Nationalz-Hopeeldercareinitiativetoolkit

ZetaPhiBetaSorority,Inc.

NationalZ-HOPEElderCareInitiativeToolkit

24thInternationalPresident

MaryB.Wright

NationalElderCareCoordinator

T.DianeSurgeon,Esq.

RauchelleJones

NationalDirectorofPrograms

KarenGipson

NationalDirectorofZ-HOPE

BuildingonthePrinciplesofZetaWhileBlazingNewPaths

NationalZ-HOPEOverview

NationalZ-HOPEDirector

KarenGipson

Fromitsinception,ZetaPhiBetaSorority,Inc.haslongdemonstratedaninterestinservingtheneedsofthecommunity.SpanningtheSorority'snearlythirty-yearpartnershipwiththeMarchofDimestoitsrelationshipwiththeHumanGenomeProject,ZetaPhiBetaSororityhasbeenattheforefrontofanticipatingtheever-changingneedsofsociety.

ItiswithinthisframeworkZetaPhiBetaSorority,Inc.introducedanewInternationalServiceInitiativeforZ-HOPE:ZetasHelpingOtherPeopleExcel™.Since1920,ournationalserviceprogramshaveevolvedtomeetthecritical

societalneedsofthetime. ZetaPhiBetaSororityhasidentifiedsomekeyareasofconcernaspartofourprogrammaticthrust,andallofoureffortswillbeconsolidatedunderthebannerofZ-HOPE.

WhataretheObjectivesofZ-HOPE?

Z-HOPEisanoutreachserviceprogramthathassixprimaryobjectives,correspondingmeasuresofsuccessandamechanismforchapterrecognition.Theprimaryobjectivesare:

-ToprovideculturallyappropriateinformationalactivitiesaccordingtotheZ-HOPEprogramformat

-Tofostercollaborativepartnershipsbetweencommunityorganizationsandentitieswithsharedgoals

-TopromotetheopportunitiesforexpansioninStork'sNestprograms

-Tofacilitatecommunityserviceandmentorshipopportunitiesformembersoftheorganization

-Toprovideanequitablechapterrecognitionprogramforcommunityservicesrendered

-Toprovideastandardreportingformattoconcentrateeffortsanddemonstratetheorganization'simpact.

2

ZETAPHIBETASORORITY,INC.

SORORMARYB.WRIGHT,INTERNATIONALGRANDBASILEUS

Z-HOPE-THEELDERCAREANDELDERABUSENATIONALINITIATIVE

EDUCATIONAL,TRAININGANDIMPLEMENTATIONPORTAL

T.DianeSurgeon,Esq.NationalElderCareCoordinator

Ourpopulationisaging;morewomenareatwork;babyboomersareworkingpastretirement;othersarere-enteringtheworkforceintheir50s,60s,70sandmanyadultswithdisabilitiesareseekingwaystoenhancetheirpersonalandfinancialindependence.Medicaladvances,betterhealthhabitsandbehaviorsareextendingourlives;hospitalstaysareshorter;familiesaresmallerandoursocietyismoremobile. Theneed–theproblem:

fewerfamilymembersathometohelpneedyrelativeswhowanttoremainathomeandinthecommunityandlittletonoadvanceplanningastohowthiscanbeaccomplished. Theneed–theproblem:along-termhealthcaresystemthatprovidesawidespectrumofcaresettings,multipleagenciesandproviderswithinourhealthcarespectrumthatdonotcollaborateorcoordinateservicesforseniorsordisabledadults,renderingthesystemoflong-termsupportandservicesfragmented,duplicativeandcomplex.

Oneoftheprimarychallengesforfamilycaregiversofseniorsanddisabledadultsisfacingcaregivingresponsibilitieswithlittleornowarning,littleornoknowledgeabout

availablecareservices,caresettingsandcostsinvolved;littleornotimetoresearch

alternativeresourcesorpreparetheirfamilyoremployer. Thephysical,emotionaland

3

financialstressesofcaregivingbegin,anddependingonthelocationandcareneedsofthelovedone,lifeasthecaregiverknewitmaybeoverforthenextseveralmonths,orforthenextseveralyears.

