Falls Prevention + Lunch for LGBTQ Older Adults

Come learn how to prevent falls from physical therapist Morgan Cole of Movement Corps Physical

Therapy & Wellness. Morgan is a board-certified neurological clinical specialist and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.

Stay for lunch and enjoy conversation with other LGBTQ older adults!
Sponsored by the DC Department of Aging & Community Living, Iona Senior Services, and
Whitman-Walker Health, this event is free!
Registration is required to ensure we accommodate everyone.

WHEN: Saturday, January 25, 2020, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
WHERE: Whitman-Walker Health, 1377 R Street NW, 2nd Floor (at the corner of 14th and R streets).
Questions? Contact Susan Messina at smessina@iona.org.

CLICK TO REGISTER: Registration is required!

Just Us at the National Gallery of Art

Just Us at the National Gallery of Art provides interactive, discussion-based experiences in the

galleries for people with early-stage memory loss and their care partners. Participants will explore two to three works of art during the 90-minute program. This program takes place on the first and third Mondays of the month.

Space is limited and registration is required.

East Building Tours

January 20: 2:00pm to 3:30pm

Meet in the East Building Atrium

Save the Date

February 17: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
March 16:  2:00pm to 3:30pm

West Building Tours
January 6: 2:00pm to 3:30pm

Meet in the West Building, Main Floor—Founder's Room

Save the Date

February 3:  2:00pm to 3:30pm
March 2: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
April 6: 2:00pm to 3:30pm


Call to register: (202) 842-6905 or email access@nga.gov.

Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System

VA Affairs and Caregivers

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers assistance to caregivers. Caregivers provide a valuable service for Veterans and are "partners" with VA in providing excellent health care.

Caregivers allow Veterans to remain in their own home and also play an important role in supporting Veterans who are hospitalized or living outside their home.

What is a Caregiver and Are You One?

Caregivers assist those who are chronically ill, disabled, or are getting older and are no longer able to care for themselves. Caregiving includes helping with personal needs or household chores, as well as managing a person's finances, arranging for outside services, or visiting regularly to see how the individual is doing. Caregivers are generally unpaid family members or friends (though they may be paid professionals) who provide care to their loved one. You do not need to live with a person to be considered a caregiver and many people who serve as a caregiver do not recognize themselves as such – you may simply think you’re "helping out."

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you are a caregiver.
-Do you feel responsible for providing support to a loved one?
-Do you help out a loved one around the home, with cooking or cleaning, even if only on an occasional basis?
-Do you take your loved one to run errands and/or escort them to medical appointments?
-Would your loved one call you in an emergency and expect your prompt assistance?

-Do you provide support or assistance to a loved one living in long-term care, assisted living, or a residential facility?

Click to view the VA Caregiver Support webpage

AARP's - Prepare to Care - caregiver support

Prepare to Care Resource Guides are designed to help develop and implement a caregiving plan for a

loved one or friend. The guides include: 

• Information on how to have vital conversations
• Ways to assess your loved one's needs
• Tips for organizing important documents
• A roundup of federal and national resources
• Information on caring for yourself
• Checklists, medication charts and contact lists

Available in: English, Chinese and Spanish. Plus special editions for the LGBT, Military Families and Asian American community.

Click here to view the Prepare to Care publication

211 Maryland

Every hour of every day, people need essential human services. They are looking for help finding
affordable housing, food, employment training, utility payment assistance, services for their children or aging parents, and many other issues.

Click here to visit the 211 Maryland Caregiver website

2-1-1 Maryland is partnership of four agencies working together to provide simple access to health and human services information. 2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone number that connects people with important community services. Our specially trained call specialists answer calls 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The 2-1-1 database has information on nearly 5,000 agencies and programs across the state. Each week 2-1-1 Maryland handles thousands of calls from people in need, providing referrals to services and helping people problem-solve when the services they need are not available.

More than 65 million adults in the United States are currently serving as caregivers, providing care to someone who is a senior, ill, or who has a disability. Being a caregiver can be extremely demanding and exhausting, both physically and mentally/emotionally, and it can be difficult to take care of oneself while focusing on caring for another. Fortunately, there are resources available to provide a variety of assistance and support to caregivers.

Dealing with the stresses of care giving as well as the emotional impact of having a loved one with an illness, injury or disability can easily become overwhelming. It can be very useful to connect with other caregivers, who understand the situation and may in fact be dealing with very similar thoughts and emotions. 2-1-1 has information on support groups for caregivers, which help to bring people together and process their situations.

