Senior Services of Albany wins National Family Caregiving Award
July, 2010

From Left to Right: Jane Schramm, SSA Executive Director, Tianna Pettinger, SSA Social Worker and Michael Breslin, Albany County Executive.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — St. Louis, MO — Representatives from leading aging organizations and agencies from around the nation convened in St. Louis, MO on July 20, 2010 to honor the 2010 winners of the National Family Caregiving Awards, sponsored by the National Alliance for Caregiving with support from the MetLife Foundation. The programs were recognized for their innovation, effectiveness and response to caregiver needs in their communities.

“We were thrilled to learn about so many innovative, diverse and effective community programs around the country that support and educate family caregivers,” said Gail Gibson Hunt, President & CEO, National Alliance for Caregiving. “The support these programs provide to caregivers is so critical, especially during these difficult economic times when the time and expense of caregiving are so challenging for many caregivers, and they can serve as models for other communities.”

Senior Services of Albany, Inc., an area not-for-profit human service organization in operation since 1952, was awarded $20,000 for their Telephone Support Groups, which enhance the effectiveness, accessibility and reach of a mainstay of caregiver support—the support group—by delivering an evidence-based program to family caregivers who are connected by telephone conference call.  The award monies are given to allow the chosen entities to continue and enhance their support for caregivers. To win the award, non-profit organizations from around the country competed in the categories of caregiver support and education, either as a small community (with a population of 100,000 or fewer) or a large community (100,001 or more. Applicants were asked to demonstrate how they are innovative, effective and replicable based on research and their response to diverse populations. Applicants were then judged by a panel of experts on caregiving who selected the nine award-winning programs.

Other award winners were: Alzheimer’s Association, Central and Western Virginia Chapter in Charlottesville, VA; Fox GERI: Geriatric Education & Research Institute of Cherry Hill; Interfaith Care Partners of Houston, TX; Multicultural Community Services of the Pioneer Valley of Springfield, MA; New York University (NYU) Langone School of Medicine of New York, NY; Partners in Care, Inc. of Pasadena, MD; The Kennedy Center, Inc. of Trumbull, CT; Weill Cornell Medical College of New York, NY.

“We are thrilled to receive this national recognition for our innovative caregiver program” stated Jane Schramm, Executive Director of Senior Services of Albany, Inc. “Our telephone support groups have proven to be a vital resource for hundreds of caregivers and their families throughout the Capital Region.  An estimated 80% of all care received by older Americans is provided by family members – spouses, children, grandchildren and other relatives. Nearly 60% of caregivers are employed and nearly 40% of caregivers have children under the age of 18. Managing the competing priorities of work and family, in addition to caregiving, is stressful and costly and can exact a heavy toll, resulting in burn-out and health problems. Our unique program offers a flexible solution.”

Put your best foot forward for the 22nd Freihofer Community Walk
April, 2010

Senior Services of Albany is recruiting volunteers to participate in the 22nd annual Freihofer’s Community Walk slated for Saturday, June 5th 2010 at 12:30 p.m. The event, which begins and ends outside the New York State Museum, provides an opportunity for more than 80 regional non-profit organizations to raise funds through walk pledges. Funds raised by walkers at this year’s event will be used toward Meals on Wheels.

All walkers must check in at the Community Walk registration area located on the Concourse Level of the Empire State Plaza at the bus terminal (in front of the main cafeteria) starting at 11:30 a.m. T-shirts will be given to the first 1,000 walkers who arrive, and all participants will receive a delicious box of Freihofer’s chocolate chip cookies.

Free event parking is available at the East Garage located on the corner of Eagle Street and Madison Avenue. The garage can be accessed from I-787 via the Plaza Exit. Follow the signs to East Garage parking. From the Madison Avenue Exit, turn right onto Eagle Street and then enter the garage on the right.

• Register Online. Please choose Organization ID: #306 for Senior Services of Albany.
• Pledge Forms. Please make check donations payable to Senior Services of Albany. Donations may also be made online. Please indicate in the comment box "Freihofer's Community Walk".

