May advocacy focused on the Senior Action Week platform.
Governor Whitmer sought input from Kalamazoo area senior advocates on Jan. 21 with a stop at the Portage Senior Center. Judy Sivak, KCASI president, and Danna Downing, KCASI Secretary, brought up several issues, including problems and solutions regarding the direct care workforce crisis, rebalancing long-term care Medicaid funds to allow more people to stay in their home, and finishing legislation to improve the state’s guardianship and conservatorship processes.
MI IMPART Alliance is a coalition that is working to develop a competent direct care workforce through various initiatives, such as improving the lives of direct care workers through education, training, respect, decent wages and being a model for the nation. KCASI is a member as we recognize that the crisis in this workforce must be solved in order that older adults and people with disabilities of all ages can have the supports they need to live wherever they choose.
“Here” is a listing of various initiatives in Michigan supporting the direct care workforce.
Michigan’s Elder Abuse Task Force has a “checklist” of what initiatives have been accomplished and what remains, especially in the guardianship/conservatorship area. Check it out!
KCASI partners with the MI Senior Advocates Council (MSAC) to work on legislation benefitting older adults, such as elder abuse prevention, nursing home quality regulations, guardianship reform, increased funding for meals on wheels and other in-home services. Danna Downing is the delegate representing Kalamazoo County and its Area Agency on Aging.
KCASI Alerts
How to Report a Robocall in Michigan:
The best way to deal with robocalls is to simply hang up or don’t answer the phone if you don’t recognize the number. Important calls, including those from COVID-19 contract tracers, will likely leave you a voicemail. However, to aid investigators in their efforts to hold robocallers accountable, certain pieces of information are extremely helpful to the department’s efforts to investigate, particularly when submitted to the Attorney General’s office as part of an official complaint:
- Robocaller’s phone number;
- Your phone number and service provider (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc.);
- The date and time of the robocall;
- Whether the robocall was soliciting goods or services; and
- The topic of the robocall scam (e.g. student loans, Social Security numbers, IRS liability, etc.).
To file a robocall complaint and learn more about Michigan’s Robocall Crackdown Initiative, visit the Attorney General’s website.
Beware of Social Security scams on the Web and Social Media!
Web Links on Scams:
Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul warns the public about fraudulent phone calls: www.youtube.com/socialsecurity
Report a Social Security Phone Scam: oig.ssa.gov
What you should do if you receive a suspicious Social Security phone call: https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-10018
Phone Scam Alert TV and Radio Public Service Announcement: https://www.ssa.gov/news/psa.html
Social Media Posts on Scams:
If you receive a suspicious Social Security call: 1) Hang up. 2) Do not provide personal information, money, or retail gift cards. 3) Report suspicious calls at: ow.ly/LkfN50xhr8Y. For more info on how to protect yourself, check out the FAQ: ow.ly/AwIc50xhrkd.
Social Security takes protecting your personal information seriously. Please see this important message from the Social Security Commissioner on how to protect yourself from phone scams: http://ow.ly/BY3i50xIgfN
Scammers go to great lengths to trick you out of your personal information, but you can help keep your records safe. Learn how at: http://ow.ly/genw50xhqad
That call is not from Social Security. Don’t fall victim to scammers. Learn how you can protect your information at #SocialSecurityMatters: http://ow.ly/AGca50xhpUa
Beware of #scams and caller-ID “spoofing” schemes! Learn how to protect yourself from fraudsters here: http://ow.ly/qfp150wg7Lr
What should you do if you get a call claiming there’s a problem with your Social Security number or account? Answer: http://ow.ly/4l1G50xhp6g
Beware of Social Security scams! Learn how to protect yourself here: http://ow.ly/oFFs50xhnSX. Share this info with your family and friends.
KCASI sends email notices of opportunities for timely action.
Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to make a difference for Kalamazoo County seniors.
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