MIG05-2_Sp_Editorial

Published quarterly by Michigan’s Area Agencies on AgingPublished quarterly by Michigan’s Area Agencies on Aging

GenerationsTMSpring 2005Michigan

Also in This Issue: ■ Ask the Expert About

Parkinson’s Disease■ A Look at Area Agencies

Around Our State

GrandparentsRaising

Grandchildren

2 Michigan Generations

SPRING 2005 Published quarterlythrough a cooperative effort ofMichigan’s Area Agencies on Aging.

For information contact:Jenny [email protected]

Editorial Project Development:JAM Communications, Atlanta, GA

Design and Production:Wells-Smith Partners, Lilburn, GA

Cover and feature photography by Green Frog Photography, Grand Rapids, MI.

On the Cover:Cherrie Druckenbrodt faces the challenges and embraces the joys ofraising her granddaughter, AricaDruckenbrodt. To read more aboutgrandparents raising grandchildren,turn to the story on page 4

GenerationsMichigan

Spring 2005, Volume 2, #4 © 2005 by the MichiganArea Agencies on Aging. The information con-tained herein has been obtained from sourcesbelieved to be reliable. However, the Michigan AreaAgencies on Aging and JAM Communications makeno warranty to the accuracy or reliability of thisinformation. No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans without written permission. All rightsreserved.

Whether you are an older adult your-self, a caregiver or a friend concernedabout the well-being of an older adult,Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) areready to help. AAAs in communitiesacross the country serve as gateways tolocal resources, planning efforts, andservices that help older adults remainindependent.

AAAs were established under theOlder Americans Act in 1973 torespond to the needs of Americansaged 60 and over in every commu-nity. The services availablethrough AAA agencies fall intofive general categories: infor-mation and consultation, serv-ices available in the community, services in the home,housing, and elder rights. A wide range of programs isavailable within each category.

The services offered by Michigan’s 16 AAAs cover a

broad spectrum of needs, such as information and referral, case

management, in-home services,home-delivered meals, senior centers,

transportation, and special outreach. To read more about each of Michigan’s AAAs and the

services available, turn to page 10 of this issue. MI

Welcome toMichiganGenerations

Michigan is

divided into

16 AAAs,

each serving

a different

part of the

state.

They are:11

10 9

7

5

1A

1C2

8

14

6

3B3A

3C4

1B

MAP

PHO

TOG

RAPH

YCO

URTE

SYTR

AVEL

MIC

HIG

AN

1A Detroit Area Agency on Aging

1B Area Agency on Aging 1-B

1C The Senior Alliance

2 Region 2 Area Agency on Aging

3A Kalamazoo Cty.Human Services Dept.Region 3A

3B Burnham-Brook Region IIIB Area Agency on Aging

3C Branch-St.Joseph Area Agency on Aging IIIC

4 Region IV Area Agency on Aging

5 Valley Area Agency on Aging

6 Tri-County Office on Aging

7 Region VII Area Agency on Aging

8 Area Agency on Aging ofWestern Michigan

9 NEMCSA Region 9 Area Agency on Aging

10 Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan

11 Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging

14 Senior Resources of West Michigan

Visit the AAA’s state website at www.mi-seniors.net

AAAs—Gateways to Community Resources

CAREGIVINGNews&Notes

Surfing the NetEach issue of Michigan Generations offers

several websites of interest to older adultsand their caregivers … right at your fingertips.

www.healthfinder.gov is a serviceof the National Health InformationCenter.The site offers health newsand resources, clinical trials updatesand a library of information listedfrom A to Z, with topics organized by

gender, race, age and ethnicity.www.gu.org highlights the mission of Generations United,which works to improve the lives of both children and olderadults through intergenerational collaboration, public policiesand strategies.

Look for more helpful websites in the next issue of Michigan Generations.

Seniors over 65 are the fastest-growing population in the countryand, as a group, show no sign of giving up their automo-

biles. In fact, by 2020 there will be more than 40 millionlicensed drivers aged 65 and older in the U.S.

If you — or someone you care for — worry aboutdeclining driving skills as you get older, an in-homescreening program may be what you need. RoadwiseReview, offered by the American Automobile Assn.,allows you to test several key functional areas that couldaffect driving. These include leg strength and mobility,head and neck flexibility, low visual acuity and working memory.The program gives you answers that help identify corrective actions. Roadwise Review comes on a CD, so you will need a personal com-puter to run the screening test. Check out www.aaa.com for details.

Now that tax season isbehind us, financial advisors

recommend you turn your atten-tion to the state of your estate.That includes your home, bankaccounts, car, furniture, invest-ments and insurance policies.This is a good time to updateyour will and make sure you havea plan that directs where all yourproperty will go. If you are acaregiver, sit down with yourloved one and tactfully guidethem through the process.

Here are a few of the mostcommon mistakes that seniors orcaregivers make:

• Making decisions in secret —that is, not talking to childrenor other responsible relatives

• Keeping poor records ofbank accounts, insurancepolicies and investments

• Failing to update beneficiaryforms — especially for IRAs or other retirementaccounts

CORRECTION:Two medications cited in “Dementia: With Help ComesHope” (Michigan Generations, Winter 2005, page 19)were misspelled. The first medication was referred to as “Arasapt,” but the correct spelling is “Aricept.” Thesecond medication, “Amenda,” should have read“Namenda.” The writer regrets the error.

Spring Cleaning forEstate Planning

TestYour Driving Skills

“Celebrate Long-Term Living” is the theme for this year’s Older Americans Month, which is celebrated every May. The designation originatedwith a presidential proclamation in May 1963 and has beenproclaimed by the President every year since then.

Last year, President Bush stated, “Our seniors have caredfor their families and communities, enhanced our eco-nomic prosperity, defended our nation and preservedand protected the Founders’ vision. Their commitmentto our future sets an inspiring example for all.”

This May, look for new ways to honor the seniorsin your life. For information, check out www.AoA.gov.

Spotlight on

Older Americans

Good mental fitness is as important to your overall quality of life as physical health.Try out the following memory exercises. Once

you find one that works well for you, follow it regularly.■ Repeat it. Say what you want to learn silently to

yourself several times.■ Link it. When trying to remember a list, come

up with a visual link from the first item to the second item and so forth.

■ Connect it. Connect what you need to learn tosomething you already know.

■ Rhyme it. Be creative and make up a poem incor-porating whatever you need to remember.

■ Take a snapshot. Use your visual memory to forma picture of what you need to recall.

■ Categorize it. Group items together under mental“labels” that will help you remember the items ineach group.

Edited from Total Memory Workout by Cynthia Green

BoostingYourBrainpower

Spring 2005 3


ichelle Barnes was ready to take it easy. She and her ex-husband had raised their four children and fostered 13 more,one of whom they adopted. She had just finished paying offthe college loans she took out for her children, and she hadmoved into a little apartment with three cats. Although she

was still working as a nurse educator in an Ann Arbor schooldistrict, she was looking forward to a relaxed retirement.

It didn’t work out that way. Today, Barnes, 63, is back on thefront lines of parenting, raising her six-year-old grandson, Terik.She has moved into a larger house and adopted two puppies.Instead of gardening or taking trips with friends, she spendsher time dealing with earaches, homework and temper tantrums.

“I certainly never thought this is what I’d be doing at myage,” says Barnes.

Her son, Terik’s father, was in and out of jail when Terikwas an infant. Terik’s mother was unemployed and on drugs.When Terik was two, his mother got a job and began leavinghim with inappropriate people, according to Barnes. “I took him whenever I could,” she says. “Then one day I took him back home and his mother wasn’t there. Instead,there were two drunk men in the living room, and they

In Michigan, 143,000 children live in grandparent-headed households.Here's a look at the challenges these grandparents face and the help that's available for them.

By Martha Nolan McKenzie

Ramona Knight and grandson, LaJuan Bramlett.

