Professional Development Grants for Retirees (PDGR)

The Professional Development Grants for Retirees (PDGR) program of the University of Minnesota Retirees Association (UMRA) offers funding to retirees who want to continue their intellectual work. Whether in their academic field or starting something fresh, PDGR grant recipients can stay engaged for personal fulfillment and also for greater academic and societal benefit. Since 2009, the PDGR program has awarded more than 130 grants for a wide range of projects, from advancing international prevention science to documenting the life of civil rights activist and University leader Josie Johnson. (See book cover noted below)

Grants range in value from $3,500 to $5,000.Many of these projects are recognized and used nationally and internationally, thus enhancing the reputation of the University of Minnesota. Most grant recipients (71 percent) said the PDGR program was their only source of funding. More than half the others said their PDGR awards helped them to leverage additional funds. Engineering Professor Emeritus Patrick Brezonik received nearly $680,000 in National Science Foundation and other grants. He said, “I am convinced that none of these grants would have been obtained without the seed funding the PDGR 

2014-19 PDGR grants supported projects in Art, Early Modern History, Education and learning, Environment and many other areas. A complete listing of the projects supported can be found under Grants for Retirees on the UMRA website -- https://umra.umn.edu/. To read the full article, go to Impact of PDGR program is deep and wide. Contact information: Will Craig, member, UMRA Board of Directors, wcraig@umn.edu.

Recent AROHE Webinar Explored Wellness and Social Connections

In the wake of the COVID-10 pandemic, reductions in social supports can have significant impacts on one’s wellbeing. During AROHE’s most recent Idea Exchange webinar, presented on October 21, 2020, Dr. Jillian McManus from Arizona State University discussed the far-reaching impacts of decreased social interactions. The benefits of social connections are far-reaching, including protection against many mental health conditions, increased resiliency, and improved physical health outcomes. Dr. McManus also discussed practical considerations and offered suggestions for ways retirement organizations can contribute to the wellbeing of their constituents. Click here to watch the recording, as well as other recorded webinars. At two points during the webinar, participants were divided into groups for discussion. While the small group discussions were not recorded, group facilitators kept notes. A link to the notes will be found along with the link to the recorded video.

Festivity in Spite of COVID-19: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Retirees Assn. (KPURA)

KPURA members have enjoyed virtual programs, approximately one per month, since we have been unable to continue with in person events.  We surveyed our membership to determine what sort of interests were prevalent and to ask what they wanted to experience with their membership in our retirees’ organization. The majority of folks were interested in ‘armchair travels’, wellness information, virtual walks, and tutorials on using technology.  Interestingly, virtual events are more inclusive, enabling those who do not live in our immediate region and those who have trouble travelling, or have ambulatory issues, to participate in our events.  We intend to continue these types of activities until it is again safe to come together in groups for events, and then will likely continue with a combination of both in-person and virtual events to best serve our members.

KPURA is planning a virtual celebration event in early December. With a candy house to inspire whimsy and hope, retirees are invited to come together with their colleagues on Dec. 6^th and, with their favorite holiday beverage, to toast the holiday season. To learn more about KPURA, go to Https://www.kpu.ca/Retirees and/or contact sooz.klinkhamer@gmail.com.

Emory Roybal Center for Caregiving Mastery

The Emory Roybal Center for Caregiving Mastery is one of four of the 13 Roybal Centers focused on development of interventions to improve and support dementia care. View a complete list of all active Roybal Centers.

Our goal is to support both senior and junior investigators across the U.S. to conduct NIH Stage I-III intervention research that will strengthen the context-specific role-mastery of informal caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. By 2050, as many as 20 million Americans will be living with these illnesses, and the number of informal caregivers will expand to 40-50 million. Informal caregiving is the key to the quality of life and continued community living of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and similar illnesses. To learn more, go to https://www.emorycaregiving.org/about/.

The RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center

Across the nation, state health programs depend on caregivers who provide critical support to help relatives, friends, and neighbors age in place while contributing about $470 billion in unpaid health care services. To better support family caregivers, Congress passed the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act in 2018, which established the Family Caregiving Advisory Council tasked with creating the country’s first national Family Caregiver Strategy. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/3k0n7rl.

Mourning the Death of a Spouse

When your spouse dies, your world changes. You are in mourning — feeling grief and sorrow at the loss. When you grieve, you can feel both physical and emotional pain. People who are grieving may cry easily and can have trouble sleeping, little interest in food, problems with concentration, and a hard time making decisions.

Grieving the loss of a loved one can be especially hard during COVID-19. Consider these recommendations during this challenging time:

• Take care of yourself. Grief can be hard on your health. Exercise regularly, eat healthy food, and try to get enough sleep.

• Make plans and be active. Many people find it helps to have things to do every day.

• Find a support system. Get help from your family, friends, or professionals if you need it.

• Let major decisions wait, if possible. Try to delay major life decisions until you are feeling better.

COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Grandfamilies and Multigenerational Families

Our country and the world are facing a pandemic unlike any of us have seen before. People over the age of 60 and those with compromised immune systems are among the highest-risk populations COVID-19 is impacting. While grandparents and other older adults are being advised to isolate themselves physically from children, it is nearly impossible for older caregivers to distance themselves from the children they are raising. As a grandfamily or a multigenerational household, you are on the front line for your family every day. Today’s challenges are making it much tougher to care for them. It’s important to stay calm and do everything you can to stay healthy, informed and connected. Here are some suggestions and resources to help grandfamilies and multigenerational families -- https://bit.ly/2JGMhyR.

