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October/November 2019, Vol. XX, No 2
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Celebrating Twenty Years by
Listening to Our Elders
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It is hard to believe that we are coming up on twenty years since the first Senior Services Levy was approved by the voters of Greene County. The passage of the levy, on November 2, 1999, was the result of more than ten years of work by hundreds of community members committed to improving the quality of life for Greene County seniors and caregivers and ensuring services and supports would be available for years to come.
This milestone is a significant piece of the Council’s history, and, for that matter, the history of Greene County. It is important that it is acknowledged and what better way to do this than by spending an afternoon with and learning from a few of the many wonderful elders of Greene County.
Your Council will be hosting an Elder Panel on November 7th where we will hear from four longtime Greene County residents who have lived for nine decades or more. These nonagenarians make up less than 1% of the population, and in Greene County this equates to just over 900 individuals. And while more and more of us will reach our 90th year and beyond, our panel members have witnessed and experienced more than we can begin to imagine.
Our panel members have led full, productive and meaningful lives and we have asked them to talk with us about a variety or things, including: noteworthy changes they have seen over the years, their learning and educational experiences, what they have done to keep their brain fit, how they dealt with and grew from some of the challenges they faced, and the role family, humor, spirituality, and attitude have played in their lives. It will be a humbling afternoon we will not forget.
We hope you will mark your calendar and join us for this very special program:
Thursday, November 7th
3pm to 5:30pm
Xenia Nazarene Church
1204 W. Second Street
(across from the Council’s Office)
Reservations are requested by November 1st and can be made by contacting the Council at 937-376-5486 or info@gccoa.org .
There is no charge to attend, but we are asking guests to bring items for area food pantries.
A summary of our panelists’ offerings will be available before the end of November and we will also be taping the program and details for viewing will be shared on our Facebook Page and website.
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It's Your Money: Pitfalls of Setting Up a Joint Account With a Child
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Do you currently have, or are you considering setting up, a child or other person (not your spouse) as an additional owner on your bank accounts, ‘just in case’ something might happen down the road that would make you unable to handle the bank account yourself? You might have a good reason for doing so, but you should also understand there might be some good reasons NOT to do it.
If you have a will that is intended to distribute all your assets to your heirs, a bank account with a non-spouse co-owner might override the intentions of your will. Most banks will set up an account with multiple owners as a ‘Joint with Rights of Survivorship’ (JWROS) account. This type of account generally states that upon death of either of the owners, the assets will automatically transfer to the surviving owner. If your child is a JWROS account owner on your bank account, your entire bank account assets will automatically transfer to this child (the surviving owner of your account) when you die, even if your will specifically states that all assets in your estate are to go somewhere else.
The problems with a JWROS account potentially don’t just start after you die. If your child is a joint owner of your account, not only will they gain ownership of your account, since they are a ‘non-spouse’ owner, their ownership could trigger a federal gift tax issue on large bank accounts. Anyone can gift up to $15,000 per year tax-free to anyone else they choose, but if the gift exceeds $15,000 and the beneficiary is NOT a spouse, it could trigger a gift tax. Naming your child as a joint owner on your account effectively gifts that child whatever assets the account holds.
If your goal by adding a child as a joint owner is to give them access to your bank account when you die, there is a safer way to do this. If you add a ‘Transfer on Death’ (TOD) designation to your account that names your child (or any other person) as a beneficiary, that designation only activates on your death. Until that time, the child has no legal access to your bank account. Because your bank assets transfer to a named beneficiary, there should be no need to have your bank account go through the probate process after your death. Since the account access only occurs after your death, this also eliminates the potential gift tax problems.
By definition, a TOD designation won’t activate until you die. So, what if you want to have a ‘just in case’ provision if you are only incapacitated (dementia, serious illness, etc)? In this case, a financial Power of Attorney (POA) can be very useful to grant a child or other person the power to conduct financial transactions for you. Obviously, this POA can be a powerful tool, but it also has the potential for abuse if you grant this authority to the wrong person. Be careful when making this choice. It is possible that your bank might have the necessary forms to fill out a POA if you want to limit the POA to that specific bank’s account only. If you want to have a broader financial POA that covers all your assets, you might want to have this document prepared by a qualified attorney to make sure it is done correctly.