Samantha Cribbs and granddaughter, Amanda Hines.

M

GrandparentsRaising

Grandchildren

told me Terik’s mother said I should leave the boy with them. I said ‘no’ and went to the court and got custody of him.”

Barnes doesn’t regret her decision. “Nobody made metake Terik in,” says Barnes. “I’m doing it because I love him.I want him to grow into a whole person filled with grace, andI think I can help him do that.”

Still, she finds her new role difficult. For one thing, Terikhas emotional and behavioral problems that stem from hisrough beginnings. And Barnes now finds herself cut off fromher former peers. “I was the only one who appeared at my40th high school reunion with a toddler,” she says.

Though Barnes often feels as if she’s alone, she is actually in very good company. Across the U.S., 4.5 million children —more than six percent of all children under 18 — live in households headed by a grandparent. In Michigan, 143,000children live in grandparent-headed households. And this trend,which cuts across all socioeconomic, racial and ethnic bound-aries, is growing.

“In the last decade, Michigan has seen a 25 percent increasein the number of grandparents who are raising their grandchild-ren,” says Jim McGuire, director of planning and advocacy forthe Area Agency on Aging 1-B in Southfield. “But our seniorpopulation has grown just five percent over the same period. Soour population of grandparents raising grandchildren is growingfive times faster than our older adult population.”

The reasons behind this troubling trend are myriad. Incar-ceration, AIDS, mental disorders, poverty, teen pregnancy and,recently, military deployment leave many parents unable to carefor their children, compelling grandparents to step in. But thebiggest driving force, according to experts in the field, is sub-stance abuse. “It really started in the ’80s with the crack cocaineepidemic,” says Virginia Boyce, the Grandparents as Parents(GAP) program coordinator for Catholic Social Services ofWashtenaw County in Ann Arbor. “You can’t hold a familytogether when you’re on crack cocaine.”

However they came to this place, grandparents who findthemselves in this role are pulled by strong and opposing forces.On one hand, these grandparents are motivated by love, andthey reap the emotional and spiritual benefits of doing the rightthing and of being supremely needed and useful. On the other,they must navigate a difficult and often confusing road blockedwith legal, financial, housing and emotional issues.

Legal issuesGrandchildren often arrive in a grandparent’s home abruptly,

many times as the result of a crisis, and the arrangement is com-pletely informal and believed to be short-term. However, as daysstretch into weeks and weeks into months, grandparents areforced to confront the dilemma of their legal relationship with thegrandchild. Should they try to obtain guardianship? Should theyadopt the child? Amy Goyer, coordinator of the AARP Grandpar-ent Information Center in Washington, D.C., says, “In mostcases, without legal status, the grandparent cannot enroll a childin school, get medical treatment or obtain financial assistance.”

However, many grandparents are reluctant to take stepstoward formalizing their legal status. Fear of losing their two

grandsons has kept Irene and Roger Gunnink of Three Riversfrom pushing for legal guardianship, even though their lack oflegal status has made it difficult to find child care and medicalcare for the boys. Though they think the boys’ mother, theirdaughter, would consent, they fear her husband would retaliate.

“Our daughter is bipolar and has problems with drugs andalcohol,” says Irene, 52. “Her husband has problems with drugsand alcohol. They cannot provide a good home for those boys.We’ve brought up the issue of guardianship, but we’re afraid topush it because we’re scared of what their father would do.”

For grandparents who do pursue a degree of legal status,there are various options available:

• POWER OF ATTORNEY. A quick, easily obtained and inexpen-sive legal arrangement, a power of attorney gives grandparentsspecific rights to make decisions in the interest of the grand-child. A power of attorney lasts for six months, and the parentretains his parental rights.

• LIMITED GUARDIANSHIP. Parents and grandparents worktogether to craft a temporary legal arrangement for the child.With the parents’ consent, the grandparent is entitled to assumeparental rights during the specified time period.

• FULL OR PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP. A grandparent can beawarded full guardianship if he or she has informally raised thegrandchild for a period of time or if the parents can no longercare for the child. If the parent opposes guardianship, the grand-parent must file a petition in court. As a legal guardian, thegrandparent can act as the child’s parent, although parentalrights are not terminated, and the parents can go back to courtto have the guardianship revoked.

• CUSTODY. Legal custody is like guardianship, but it has dif-ferent rules. A grandparent can gain custody of their grandchildwhen the parents sign a contract consenting to the arrangementor a court gives the grandparent custody during a court hearing.

Spring 2005 5

Facilitator David Krajewski, CSW, leads a support group in Jackson on theimportance of asking for help.


• KINSHIP FOSTER CARE. A child enters the foster care systemwhen a court removes him from his parents’ home as a result ofabuse or neglect. The grandparent can apply to become alicensed foster care parent for the child. The good news is thegrandparent will receive aid from the state — up to $400 amonth. The bad news is the court retains legal custody of thechild and the grandparent is subject to a lot of oversight.

• ADOPTION. Adoption severs all of the parents’ rights andresponsibilities and bestows them on the grandparent. Beforea grandparent can adopt her grandchild, the parents musthave given their consent or a court must have terminatedtheir parentalrights. Grand-parents do notneed to gothrough anadoption agencyor retain anadoption attor-ney.“There arerights and pro-tections thatadoptionaffords,” saysElly Falit,recruitment spe-cialist with theAdoption/GAPCollaborationprogram forCatholic SocialServices in AnnArbor. “The par-ents can’t comeback sometime in the future and get the child back. And thegrandparent can decide who will care for the child if he or shedies. And after the grandparents’ death, the child can receiveSSI benefits.”

Financial issuesTaking on additional mouths to feed and bodies to clothe

presents a financial challenge, particularly for grandparents whomay be living on a fixed income.

One source of assistance is the federal cash benefit program,known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.Grandparents and other relatives can apply for TANF benefits inone of two ways — a child-only grant or a family grant. Eligiblechildren can continue to receive monthly assistance until theyreach age 18. “Many grandparents could qualify for this money,but many don’t know how or where to apply for it,” says BrentElrod, manager of policy and programs for Generations Unitedin Washington, D.C. “It’s not a huge amount of money — theamount varies from state to state — but for some it can make areal difference in keeping the family together.”

A grandparent raising a grandchild may also be eligible forSupplemental Security Income (SSI) if they are low income and

over age 65 or if any family member is blind or physically ormentally disabled.

Low-income grandparents can also get help with food coststhrough the Women, Infant & Children (WIC) program, which isadministered through local health departments. They may qualifyfor food stamps through their county Family Independence Agencyor the school lunch program through the Michigan Department ofEducation Food and Nutrition Program.

This assistance is a life boat for many. Dorothy Allen,58, is raising four grandchildren, ages

three to 14, on the$1,300 she receives

each month fromSocial Security, SSI

and a family grant.Though cash is always

tight, Allen has beenable to keep her family

together, thanks to these funds and other

assistance. “I do get foodstamps, but those kids

can eat up a mountain, so sometimes I get food

from the churches,” saysAllen, who lives in Detroit.

“It’s just working out by thegood grace of God, but it’s

working out.”

Medical insuranceAbout one-third of all children who live in grandparent-

headed households do not have health insurance, according tothe Children’s Defense Fund. If the grandparent is still working,their employer’s insurance generally will not cover a grandchild,unless that grandchild is adopted. Medicare won’t cover a grand-child even if he is adopted. Private insurance for the children isout of reach for most. Most children in this situation qualify forcoverage through a state-funded program, but grandparents areoften told — mistakenly — that they must have legal custody orguardianship in order to apply.