Another source of support can be respite care. These programs provide a brief period of rest or relief for those who are regular caregivers for dependent adults/children by offering temporary or intermittent care in the home or in community settings/facilities. Respite care programs can be very valuable, helping to give caregivers time to attend to their own needs with the knowledge that their loved one is being cared for. Oftentimes, respite care is paid for privately, though in some cases, insurance may help to cover the cost. Additionally, grants and subsidies may be available, and it is important to ask about these when contacting the respite care agency. Click here to find programs in your area. Please note that some respite care programs are focused on assisting people with a certain medical condition, so be sure to read the details to find resources that are most appropriate.

Training may also be available to provide useful tips and information to caregivers. Click here to find resources in your area that may provide these services. Again, please note that some agencies are focused on assisting those in specific situations and with specific medical conditions, so be sure to read the details.

Aside from the types of resources and services described here, there may be a variety of assistance services available to caregivers. To find out more, visit these websites:

Caregiver Action Network

Family Caregiver Alliance

You can also call your local Maryland Access Point (MAP) or 2-1-1 for additional information and guidance.


Click here to view the 211 Maryland Caregiver website

American Muslim Supports in Montgomery County

The American Muslim Senior Society (AMSS) promotes health and wellness by assisting diverse

communities in the establishment of culturally and ethnically sensitive senior nutrition and recreational programs. 

AMSS provide a variety of intergenerational, interfaith, educational, culturally sensitive and socially engaging opportunities around issues of interest to diverse communities. AMSS conduct training programs in areas of outreach, caregiving and advanced care. 

AMSS designs programs encouraging interactions, sharing of life experiences, social enrichment, sense of wellness with healthy aging and continued independence for all of our participants. 

AMSS can also offer technical, logistical and other support to our participants on a planned or ad hoc basis, as necessary.

Click here to visit the AMSS website and learn about their programs

LGBT Supports in Maryland

The National Resources Center on LGBT and Aging is creating a center that will provide in person and online resources across a variety of LGBT aging topics.

The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults. Established in 2010 through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging provides training, technical assistance and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older adults. The center is led by SAGE, in collaboration with 18 leading organizations from around the country.

• Resources include:
• Legal Supports
• Advocacy
• Health and Wellness
• Respite Care
• Medical Diagnosis Assistance
• and much more

Click to view the full list of LGBT resources in Maryland

LGBT Community - Accessing Supports

Information & Referral: Your First Stop for Elder Services

Seeking senior and long-term care services for oneself or a loved one can be challenging. Myths and misconceptions abound. Many Americans, according to AARP, wrongly believe that Medicare will pay for long-term care. Two-thirds of Americans, according to a MetLife study, lack knowledge about available programs; and most Americans, according to another AARP study, inaccurately estimate the cost of care.

Adding to the public’s confusion is the plethora of programs and services nationwide. To learn about government services, older adults and caregivers frequently must contact more than one government entity. Certain government programs, like Medicaid and SNAP (also known as Food Stamps), allow for considerable state variance in coverage, eligibility, and application process—meaning that how one of these programs appears in New Hampshire may be markedly different than how it appears in Mississippi. Even more variety exists with non-government programs. While some states and counties have many program providers, others have relatively few. For-profit and nonprofit providers differ in whom they serve, how much they cost, whether subsidies are available, and what type of care they provide. Given all these choices, where does one start?

Continue reading the full article

Special Concerns of LGBT Caregivers

By Family Caregiver Alliance, and reviewed by Patricia Osage.


As Americans live longer, greater attention is being paid to the concerns facing aging adults and caregivers. While many issues are the same for all older adults and those who care for them, some unique considerations arise for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people dealing with aging.


How Chosen Families Affect Caregiving 
As you may already know, many LGBT people form strong “families of choice” in addition to their families of origin as a way of coping with possible or actual rejection by parents, siblings, and other relatives for being open about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Even as attitudes have changed and LGBT people have become more visible and accepted, families of choice still provide invaluable networks of emotional and social support. Nearly two-thirds of LGBT older adults say they consider their friends to be chosen family.

