the local police or sheriff. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) directed by the U.S. Administration on Aging, helps communities, agencies and organizations ensure that older people and adults with disabilities can live with dignity, and without abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We are based out of Keck School of Medicine of USC. NCEA is the place to turn for education, research, and promising practices in preventing abuse.

Visit us online for more resources! ncea.acl.gov

This material was completed for the National Center on Elder Abuse situated at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and is supported in part by a grant (No. 90ABRC000101-02) from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official ACL or DHHS policy. LAST DOCUMENT REVISION: DECEMBER 2018

Water, creating a balance is essential.

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Water, creating a balance is essential.

In the NY Times Science Section’s Well, Personal Health column on May 10, Jane Brody shares her experience with mild dehydration after two very physically active days.  She cites Professor Barry Popkin who talks about things we do not truly know about water, like how hydration impacts our health and well-being, or how much is really required. While there are suggested guidelines, it can be difficult to know exactly how much water you need to drink. The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 liters) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of total beverages a day. This can vary depending on your health issues, activity level, the weather, etc.  We probably need to drink somewhere within the suggested guidelines in order to be sufficiently hydrated each day.  This may be difficult since as we age the mechanism of thirst becomes a less effective trigger for reminding us to drink water.

How can you remember to drink enough water? Have a glass at the same time and in the same place during your routine every day. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of water right after you get out of the shower, or right before you wash your face at night, put a glass of water on your nightstand so you see it before you go to bed or have a glass waiting by the coffee maker so you remember to have a glass while your coffee brews.

Cheers.

Beverages-Ice-Water

 

Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefits

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It’s tax season, perhaps you know this because there is an accountant in your life who just got super busy or you’ve seen the increase in TV ads for Turbo Tax. Either way, we thought this timely information from our friends at the Social Security Administration might be useful.

Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefits

Join the Millions! Create your own my Social Security account

at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

With tax season upon us, many of you have asked about Income Taxes And Your Social Security Benefits. Some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your benefits.

Note: No one pays federal income tax on more than 85 percent of his or her Social Security benefits based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. If you:

  • file a federal tax return as an “individual” and your combined income* is
  • between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits.
  • more than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
  • file a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income* that is
  • between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits
  • more than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
  • are married and file a separate tax return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits.
  • Each January you will receive a Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) showing the amount of benefits you received in the previous year. You can use this Benefit Statement when you complete your federal income tax return to find out if your benefits are subject to tax.
  • If you currently live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, we have a new way for you to get an instant replacement quickly and easily. Using your online my Social Security account. If you don‚Äôt already have an account, you can create one online. Go to Sign In or Create an Account. Once you are logged in to your account, select the “Replacement Documents” tab.

Withholding Income Tax From Your Social Security Benefits

You can ask us to withhold federal taxes from your Social Security when you apply for benefits.

If you are already receiving benefits or if you want to change or stop your withholding, you’ll need a form W-4V from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

You can download the form, or call the IRS toll-free number 1-800-829-3676 and ask for Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the IRS TTY number, 1-800-829-4059.)

When you complete the form, you will need to select the percentage of your monthly benefit amount you want withheld. You can have 7%, 10%, 15% or 25% of your monthly benefit withheld for taxes.

Note: Only these percentages can be withheld. Flat dollar amounts are not accepted.

Sign the form and return it to your local Social Security office by mail or in person.

If you need more information

If you need more information about tax withholding, read IRS Publication 554, Tax Guide for Seniors, and Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits.

If you have questions about your tax liability or want to request a Form W-4V, you can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 (TTY 1-800-829-4059).

Robo-Call Scams

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Robo-Call Scams

Here at NJFA, both Grace and I (Melissa) have received calls on our cell phones claiming to be from “Cardholder Services”. The recorded voice does not specify the credit card company but urges you to contact them about your account.

We’ve also heard recently from others who have received similar calls, as well as calls from people posing as the IRS. The most recent call I received even came from a local phone number and not a 1-800 number. Apparently there is technology that allows the scammer to change how the # they are calling from appears on your caller ID, so it may look legitimate.

I checked the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website and found that the call I got is a well known scam. The voice on the recording identified herself as “Rachel from cardholder services”. The article on the BBB’s website was from 2014 and indicated that this scam had already been going on for years.

The concept of this scam is no different from the others, the caller wants you to either pay for a “service”, or provide personal information (like account numbers or Social Security Numbers). You should not do either. If the caller claims to be from your bank or credit card company, hang up, look up the correct contact information for your bank or credit card company and call that # to verify any account concerns.