Second,familycaregiversarechallengedastheynavigatethroughthetough,complex,multipleservicesystems,departmentsandagencieswhichdonotcoordinatescreening,eligibilityorcareassessments.Stakeholdersandconsumers,tryingtoaccessinformation,referralandassistanceforlong-termcareservices,areforcedtocalland/orvisitseveraldifferentagencies,repeattheirstoryseveraldifferenttimes,completedifferentapplicationsandotherformsseveraldifferenttimesandproducethesameeligibilitydocumentationseveraldifferenttimes. Agenciesdonotshareclientinformation,assessmentsorlevelofserviceneedsthatwouldfacilitateeasieraccesstoandimplementationofbenefitsandservices.

Athirdchallengeisthefailureofseniorstopreparefortheirlong-termcareneedswhilecognitiveandbeforeacrisis. Peopleplaneducationalgoals,careers,marriage,familyandretirement.Mostplanforwhowillgettheirassetsandpropertyaftertheydie;fewplanforwhatwillhappeniftheydon’tdie. Whatwilltheydoiftheyhaveastroke,chronicillnessorotherconditionnecessitatinglongtermhealthcare? Wherewilltheylive,whowill

providecare,howmuchwillcarecost;howwillcostsgetpaid? Livingbeyond“retirementyears”intowhatiscalled“eldercareyears”mostseniorshavefailedtoplanforthispartoftheirlives,failedtotalktotheirfamilyabouttheirfinances,truehealthconditions,wishes

astolong-termcareandend-of-lifepreferences. Ill-preparedfamilymembers,already

4

fearful,mustthennavigatethetreacherouswatersofafragmented,complexdifficult-to-maneuverlong-termcaresystem. Numerousquestionsplagueandoverwhelm:

Whathealthcare,chroniccare,andlong-termcareservicesareavailabletome?

HowcanIgetthegoodcareIneedanddesire,whetherinyourownhome,inaresidentialcommunityorassisted-livingfacility,inachild'shome,orinanursinghome?

HowwillfinancialandhealthcaredecisionsbemadeformeifIcannotmakethemformyself?WhocanIrelyontomakesurethatdecisionstobemadearetherightones?

IfIcan'ttakecareofmyself,howwillImakesuremyspousecontinuestohaveagoodqualityoflife?

DoIhavetospendallofmymoneyonmycare,whetherinmyhomeorinaresidentialcarefacilitysuchasanursinghome?HowcanIprotectmyassetstotakecareofmyspouse,toensureIgetgoodcare,ortoleavetomychildren?

HowdoIassuremyfinancialsecurityasIgetolder?

WhatpublicbenefitsamIentitledto,andwhatdoIhavetodotoqualifyforthem?

ShouldIrelyonMedicaidorothergovernmentbenefitstohelppayformycare?

HowdoIapplyforbenefits?

WhatkindsofinsurancedoIneed?ShouldIbuylong-termcareinsurance?Should

IjoinaMedicareHMO?

HowandwhenshouldIdistributemyassets?CanIsavetaxesandavoidprobate?

HowdoIprovideforfamilymemberswithspecialneeds?

Seniorsandadultswithdisabilitiesneedcoordinatedaccessibilitytoandbetterutilizationofthecompletespectrumoflong-termcareoptionsandstreamlineaccesstohomeandcommunity-basedserviceswhichcan delayorpreventundesiredinstitutionalization. ImplementationstepswillincludeCommunityandAgencyAwareness,EducationandReadiness. Agenciesandorganizationscommittedtoconsumerperson-centeredvaluesandprinciples,willstrengthentheirprofessionalrelationships,identifyandappreciatetheuniquenessamongthem,highlightcommonprocessesandsharedresponsibilities,embraceeffortstoresolveservicechallengesandsupportopportunitiesfor