Please understand that your Greene County Council on Aging cannot provide legal advice. The above information is intended only to make you aware of the issues involved. If you have any concern about how your bank accounts are structured, we encourage you to discuss this with your bank. You may ultimately want to consult an attorney for help if you have a complex estate. We cannot recommend a specific attorney, but we can provide you with a list of qualified attorneys in our area if you don’t already have an attorney.
As always, if you have any questions about this information, or you need help, contact us at the Greene County Council on Aging, (937) 376-5486.
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Medicare Open Enrollment
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The 2020 Open Enrollment for Medicare beneficiaries runs from October 15th through December 7th. No matter how satisfied you may be with your current prescription and health insurance coverage, we encourage you and your loved ones to review your options for 2020.
There will be changes to Advantage plans and Medicare D prescription plans in terms of premiums, co-pays, and coverage, which will be announced just prior to Open Enrollment. Additionally, your personal health situation may have changed, including the medications you are taking, so reviewing what your current plan or plans will cover and the other options available to you is extremely important. It is also important to note that Medicare is now requiring that beneficiaries have an on-line account through MyMedicare.gov, in order to process and change your coverage. If needed, a Council team member can assist you with this.
Your Council has team members and volunteers available to review your options so you can make the best decision for your personal situation. And we cannot impress upon you enough that what is best for your neighbor, friend or even your spouse may not be the best for you! There is no charge for this review and we are not affiliated with any provider. For many of you with whom we have worked before, this review may take a simple phone call. Others, and those new to the Council for this annual review, may be better served with an in-person appointment. You can also review your options by going to www.medicare.gov .
We also invite you to join us for the October 23rd Medicare Check-Up & Wellness Event at the Xenia Community Center (1265 West Second St). Medicare reviews will be offered from 11am to 5pm and the Wellness Event will be in the gym until 4pm. The Wellness Event is open to adults of all ages and we encourage everyone to at least plan on stopping by to drop your old papers/records into the secure shredding bins provided by Greene Inc. The event flyer has been included in the newsletter and is on our website and Facebook page.
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Healthy U Diabetes Workshop
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The Council has scheduled a Healthy U Diabetes Self Management Workshop which will begin October 22nd and run for six weeks. This program is presented in cooperation with the Area Agency on Aging, PSA2 and offers strategies for dealing with the day-to-day challenges of Type 2 Diabetes. It is open to anybody 18 or older who has, or cares for someone with Type 2 Diabetes. This six week workshop meets one afternoon per week and is led by trained GCCOA team members.
Tuesdays, 1:00-3:30pm
October 22 - November 26
Xenia Community Center
1265 W. Second St
(Next to the Council Office)
To register, contact Susan Finster at 376-5486 or susan.finster@gccoa.org. For a printable flyer, click here.
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Genetic Testing Scam
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Genetic testing scams are currently a widespread issue through the country. Scammers are offering Medicare beneficiaries cheek swabs for genetic testing to obtain their Medicare information for identify theft or fraudulent billing purposes. Genetic testing fraud occurs when Medicare is billed for a test or screening that was not medically necessary and/or was not ordered by a beneficiary’s treating physician. The line that beneficiaries are being told by representatives from various companies is that Medicare fully covers a cheek swab that tests for any or all cancers, how your body processes prescriptions, and/or a variety of other genetic or hereditary diseases. This is just not true.
Do NOT give out your personal information or accept genetic screening services from someone at a community event or your housing complex. If you are contacted by anyone who offers these tests, say no and report it to the Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468.
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Brain fitness options are plentiful, with one of the best being creative expression. We encourage people of all ages to take advantage of the many creative outlets available, including those offered through the senior centers and the library. Your Council also includes creative expression in many of our programs & events, including our Creativity Expo held twice a year.
The Fall Creativity Expo is Thursday, October 31st, 10am to 2pm, at the Xenia Community Center (next to the Council’s office). You will have several sessions/projects to choose from and all your supplies will be provided. As always, we will have patient instructors providing guidance, as well as a grab n’ go lunch The Expo brochure is on the Council’s website, and at the Council and senior centers. The registration deadline is October 24th.
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Best Jamfest Yet!
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We want to share our appreciation to all the individuals and organizations who supported the August 14th Homemade Treats & Jam Fest. It was the best one yet! We raised over $7,000 which will be used for future programs and services for Greene County seniors and caregivers.