Being a member of both a chosen family and a family of origin creates situations where an LGBT person may become a primary caregiver for a spouse, domestic partner, or legal spouse, a close friend who is also LGBT, or an aging parent or other relative—sometimes simultaneously. In the community at large, it is most common for informal caregivers such as spouses and adult children to provide the majority of care to older adults in the United States. In the LGBT community—with older adults twice as likely to be single and living alone, and three to four times less likely to have children—a family of choice is depended upon to provide support and care.

Click to continue reading this article

Legal Issues for LGBT Caregivers

By Family Caregiver Alliance and Helene V. Wenzel

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have witnessed two of the most dramatic and far-reaching changes to their rights in the last few years. In 2010 Edith Windsor, a woman in her 80s, challenged the US Supreme Court (U.S. v. Windsor) in order to receive the pension of her deceased life partner, a partnership of 44 years duration. The pension had been denied to her because they were not married as husband and wife according to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

On June 26, 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled that section 3 of DOMA that had defined marriage as between a man and a woman as husband and wife was unconstitutional. From that date forward, the federal government had to recognize same sex marriages approved of by the states.

At the time only 37 states recognized and protected same sex marriage. Two years later to the day, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court’s long-awaited landmark decision in Obergefill v. Hodges handed down a guaranty to same sex couples in all the states throughout the nation the right to marry and the right to have those marriages recognized at the federal level. Both of these Supreme Court decisions greatly advanced LGBT rights.

Click to read full article

Commission on Caregiving - new website and supports

 

The Commission is comprised of 19 commissioners including a legislator from the House of Delegates and one from the state Senate. In addition, three commissioners are appointed as family caregivers to ensure that the “Voice of the Caregiver” is fully represented.

The Commission’s Legislative Mandates are to:

• Solicit and gather concerns of caregivers
• Develop and distribute to interested parties a handbook of current respite care and other family caregiver services available in the State
• Review successful respite care programs in other states
• Develop a model family caregiver support program that incorporates best practices from existing programs in this and other states
• Provide ongoing analysis of best practices in family caregiver support programs in this and in other states
• Coordinate activities of existing and proposed family caregiver support services among State and local units
• Research available funding sources and explore possibilities for additional funds
• Identify unmet needs and priorities for additional funds
• Monitor and implement the Commission’s recommendations

Who Are Caregivers?

Caregivers provide a family member, friend or neighbor with supportive care when they are unable to care for themselves. Caregiving may include helping an adult or child with an illness or disability accomplish activities of daily living, such as walking or getting dressed, household chores, or money management. It may also include coordinating outside services, and medical care. Other support includes driving the individual to appointments or visiting regularly with a concern for their personal safety and well-being.
What do Caregivers Need?

As a “Voice of the Caregiver”, the Commission advocates for the needs of the informal caregiver.
In recent surveys, caregivers overwhelmingly proclaimed the need for respite services. Respite is essential to restoring the mental and physical well-being of a caregiver, which is beneficial to the care receiver too.

Click to view resources and supports available on the the Maryland Commission on Caregiving website.

The Second “Coming Out” for LGBT Seniors: Issues in Aging and Caregiving

Join Dr. Elliot Montgomery Sklar and Lucy Barylak, MSW as they discuss issues impacting LGBTQ caregivers and those who care for LGBTQ elders. They will discuss being open about sexuality with health care providers, and answer questions surrounding “coming out” in long-term care facilities.

January 9, 2020

11am - 12noon (Eastern Time)

About: Elliot Montgomery Sklar Dr. Elliot Montgomery Sklar is a public health professional with vast experience in managing health programs and initiatives. With over a decade of practice in supporting the health of the public through academic work, research and service to communities across the Americas, Dr. Sklar shares his passion and expertise in support of diverse caregivers and the complex issues they face.

Click here to register

Winter Growth Caregiver Support Group

4th Thursday of each month from 4:30pm to 6:00pm

Caregiver Support Groups give families the opportunity for emotional support, practical caregiving techniques, and education. Licensed social workers and guest speakers provide information related to disease progression, symptoms, treatments, and resources. Creative problem solving among caregivers themselves helps to ease the way for all. Sharing the pain, frustration and, often, guilt associated with being a caregiver is critical for mental health. A healthy dose of laughter at some of the situations caregivers experience is also healing to the spirits of those who have taken on an enormous task. Motivated by love, family caregivers face a daily roller coaster of sadness and joy as they reach out to their loved ones. Winter Growth, in turn, reaches out to caregivers to support them in their mission.

