Walkathon date moving
MEOC’s 45th Annual Walkathon is set for August 29, a change from the traditional spring date.
Page 6
MET Go! coming this summer
Beginning in late June, Mountain Empire Transit will offer a new way to ride in the Wise and Norton area.
Page 10
Some congregate sites to open in June
One nutrition site each in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton will open with restrictions once a week during June.
Page 16
As we celebrate Older Americans Month during May, I’m reminded of some important milestones that occurred in 1965. Medicaid, Medicare and the Older Americans Act were created.
The Older Americans Act (OAA) is considered one of the most important contributions of aging legislation created by Congress. At its signing, Lyndon Johnson spoke of how the Act would protect older Americans’ healthcare, dignity and their families. President Johnson said, “No longer will this nation refuse the hand of justice to those who have given a lifetime of service and wisdom and labor to the progress of this progressive country.” The Act was a turning point for older Americans and framework for Area Agencies on Aging across the nation.
Michael K. Wampler
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Stephanie R. Sprinkle
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
A.J. Hatmaker, Chair, Lee County
Ethel Daniels, Vice-Chair, City of Norton
Nancy Bailey, Wise County
Eleanor S. Cantrell, M.D., Wise County
Pamela Collie-Price, Wise County
Gretchen Cope, Scott County
Steve Garrett, Lee County
Kim Dorton, Scott County
MEOC Board of Directors meets the third Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at 10 a.m. at MEOC’s administrative office building, 1501 3rd Ave. E, Big Stone Gap, Va.
Mountain Empire Older Citizens was created in 1974 as a result of this act. Its primary mission has always been to allow people to remain safely in their own homes by providing supporting services. MEOC’s ability to provide these services has grown over the years through partnerships and community support. During its 47-year history,
MEOC has expanded to include a multitude of services such as public transit, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and children’s programs. Presently, 62 percent of MEOC’s workforce, including volunteers, are over age 55.
So join us as we celebrate Older Americans Month by remembering and thanking those before us and among us who have contributed so much.
MEOC Advisory Council meets quarterly on the second Thursday of March, June, September and December at 10:30 a.m. at MEOC’s administrative office building.
Main office
Physical address: 1501 Third Ave. E.
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 Phone: (276) 523-4202
Mountain Empire PACE
Physical address: 1508 Third Ave. E. Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 Phone: (276) 523-0599
MEOC Transit
Physical address: 1503 Third Ave. E.
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 Phone: (276) 523-7433
Lee
Mountain
Older Citizens, Inc., was organized in 1974 and is designated as the area agency on aging and public
provider for Wise, Lee and Scott counties and the City of Norton in southwestern Virginia. In
Editor & Designer: PAULA CULBERTSON , MEOC Director of Communications
Mary Maxine Collins and son Bill Collins say the services she receives from Mountain Empire Older Citizens has been a “tremendous blessing” to her as a client and to him as a caregiver.
Ms. Collins, who will celebrate her 81st birthday in May, is a participant in Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The program, she said, has been ideal for her healthcare needs.
For Bill Collins, who lives with his mother in their Dryden home as a full-time caregiver, the services provided by PACE are invaluable. “The benefits are too big to even describe,” he noted.
Sitting in her favorite chair in her living room on a March afternoon, Ms. Collins, who goes by her middle name, is welcoming. She is glad to receive a visitor, she said, after being in lockdown for the past year because of COVID-19. She is now fully vaccinated, however, having received the vaccine from a PACE professional who traveled to her home to administer it, she noted.
Her son Bill sits nearby while Molly, a darkhaired Chihuahua, rests quietly in a corner. “She’s definitely spoiled,” said Bill Collins of their beloved rescue dog. “She runs the house, and that’s OK,” he added with a smile.
Ms. Collins chats easily, sharing odds and ends about growing up in Hancock County, Tennessee, her family and her life in Lee County for the past 55 years. She lived in Jonesville for many years, and Bill grew up there. They moved to Dryden about 18 years ago to be closer to Bill’s job at the time.
Ms. Collins tries to remain as active as possible. She suffers from several health problems, she said, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hypertension and heart disease. She also has some mobility problems
caused by polio, which she contracted as a child.
