COMING UP AT MASON

Life Planning Seminars

DATE/TIME PROGRAM TITLE/SPEAKER LOCATION

June 23, 2011 MORE-ientation: An Orientation Refresher Fairfax Campus, Research 1

12:00pm-1:00pm Robyn Madar, Mason HR/Payroll Room 163

July 21, 2011 What’s Normal, What’s Not Fairfax Campus, Research 1
12:00pm-1:00pm How Our Brains Age Room 163
Nancy Dezan
Alzheimer’s Family Daycare Center

August 18, 2011 Getting the Most out of Your Mason Fairfax Campus, Research 1
12:00pm-1:00pm Benefits Package- Encore Room 163
Rizna Ahmed, PhD. and
Courtney Ashmore
Mason HR/Payroll

To find out more about the above seminars and to register, please visit http://hr.gmu.edu/training
and click on the "Courses" tab.

ISSUES ON AGING: A Newsletter Compendium

From Caregiver's Corner

Caregiving Fact and Tips – Arthritis
Pain, stiffness, soreness and swelling in the hands, knees or shoulders can be signs of arthritis.
Learn more about arthritis symptoms and treatment at the National Institutes of Health fact page
on arthritis. Assistive products – otherwise known as tools, aids, gadgets, and gizmos, can make
living with arthritis easier. Visit your local pharmacy, medical supply, home goods, hardware
and even bath supply retailer for arthritis and other adaptive items. Find out more about these
helpful items. For arthritis soreness, try using a frozen bag of peas on the site. The peas will cool
the area and help dull the pain and inflammation. The bag of peas also molds its shape more
easily than ice.

News and Notes of Interest to Caregivers

May is Stroke Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants you to
be aware of the symptoms of stroke and why immediate action can save lives and limit the
impact.
Free Caregiver Consultation. Professional care managers offer one-time caregiver counseling
sessions over the phone or in the office. For more information, call Fairfax County’s Aging,
Disability and Caregiver Resources line at 703-324-7948, TTY 711, between 8 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday.

Channel 16’s Mature Living Features Family Caregiving. Mature Living is featuring a program
on family caregiving. The program includes interviews with family members who provide care
for older adults and Department of Family Services’ staff members who specialize in the areas of
older adult services and caregiver support. You can watch it online at Mature Living or find out
when it will broadcast on Channel 16.

Try the County’s Free Volunteer Respite Service. Fairfax County matches volunteers with
family caregivers who could use a break. Trained volunteers provide six hours of service a
month. Call 703-324-7948, TTY 711, to request a respite volunteer or e-mail
Kristin.Martin@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Property Tax Exemption for Fairfax County Veterans with Disabilities. Certain veterans with
disabilities and their surviving spouses are now exempt from local real estate taxes on their
principal residence. The application is a one-time process and does not need to be submitted
annually unless there is a change in circumstances, such as a change in principal residence. Find
out more.

Upcoming Events
Caregiver Seminars. Fairfax County’s free Seminars for Caregivers series offers several
presentations to help family caregivers of older adults and adults with disabilities throughout the
county. Speakers include experts in law, insurance, care management, finances and community
resources. Register online, e-mail Caregiver@fairfaxcounty.gov, or call 703-324-5205, TTY
711.

Fairfax County’s Free Caregiver Telephone Support Group is the second Tuesday of each
month, from 7-8 p.m. Register online or call 703-324-5484, TTY 711. Upcoming topics are:
June 14 Resistance to Care
July 12 Compassion, Fatigue, and Family Caregiving

Fairfax County’s Independent Living Project. This is a free program of seminars and yoga
classes to help older adults continue living independently. Programs are at the West Springfield
Governmental Center, 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA 22152 on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to
3:15 p.m. Upcoming topics are:
June 1 Brain Fitness
June 8 Preparing for the Unexpected/Disaster Preparedness
June 15 Transportation Options