Children living in low-income households may be eligible forMedicaid, even if thegrandparent is not thelegal guardian. InMichigan, the Medic-aid program that cov-ers children under age19 is called HealthyKids. Any child who isreceiving a child-onlygrant, a family grant or SSI benefits is also eligible for HealthyKids. If the child does not qualify for Healthy Kids, he or shemay be eligible for coverage under MIChild, a health insuranceprogram for uninsured children of low-income working families.If they qualify, the family pays a monthly premium of $5, no

Photo above: Ramona Knight (left) and JudyFlannery with Ms. Knight’s grandchildren, LaJuanand Syndia Bramlett, attend a Grandparents andOther Relatives as Parents Program in Jackson.Photo right: Bill Flannery with granddaughters,Amber and Kayla Flannery.

Are you a grandparent raising grandchildren? For more details on some of the programs offered by Michigan’s Area Agencies onAging, turn to pages 10-19 in thisissue of Michigan Generations.

matter how many children they have. There are no co-pays ordeductibles. Another program — Children’s Special Health CareServices (CSHCS) — provides coverage and referrals to childrenwith special needs.

Getting the coverage they need can be a challenge for manygrandparents. Mary Freemire and her husband, Jerry, have beenraising their five-year-old grandson, Bradley, since his birth.Bradley was born three months premature, which led to a hostof medical conditions, including seizure disorder, sensory motordysfunction and learning delays.

Mary, 56, was an adoption worker for the state, so she knewhow to navigate the system and get the resources she needed. Evenso, it took her a year and a half to get Bradley enrolled in Medicaid,CSHCS and on her private policy. “And I know what I’m doing,”says Mary, who lives in Portage. “For a grandparent who doesn’treally know the system, I don’t know how they’d do it.”

Housing issuesThe house or apartment that was perfect for the empty-

nester may suddenly become too small when a grandchild or twomoves in. And space isn’t the only problem. The grand-parentmay be living in a senior housing facility that does not allowchildren. Or they may be in public housing where rules limit thenumber of occupants.

In Boston, MA, two nonprofits devel-oped GrandFamilies House, the nation’sfirst housing program specially designed forgrandparent-headed families. In Michigan,the Church of the Messiah Housing Devel-opment Corp., a Detroit nonprofit group,plans to emulate GrandFamilies Housewith its own Champlain Village. Though itis still trying to secure the $9 million infunding needed, construction is slated tobegin in September, with completionplanned for next Spring.

Of a total of 40 town homes, 10 will be designated for grandparentsraising developmentally disabledgrandchildren. “We will have a clubhouse, two play spaces and a community resource center for olderkids,” says Fran Howze, executivedirector of the Church of the MessiahHousing Development Corp. “We’regoing to work with several community-based partners to offer extensive support services to the residents, including intergenerational recreational activities,computer classes, health education and group and individualcounseling.”

Emotional challengesFor all the legal, medical and financial issues faced by grand-

parents-turned-parents, the emotional issues can be the greatest— and the most conflicted. Undeniably, there are emotionalrewards. “Over time, it can be a wonderful thing for grandpar-

ents,” says GAP’s Boyce. “It can add a lot of meaning to theirlives. They know they are doing good, and there is a lot of satis-faction in that.”

They also have to opportunity to forge special bonds withtheir grandchildren. Kathy Jones (not her real name) has beenraising her 16-year-old grandson, Scott, since he was five. “I’vegot nine grandchildren, but I’m particularly close to Scottie,”says Jones. “He was my first grandson, so we had a special rela-tionship anyway. But since he’s lived with me, we’ve gotten evencloser. And he’s very happy here with me.”

On the flip side, however, some grandparents are plaguedwith guilt, feeling somehow responsible for their child’s inabilityto parent. They have to give up their cherished role of grand-parent and assume the more difficult one of parent. And manygrandparents find that task of parenting more complicated by thecondition of their grandchildren.

“The kids the grandparents get are often compromised,” saysBoyce. “They might be compromised before birth by drugs.They might be compromised again in infancy by neglect. By thetime the grandparent gets the child, there are often serious issues.”

Lynette Battle found herself raising her two grandsons inher small Detroit home after it became clear they were suffer-ing from neglect, and perhaps even abuse, in the care of her

daughter and a string of her boyfriends. The old-est grandson, now seven, hatedBattle, blaming her for the situa-tion and lashing out with severeemotional and behavioral problems.The youngest, now four, cried con-stantly and scratched himself untilhe bled.

“I was dumbfounded,” says Bat-tle, 49. “I didn’t understand howthese little bitty kids could have allthese problems, and I didn’t knowhow to deal with them. All my friendshave grown children, so they don’tunderstand what I’m going through.For the longest time, the only outingswe ever had were to doctors’ appoint-ments. I felt totally cut off.”

Getting helpHelp is available for grandparents

who are raising their grandchildren, butfar too few know about it. “One of the

biggest problems is misinformation or lack of access to informa-tion among grandparents,” says AARP’s Goyer. “For example, iftheir grandchild has special learning needs, they may be eligiblefor an IEP (Individualized Education Program), but most don’tknow about it because it wasn’t around or wasn’t needed whenthey were raising their own kids.”

In Michigan, the State Office of Services to the Aging, localAARP chapters and local Area Agencies on Aging provide infor-mation, referral and resources for grandparents raising grand-

Cherrie Druckenbrodt and granddaughter, Arica Druckenbrodt.

continued on page 19

Spring 2005 7

By Aaron P. Simonton

The Older Americans Act of 1965 made funds available toassist the “operation of multipurpose senior centers” and to

cover the costs of “professional and technical personnel requiredfor the operation of multipur-pose senior centers.” Since thisact was established, the numberof senior centers has increasedfrom 200 nationwide to over15,000, and the role of thesecenters has “metamorphed” toaccommodate new generationsand new needs.

Many senior centers are now“supermarkets” of services andactivities, providing caregiversupport, information, assistance,socialization and recreation,meals and referral services. Someprovide adult day care, patientservices, transportation, health and wellness programs, educationand everything from crafts to computers.

Michigan’s senior centers are often the “front lines” of theaging network. In many cases, like first responders in the emergency field, senior centers are the first place seniors andtheir caregivers call when a concern or crisis exists. Today’s 50-something generation may not actively seek senior services for themselves, but may still need help for older family members or neighbors.

For some, the senior center is a “home away from home” tomeet with former neighbors, and for others it serves as an “oasis”whenever they’re in the neighborhood. Participants say they cometo the center for many different reasons: “It’s somewhere to goand something I look forward to”… “After 42 years of working

with the public, the center keeps me in contact with friends andformer colleagues I wouldn’t see otherwise.”

Volunteerism offers opportunities, too, for everyone fromyouth to retired professionals. As one volunteer says, “It’s likeworking for fun instead of a paycheck.”

Many find senior centers to be a “gold mine” of information,assistance and referrals. Still others consider the center as a sort ofsenior health club. By keeping older adults “functionally fit,” seniorcenters are uniquely positioned to provide a continuity of carewhen it comes to maintaining health and well-being. Programmingcan include fitness classes such as T’ai chi, strength training andwalking clubs, while offering support groups and health education.

Senior centers have also become a “stage” for cultural arts,including acting groups, bands, choirs, painting and foreign language classes.

Senior centers are specially designed to meet the needs of theindividual communities they serve. Some are open as many as 85hours a week, 365 days a year, while others offer limited hoursbased on need and availability of funding.

The Michigan Association of Senior Centers (MASC), estab-lished as a dynamic net-work committed to growth,excellence and strategicpartnerships, launchedProject MOST (MobilizingOur Senior Centers for theTwenty-first Century) withMichigan’s Office of Ser-vices to the Aging in 1997.The goal of the three-year statewide partnershipwas to see that all ofMichigan’s senior centersdevelop as community“focal points” for aging inthe 21st century.

While we work together, we must remember our initialresolve to be multipurpose, while planning ahead for theneeds of future generations who are accustomed to choices.

This will be key to the vitality of oursenior centers and will retain our roleas the community “fountainhead” ofservices for seniors.