Ms. Collins’ health issues would qualify her for nursing home level of care, but the PACE program provides the care she needs to remain in her home.
PACE operates on the belief that it is better for adults age 55 and older with chronic care needs to be served in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. PACE participants must be eligible for nursing home facility level of care but can still live safely at home with assistance. PACE provides comprehensive care, including medical and specialty care, physical and occupational therapy, in-home support and care, social support, prescriptions, transportation and more. (Read more about the program on Page 5.)
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Ms. Collins said the PACE program is well suited for her needs. She is especially thankful for the personal care and homemaker services provided to her as a PACE participant.
Bill Collins, 49, is also appreciative of the care his mother receives, especially since he has health problems of his own, including diabetes and accompanying neuropathy, as well as hypertension and high cholesterol. “As far as personal care and housekeeping, Mom’s aide is the driving force here,” he noted.
His mother has received MEOC in-home support services for years, he said, even before enrolling in Mountain Empire PACE, which he says provides the full spectrum of services his mother needs day or night.
“Everyone I have dealt with at PACE has tried to address every issue that mom had and anything she needed medically. For instance, they helped her with glasses, dentures, special shoes and a brace, a hearing aid, a bar for the bathroom and a lift chair … The list goes on,” said Bill Collins.
“I don’t worry about Mom’s healthcare because it’s in good hands. From my point, it has taken a lot of the stress off me, especially when I have bad days myself. I can say that PACE has been a tremendous blessing for us,” he added. Continued from Page 4
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly helps older adults who need assistance managing their health continue to live independently in their own homes as long as possible. PACE provides a comprehensive package of medical, wellness, social and support services. The program covers all the services available under Medicare and Medicaid. Participants receive a full spectrum of services administered and coordinated by a PACE interdisciplinary team.
You must be at least age 55; live in Lee, Scott or Wise counties or the City of Norton; be able to live safely at home with support; need help with some activities of daily living that qualify you for nursing home level of care; and meet certain financial requirements.
At PACE, a team of health care professionals will give you the coordinated care you need. Services include, but are not limited to:
• medical care specific to each participant’s needs and preferences
• specialty care
• therapy services
• adult day care
• home health, personal care
• meals and nutritional counseling
• all necessary prescription medications
• social services
• hospital and nursing home care when necessary
Call Mountain Empire PACE at (276) 523-0599 and ask for Intake and Enrollment Coordinator Cindy Fraley.
Mountain Empire
Older Citizens’ 45th Annual Walkathon, which raises money for its Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly, is set for August 29, a change from the event’s traditional spring date.
The Walkathon is typically held the first Sunday in May. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic paired with a laterthan-usual 2020 Walkathon, which was held virtually, prompted organizers to push the 2021 fundraiser to August.
MEOC Emergency Services Director Marsha Craiger said organizers hope for an inperson event this year if pandemic restrictions are lifted by that time. If restrictions are still in place, however, the Walkathon will
again be held virtually.
The Walkathon is the Emergency Fuel Fund’s major fundraiser. The program assists older people throughout Lee, Wise and Scott counties and the City of Norton with winter heating costs. During the most recent fuel season, November 1, 2020, to March 30, 2021, the fund assisted 963 households with heatingrelated emergencies at a cost of nearly $196,000.
“We are very hopeful we can have everyone gather for the Walkathon in its traditional format this year,” said Craiger. “I am always humbled by the crowd that shows up to support the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. It is a display of a community taking care of and supporting
‘I am always humbled by the crowd that shows up to support the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. It is a display of a community taking care of and supporting its older generations.’
— Marsha Craiger, MEOC Emergency Services Director
its older generations.”
The 2021 Walkathon goal is $165,000. That is the same as last year, a target which was thankfully surpassed. MEOC again needs the community’s support to meet this goal and assist the frailest, most vulnerable people in need next winter.
MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler noted the success of last year’s Walkathon despite the untraditional format. “Thanks to the tremendous support of the community, last year’s virtual Walkathon was a success. But we are very excited to get back outside, walk on the Greenbelt and have a picnic for our 45th Walkathon!”