All events are free and open to adults 60 years of age and older and adults with physical
disabilities. Preregistration is required. Space is limited. For more information and to register,
call Jennifer Edge at 703-324-7210, TTY 711, or e-mail Jennifer.Edge@fairfaxcounty.gov. This
program is offered in partnership with the Burke-West Springfield Senior Center Without Walls.
Alzheimer’s Family Day Center offers Free Classes for Family Caregivers. Classes meet on the
third Wednesday of each month from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at the Alzheimer’s Family Day
Center. To register, call 703-204-4664, TTY 711, or e-mail afdc@alzheimersfdc.org. Respite
care is available — call to make arrangements in advance. The next class is June 15: Hands-on
Caregiving. From helping someone get dressed to fixing nutritious meals, daily life gets
complicated for people with dementia and those who care for them. Practical information will
help you find the individual strategies that will work best for you

From Administration on Aging

Older Americans Month 2011

Message from Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging
It is an honor to join President Obama in proclaiming May 2011 as Older Americans Month.
This recognition, which has been celebrated nationally since 1963, gives us an opportunity to
honor our older Americans and thank them for their ongoing contributions to America’s success.
Our theme for this year’s celebration “Older Americans: Connecting the Community” highlights
the important role that older Americans play in keeping families and communities strong,
engaged and together. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of millions of family
caregivers, volunteers and representatives of the Administration on Aging’s national aging
services network who, on a daily basis, provide the support and services that enables seniors to
remain vital, healthy and independent for as long as possible.

To read the President’s proclamation, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-

office/2011/04/29/presidential-proclamation-older-americans-month

Cancer Screening and Older Adults

May is both National Cancer Research and National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin cancer
is the most common type of cancer in the U.S.; occurring in more than a million people each
year, many of whom are older adults. The Administration on Aging (AoA) and the aging
network recognize the impact of prevention and awareness. Preventative health care is the best
protection against cancer and increases the chances for a full recovery if diagnosed early.

To learn more about signs and symptoms of skin cancer, please call 1-800-4-CANCER to speak
with an Information Specialists at the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Information
Service. You can also request to receive NCI booklets, fact sheets, and other materials. For
additional information, you can visit the NCI website at http://www.cancer.gov.

Additionally, many county and state health departments, local hospitals, pharmacies, senior
centers and area agencies on aging offer preventative health services, including cancer
screenings. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-227-2345 to find out if your community offers
free or low-cost health screenings.

Heat Safety Awareness Day is May 27.

Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. The National Weather Service
statistical data shows that heat causes more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes
and hurricanes combined. To learn what you can do to stay safe during hot weather, please visit
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Heat webpage at
http://www.weather.gov/om/heat/index.shtml

From Fairfax 50+ E-News

Free County Services for Caregivers

When caregiving is new or when it becomes particularly stressful it often helps to talk to
someone to sort out your options. Fairfax County offers a one-time caregiver counseling session
with professional care managers over the phone or in the office. For more information, call
Fairfax County’s Aging, Disability and Caregiver Resources line at 703-324-7948, TTY 711,
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The county also matches volunteers with family caregivers who could use a break. Trained
volunteers provide six hours of service a month. Call 703-324-7948, TTY 711, to request a
respite volunteer or e-mail Kristin.Martin@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Welcome Back to Fairfax County Farmers’ Markets

Surely, one of our most cherished rites of spring is the re-opening the county’s farmers’ markets.
These bustling markets provide thousands of residents the timeless pleasures of open-air food
shopping. You can mingle among gorgeous bins of local produce, sample delicious breads and
yogurts, buy fresh cut flowers for the dinner table, and chat with your neighbors.

Gardeners take note: Most markets offer plant clinics staffed by Fairfax County Cooperative
Extension Master Gardeners. Residents can bring plant or insect samples for pest identification
or disease diagnosis. Master Gardeners also help residents by having informational displays on
topics such as Container Gardening and EcoSavvy Gardening.