Please call Winter Growth’s main office at 301-774-7501 if you will be attending.

www.wintergrowthinc.org

18110 Prince Philip Drive, Olney, MD 20832 

Well Connected - telephone based support and life long learning

This award-winning program offers activities, education, support groups, and friendly conversation over the phone or online.

CONNECT FROM ANYWHERE

Well Connected is a community made up of participants, staff, facilitators, presenters, and other volunteers who care about each other and who value being connected. All groups are accessible by phone from wherever you are at no cost to you.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Whether you like art or zoology, music or meditation, there is a program for you. Each Well Connected session offers groups and classes on a wide range of topics. You’re sure to find one that interests you. And Well Connected meets 365 days a year, so there’s always a chance to connect.

HOW DOES IT WORK?Well Connected members call in via a toll-free number at a set time each week, with some groups also offering the option to connect via computer, tablet, or mobile device. Most groups last 30 minutes to an hour with around 12 participants. Newcomers are always welcome! If you don’t feel like talking at first, you’re welcome to just listen as long as you’ve let the group know you’re there.

Click here to see the Winter schedule

https://covia.org/services/well-connected/

Caregiver Tele-Connection - telephone and online caregiver support

The Caregiver Teleconnection is a free, bilingual, and confidential program that connects caregivers and family members to information and support through the telephone or “tele-learning”.

Learn how to create an internal climate in your mind and body that makes being a caregiver healthier for you.

The Caregiver Teleconnection provides learning sessions on a variety of useful topics, hosted over the phone by professional facilitators and experts. Family caregivers have the opportunity to connect and share with others in their situation during the sessions.
Some of the topics included in the tele-learning sessions are:


There are two ways to register for a tele-learning session:
You can register via their website 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Register now.
You can call the Caregiver Teleconnection customer service line, Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm (CST) at 866-390-6491 or 210-871-7SOS (7767)Participation in the Caregiver Tele-Connection helps prevent caregiver burnout, depression and anxiety, social isolation and other problems that threaten your health. The program can help you gain a greater sense of control and improve your quality of life.

Click here for January details and registration

Sessions are one hour in length
Caregiver Teleconnection On Demand
We realize that sometimes it’s difficult for caregivers to participate in our live sessions based on scheduling issues. We’ve made it easier for you to get the information you need by recording many of our live sessions.
Click to access recorded sessions!

Hope Connections for Cancer Support - Caregivers groups

Hope Connections for Cancer Support is a non-profit organization. Our mission is to help people with
cancer and their loved ones deal with the emotional and physical impact of cancer through professionally facilitated programs of emotional support, education, wellness and hope. All programs are provided free of charge to those that need our help. There are two support groups for Caregivers in Bethesda. The support group is for caregivers of individuals diagnosed with cancer, no matter where they are in the journey. We have both evening and daytime groups. We also offer Mind/Body programs to Caregivers to help them deal with stress and take care of themselves.

Time: Every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month from 6:30-8pm and every Thursday from noon-1:30pm.
Location of event: Hope Connections at FASEB, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814

Registration/RSVP’s: Participant must attend one time orientation and completed First-time visitor form which requires registration.

No registration or rsvp’s needed afterwards to attend group.

For more details: please contact Hope Connections :
Phone: 301-634-7500
Email: info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org
Website: www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org

MS Family Caregiver Support Group

 

National MS Society self-help groups focus on support, advocacy, education, wellness or may be more social in nature. Some groups also serve specific populations, such as young adults, parents with MS, carepartners or African-Americans. Other groups may have a specific focus, such as physical activity, wellness or healthy living.

Self-help groups bring people together who share common life experiences for support, education and mutual aid. Benefits of participating in a self-help group include:
Learning new information and strategies for confronting problems.
Finding support from others.
The opportunity to help others.
Feeling empowered and more self-confident in coping with challenges.

People come together at self-help groups to lift each other up through personal struggles and encourage each other to try new things and live each day to its full potential. Learn more about the sense of community and the power of connection offered at National MS Society groups.

Find a group in your area here, or to talk to someone about establishing a group, contact an MS Navigator at 1-800-344-4867 or online.


