NCOA Media Contact:

Ken Schwartz Director, Marketing & Communications Tel: (202) 600-3131 ken.schwartz@ncoa.org

Seven States to Offer New Online Workshop for People with Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer and Other Chronic Conditions; Developed at Stanford University Register today at: SelfManage.org Washington, DC – August 23, 2010 – The National Council on Aging (NCOA) today announced the debut of Better Choices, Better Health^TM, the online version of the internationally recognized Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP), which will be available free for people with chronic health conditions in seven states – California, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Oregon. Interested people can register at SelfManage.org. Spaces, however, are limited, and availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. Better Choices, Better Health helps people with arthritis, asthma, diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis and many other chronic conditions manage their symptoms and take control of their health. Developed and tested at the Stanford University Patient Education Center, the workshop is offered exclusively through a license from NCOA. This seven-state pilot effort is supported with funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies. “Nearly half of all adults live with one or more chronic health conditions, and many struggle to find ways to manage their condition,” said Jay Greenberg, Senior Vice President of Social Enterprise at NCOA. “Better Choices, Better Health meets people where they increasingly are – online. The workshop represents a convenient way for people to develop the confidence and skills they need to cope with their illnesses. It provides a way for them to help others, while they help themselves.” An Evidence-Based, Six-Week Workshop – Available Online Better Choices, Better Health helps participants reduce their pain and anxiety and manage a wide range of symptoms and conditions. Led by trained instructors, participants together address topics such as stress reduction, dealing with distressful emotions, planning for the future, locating and using community resources, building communication skills, and asking for help. Better Choices, Better Health participants can log onto the free sessions from any computer with an Internet connection, including dial-up. Sessions are posted on a secure Web site each week for six weeks. There are no set times for workshop sessions; participants log on remotely at their convenience to complete exercises, read posted material, and interact with others. The workshops can be particularly useful for those individuals without access to transportation or who prefer the anonymity of a virtual group. In addition to the online Better Choices, Better Health, in-person community-based CDSMP workshops are provided locally around the country. Through funding from the U.S. Administration on Aging, these offerings are currently promoted to thousands of people in 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Information on the community-based CDSMP program can be obtained by emailing CDSMP@ncoa.org.

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About the National Council on Aging The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged – and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit www.ncoa.org. About the Stanford Patient Education Center The Stanford Patient Education Research Center is part of the Department of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, located in Palo Alto, CA. For nearly three decades, the Center has developed, tested, and evaluated self-management programs for English and Spanish speakers with chronic health problems. All of our programs are designed to help people gain self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and how their health problems affect their lives.

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Contacts:

Connie Hofmann (chofmann@aboutscp.com) John Beilenson (jbeilenson@aboutscp.com) Tel: 610-687-5495

Washington, DC – August 10, 2010 – The federal government’s recent announcement that the 2009 poverty guidelines will remain in effect through 2010 is good news for many Americans. This extension means that there will not be a reduction in the income limits for key public benefit programs, and Americans nationwide who fall within the current poverty threshold will continue to qualify for these much needed programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Medicare’s Part D Low-Income Subsidy and Medicare Savings Programs. Unfortunately, not all individuals who qualify for these benefits are aware of their eligibility. BenefitsCheckUp, a free online screening service developed and maintained by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), helps seniors check their eligibility for various benefits programs. Seniors with low income and limited resources, including those that fall within the poverty threshold, can access updated information on a comprehensive listing of federal, state, and local programs by visiting www.benefitscheckup.org. The extension of the 2009 poverty guidelines is good news for many older adults, who will now remain eligible for benefits for the remainder of the year. Poverty guidelines are used to determine financial eligibility for federal programs. These guidelines are determined in part by the Consumer Price Index, which decreased at the beginning of the year. Had the poverty guidelines also decreased for 2010, fewer older adults would have been financially eligible for benefits. “In these tough economic times, public benefits can be a lifeline to seniors struggling with the cost of medications, energy bills or food,” said Stuart Spector, senior vice president at NCOA. “BenefitsCheckUp is a valuable resource disadvantaged seniors can use to find benefits and remain economically secure.” BenefitsCheckUp is continually updated to account for changes in benefits program eligibility, making it quick and easy for seniors to access updated information, eligibility rules and application forms. Seniors should use BenefitsCheckUp as a resource to check their eligibility for a comprehensive range of benefits programs, including 2,000 federal, state, and local programs that can help with prescription drugs, health care, utilities, food, housing, and other basic needs. Enrollment forms for most programs are provided as part of BenefitsCheckUp’s interactive screening process. Since 2001, more than 2.5 million people have used the service, identifying benefits valued at more than $8.7 billion.

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About NCOA The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged – and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit www.ncoa.org.

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New HUD Protocol Offers Older Adults More Information and Deeper Financial Assessment, Using Tools and Materials Developed by NCOA

Washington, D.C. – August 4 – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now requires all HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselors to provide their clients with the National Council on Aging’s (NCOA) 28-page consumer booklet on reverse mortgages. In addition, counselors must complete an extra level of financial assessment to help prospective borrowers gain a greater understanding of financial risk and other factors that may impact their loan.

“We are pleased to work with HUD to provide additional education and support to older adults seeking to tap their home equity through a reverse mortgage,” said Barbara R. Stucki, Ph.D., vice president of Home Equity Initiatives for NCOA. “We created these new tools to help older homeowners better understand their options and risks in using what is most often their most valuable financial asset – their home.”

HUD released its Housing Counseling Handbook, which includes its new HECM reverse mortgage counseling protocol, in mid-July. Counselors are required to implement the protocol by September 11, 2010. The new protocol is designed to strengthen consumer education for homeowners age 62+ who seek a HUD-approved reverse mortgage. It includes NCOA’s booklet, counseling tool, and online benefits screening service.

Free copies of the NCOA booklet, Use Your Home to Stay at Home, can be downloaded at www.ncoa.org/reversemortgagecounseling, in English or Spanish. Printed copies of the booklet can also be purchased on this website. Use Your Home to Stay at Home educates consumers on the benefits and challenges of using home equity to deal with financial challenges in later life. The booklet helps consumers determine if staying in their homes is the right decision for them, understand the trade-offs of using a reverse mortgage versus other home loans, and provides information on government programs that can help them stay at home.

Reverse mortgage counselors will also be required to complete a budget review with their clients, using NCOA’s Financial Interview Tool (FIT). This counseling tool, which was developed and tested by NCOA, helps prospective borrowers consider both immediate financial needs and long-term challenges that can make it hard to stay at home and benefit from a reverse mortgage.

Seniors with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level will also be required to complete a BenefitsCheckUp screening as part of the counseling session. NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp is the nation’s most comprehensive Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources. It includes details on more than 2,000 public and private benefits programs.

“Through this holistic approach we hope to facilitate discussions and decisions that are based on life of the borrower, and not the just the cost of the loan,” said Stucki. “FIT helps older homeowners consider all of their financial obligations and how they will meet them on an ongoing basis. Through BenefitsCheckUp, they can learn of services and benefits that can be an alternative or supplement to a reverse mortgage.”

For more information on the HUD HECM Program, go to www.hud.gov.

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About NCOA
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA serves as a national voice for older Americans – especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged – and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, visit www.ncoa.org.

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