AARON P. SIMONTON is president of the Michigan Association of SeniorCenters (MASC) and has been execu-tive director of the Monroe SeniorCenter for 30 years. MI


GUESTClose-Up

Older adults practice Tai Chi outside the Monroe Senior Center.

F O C A L P O I N T S F O R A G I N G

Metaphors:The Metamorphosis

of Senior Centers

What are the typical symptoms ofParkinson’s?TREMORS ARE COMMON, USUALLY IN ONE

or both hands. The tremors are mostnoticeable when the hand is not beingused. Handwriting might be sloppy, smalland illegible. Buttoning clothes, particu-larly sleeves, can be a problem. A personmight slow down, and tasks might taketwice as long to do. The movement of anarm or a leg might slow down so much thatit seems to be paralyzed, or it might be sostiff that it aches like arthritis. Walking canbe affected. Early on, a person might stoopand shuffle the feet; later there may beimbalance and falls.

How is Parkinson’s diagnosed?THE DIAGNOSIS IS BASED ON HISTORY

and examination, usually by a physician.When examined, a person might haveimpaired finger dexterity, tremors, stiffmuscle tone, stooped posture, abnormalwalking or poor balance.

Is the diagnosis ever wrong?A DEPRESSED PERSON MIGHT LOOK LIKE

he has Parkinson’s, and vice versa. Also, ifa person is taking the anti-nausea medi-cines phenergan, compazine or reglan, oranti-psychotic medications, and is extra-

sensitive to these medicines, then the per-son may experience Parkinson’s symptomsthat can last for weeks after stopping themedicine. Finally, there are rare Parkin-son’s-like diseases in which symptoms usu-ally don’t respond as well to Parkinson’smedicines, and health can deterioratequicker than in Parkinson’s disease. Theclues that a person might have one of theserare Parkinson’s-like conditions are thatsymptoms are symmetric, there are few orno tremors, and other, unusual symptomssuch as poor memory, choking or faintingare prominent from the outset.

What causes Parkinson’s?N O O N E K N O W S W H AT C A U S E S

Parkinson’s. It is more common in olderpeople, but it can rarely occur in teenagersand young adults. Typically, the disease isnot inherited. Given the pattern of the dis-ease in the community, it looks like it isslightly more common in people who grewup on a farm, drank well water, arc-weldedand didn’t smoke. What these clues meanis not known.

Are there other clues? AT AUTOPSY, THE BRAIN OF A PERSON

with Parkinson’s has loss of pigment in anormally pigmented area called the sub-stantia nigra. This lack of pigment is theresult of a loss of nerve cells. When viewedby microscope, sick neurons contain mate-rial called Lewy bodies, and these cellsmake dopamine. In Parkinson’s patients,the brain lacks dopamine.

What medicines are used to treatParkinson’s and do they have sideeffects?THE MAIN TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON’Sincrease dopamine levels in the brain, alle-viating symptoms.

The classic treatment is l-dopa, or levo-dopa, which gets into the brain, where it isturned into dopamine. Levo-dopa works

best during the first several years of thedisease. There are three types — Sinemet,Sinemet CR and Stalevo — each of whichhas different dosage strengths. The mainside effect is nausea, which usually occurswithin the first 48 hours of treatment.Because patients can get quite sick, elderlypatients in particular should not be leftalone during this time. Also, Stalevo usu-ally turns the urine orange-red.

Dopamine agonists are medicines thatenter the brain and mimic dopamine’sactions in the brain. The commonly usedagonists are Mirapex and Requip. Agoniststend to not work as well and have moreside effects compared to l-dopa, but theagonists’ beneficial effects continue foryears longer than l-dopa. While l-dopadoes not affect the course of the disease, itis possible that the agonists either slowdown Parkinson’s or prolong the beneficialeffect of l-dopa when both are giventogether. Side effects of agonists caninclude nausea, faintness, confusion andvisual hallucinations.

Amantidine and some other medicineswork to treat mild symptoms. A new once-daily medicine, Agilect, has just beenapproved by the FDA for treatment ofParkinson’s symptoms.

What is the role of surgery inParkinson’s?THE ROLE OF SURGERY IN PARKINSON’Svaries. Experienced, specialized neuro-surgery centers can get excellent resultswith small risks, provided that they selectpatients carefully. So far, it seems that surgery improves tremors the most andimbalance the least. Memory loss can beexacerbated. MI

DR. EVANS is a practicing, board-certified neurologist in Traverse City whoalso does clinical trials for patients withParkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease,epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

ASKtheExpert Brad Evans, M.D.

Do you have acaregiving question?Write or email your question to our

“Expert” at: Jenny Jarvis,Area Agency

on Aging 1-B, 29100 Northwestern

Highway, Suite 400, Southfield, MI 48034;

[email protected] will make every

effort to answer your question in an

upcoming issue of Michigan Generations.

Parkinson’s DiseaseLatest Treatments

Spring 2005 9

REGIONALNews

In communities

across the U.S.,

Area Agencies on

Aging (AAAs) serve

as gateways to local

resources, planning

efforts and services

that help older adults

remain independent.

Here are the

programs and

services offered by

Michigan’s AAAs.

SPOTLIGHT ON…

11

10 9

7

5

1A1C

2

8

14

6

3B3A

3C4

1B

6 Tri-County Office on Aging

7 Region VII Area Agency on Aging

8 Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan

9 NEMCSA Region 9 Area Agency on Aging

10 Area Agency onAging of NorthwestMichigan

11 Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging

14 Senior Resources of West Michigan

1A Detroit Area Agency on Aging

1B Area Agency on Aging 1-B

1C The Senior Alliance

2 Region 2 Area Agency on Aging

3A Kalamazoo Cty.Human Services Dept.Region 3A

3B Burnham-Brook Region IIIB

3C Branch-St.Joseph Area Agency on Aging IIIC

4 Region IV Area Agency on Aging

5 Valley AreaAgency on Aging


The Jackson County Departmenton Aging has for the past decade

been providing support services forrelatives as parents through theGrandparents and Other Relatives asParents Program. By building on thestrengths of the relative caregivers andthe children they are parenting, thisprogram empowers relatives in theirroles as parents. Jennifer Guthrie,MSW, is program coordinator.

The goals of the program are toeducate relative caregivers about theirrights and responsibilities; to supporttheir adjustment to parental roles;to reduce stress and the feelings ofisolation sometimes experienced bycaregivers; to assist with developing

the skills needed toprovide safe and stable family envi-ronments; to assistwith locating andobtaining the com-munity resourcesneeded for families;and to provide legaladvocacy to assistwith achieving per-manency for the children in their care.

To achieve these goals, the programoffers information and assistance,referrals to community resources,advocacy and support, legal advocacyand services, family and parenting edu-cation, a lending and resource library,

intergenerationalprojects, familyactivities andevents, peer support groupsfor relative care-givers, supportgroups for chil-dren and care-giver respite. Inaddition to year-round services,the program

holds an annual conference for relativecaregiver families, a family picnic and aholiday party. Support from the Region2 Area Agency on Aging has helped tofund the program.

For information, contact Ginny Wood-Bailey at Region 2 AAA, 1-800-335-7881.

Serving Hillsdale, Jackson and Lenawee counties

Bill and Judy Flannery and theirgrandchildren enjoy Grandparents and OtherRelatives as Parents Summer 2004 Picnic .

Support for Grandparents andOther Relatives as Parents

Region 2 Area Agency on Aging

What do these subjects have incommon: Medicare, Senior

Employment and Training, Long-TermCare Options,AIDS and HIV Aware-ness,Aging Well, Grandparents’ Rightsand Access to Health Care? Besidesthe fact that they are all essential tothe well-being of many seniors livingthroughout Michigan, each of theseissues was featured on the SeniorSolution, a weekly radio talk showsponsored by the Detroit Area Agencyon Aging.

