STIMULUS PAYMENTS BELONG TO CONSUMERS, NOT FACILITIES
As Pennsylvanians receive a second round of federal stimulus payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, the Pennsylvania departments of Aging, Human Services (DHS) and Insurance are again reminding consumers living in long-term care facilities that these checks belong to them, not the facilities where they live.
“When the first round of federal stimulus checks went out last spring, we received complaints that involved residents of longterm care facilities being told that their federal stimulus checks count as income that must be surrendered, in part or in whole, to pay for services,” said Pennsylvania State LongTerm Care (LTC) Ombudsman Margaret Barajas of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. “What we said then, we repeat now: Residents should know that this is not true.
“These stimulus payments are issued with the general expectation that long-term care residents — like all citizens receiving checks — will make their own choices about how to spend their money. I, as the State Ombudsman, am committed to advocating for and resolving these issues for older adults, caseby-case.”
DHS has issued guidance for how economic impact payments affect the eligibility of those receiving long-term care for Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, Medical Assistance (MA). This guidance directs that the economic payment is not considered income for the purposes of MA eligibility. The portion of the economic impact payments that are spent within 12 months of receipt is also considered an excluded resource for MA eligibility.
DHS also issued guidance on economic impact payments for personal care homes and assisted living residences. There should be no change to a resident’s monthly charges in their contract due to this payment. Residents may direct their concerns or complaints to the DHS Complaint Hotline at 877-4018835.
“We want to assure residents of these facilities that these stimulus payments are theirs — it is not meant to be a rent rebate,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “No one should worry that accepting this payment will affect their ability to keep Medicaid eligibility or their housing. The Department of Aging and DHS are working closely together to make sure that people who live in long-term care facilities are aware of their rights to this economic payment.
“Any resident of a facility who is concerned that their payment is in jeopardy should reach out to the Pennsylvania State Long-Term Care Ombudsman right away.”
“The Insurance Department has remained dedicated to ensuring Pennsylvania residents are clear that neither Medicaid, nor the facility in which a Medicaid beneficiary resides, has rights to an individual’s stimulus check,” said Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman. “Stimulus checks are tax credits and the Federal Trade Commission has continued to make this clear since last Spring. The payments are not ‘resources’ for purposes of qualifying for federal benefit programs and may not be taken from residents.”
“One of our key responsibilities at the Department of Aging is to advocate on behalf of older adults,” said Aging Secretary Robert Torres. “Part of that involves making sure older adults, whatever their living situation, know their rights and where they can turn to for help and information. The federal government has made it clear that these stimulus payments should go directly to the individual whose name is on the check. If an older adult or their loved one has questions or concerns, they should seek help.”
Consumers with concerns should call the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office at 800-441-2555. But if they need some extra help preparing to make their complaint, the Department of Aging’s LTC State Ombudsman will offer support. The number to call for help is 717-783-8975.
Torres also noted that consumers may receive the Economic Impact Payment by prepaid debit card, instead of by paper check. These cards arrive in a plain white envelope. EIP Card recipients can make purchases, get cash from innetwork ATMs and transfer funds to their personal bank account without incurring any fees.
The EIP Card can be used online, at ATMs, or at any retail location where Visa is accepted. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a prepaid debit card this time, and some people who received a prepaid debit card last time may receive a paper check. To learn more about stimulus payment eligibility or check on the status of a payment, visit www.
“We want to assure residents of these facilities that these stimulus payments are theirs — it is not meant to be a rent rebate. No one should worry that accepting this payment will affect their ability to keep Medicaid eligibility or their housing.”
DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “
“The federal government has made it clear that these stimulus payments should go directly to the individual whose name is on the check. If an older adult or their loved one has questions or concerns, they should seek help.” Aging Secretary Robert Torres.
Since the pandemic’s descent, they have generally been viewed as among those at higher risk — older Americans, some of them medically vulnerable, figuring out how to navigate life in a COVID-saturated, increasingly isolated world.
That’s one type of health — physical. When it comes to mental and emotional health, older adults in the United States are showing resilience and persevering despite struggles with loneliness and isolation, the latest self-reported results in an ongoing study suggest.
The latest data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, conducted by the social research organization NORC at the University of Chicago, is part of a longer-term study designed to track the physical and emotional well-being of older Americans over time.
Only 9% of older adults reported having “fair or poor overall mental health” during the pandemic, similar to their previous answers and an indication of what the study calls “some signs of resilience.”
Nevertheless, the study found that general happiness has declined. About half as many older adults now report they are very happy or extremely happy, and an increasing number report occasional feelings of depression or isolation.
“It should sensitize everyone to the reality of isolation’s impact but also the reality that people are resilient — and maybe even more so older adults than younger adults,” said Louise Hawkley, principal research scientist at NORC and the lead researcher on
the study. “This isn’t their first show.
“They’ve been through things already. They know how to handle stress. This is something we can learn from them — that there is survival.”
The information comes from 1,284 respondents between the ages of 55 and 99, interviewed in September and October — all of them participants in a longer-term study that also
collected data in person in 2015-2016. No margin of error was provided.
Other interesting findings from the responses:
About one-fifth of older adults in the study said they’d had no in-person contact with family and friends outside their own households during the pandemic.
At the same time, at least half of older adults “have not reduced their frequency
of in-person contact with friends and family not living with them” since the pandemic began.
Where in-person interaction faded, the study showed that electronic communication stepped in — but, perhaps unexpectedly in this demographic, the use of phone conversations (32%) lagged behind messaging (37%) and video calls (42%).
Taken together, the responses
form what Hawkley calls a portrait of a demographic that crosses generations, is persevering under challenging circumstances and — pivotally — whose members need more engagement about isolation and emotional health even after the pandemic wanes.