Event organizers are ever appreciative of the local community’s support of the Emergency Fuel Fund. “We are so thankful and so grateful for
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
every single individual, business, church and civic group who generously give to help others,” noted Craiger. “Every donation goes directly to help an older person in our service area. No money is used for administrative costs. And the money is spent right here in our local area, helping our local economy,” added Craiger.
For more information about this year’s Walkathon, contact MEOC at 276-523-4202. You may donate to the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly, or any MEOC program, by visiting www.meoc.org.
The Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly serves older individuals in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. The program pays for wood, coal, propane, heating oil or electric bills for those who are at least age 60 and whose income is at or below 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines.
The fuel fund receives no state or federal money. No administrative costs are paid from it. It exists solely because of donations from businesses, faith organizations, civic groups, local governments and individuals. EVERY SINGLE PENNY goes to help a local older person.
You can donate multiple ways.
1. Visit www.meoc.org and click ‘Donate.’ You can make a one-time donation and also set up automatic monthly and quarterly contributions.
2. Text DONATE to 276-242-3525.
3. Mail your check to MEOC, PO Box 888, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219.
If you or someone you know is having a difficult time purchasing prescription medications, Pharmacy Connect of Southwest Virginia may be able to help.
The program provides free or low-cost prescription medications to those who meet eligibility guidelines in Lee, Wise, Scott, Dickenson, Buchanan, Tazewell and Russell counties and the City of Norton.
Medication assistance caseworkers can help people of all ages by accessing indigent patient assistance programs of over 250 national pharmaceutical companies. Companies have different eligibility guidelines. All medications may not be available. Local program partners include MEOC, Clinch River Health Services, Junction Center for Independent Living, LENOWISCO Health District, Stone Mountain Health Services, The Health Wagon, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and Virginia Health Care Foundation. Call (276) 523-4202 for more information about the Pharmacy Connect program.
BY THE NUMBERS
963 households assisted by the Emergency Fuel Fund during winter 2020-21 $196,000 amount spent during the same period
$165,000 Goal for the 2021 Walkathon
BY JUDY WILLIS CARE COORDINATION DIRECTOR
Mountain Empire Older Citizens offers a large array of services for older persons, many of which you may not even know about. The good news is that MEOC care coordinators not only know about all MEOC services but have a good grasp of what’s available elsewhere in the community, including public benefits and services offered by other community organizations.
If you’re thinking of calling MEOC about someone you believe may need services (family member, neighbor, church friend, etc.), you shouldn’t hesitate if you don’t have a lot of information. A name and phone number are enough to initiate the care coordination process.
When you call about service, you will be directed to a care coordinator to whom you can explain the reason for your call. She will listen to your concerns and note any information about the older person who needs help.
Then a care coordinator will reach out to that individual
to verify his or her interest in participating in the assessment for eligibility to receive services.
At that point, the care coordinator will complete an assessment that includes some demographic information and, more importantly, information about how the older person is able to perform activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, eating and toileting and if they require help with those. There will also be questions to determine if they are able on their own to do everyday tasks like meal preparation, housekeeping, laundry, shopping, etc.
The care coordinator, who
The plan will always be guided by what the person seeking services wants and needs. The care coordinator, who will be familiar with possible solutions to identified needs, will explain available services, but the older person is in the driver’s seat.
may also be called an options counselor, will use information gleaned during this conversation to work with the individual to put together a picture of his or her situation and needs. Then together they can work on an action plan. The plan will always be guided by what the person seeking services wants and needs. The care coordinator, who will be familiar with possible solutions to identified needs, will explain available
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
services, but the older person is in the driver’s seat.
Sometimes he or she may just need information and can proceed without assistance from that point. Often, however, the assistance of the care coordinator or a close family member or other trusted individual is needed. The options counselor is always ready and able to assist with applications and referrals.
One of MEOC’s most frequently requested services is assistance from its Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. The actual application for this service is done by phone and is very simple with only a few questions. For Emergency Fuel, the lengthier assessment described above does not have to be completed. Basically, the qualifications for this program are that you live in MEOC’s service area, are at least 60 years old and have a monthly income at or less than 150 percent of the
federal poverty level as issued by the Department of Health and Human Services each year.