If you prefer to have registration forms and pledge sheets sent to you, send email to Carol Whittaker (cxw02@health.state.ny.us) or call (518) 463-4381. For additional information about the Freihofer’s Community Walk, visit http://freihofersrun.com/community_walk.htm, or call (518) 273-5552. For the latest news about the event, fan the Community Walk on Facebook. You can also follow the walk on Twitter.

March is National Meals on Wheels Month
March, 2010

Join Senior Services of Albany on March 24, 2010 in celebration of "March for Meals" a national initiative of Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) to call attention to the problem of senior hunger in America. The Hon. Gerry Jennings, Mayor of the City of Albany will be joining SSA's Meals on Wheels staff delivering meals to homebound senior residents in Albany; in support of Mayors for Meals, another component of "March for Meals".

This year, Boston Market, IHOP Restaurants and the Hidden Cafe will be donating a portion of their sales to SSA's Meals on Wheels program. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to support Meals on Wheels by visiting these establishments on March 24, 2010, Wednesday. Click here for more information.

Charitable Foundations lend support to Meals on Wheels
January, 2010

Albany, New York –Senior Services of Albany’s Meal On Wheels program recently received several generous grants in support of its continued services to the elderly and homebound in our communities.  We appreciate the support of:

• TD Bank Charitable Foundation
• The Equinox - Albany Community Foundation Fund
• The Verizon Foundation

Senior Services’ Meals On Wheels program is one of the largest home delivered meal programs in upstate New York, delivering more than 320,000 meals in 2009 to the homebound and disabled.

Better than Cash for Clunkers
Donate your car or van and get a tax deduction.

Are you thinking of selling or trading in a drivable older car or van? Why not donate it to Senior Services of Albany instead? You will receive a tax deduction, and your vehicle will be put to work serving the needs of seniors.

Right now, we need 4-door sedans and mini vans with low mileage and in good working order. We’ll use them in our Transportation Program, a door-to-door service that provides more than 500 rides each week, or in our Meals On Wheels program, the largest operation of its kind in the area, delivering more than 1,000 meals every day.

According to IRS rules, a vehicle donor can claim a deduction of the vehicle’s fair market value if the receiving charity makes significant use of the vehicle- and SSA makes significant use of donated vehicles every day.
In contrast, many non-profits accept donated vehicles for the purpose of selling them at auction, which limits the donor’s deduction to the amount of proceeds from the charity’s sale of the vehicle. For more information visit www.irs.gov. To start the no-hassle donation process, call SSA at 463-4381.

Senior Services has been chosen to participate in the Community Foundation’s Legacy Partnership Program and has recently established a permanent endowment fund - the Centurion Legacy Society.

Senior Services of Albany’s Centurion Legacy Society is a planned giving program designed to create an endowment fund that over time, will sustain the programs and services that address the needs of the elderly in our community for generations to come.

The exciting part of building an endowment is that anyone can participate. The Centurion Legacy Society provides the opportunity for everyone to create a personal legacy – no matter how great or small. Because the funds grow together, every gift is significant. In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.”

We invite you to join us in becoming a member of the Centurion Legacy Society. Perhaps you have already made a planned gift or have been considering making a provision to support Senior Services of Albany in your estate plans. If so, we hope that you will share this information with us so that we can celebrate your commitment to our future. When you review your planned giving options with your financial advisors, you will likely find there are many additional legal and tax benefits to lending your support, in addition to the satisfaction that comes from sharing your good fortune in life with the community you leave behind.

For additional information about your planned giving options, please contact Jane Schramm at 465-3322, or Mindy Derosia at the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, 518-446-9638 or mderosia@cfgcr.org.

Medicare Experts on Staff Ready to Help You
Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program

The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP), is an outreach effort funded by the Albany County Department for Aging and run by Senior Services of Albany. HIICAP’s mission is to make sure that every Albany County senior gets the health insurance they need, and the best coverage that they can afford to have.

HIICAP Coordinator Peggy Moran explains the program like this: “We counsel seniors on the Medicare choices available. We don’t sell products or endorse plans. We educate, inform, enlighten and give assistance.”

Moran and her staff of trained volunteers counsel seniors and caregivers individually, make home visits when necessary, and also do group presentations at senior centers, health fairs or other venues. HIICAP counseling is provided at no charge to residents of Albany County.

If you need assistance with your Medicare options, call HIICAP at 518.935.2307.