Congratulations to Robert Harvey of Hospice of the Miami Valley who won the coveted Cloud Race Trophy. And a special thank you to the four Mayors ~ Pam Conine of Yellow Springs, Paul Keller of Fairborn, Sarah Mays of Xenia, and Bob Stone of Beavercreek ~ who competed in the Cloud Race and who have agreed to return next year to give it another shot. Announcer Paul Newman Jr. did another fantastic job of calling the races and ‘our band’, Mack & the Rockets were terrific! The highlight was the Live Auction of pies, cakes, cookies and jams, led by our favorite auctioneer Lee Duteil and ‘trusty sidekick’ Ed Marrinan.
Mark your calendar for
August 12, 2020!
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Donor Spotlight
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Please join us in thanking these generous donors who shared a gift since the last newsletter. All donations are set aside to be used for future services/programs.
In Memory Of:
Muriel Koogler
Larry Sanders
Donors:
Sharon Benedict
Lou Brannigan
Deb Brickey
Barb DeiDolori
Jerri DeVoe
Imogene Dice
Ann Finnicum
Donna Gibson
Gilbert Hamilton
Marty Heide
Rika Hendrickson
Jeanette Johannes
Linda Jones
Maureen Kocarek
Jean Lockwood
Amy Margolin
Tony McIlvaine
Lauren Myers
Harry Noble
Janine Phillips
Jessica Pitzer
Genevieve Sagers
Nimfa Simpson
Mary Tackett
Sara Wallen
Polly Werth
Added Touch
Legacy Village
Hospice of the Miami Valley
Village at the Greene
Amazon Smile Foundation
First Energy Service Co
Synergy Building Systems
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GCCOA Energizers Sharing Their Time & Talent:
Pat Beal
Phyllis Beck
Linda Bullock
Cindy Clark
Dave Cusack
Jerri DeVoe
Leah Donohue
Lee Duteil
Evelyn Ferguson
LB Fred
Betty Gibson
Barbara Griggs
Bob Hagler
Gilbert Hamilton
Rika Hendrickson
Barb & Gary Hawk
Cecilia Hightower
John Hobson
Linda Jones
Anita Kuntz
Jessica Lange
Sherry Matsel
Barbara McKown
Frannie McPherson
Marian Miller
Christine Middleton
Foy Neff
Sherry Newcomer
Ruby Norman
Linda Parsons
Sandi Porter
Barbara Pendergast
Sandi Porter
Joe Radin
Ken Richardson
Chuck Ryan
Pam Sowder
Priscilla Stephens
Cindy Vance
Ginny Vikmanis
Barbara Werth
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Check Us Out On...
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Our Facebook friends receive regular posts about upcoming programs and events and see pictures that most people don’t get to see. We hope you will “LIKE” us!
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Upcoming Programs & Meetings
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GCCOA Membership Meeting (open to all)
Tuesday, October 15th ~ 2:30pm—4:00pm
Xenia Adult Recreation & Service Center, 338 S. Progress Dr, Xenia
Program—Andrew Tinkham from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel
Medicare 101 (offered every other month)
Wednesday, October 16th ~ 5:30pm—7:00pm
GCCOA Beavercreek Office, 1221 Meadow Bridge Dr, Suite C, Beavercreek
Medicare Check-Up & Wellness Event
Wednesday, October 23rd ~ 11:00am—4:00pm
Xenia Community Center ~ 1265 W. Second Street, Xenia
Creativity Expo
Thursday, October 31st ~ 10am — 2pm
Xenia Community Center ~ 1265 W. Second Street, Xenia
Memory Loss, Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease (offered every other month)
Wednesday, November 13th ~ 5:30pm—7:30pm
GCCOA Beavercreek Office, 1221 Meadow Bridge Dr, Suite C, Beavercreek
Elder Panel
Thursday, November 7th ~ 3:00pm—5:30pm
Xenia Nazarene Church ~ 1204 W. Second Street, Xenia
GCCOA Holiday Soiree
Tues, December 3rd ~ 6—8pm & Wed, December 4th ~ 11am—6pm
Xenia Community Center ~ 1265 W. Second Street, Xenia
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Greene County Council on Aging
937-376-5486
Committed to Seniors and Caregivers
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Our mission: To promote independence and quality of life for Greene County senior citizens and caregivers by facilitating and supporting the development, implementation and continual improvement of a comprehensive and coordinated system of contact and care.
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