The Senior Solution radio programbegan in November 2001 as an agencyvehicle to disseminate informationthroughout the community. Hosted by DAAA Executive Director PaulBridgewater, the program airs Satur-days at 10:00 a.m. on WGPR 107.5FM. Each week, the Senior Solutionfocuses on a subject chosen specifi-cally because of its importance tometropolitan Detroit seniors.

“One of the questions that I amfrequently asked is — how do youcome up with topics for the show?”says ShirleyWilliams, DAAAcommunicationsmanager. “Wehave a DAAACommunica-tions Commit-tee representingstaff from thedifferent depart-ments withinour agency. Eachmember of thecommitteebrings to thetable different areas of expertise and isfamiliar with the questions that seniorshave related to their particular field. Inaddition, we go directly to seniors and

caregivers and ask them for their sug-gestions on good show topics.”

“Our committee meets once aweek to discuss the topics that are rel-evant to seniors and their caregivers,”

continues Williams,“and then wedevelop shows around these topics.”

The Senior Solution is especiallybeneficial to homebound seniors who

listen to the program to keep awareof what’s going on within their com-munity and to keep current on what’snewsworthy to older adults. Bridgewa-ter says, “Access to information andcurrent events is one of the mostimportant ways for a senior to keepup-to-date on pertinent issues thatmay provide useful in maintaining theirdignity and independence. This is ourforemost objective with this program.”

Some of the Senior Solution’s pastguests have included U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, U.S. CongressmanJohn Conyers, U.S. CongressmanSander Levin, U.S. CongresswomanCarolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, MichiganSupreme Court Judge Marilyn Kellyand former Michigan State AttorneyGeneral Frank Kelly.

For more information on the SeniorSolution, call Shirley Williams, DAAA com-munications manager, at 313-446-4444,ext. 5335.

Detroit Area Agencyon AgingServing Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and the five Grosse Pointes in Wayne County

The Senior Solution Radio Show Keeps Seniors Informed

Paul Bridgewater, host of the Senior Solution, interviews a guest.

The Senior Solution Committee discusses show topics.

Spring 2005 11

For close to 11 years, PhyllisKennedy cared for her late hus-

band, Robert (Bob). She says, “Hestarted out forgetting little things thatmany of us do, such as misplacing doc-uments, forgetting to pay bills or whatwe had for lunch the day before.”

As Bob’s dementia progressivelyworsened and he developed othermedical conditions, Phyllis became hisprimary caregiver — and eventually,for the last several years, she caredfor him 24 hours a day, seven days aweek. Fortunately, Phyllis wasreferred to the Area Agency on Aging1-B (AAA 1-B) and, working withBeth Czaplicki, a registered nursecare manager, she was linked withvarious community programs andreceived assistance with, and respitefrom, her caregiving duties.

Sheltering Arms Adult Day Centerwas one of the respite services thatBob attended a few hours a day, threedays a week, to give Phyllis some per-sonal time. “The staff at ShelteringArms was wonderful,” says Phyllis.“Bob thoroughly enjoyed going to theprogram and looked forward to eachof his visits. And it gave me time torun errands, do our grocery shoppingand attend my own appointments.”

Adult day serviceoffers group respitecare that is providedoutside the home and designed to meetthe individual needs ofthe participants andto support strengths,abilities and independ-ence. Throughout theday, participants havethe opportunity tointeract with otherswhile being part of astructured environ-ment. Daily activitiesmay include music,recreation and sup-port groups. Hours of service vary, butcenters are oftenopen 7–10 hours perday, five days a week.

However, eventu-ally Phyllis needed a longer period ofrespite for herself.Her daughter worksin theater in Washington and wasbeing honored at an award show for set design. Phyllis was very com-mitted to attending the show and

supporting her daughter. So Bethreferred Phyllis to the AAA 1-B’s Out of Home Respite Program,where she could leave Bob in a

Respite Services for Caregivers

Serving the counties of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Washtenaw

AreaAgencyon Aging 1-B

Phyllis and her late husband, Bob, at his 90th birthday party.


The Area Agency on Aging 1-B is the first resource for older adults, caregivers and per-sons with disabilities to call when looking to resolve problems or locate the resourcesthey need to improve the quality of their life.

When individuals call the toll-free Information and Assistance (I&A) service at 1-800-852-7795, they speak with a certified Information and Referral Specialist to determine what their needs are and the services and assistance available to addressthose needs. Once the needs are determined, the specialist accesses the I&A databaseof over 2,000 community agencies and mails the indi-vidual a complete listing of relevant services andproviders in their local community.

Call us. We can help.

Help is a Phone Call Away

1-800-852-7795

The Area Agency on Aging 1-B has a Senior Commu-nity Service Employment Program to help low-

income seniors refresh or build job skills and re-enterthe workforce.

You’ll be placed in a part-time community serviceassignment to gain experience and become job-ready. Youcan serve your community— at libraries, hospitals,senior centers and otherlocal organizations — whileexpanding your skills andearning an income.

To qualify, annual incomemust be less than $11,963for one person or lessthan $16,038 for a familyof two.

For more information onthe Senior Employment Program, contact Tanya Kurtz,Area Agency on Aging 1-B, at248-262-9215.

Mitzi Barnett, a programparticipant, is now employed by the City of Southfield in the SeniorDivision of the Parks andRecreation Department.

The aroma of homemade soupand rolls. Coffee and conver-

sation among people who under-stand. Energizing exercise, a relaxingmassage and music. For family care-givers, these scenarios may not seempossible, but they are.

The Kalamazoo County CaregiverResource Center Advisory Council hasbeen sponsoring a Caregiver WellnessDay for several years. The day is dedi-cated to family caregivers as a time forrenewal, relaxation and an opportunityto receive information that might helpwith caregiving duties. The event isfree, and transportation and respitecare are available. There are severalworkshops to choose from, featuringmind, body and spirit experiences,

along with a good dose of laughter andplenty of food. Contact the CaregiverResource Center to sign up for thenext Caregiver Well-ness Day.

When you arecaring for others,taking care of your-self is like performing

regularmaintenanceon your car. It is critical to staying inshape over time. Hereare some ways to nur-ture yourself: Maintainsocial contacts; call onfriends and relatives forhelp; use communityresources to get a break;talk about your situationwith supportive friends,

clergy or professionals; eat well and getenough sleep; exercise regularly; dosomething you enjoy each day.

Covering Kalamazoo County and its 24 municipalities

Caregiver Resource Center . . . . . . . . . . . 269-978-0085www.SeniorServices1.org

AAA 3A Information & Assistance . . . . . . 269-373-5173 www.kalcounty.com/aaa/index.htm

Kalamazoo Cty. Human Services Dept.Region3A

Take Care of Yourself

Caregiver Wellness Day.

Spring 2005 13

Are You 55 or Older and Looking for Work?

licensed assisted-living facility for up to two weeks on avoluntary cost share basis. During the time that Phylliswas going to Washington, the Out of Home Respite loca-tion at ALCC, an assisted-living facility in Monroe, wasavailable. ALCC also specializes in dementia care, so it wasan ideal place for Bob to stay.

“Bob was very happy during his stay at ALCC,” remarksPhyllis. “He told me many times how much he enjoyed thestaff, the food and his room.” Phyllis was impressed with theexcellent care that Bob received during his stay at ALCC andthe personal attention he received.

“I can’t sing their praises enough,” states Phyllis. “Theywere so kind to Bob. Because of his other medical condi-tions, the chef kept a special pot of soup in the fridge withhis name on it. On his birthday they cooked him one of hisfavorite meals.”

Although it was a very difficult decision, Phyllis chose tohave Bob stay at ALCC, where he could receive quality carein a very homelike atmosphere. “He was happy there,” shesays. “Although we had been married for 45 years, with hisadvanced dementia he no longer remembered who I was,recognized our home or missed our life together. It was amuch harder separation for myself, since I love him and hadbeen caring for him for so many years. But I had to do whatwas best for him and for myself.”

For more information on respite services, please call the AreaAgency on Aging 1-B at 1-800-852-7795.