Lifetime Experiences Help Older Adults Build Resilience to Pandemic Trauma

Older adults are especially vulnerable physically during the coronavirus pandemic. But they’re also notably resilient psychologically, calling upon a lifetime of experience and perspective to help them through difficult times. New research calls attention to this little remarked-upon resilience as well as significant challenges for older adults as the pandemic stretches on. It shows that many seniors have changed behaviors — reaching out to family and friends, pursuing hobbies, exercising, participating in faith communities — as they strive to stay safe from the coronavirus. To read further, go to https://bit.ly/3mTgNUb.

Pandemic Slams Retirees Worldwide

The pandemic and policy actions taken to mitigate its economic impact will have lasting implications for retirees in the U.S. and other developed nations as they face elevated threats from long-term low interest rates, record levels of public debt, recession, income inequality and climate change, according to Natixis’s analysis of multi-year index trends.

Elder Abuse and Ageism during COVID-19

Older adults have been hit hard by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mortality data from Oxford COVID-19 Evidence Service indicates a risk of mortality of 3.6% for people in their 60s, which increases to 8.0% and 14.8% for people in their 70s and over 80s.¹ Older individuals are much more likely to develop COVID-19 related complications.² The increased mortality reflects the underlying biological, social, and psychological vulnerabilities faced by the older population. Elderly individuals are also disproportionately affected by social distancing policies and other restrictions to stop the spread of the virus, resulting in increased loneliness, social isolation, and loss of freedom and support networks.³ Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen considerable media coverage about the risk of COVID-19 to older people. Unfortunately, much of this discourse has negatively fueled an already existing ageist sentiment. One of the disturbing social consequences of COVID-19 includes a significant increase in the number of elder abuse cases, paralleling the rise of ageism. https://bit.ly/3kUpzkl

Emergency Financial First Aid Kit

When it comes to emergencies, Americans face more than just earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. We also deal with flat tires, broken water heaters, and sudden medical expenses. Both big disasters and unexpected bills take time, money, and resources away from other priorities. So why aren’t we doing more to get prepared? It all starts with each of us knowing how to manage our finances. Individuals and families must have a financial plan to face emergencies, big and small. Only then can we build a true culture of preparedness in every home and community across America. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit is available for free from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Call (800) 480–2520 and ask for publication number P-1075. It is also available as a free download online at: https://bit.ly/2TRdelb.

National Retirement Security

The US Administration for Community Living (ACL) is highlighting the tireless and impactful work of its partners, including their resource centers to ensure economic security and opportunities for retirement income for older Americans. In particular, ACL recognizes the vital work of the Pension Rights Center, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER), and the regional pension counseling centers whose work focuses on removing barriers to retirement and assisting older adults in accessing their retirement benefits. ACL resource centers and grantees provide a range of resources and programs to help older Americans access much-needed retirement income, prepare for retirement, and address issues that arise after receiving retirement income. https://bit.ly/2TRhPno

The spend-down challenge: The next great frontier in retirement planning

THE STANFORD CENTER ON LONGEVITY

Webinar panelists, along with the moderator, Ken Stern, chair of the Longevity Project, will discuss the “spend-down challenge” and how retirees should approach the challenge of sensibly spending retirement savings in an era of increased uncertainty and longer life spans. Among the topics to be discussed are the appeal of guaranteed lifetime income solutions, what plan providers and financial services companies can do to provide greater income certainty to retirees, the impact of the SECURE Act and the policy environment for the Administration and Congress. Webinar, Nov. 17, 2020, 2:00 to 3:00 pm/est

https://bit.ly/2GugDTL

How to Make Smart Medicare Open Enrollment Choices in 2020

The 2020 Medicare Open Enrollment season runs from October 15 through December 7 and it’ll be even trickier than normal for new and existing beneficiaries. That’s due to a combination of COVID-19, changes in Medicare rules and new types of coverage offered by private Medicare Advantage plans. Next Avenue talked to Medicare experts for their best advice and cautions to help people 65 and older make smart Open Enrollment decisions this year. https://bit.ly/3oYK95G

AARP warns of Medicare scams during open enrollment

Medicare scams spike during open enrollment season with scammers posing as impostors calling and emailing beneficiaries offering free gifts or limited time offers, according to a release from AARP. These scams are designed to capture Medicare numbers so scammers can charge Medicare for services victims didn’t receive. AARP advised turning down offers of free medical supplies or equipment in exchange for a Medicare number. For more information and questions about Medicare coverage or enrollment, visit Medicare.gov or call the Medicare hotline at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). Anyone who has fallen victim to a scam should call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 for guidance and support, or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

The Administration for Community Living, Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling manages the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) grant. The SHIP mission is to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers through objective outreach, counseling, and training, to make informed health insurance decisions that optimize access to care and benefits. The SHIP vision is to be the known and trusted community resource for Medicare information. SHIPs provide free, in-depth, unbiased, one-on-one health insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. https://www.shiptacenter.org/

AROHE's mantra is "Transforming Retirement."

AROHE is a nonprofit association that champions transformative practices to support all stages of faculty and staff retirement, their mutually beneficial engagement, and continuing contributions to their academic institutions. By sharing research, innovative ideas, and successful practices, AROHE emphasizes the development and enhancement of campus-based retiree organizations and programs which support this continuing engagement in higher education.