It is also important to remember that the IRS, Social Security, and most government agencies are not going to call you. The IRS specifically will always send you a letter first about any money owed. The current IRS scam involves a caller identifying themselves as an IRS employee and demanding immediate payment via a wire transfer or pre-paid debit card. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

With any scam, the request for a pre-paid debit card should be a red flag. This is the scammers preferred way of getting your money. The IRS, and most likely any legitimate entity will not demand payment via a specific method, such as pre-paid debt cards or wire transfers.

You should report all incidents to your local authorities, in addition you may find these helpful as well:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) phishing@irs.gov or 1-800-366-4484.

Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org

Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1

NJ Division of Consumer Affairs 1-800-242-5846 or www.njconsumeraffairs.gov

Announcing NJFA’s 17th Annual Conference!

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Announcing NJFA’s 17th Annual Conference!

NJFA will hold its 17th Annual Conference on Wednesday, June 3rd at the Crowne Plaza Monroe. The 2015 Keynote Speakers are James Firman, CEO of NCOA and Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Assistant Director of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans. Jim Firman will address the crowd in the morning. Heis recognized leader and advocate in the field of aging. Mr. Firman will discuss a variety of topics including key aspects of the political and legislative landscape, such as the White House Conference on Aging and the Affordable Care Act. He will also talk about NCOA’s work on Elder Justice, Economic Security, Benefits Check-up, Senior Hunger and evidence based programs.

Ms. Dowd Eisenhower will be the luncheon keynote speaker and will discuss the mission and structure of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the specific role of the Office for Older Americans. She will also talk about CFPB tools/guides on financial decisions such as reverse mortgages or choosing a financial advisor. This will include two programs from CFPB that look at preventing elder financial exploitation and guides created for powers of attorney, etc.

The 2015 conference workshop speakers will include policy makers, direct care & clinical practice specialists. Topics include Dental Health and Oral Cancer Screenings, Addiction and Gambling in Older Adults, New Models of Care, Elder Bullying and more.

More information and registration can be found on NJFA’s website at www.njfoundationforaging.org Limited vendor space and sponsorships remain, call us at 609-421-0206, email at office@njfoundationforaging.org or check out the website for details.

The New Jersey Foundation for Aging (NJFA) is a public charity with the primary goal to empower elders to live in the community with independence and dignity.slide_01

Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Today (Oct. 15th)

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Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Today (Oct. 15th)

Open Enrollment is happening now. From October 15th to December 7th you can make changes to your Medicare coverage.

What changes can you make?

If you are enrolled in Original Medicare, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan with or without drug coverage. These plans are private companies that are approved by Medicare and give you the services of Original Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, you do not need to have a supplement plan (also known as a Medigap policy) and if your Medicare Advantage plan has drug coverage, you will not need a Part D plan.

If you are in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or drop your Medicare Advantage Plan. If you decide to drop a plan and not switch to another plan, you will be enrolled in Original Medicare.   You should then consider enrolling in a supplement plan to cover the costs that Original Medicare does not pay for and enroll in a Part D plan for drug coverage.

If you are in Original Medicare with a Part D plan, you can stay in Original Medicare and switch your Part D plan.

If you are in Original Medicare and do not have a Part D plan, you can enroll in a Part D plan.

Why You Should Review Your Coverage

It’s important to review your coverage before making a decision. And remember just because your doctor and medications are covered in your Medicare Advantage plan, supplemental plan or drug plan this year doesn’t automatically mean they will be covered in the coming year. Research studies show that Medicare recipients can save money if they review their Part D coverage. Make sure to confirm cost, copays, coinsurance, covered providers, and prescription drugs. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Has your health changed in the last year?
  • Is your current plan still meeting all of your health needs?
  • How much have you paid out-of-pocket in the last year‚Äîand for what?
  • How is your plan changing for the coming year? How will that affect your out-of-pocket ¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† costs?
  • Are there better options available to you now?

There are many ways you can get assistance with this process. You can contact Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE or at www.medicare.gov

You can also contact your County SHIP (State Health Insurance Program) by calling 1-800-792-8820 or visit http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/services/ship/

NCOA (National Council on Aging) also has some useful information and tools. Like Medicare Quick Check, where you can answer some questions and you’ll get advice on choosing a new plan. Find it at https://medicarequickcheck.benefitscheckup.org/medicare-quick-check/?SID=543e7baa3cc91

In November, tune into Aging Insights to hear from the Senior Medicare Patrol of NJ, including Open Enrollment.