comprehensive,coordinatedservicedelivery. Consumersneedperson-centeredlong-term

5

servicesandsupportoptionscounseling,benefitscounseling,referralsupporttoagenciesandorganizationsthatenhanceabilitytoremainathomeandinthecommunity. Publicawareness,educationandoutreacharecriticaltoensuremaximumconsumerinvolvementinprotectionofeldersfromabuse,fraudandneglectandassistanceinadvanceplanningandbetterpreparationfor"theeldercarejourney." Avarietyofpublicforums,TVandradioshowswillinformourtargetpopulationandthecommunities-at-largeabouttheimportanceandvalueof forlongtermcareservicesandsupports. Announcementsandflyerswillbedistributedatserviceagencyoffices,churchesandseniorcenters. Wewillsponsor legalandfinancialworkshopsandseminarstoeducateseniorsonimportantstrategiesforadvanceplanningforlong-termcare.

Throughour“Z-HopeCareInitiatives”programsandprojects, consumerswillbe

moreinformedaboutandpreparedfortheireldercarejourneyyears,allowingthemtoliveabetterqualityoflifeontheirowntermsforaslongaspossible.

6

Z-HOPEELDERCAREINITIATIVEPROGRAMSANDPROJECTS

I.ADOPT-AN-ADULTDAYHEALTHCARECENTER(75pts.Pervisit)

Eachvisitmustbeaminimumof2hours. 75pointswillbethemaximumpointsgivenpervisit,evenifthenumberofhoursvolunteeredexceeds2hours.Frequentvisitsnotlengthyvisitsisimportanttoenhancingthequalityofthedaycareexperience.Amonthlyorbimonthlycommitmentisdesirable

fornolessthan3months.

Activitiesmayincludemusictherapy,movietime,artsandcrafts,Bingo,administrative,etc. Seethe

ElderCareInitiativeVolunteerManualforideasandinformationonvolunteerguidelines.

II. ADOPT-AHOMECAREAGENCY(75pts.)

HomeCareagenciesworkwithhundredsofseniorseveryday.Theywillbeabletogiveyouguidanceonwhichseniorshavelittletonofamily/friendsupportandneedalittlemorelovingcare. ChoosealicensedHomeCareAgencytopartnerwith.

A. Sororswilldevelop,designandimplementa"Z-HopeCaresCall".Chapterswillcall20seniorsweekly.75pointswillbegivenforeachseriesofcallsto20seniors.CalllogsmustbesubmittedwiththeZ-HOPEreportingform.TheEvaluationFormisnotrequiredforthisactivity.

B. SororswillsendBirthdayCards,ThinkingofYouCards,GetWellCards,Valentine’sCards,etc.Alist

of20seniorsmustbesentcardspermailingseries.75pointswillbegivenforeachseriesofcallsto

20seniors.AlistofseniorswhoweresentcardsmustbeattachedtotheZ-HOPEreportingform.Theevaluationformisnotrequiredforthisactivity.

C.SororswillsponsorFriendship-FellowshipPartiestocelebratetheseniorsandboostmorale!75pointswillbegivenperparty.

III.EDUCATEANDINFORM (200pts.perseminarorworkshop)

A. SororswillsponsorSeminarsandWorkshopsincollaborationwith

7

ElderLawAttorneys,FinancialPlanners,LongTermCareInsuranceAgents

B.SororswillsponsorFinancialPeaceUniversityWorkshops(Tentative)C. SororswillsponsorSeminarsonElderAbuse,FraudandNeglect

IV. CARINGFORTHECAREGIVER(100pts.peractivity)

A. SororswillsponsorSeminarsandWorkshopsincollaborationwiththeNationalFamilyCaregiverAlliance

B.SororswillestablishaZ-HopeFamilyCaregiverSupportGrouporjoinandsupportan

establishedCommunityFamilyCaregiverSupportGroup

C. SororswillsponsorFamilyCaregiverSupportFriendship-FellowshipParties

8