“There’s a lot we don’t appreciate about how well people do cope with age,” said Hawkley, who specializes
in researching loneliness and social isolation in older adults.
She said arrangements are being made to obtain physical data from the participants as soon as the pandemic ebbs.
“We’re learning painfully how real a risk social isolation is to our mental health,” she said. “And I think we need to learn how it affects physical health.”
We are living in a unique time. We are being encouraged not to see our family and friends. We are told to avoid going to the movies, plays, museums, art exhibits and live sporting events. If you must go food shopping, make it quick! In your lifetime, have you ever been told you can’t go out to a restaurant?
While we can now see a light at the end of the tunnel, that light is still at least a couple of months away. We are in the depth of winter, so now is the perfect time to take the plunge and learn to use some technology that will make your days much more enjoyable, educational and entertaining.
As with any new technology, you may want to consider asking someone with experience for assistance. As I have said before, the most desirous trait that this person should have is patience. New technology is not easy to understand, and you want someone who will calmly answer all your questions and help you through the times you get frustrated.
Once you’ve selected your teacher, you need to invest in the technology. Let’s start with eBooks. The first technology you need is WiFi in your home. The two major providers are Verizon Fios and Comcast Xfinity. WiFi is a significant investment, approximately $50-$70 per month, however, it opens entertainment possibilities that make it well worth the cost.
The second technology item you will need is an eBook reader or computer tablet. To read an eBook, I recommend an Amazon Kindle eBook reader or a computer tablet priced under $200. There are many tablets to choose from — let your teacher help you decide which one is best for you.
You or your teacher will now need to set up your WiFi with a network name and a password that you will remember (write it down and put it in a safe place). You will also need to set up your Kindle or tablet. If you feel comfortable doing this, great. If not ask your teacher for help.
Once you are set up, the best part is that it is free to read eBooks on your eReader or tablet. The Chester County library system, as well as many other local libraries, have thousands of eBooks that you can borrow for free — all you need is a library card.
Another great benefit is you can borrow eBooks without ever leaving your home. If you want a bestseller and the book is not available, you can put yourself on a hold list, and the library will notify you by email when the book is available.
If you don’t have email, set up an address prior to checking out eBooks. Again, if you need help setting up email, just ask your teacher for help. I recommend Gmail for your email account.
The libraries use applications (i.e., computer programs) to manage their borrowing process. The two most popular ones are Overdrive and Libby. Using these applications can get a little complicated. You need to understand the details of these applications, so remember, take your time, repeat the necessary steps, ask a lot of questions (if you have a teacher available) and take breaks as you are learning.
Many people say they can’t/won’t/don’t like reading a book on a Kindle or tablet. I can understand that because I used to feel the same way. My advice
is to try it with one or two books. My hope is that you will see that it is just as enjoyable as reading a hard copy book because what is most important is whether the book is good or not!
Good luck and happy reading!
Promoting Senior Wellness is provided by The Hickman Friends Senior Community, a Quaker-affiliated licensed personal care home in West Chester. Hugh Bleemer is the outreach and admissions counselor. The Hickman does not endorse and is not affiliated with the companies and apps mentioned in this article.
The calendar may have said January 2021, but for the residents of the personal and memory care neighborhood at the Heritage of Green Hills, a healthy life plan community in Cumru Township, Berks County, it was the 1940s all month long.
“Every month, we base many of our group activities on a central theme,” explained Heritage’s Arts and Entertainment Coordinator, Heather Setley. “Throughout January, we looked back at that richly historical time when many of our residents were children.”
Through crafts, games and fun discussions, the residents explored the decade’s fashions, trends, famous boxers, architecture and other topics, often while listening to music from the period.
“Most of our programming has a musical component,” Setley said. “We can access memories of the songs we grew up with, tapping our feet and singing along, even when there’s a level of dementia.”
Setley, a certified activities director, brings more than 20 years of experience in elder care to her work at the Heritage.
Engaging all the senses is important to Setley, too.
“We held a tasting of retro candies that were around then, like York Peppermint Patties and Almond Joys,” Setley said.
Of course, residents are kept up to date on today’s headlines, too.
“Every morning, we gather together to talk about the news headlines, with a strong focus on the positive,” she said. “And we
did take a break from the 1940s on Dr. King’s birthday to talk about his legacy and read the historic ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail.’”
The personal and memory care neighborhood offers its residents a variety of different things to do every day no matter the month’s theme, including daily gentle exercise classes and clubs. Simple cooking classes, parties, games, movies, sing-a-longs and art activities are all regularly offered. Eagles and Phillies
games on the big screen are always a big hit, too.
“Getting out is important, too,” Setley said. “We take a weekly scenic drive for a change of pace and explore the area. Sometimes we’ll go to a nature-filled setting, while other times we’ll head out to someone’s old neighborhood. Our bus driver is retired from PennDot — he knows all the routes, he can’t get lost, and he takes requests.”
Self-determination is an important part of life for
residents in the personal and memory care neighborhood at the Heritage.
“We always leave it up to
our residents as to whether they want to join us for any activity,” Setley said. “If they prefer to be alone, we’ll
check in on them, and offer them materials for self-directed activities, like yarn for knitting, reading materials and art supplies. But our residents are adults. The choice is theirs.”
Setley gets to know each resident and their family as they move in as part of a formal assessment. One such assessment led to the weekly livestreaming of services, allowing a resident couple to worship with the congregation of their home church.
“We work hard to meet each of our residents’ emotional and social needs and preferences,” explained Melissa Oley, the community’s marketing and admissions liaison. “We respect their individuality.”