Recurring Montgomery County MS Support GroupSecond Tuesday of the month, 6:45 - 8:15pm.
Location: Holy Cross Hospital
1500 Forrest Glen Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Join other family caregivers of people with MS - spouses, partners, siblings, adult children, parents - to share concerns, stories, and resources. There is no fee for the group, but registration is required.
Kevin Dougherty Kevin.Dougherty@nmss.org
202-375-5606

Online Support GroupsMSconnection.org support groups have different purposes and serve specific populations, such as young adults, carepartners, or people who are newly diagnosed.

Click here to view MS online support groups

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Support Groups

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is at the forefront of the fight to cure cancer.

LLS the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. Since 1949, we’ve invested nearly $1.3 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches.

If you’re providing regular assistance, you are a caregiver. Your loved one may only need support occasionally, or your loved one may need constant care. The kind of support needed will be different for each person and may also change over time. But if you're consistently providing care, you are a caregiver.

Click here to learn more about support groups in Maryland

LLS is offers online support groups, weekly online chats provide a friendly forum to share experiences and chat with others about anything from the initial phase of diagnosis to treatment and survivorship. Each chat is moderated by an oncology social worker. The role of the moderator/facilitator is to provide support and guide conversation, as needed, throughout the chats. The moderator's role is largely determined by the wants and needs of participants in each chat. The online chats are not a replacement for psychotherapy or support groups.


Click here to learn more

MS Family Caregiver Support Group

National MS Society self-help groups focus on support, advocacy, education, wellness or may be more social in  nature. Some groups also serve specific populations, such as young adults, parents with MS, carepartners or African-Americans. Other groups may have a specific focus, such as physical activity, wellness or healthy living.

Self-help groups bring people together who share common life experiences for support, education and mutual aid. Benefits of participating in a self-help group include:
Learning new information and strategies for confronting problems.
Finding support from others.
The opportunity to help others.
Feeling empowered and more self-confident in coping with challenges.

People come together at self-help groups to lift each other up through personal struggles and encourage each other to try new things and live each day to its full potential. Learn more about the sense of community and the power of connection offered at National MS Society groups.

Find a group in your area here, or to talk to someone about establishing a group, contact an MS Navigator at 1-800-344-4867 or online.


Recurring Montgomery County MS Support Group

Second Tuesday of the month, 6:45 - 8:15pm.
Location: Holy Cross Hospital
1500 Forrest Glen Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Join other family caregivers of people with MS - spouses, partners, siblings, adult children, parents - to share concerns, stories, and resources. There is no fee for the group, but registration is required.
Kevin Dougherty Kevin.Dougherty@nmss.org
202-375-5606

Online Support GroupsMSconnection.org support groups have different purposes and serve specific populations, such as young adults, carepartners, or people who are newly diagnosed.

Click here to view MS online support groups

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Support Groups

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is at the forefront of the fight to cure cancer.

LLS the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. Since 1949, we’ve invested nearly $1.3 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches.

If you’re providing regular assistance, you are a caregiver. Your loved one may only need support occasionally, or your loved one may need constant care. The kind of support needed will be different for each person and may also change over time. But if you're consistently providing care, you are a caregiver.

Click here to learn more about support groups in Maryland

LLS is offers online support groups, weekly online chats provide a friendly forum to share experiences and chat with others about anything from the initial phase of diagnosis to treatment and survivorship. Each chat is moderated by an oncology social worker. The role of the moderator/facilitator is to provide support and guide conversation, as needed, throughout the chats. The moderator's role is largely determined by the wants and needs of participants in each chat. The online chats are not a replacement for psychotherapy or support groups.


Click here to learn more

Cancer Support Helpline

The Cancer Support Community’s TOLL-FREE Cancer Support Helpline is for anyone affected by
cancer.
Call 1-888-793-9355
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. ET

Cancer Support Helpline®
The Cancer Support Helpline’s licensed counselors provide guidance, resources and support to cancer patients or their loved ones with a variety of needs—from getting information about cancer, identifying a local support group or just finding someone who is willing to listen. Counselors speak your language, providing supportive counseling in over 200 languages.

Additional Cancer Support Helpline services include:

• Connecting callers to local or national resources, including support groups, transportation services and other programs
• Short-term cancer counseling and emotional assistance
• Treatment decision planning
• Financial navigation and counseling regarding the costs of cancer and its treatments
• Specialized information in pediatric oncology, finances, clinical trials, and genetics/genomics
• Clinical trials navigation
• Access to an online distress screening program, CancerSupportSource®
• General information about the Cancer Support