News-Open-enrollment-Oct-15th

EyeCare America

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You never know where you are going to find good information. This time we have to thank Abigail Van Buren, also known as, Dear Abby. A reader wrote in on the topic of eye care and how some people put off exams and tests due to insurance issues. Either lack of insurance or high out of pocket costs even with insurance; many of these people are seniors. The reader just happened to be an eye doctor and wanted to share information about a program that can help, EyeCare America. And luckily being the smart lady she is, Ms. Van Buren shared it in her column. So, we here at NJFA looked a little further into EyeCare America so we could share it with you.

EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Their mission is to preserve sight by raising awareness about eye disease and providing access to medical eye care.

By age 65, one in three Americans has some form of vision-limiting eye disease. To help address this growing need, EyeCare America provides eye care to US citizens and legal residents through volunteer ophthalmologists (Eye Doctor) at no cost to those who qualify. The exam is focused on eye disease and will not cover eye glasses, please see below for more details on what is covered in this program or visit the EyeCare America Website

EyeCare America facilitates eye care for U.S. citizens or legal residents who are without an Eye doctor. and who do not belong to an HMO or do not have eye care coverage through the Veterans Administration.

So, who qualifies for this help?

  • Those who are age 65 or older and who have not seen an eye doctor in three or more years may be eligible to receive a comprehensive, medical eye exam and up to one year of care at no out-of-pocket cost for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam. Volunteer ophthalmologists will waive co-payments, accepting Medicare and /or other insurance reimbursement as payment in full: patients without insurance receive this care at no charge.
  • Those who are determined to be at increased risk for glaucoma (by age, race and family history) and have not had an eye exam in 12 months or more may be eligible to receive a free glaucoma eye exam if they are uninsured. Those with insurance will be billed for the exam and are responsible for any co-payments. The initiation of treatment is provided, if deemed necessary by the doctor during the exam.

SERVICES THAT ARE NOT COVERED:

  • Additional services necessary for your care such as, hospitals, surgical facilities, anesthesiologists and medications, are beyond the scope of EyeCare America services. The ophthalmologist is a volunteer who agrees to provide only services within these program guidelines.

EYEGLASSES ARE NOT COVERED:

  • Some eye conditions may affect vision as though eyeglasses are needed, when what is actually needed is the medical care of an ophthalmologist, and not eyeglasses. EyeCare America provides this medical eye care, only. The program does not provide eyeglass prescriptions, eyeglass/refraction exams (the prescription part of exam) or cover the cost of glasses. If you are concerned about the cost of these items, please discuss this with the doctor BEFORE the examination.

For more information or to see if you qualify, visit the EyeCare America website at eyecareamerica.org

 

Vulnerable Groups Linked by Need for Affordable Housing

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Vulnerable Groups Linked by Need for Affordable Housing

The NJ Foundation for Aging (NJFA) recognizes that aging friendly and age sensitive issues are in reality ageless. In this spirit NJFA works with many partners including the Anti Poverty Network (APN).  This organization represents a wide array of groups and concerns. The intersection or cross tracking of concerns creates a dynamic profile impacting people of all ages. Across the board access to nutrition & health services, employment and affordable housing are essential quality of life ingredients.

Among the vulnerable populations whose lives are deeply impacted by these intersecting concerns are our state’s elders. A simple examination of income data makes this reality painfully clear. The NJ Foundation for Aging’s NJ Elder Index and Data Report indicates that 25 % of all seniors living in NJ rely on their Social Security benefit as their sole source of their annual income. The average annual cost of living for a single elder renting a one bedroom apartment reported in the index is slightly below $28,000 and the cost of living is even higher in Bergen and Passaic counties. This level is a significant challenge when we know the average Social Security for a woman in NJ is $14,848 (and this is the average meaning many women receive significantly less). More than 252,000 single elders and elder couples face the daily crisis of covering their basic expenses with inadequate income.

Public benefits can improve the quality of life for the elder receiving the average SS benefit of $14,848 (as their sole source of income) as well as those with even lower incomes. This elder would be eligible for SNAP, for congregate meal programs, for Farmers market coupons, for energy and utility assistance, for PAAD, and a low income subsidy for their Medicare premium. Even with all of these existing programs, however, they would still fall short in the ability to cover their basic costs.