Federal funding from the OlderAmericans Act serves as an impor-

tant catalyst in the development of aninnovative and effective local partner-ship. Senior Health Partners (SHP) is apartnership between Burnham Brook,which houses the Region IIIB AreaAgency on Aging (AAA) and a broadarray of health and in-home services;the Battle Creek Health System, thelocal hospital system that includes certified home health services; andSummit Pointe, the local mental healthauthority. SHP was formed to worktogether toward a shared goal ofimproving the delivery of health,wellness and education services toolder adults and their families or othernatural supports.

Health and wellness education andscreening programs include blood sugarscreening, blood pressure checks,cholesterol screening, depression andmemory screening, disease-related andcaregiver support groups, foot care,acupuncture and massage. Education,screening and promotion servicesoccur at multiple sites in the commu-nity, including the health clinic locatedat Burnham Brook Region IIIB AAA.

A major thrust of Burnham Brook’sactivities within SHP is to provide supportive services to family caregivers.Short-term relief from the burdens ofcaregiving is provided through respiteservices delivered either in the homesof care recipients or at an overnightrespite center. Numerous support

groups are provided,including a Parkinson’sgroup with more than 30 participants.Staff members are currently planningfor the development of a Parkinson’sInstitute. Other support groups includeCaregivers, Alzheimer’s, Long-TermCare, Stroke, Arthritis and Diabetes.

The partners will continue toexplore avenues and opportunities tobring comprehensive health promotionand support services to today’s olderpopulation and their families. SHP willalso plan for adaptation of activities to meet the needs and preferences of the next generation as they enter the60-and-older group.

For more information, please call 269-966-8136 or visit our website atwww.burnhambrook.com.

There are times when an agencygoes the extra mile to assist fami-

lies in handling stressful situations.The St. Joseph County Commission onAging (COA) has been busy advocatingfor families through the agency’s CaseCoordination & Support, Chore andCaregiver Support programs.

The COA recently assisted theSmith family (their name has beenchanged to respect confidentiality) ofThree Rivers to relocate over 200miles away. Mrs. Smith and her daugh-ter tried to begin the process on theirown; however, they found it very confusing and difficult.Turning to theCOA for help was their answer! Case Coordination & Support staff

advocated and assisted the Smiths by:• Coordinating resources with over

eight other community organizations.• Handling municipal code viola-

tions related to safety.• Researching available housing and

facilitating the housing applicationprocess.

• Arranging for and assisting inmoving personal belongings.

• Coordinating in-home services inthe new area.

Because of the agency’s persistenceand knowledge, Mrs. Smith’s move wasseamless. The family did not have tomake multiple phone calls, or feel frus-trated or anxious about having in-homeservices set up, and Mrs. Smith was ableto remain living independently.

Lynn Coursey, Executive Directorof the St. Joseph County Commissionon Aging, shares: “Our agency — and

each staff member — is fully committed toserving older adults, even when thesituation is extremely complex orappears impossible at the outset; that’swhen we’re at our best!”

Federal and state funding throughthe Branch-St. Joseph AAA helps tosupport these programs. Case Coordi-nation & Support brokers existingcommunity services, enhances informalsupport systems and arranges forservices on behalf of an individual.Chore services provide for householdmaintenance to enhance personalsafety. Caregiver Support programsassist families who have unique needsduring difficult times.

For more information on these services, please call 517-279-9561,ext. 137, or toll-free 1-888-615-8009.

Burnham Brook Region IIIBServing Barry and Calhoun counties in Southwest Michigan


Branch–St.JosephAreaAgencyonAging IIIC

Senior Health Partners

Stepping Up to the Plate

Serving a two-county area surrounding Sturgis, Three Rivers, Coldwater and Quincy

In Webster’s dictionary, “traditional” isdescribed as “a long-established cus-

tom or practice.” When most peoplethink of a traditional family, they thinkof a mother, a father and their childrenall living together. However, there aremany families that look very differentfrom this picture. One type of familyconsists of children being raised bytheir grandparents or other relatives.

Of the 2.4 million children in thiscountry who live in this type of familysetting, 2,617 reside in southwestlower Michigan. Although this numbermay seem high, often people with thisfamily arrangement feel isolated andunique in their situation.

“The Party Line” is a telephone

support groupfor these care-givers. When itwas clear thattypical supportgroups werenot meetingthe needs ofthese families,the Party Linewas established. The Party Line givescaregivers a chance to share thoughts,feelings, frustrations and triumphswithout leaving their home andresponsibilities. In addition, “the Break-fast Bunch” meets regularly for break-fast.This group of Party Lineparticipants wanted the opportunity to

put faceswith thevoices they hear on the tele-phone. The breakfasts pro-vide a wonderful opportunityto socialize and enjoy eachother’s company.

As an agency, it is impor-tant to provide these specialcaregivers with love, supportand encouragement.TheParty Line and the BreakfastBunch are just two ways thatthe Region IV Area Agency

on Aging Grandparents Raising Grand-children and Relatives as Parents Pro-gram attempts to unite these braveindividuals.

If you or someone you know is raisinga grandchild or relative and would likemore information, please call 269-983-7058 or 1-877-660-2725.

Region IVArea Agency on AgingCovering Michigan’s Great Southwest including Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties

A loving grandparent.

There are more and more peoplewho, at 60-plus years of age, find

themselves in the role of “parent”again. Although this is not at all whatthey had envisioned for themselvesafter retirement, it is becoming morecommonplace for seniors to play therole of a parent/caregiver for theirgrandchildren or other family mem-bers such as nieces or nephews.

Kinship Caregiver Respite is a program that provides temporary

respite assistance to individuals whofind themselves in the parenting rolefor a second or, in some cases, a thirdtime. Kinship Caregiver Respite isdefined as “providing a brief period ofrest or relief from day-to-day caregiv-ing when the community client iseither a dependent family member ora primary caregiver.” The Valley AreaAgency on Aging (VAAA) provides thisservice through funding from theNational Family Caregiver Support

Program. To qualify for therespite service, individuals mustbe age 60 and over, reside inGenesee County and live with a

younger relative, actingas the primary care-giver of the child.

Through the program,VAAA is ableto enroll the child in lessons outside ofthe home, allow the child to attend daycamps, provide in-home respite, arrangeday care services at local programs oreven provide memberships for theentire family at the local YMCA. Infor-mation and referral services are alsoavailable for caregivers and theirdependents. VAAA will provide theexpertise of a social worker/case man-ager to assist with arranging care andlocating resources for furniture, cloth-ing, tutoring and financial assistance.

For more information, contact VAAA at 711 N. Saginaw St., Suite 111, Flint,MI 48503, or call 810-239-7671 or toll-free at 1-800-978-6275 for eligibilityrequirements.

ValleyAreaAgencyonAgingServing Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee counties

Kinship Caregiver Respite

Caregivers Connect Through the Party Line

Grandchildren have fun at karate while theirgrandparents enjoy some respite.

15

Our Area Agency on Aging is help-ing its seniors by providing fund-

ing for licensed attorneys, and it’s onlya toll-free phone call away! LakeshoreLegal Aid serves our entire 10-countyregion and assists with guardianshipsand conservatorships, medical and/ordurable powers of attorney,elder abuse and domesticrelations issues.This legalstaff is equipped to answerquestions regarding SocialSecurity, Medicare/Medicaid,SSI, housing and landlord/

tenant matters, consumer fraud and/orscams, wills, deeds or debtor/creditorproblems. Many issues are solved rightover the phone.Appointments for in-person meetings may be set up at theirhome office in Caro, or at the client’snearest County Commission on Aging,

Division on Aging orCouncil on Aging Office.These traveling lawyers visit each ofour 10 counties at least once permonth, and are willing to visit a senior’sresidence if homebound, or a nursinghome or hospital when necessary.Thetoll-free number is 1-866-552-2889.