Fairfax County Farmers Markets allow only local producers. All products are produced within
125 miles of Fairfax County. Find the schedule of the Farmers’ Market closest to your home. For
other information about the Markets, call 703-642-0128, TTY 703-803-3354

From Fairfax Area Commission on Aging Golden Gazette

Medicare Increases Access to Free Preventive Services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released a report showing that in
less than two months since the Affordable Care Act’s coverage of preventive services went into
effect, more than 150,000 Medicare recipients have received an annual wellness visit. The
Affordable Care Act provides coverage for many preventive services for Medicare recipients by
eliminating the Part B coinsurance and deductibles for these services. These services include
certain cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies as well as a new annual
wellness visit. The annual wellness visit and other recommended services are free of charge,
when obtained by a participating health care professional, for all older adults and people with
disabilities enrolled in the Medicare Part B program. The following is a list of preventive
services that are covered by Medicare.
Preventive Services:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening: A one-time screening ultrasound for people at risk.

Bone Mass Measurement: Helps to see if you are at risk for broken bones. This service is
covered once every 24 months (more often if medically necessary) for people who have certain
medical conditions or meet certain criteria.

Cardiovascular Screening: Helps detect conditions that may lead to a heart attack or stroke. This
service is covered every 5 years to test your cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride levels.

Colon Cancer Screening (Colorectal): Medicare covers colorectal screening tests to help find
precancerous polyps (growths in the colon) so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

Diabetes Screenings: Diabetes screenings are covered if you have any of the following risk
factors: high blood pressure (hypertension), history of abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride
levels (dyslipidemia), obesity, or a history of high blood sugar (glucose). Based on the results of
these tests, you may be eligible for up to two diabetes screenings every year.

Diabetes Self-Management Training: Your doctor or other health care provider must provide a
written order.

EKG Screening: Medicare covers a one-time screening EKG if you get a referral for it as a result
of your one-time “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam.

Flu Shots: Covered once a flu season in the fall or winter.

Glaucoma Tests: Covered once every 12 months for people at high risk for glaucoma.

Hepatitis B Shots: This is covered for people at high or medium risk for Hepatitis B. Your risk
for Hepatitis B increases if you have hemophilia, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or a
condition that increases your risk for infection. Other factors may increase your risk for Hepatitis
B, so check with your doctor. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and the Part B
deductible applies. HIV Screening: Medicare covers HIV screening for people with Medicare
who are pregnant and people at increased risk for the infection, including anyone who asks for
the test.

Mammogram: Medicare covers screening mammograms once every 12 months for all women
with Medicare age 40 and older. Medicare covers one baseline mammogram for women between
ages 35–39.

Medical Nutrition Therapy Services: Medicare may cover medical nutrition therapy and certain
related services if you have diabetes or kidney disease, or you have had a kidney transplant in the
last 36 months, and your doctor refers you for the service.
Pap Test and Pelvic Exam: Medicare covers these screening tests once every 24 months, or once
every 12 months for women at high risk, and for women of child-bearing age who have had an
exam that indicated cancer or other abnormalities in the past 3 years.

Physical Exam : Medicare will cover two types of physical exams—one when you’re new to
Medicare and one each year after that.

Pneumococcal Shot: Most people only need this preventive shot once in their lifetime.

Prostate Cancer Screenings: Medicare covers a digital rectal exam and Prostate Specific Antigen
(PSA) test once every 12 months for all men over age 50 with Medicare.

Smoking Cessation (counseling to stop smoking): Medicare covers smoking cessation counseling
as a preventive service and you’ll pay nothing for the counseling sessions.

For more information, call the Virginia Insurance and Counseling Program (VICAP) at 703-324-
5851. To read the report, visit www.HealthCare.gov/center/reports/prevention03162011a.html

This information has been provided from the following organization newsletters.
Subscription information is available at:
* Caregivers Corner Online http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/email/lists/
* Fairfax 50+ eNews: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/
* Fairfax Area Commission on Aging Golden Gazette:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/goldengazette.htm
* The Administration on Aging (AOA):
http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Press_Room/Enews/index.aspx

Mason Work/Life compiles these resources and programs for use as referral only. Mason does
not recommend or endorse any company or organization listed. If you would like to be removed
from this listserv, please email ecare@gmu.edu.