Here is where the needs and the solutions collide. Affordable housing is the only benefit that helps this elder really narrow the gap between their costs and their income. As declared by the headline for a recent NJ Spotlight article, “Affordable housing remains out of reach for a majority of NJ Renters”. This is not new news, but the article cites data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual “Out of Reach” report. The NJ Foundation for Aging recognizes that affordable housing is needed for people of all ages so people do not age into poverty. Housing policy across NJ is sorely lacking and we need to offer a full portrait of those who would benefit from this important resource: children, low income families, adults, health care workers, seniors, and residents with special needs. Let’s make housing for all a priority.

Aging Insights Episode 32, Financial Exploitation and SCAMS

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Aging Insights Episode 32, Financial Exploitation and SCAMS

NJFA is pleased to announce the release of the 32nd episode of Aging Insights TV program, Financial Exploitation and SCAMS, focusing on those that target seniors. This episode will be shown during May 2014. The show is broadcast on over 60 public access stations and may also be seen on NJFA’s website, http://www.njfoundationforaging.org/aging-insights.

The New Jersey Foundation for Aging (NJFA) is a public charity with the primary goal to empower elders to live in the community with independence and dignity. The strategies to age well are voluminous. Consequently, the Foundation uses several messaging platforms to highlight resources to age well. For example, Aging Insights is a ¬? hour TV program that is produced monthly by the Foundation, or Renaissance magazine which can also be found online at www.njfoundationforaging.org/renaissance-magazine.

For this episode Grace Egan is joined by Frank Goia, Esq., Director of Hudson Co. Protective Services and Steve Scaturro Director of Ocean Co. Division of Consumer Affairs. These guests share the current trends that they are seeing, provide prevention tips and offer information about reporting these crimes.

This show and the work of the NJ Foundation for Aging are possible by donors. To make a donation to NJFA, please visit our website, www.njfoundationforaging.org or call the office, 609-421-0206 for more information. Sponsorships spots are also available for future shows.

Viewers may also visit NJFA’s website to take the new online survey on Aging Insights to provide comments on the show and to suggest future topics the program should address. To learn more about the work of the Foundation visit www.njfoundationforaging.org or call 609-421-0206.

How to get your Credit Report

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We’ve all seen those funny commercials for credit reports and have probably read articles in magazines urging us to get our yearly free credit report. However, have you ever wondered why you need it? Or how to go about getting it? And how to avoid scams posing as free credit report services? Well, let’s try to answer some of those questions.

Knowing your credit score can help guard against identity theft. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job. Since your credit report has information that affects whether you can get a loan — and how much you will have to pay to borrow money, you should check it annually to make sure it is accurate

The Federal Trade Commission enforces The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) which requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home. You can see why it is important to receive your credit report to monitor these things yourself before applying for a loan, credit card, mortgage or even a new job.

To order your free credit report, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228. Or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Do not contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies individually. They are providing free annual credit reports only through annualcreditreport.com, 1-877-322-8228 or mailing to Annual Credit Report Request Service.

Here’s an important piece to rememberРThe law allows you to order one free copy of your report from each of the nationwide credit reporting companies every 12 months.

You may order your reports from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies at the same time, or you can order your report from each of the companies one at a time.

Okay, so here is the part to make a note of to protect yourself from scams. Use only annualcreditreport.com to order your free credit report. That is the only site under the law- FCRA that is mandated to provide your credit report for free. Other websites that claim to offer “free credit reports,” “free credit scores,” or “free credit monitoring” are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. In some cases, the “free” product comes with strings attached. For example, some sites sign you up for a supposedly “free” service that converts to one you have to pay for after a trial period. If you don’t cancel during the trial period, you may be unwittingly agreeing to let the company start charging fees to your credit card.

Some “imposter” sites use terms like “free report” in their names; others have URLs that purposely misspell annualcreditreport.com in the hope that you will mistype the name of the official site. Some of these “imposter” sites direct you to other sites that try to sell you something or collect your personal information. So make sure you type the url correctly and don’t enter your credit card information, exit the site if they ask for this information and then attempt to connect with annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

The only information that you’ll be asked for to process your credit report is your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. If you have moved in the last two years, you may have to provide your previous address. To maintain the security of your file, each nationwide credit reporting company may ask you for some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. Each company may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources.

While your credit report helps determine your credit score, these reports will not give you your credit score. For more information about your credit score visit- http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0152-how-credit-scores-affect-price-credit-and-insurance#credit

For more details and to learn what steps to take if you do find inaccurate information on your credit report, please visit the Federal Trade Commission and read the article on Free Credit Reports http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)