The role of Lakeshore Legal Aid isto listen, assist, inform and represent

as needed.There is no chargefor their services; however,they will accept a monetarycontribution toward the pro-gram if the client insists.Lakeshore Legal Aid is awaitingyour call!

For further information orassistance, contact Region VII at1615 South Euclid Avenue, BayCity, MI 48706, or call toll-free at1-800-858-1637.

RegionVII Area Agency on AgingServing Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties

Free Legal Services to the Rescue!

An important factor in the successof the Tri-County Office on Aging

(TCOA) has been the community’scommitment, resourcefulness andinnovativeness in planning. The UrbanCooperation Act of 1967 establishedthe governing structure for the devel-opment of the TCOA. In 1974, an out-standing example of intergovernmentalcooperation formed the Tri-CountyAging Consortium. This strong coop-eration between the members existstoday. The 13-member ConsortiumAdministrative Board is composed ofelected officials that include a repre-sentative from the Lansing Mayor’sOffice; three from the Lansing CityCouncil; one from the East LansingCity Council; two from the Clinton

County Commission; and three repre-sentatives each from the Eaton andIngham County Commissions. Mem-bership is based on a formula usingthe 60-plus population in this region.

This Consortium has the responsi-bility to direct the operations ofTCOA and set policy at monthlymeetings. Leadership is rotated amongthe membership. The three-county membership of the Consortium doesnot have Commissions on Aging, nordo the two cities have Departmentson Aging.TCOA was formed to servethat purpose in this region as well asto fulfill the functions of an AreaAgency on Aging as set forth in theOlder Americans Act and the OlderMichiganians Act.

Acting in an advisorycapacity to the Consor-tium Board is the Tri-County AgingConsortium Advisory Council. At leastone-half of the council consists of sen-ior citizens appointed by their respec-tive local units of government. TheAdvisory Council has the same pro-portional membership as seen in theBoard. The remaining members repre-sent community agencies/organizationsthat provide services to senior citi-zens. The Consortium Board approvesall appointments.The composition ofthe Advisory Council offers the per-spectives of both seniors and serviceproviders on aging issues.

For further information, contact the Tri-County Office on Aging at 517-887-1440or 1-800-405-9141.

Tri-County Office on AgingA consortium of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties and the cities of Lansing and East Lansing

Unique Governance Brings Success

Lakeshore Legal Aid staff — back row,left to right: Supervising Attorney

Ron Emerson, Executive Director BillKnight and Staff Attorney Ann Ozog.

Seated, left to right: Secretary AprilCrumby and Paralegal Tasha Stevens.


To be an older adult in greaterGrand Rapids means to be healthy,

active and engaged in the community,according to results of a scientificallybased, nationally developed AdvantAgesurvey. Breaking negative stereotypes,the survey found the Grand Rapidsarea scoring above average in cate-gories such as volunteer work, physicalactivity, participation in social eventsand overall health. “Older adults inKent County are overwhelminglyvibrant, contented and active contribu-tors to their families, neighbors andcommunities,” says Diana Sieger, presi-dent of the Grand Rapids Community

Foundation (GRCF). “The frail areindeed the minority.”

Maggie Fegel, 90, is among the 42percent who say they volunteer. WhenMaggie’s not visiting nursing homes withher dog,Tippy Toes, she is volunteering

for Meals on Wheels orGod’s Kitchen.

The survey foundtrends that are

prevalent in manyother communi-ties. For exam-ple, 95 percent

of older adultswant to remain intheir homes, andthey value serv-

ices that will help

them do that. Only 23percent reported need-ing help with daily living activities, ofwhich half said their needs were notbeing met.

The AdvantAge survey was carriedout for the Creating Community for aLifetime Initiative, spearheaded byGRCF and the Area Agency on Agingof Western Michigan (AAAWM), whichis planning for a senior population thatwill double in the next three decades.“Our goal is to build on the strengths,meet the needs of the isolated andfrail, and create an elder-friendly com-munity where people will want togrow old,” says Nora Barkey, contractcoordinator at AAAWM. “We believethis is a model for other communities.”

For more information, call the AreaAgency on Aging of Western Michigan at1-888-456-5664.

Area Agency on Agingof Western MichiganServing Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties

Creating an Elder-Friendly Community

Spring 2005 17

Maggie Fegel of Grand Rapids, a vibrantvolunteer at age 90, visits nursing

homes with her dog,Tippy Toes.

The Northeastern region’s Com-missions and Councils on Aging

(COA) have been involved in manyeducational opportunities related tosafety for their communities’ seniors.

Law enforcement personnel areinvolved with TRIAD efforts inRoscommon County along with theCOA, offering presentations such as “Avoiding Legal and Financial Mis-takes” with assistance from Legal Services of Northern Michigan.

The West Branch City PoliceDepartment just concluded a SeniorCitizen Police Academy for OgemawCounty seniors. The group was edu-cated on legal issues, emergency med-ical and fire department services,911 dispatch, K-9, DNR and criminalinvestigation techniques.

The Arenac County COA workedwith a team of area professionals todevelop an enhanced 911 form. Plans toprovide help services and medical atten-tion to search-and-rescue needs wereput into place.

The Oscoda County COA will be offering its first Safe, Sound andSecure conference this year. Presque

Isle County has estab-lished a TRIAD groupstemming from the suc-cessful Safe, Sound andSecure conference pro-vided by their COA.

The Alcona CountyCOA, along with SheriffEllinger, offers personalsafety classes through-out the year.

The Otsego COA collaborateswith their county’s R.S.V.P. workers’efforts in assisting independent-livingseniors and handicapped citizenslisted on their emergency servicesregistry.

For information regarding senior safety issues, call the AAA office at 989-356-3474.

NEMCSA Region9 Area Agencyon AgingCovering 12 counties of Northeast Michigan

Sheriff Flewelling,Undersheriff Paschke and Roger City Police Chief Quaine gather with members of the newly formed Presque Isle CountyTRIAD group. The group’s first safety conference will be held in May.

Seniors Learn About Safety Issues

Grandparents who raise grandchil-dren experience both positive

and negative effects on their emo-tional, physical and financial well-being.

The National Family Caregiver Sup-port Program provides resources forArea Agencies on Aging to develop sup-port programs that will assist grandpar-ents who find themselves in a parentingposition for the second time around.The specific focus is on adults over theage of 60 who are responsible, legally orotherwise, for the care of childrenunder the age of 18.

Kinship care relationships developfrom any number of factors. Grandpar-ents could find themselves in caregiversituations as the result of the death of aparent, divorce, substance abuse problems

or lack of parental maturity, or perhapseven when one of the parents is in themilitary and has been deployed overseas.

The Area Agency on Aging has begunworking with several local service

providers and the Michigan State Uni-versity School of Social Work/KinshipCare Resource Center to identify localneeds and the types of services and/orprograms that may need to be devel-oped to assist Upper Peninsula grand-parents.

Upper Peninsula fami-lies have prided themselvesin caring for one another and not askingfor help. As such, problems associatedwith kinship care relationships are notwell documented. The Upper PeninsulaArea Agency on Aging, along with itsproviders, will be conducting extensive

outreachefforts overthe next sev-eral monthsto both iden-tify kinshipcare families

and to determine the types of assis-tance that may be of benefit to thosefamilies.

If you or someone you know is in a kin-ship care relationship, please call the UpperPeninsula Senior Help Line at 1-800-338-7227.The call will be kept confidential.

Upper Peninsula Area Agencyon AgingServing all 15 counties of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

AAA Develops Kinship Care Program


AFACT grant from Michigan StateUniversity Extension and another

from Michigan Office of Services to theAging (OSA) have made an innovativeprogram possible in northern lowerMichigan. The Home Skills Enhance-ment Project, a three-part module fordirect care workers, combinesresources from the aging network with

MSU Extension.The module offersboth rationale and practical skills train-ing related to cooking, cleaning andshopping for older adult clients.

This research project is conductedby Karen Shirer, PhD, from MSUExtension and Maureen Mickus, PhD,who was involved in the direct careworker survey “Voices from theFront.” Lauren Swanson of OSA is on the steering committee and wasinstrumental in helping to get the project launched.

The modules are being pilotedwith 100 direct care workers inCadillac, Lake City,Traverse City,

Petoskey, Cheboyganand Gaylord locationsand are being presented by Commu-nity Services Network (CSN), a non-profit organization that focuses onrecruitment and retention of directcare workers. The modules will beavailable statewide when the researchproject is finished.

A representative of the AreaAgency on Aging of Northwest Michi-gan serves on the CSN Board and haspromoted the pilot project by encour-aging providers to take advantage ofthis landmark training opportunity.CSN also offers training programs inareas such as dementia, body mechan-ics and elder abuse in any setting oflong-term care.

For more information about the pilot project or CSN, contact AAANM at1-800-442-1713.

AreaAgency on Aging of Northwest MichiganOffering information and funding senior services in the 10-county area of Northwest Lower Michigan

Enhancing the Skills of Direct Care Workers

Chris Curtin, the trainer from Community ServicesNetwork, teaches a senior student about food portionsand nutritional content.

Grandparents who raise grandchildren experienceboth positive and negative effects on their emotional, physical and financial well-being.

Spring 2005 19

At the age of 63, Ellen finds herselfresponsible for raising children.

Ellen and her husband already raisedtheir own four children, but now theirgrandchildren need their care or theywill enter the foster care system. Ellenand her husband did not plan to raisea second generation of children at thistime in their lives, but they will do thebest they can.

Many grandparents providing careto their grandchildren find their per-sonal resources stretched to the limit,coupled with lack of support fromfriends and others who cannot identifywith what they are going through.Child and Family Services of Muskegonoffers their Grandparents RaisingGrandchildren Program to residents of

Muskegon, Oceana andOttawa counties. Any grand-parent who is providing careto their grandchild(ren) iswelcome to call for commu-nity resource information,receive assistance with aproblem or challenge, partici-pate in an eight-week educa-tional seminar or join amonthly support group.

Fourteen grandparentsare currently enrolled inChild and Family Services’ educationalseminar for Grandparents RaisingGrandchildren. Five children are pro-vided day care while the group ismeeting. Group discussion may focuson sharing legal issues, learning com-

munityresources orprovidingencouragementto members.Participants maypose questionsabout how tohandle grand-children whoseem resentfuland are “lashingout.” Possibly

more important are the laughter andgood humor that are evident withinthe group; it’s great to be involved.

For more information, call NancyWeller at Child and Family Services,231-726-3582.

Senior Resourcesof West MichiganLocated on the shores of Lake Michigan, serving the three counties of Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa

children. The Kinship Care ResourceCenter, sponsored by Michigan StateUniversity, has a toll-free hotline toanswer legal, guardianship and otherquestions, as well as services for kinshipfamilies. For a list of resources, see“Where Grandparents Can Get Help,”page 20.

Perhaps the most helpful resourceavailable to any grandparent is a supportgroup of other grandparents in the samesituation. The meetings provide a briefrespite from their parenting duties,understanding shoulders to cry on, les-sons learned by others who have traveledthe same road and a break from isolation.All around the state, support groups withnames such as “Grandparents RaisingGrandchildren,” “Second Time Around”and “Grandparents as Parents” givegrandparents a much-needed frameworkof support.

Second Time Around in Kalamazoo istypical of such groups. The foundation of

the group is an eight-week series of semi-nars, covering topics such as legaloptions, parenting skills, educationalissues and stress management. “We meetfor two and a half hours one eveningeach week and provide an evening mealand childcare for the grandchildren,” saysJoyce Stout, coordinator of the SecondTime Around program for the MichiganState University Cooperative ExtensionService in Kalamazoo. “We try to givethem a lot of good, useful information.They get so much help from each other,and they get a two-and-a-half-hour breakfrom their grandchildren. Most of themtell me it’s not long enough.”

In addition, Second Time Aroundorganizes three family events a year — a summer picnic, a holiday party and afloating event, which this year will be atrip to a local children’s theater produc-tion. It also has occasional workshops ona variety of topics.

Second Time Around’s most popularoffering, however, its monthly supportgroup meetings, attended by grandpar-ents who have graduated from the eight-week seminar. “We have two going on

right now, and the grandparents aredevoted to them,” says Stout.

Irene Gunnink of Three Rivers attendsStout’s support group religiously. “I reallylook forward to our Wednesday night ses-sions,” says Irene. “If I’m having a toughtime, just knowing I’ll get to meet witheveryone keeps me going. It is so wonder-ful and empowering to be surrounded bypeople who understand exactly what youare going through and who really careabout you. I can’t say enough about howmuch it has helped me.”

Those who work with grandparentswould like to see society as a wholebecome more supportive of them.“Unfortunately, many institutions andagencies make it difficult for grandpar-ents to get services and information theyneed for their grandchildren,” saysAAA1-B’s McGuire. “But this is a largeand growing segment within the commu-nity, and there needs to be a greater sen-sitivity to this issue. After all, many ofthese grandparents are stepping into ter-rible family situations and providing love,care and safety for these children. Thesegrandparents are heroes.” MI

Raising GrandchildrenContinued from page 7

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Gentiva Health ServicesServing clients in Lansing, Jackson, Flint,Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegonand Southfield. Call today to set up your

personalized homecare services. 1-800-322-7111.

Health & Home Services Unlimited, Inc.Care, companionship and peace of mind. In-home or wherever your residence may be!

We specialize in meeting your needs — from personal care to home maintenance. Insured and bonded. 1-800-314-8718.

Presbyterian Villages of Michigan Senior Living Communities

Celebrating 60 years of serving seniors of all faiths throughoutMichigan. To find out more, visit our website, www.pvm.org,or call 1-313-537-0000 for a brochure describing the variety of

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SPONSORS

Thanks to these companies and organizations for their generous support. For more information on becoming a sponsor of Michigan Generations, please call Jenny Jarvis at 248-262-9202 .

Where grandparents can get helpMichigan• Michigan Office of Services to the Aging: 517-373-9360

• Kinship Care Resource Center, Michigan State, provides atoll-free hotline to answer legal questions and provideinformation and referrals related to finances, supportgroups and other community resources: 800-535-1218 or517-355-9600 or www.kinshipcare.net Also available, acomprehensive online publication,“You Are Not Alone:ACaregiver’s Guide to Raising Relative Children in Michigan,”at www.kinshipcare.net/pubs.html

• Area Agencies on Aging.To find the office nearest you, callEldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116

• AARP Michigan offices: 1-866-227-7448

• Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors: 1-800-347-5297

• Michigan Department of Community Health, for informa-tion on Healthy Kids and MIChild: 1-888-988-6300 orwww.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2943_4860-35199-,00.html.

• Family Independence Agency, for information on Medicaid,child only grants, family grants and the Food Assistance Program: 517-373-2035 or www.michigan.gov/fia

• Michigan Department of Education Food and NutritionProgram, to apply for free and reduced school lunch andbreakfast program: 517-373-3347.

National• AARP Grandparent Information Center, includes a National

Database of Grandparent Support Groups: 202-434-2296or 1-888-687-2277 or www.aarp.org/life/grandparents

• Generations United, National Center on Grandparents andOther Relatives Raising Children, includes fact sheets onsupport services available in each state: 202-289-3979 orwww.gu.org

• GrandsPlace: 860-763-5789 or www.grandsplace.com

• Brookdale Foundation Relatives As Parents Programs(RAPP), a national network of support groups for relatives raising children informally, 212-308-7355 orwww.brookdalefoundation.org

• Children’s Defense Fund: 202-628-8787 or www.childrensdefense.org

Documents

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