For other frequently requested services like homemaker and home-delivered meals, the entire assessment must be completed.
Homemaker service provides a trained homemaker to assist those older persons who cannot perform activities such as preparing meals, shopping, laundry or doing light housework.
Home-delivered meals service provides a nutritious meal for people aged 60 and older who are homebound because of illness, disability, or other isolating conditions. Individuals who qualify for the program receive one meal per day, five days per week.
If even more in-home assistance, like personal care or PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) is needed, MEOC care coordinators will
gladly assist with necessary applications and referrals, including putting the individual or his/her chosen representative in touch with the intake and enrollment coordinator at Mountain Empire PACE.
MEOC is part of a National Council on Aging Benefits Enrollment Center. Care coordinators can also help with applications for Virginia Medicaid, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (fuel assistance applied for at your local Department of Social Services), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other public benefits.
To refer yourself or someone else for MEOC services or for help in accessing other services, call 276-523-4202. You will be directed to a care coordinator who can help you.
For a complete listing along with description of MEOC’s services, go to www.meoc.org.
A partnership among Mountain Empire Older Citizens, LENOWISCO Health District, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation assisted some of the most vulnerable older people in MEOC’s service area to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
MEOC care coordinators and health department nurses telephoned 1,044 older, homebound individuals to ask if they had had the vaccine and, if not, whether they wanted to schedule an April 10
appointment at a mass vaccination clinic in Weber City or wanted to schedule a later appointment.
The health department followed up to schedule the appointment. Mountain Empire Transit, with support from DRPT, provided transportation to the clinic for those who needed it.
While many of the individuals on the list did not answer their phone or respond to a voice mail, callers were able to identify 61 older people who wanted help in scheduling the vaccine either at the Weber City clinic or later.
Beginning in July, Mountain Empire Transit (MET) will offer a new way to ride in the Wise and Norton area.
MET Go! will provide on-demand bus transportation to riders anywhere within its designated 11-square-mile service zone. The zone stretches from the Lonesome Pine Regional Business and Technology Park near the Town of Wise, where businesses like Sykes USA are located, to beyond Norton Community Hospital. In between are places like The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise County Courthouse, Wise County Health Department and the county’s largest shopping centers.
The service will be free and is expected to begin July 1. Service hours will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
MET Go! riders can schedule trips using a smartphone app, developed by Via. Those who don’t have a smartphone can book rides using a computer.
Once passengers schedule a ride, they can use the app to track the MET Go! bus in real time as it travels to their pickup spot. Other riders can be added along the route. MET Go! will not have
v Riders within the designated Wise-Norton zone can book on-demand rides using a smartphone app.
v MET Go! will be FREE.
v Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
v Mountain Empire Transit is one of two public transit systems in the state to receive grant funding for the pilot project.
Some MEOC buses will soon be wearing a new look designating them for the MET Go! service expected to launch in July.
designated stops, fixed routes or schedules; those will shift based on rider demand. Mountain Empire Transit will designate buses from its existing fleet to serve the zone.
MET Go! is part of a Virginia Department of Rail and Transportation (DRPT) pilot project to test the microtransit concept for rural transits. Microtransit, in very simple terms, is flexible transit with an on-demand option. Mountain Empire Transit is one of two public transit systems in Virginia to receive funding for the project; Bay Transit in eastern Virginia is the other system. DRPT received a $160,000 Integrated Mobility Innovation grant from the Federal Transit Administration for the two projects. The Commonwealth of Virginia is providing $68,000 in matching funds from the Innovation and Technology Transportation Fund.
MET Go! will be offered in addition to Mountain Empire Transit’s current service, which requires passengers to call a minimum of 24 hours ahead to schedule trips. Riders can still plan trips by calling the transit dispatch office.
However, the grant-funded project will provide
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Continued from Page 10
new opportunities to serve those within the designated zone.
“We are looking forward to launching this new service. It will provide Mountain Empire Transit a new way to serve our communities. This will benefit local residents and visitors alike,” said MET Director Mitch Elliott.
Elliott noted that the need for on-demand transportation service has grown in recent
years, especially with UVa-Wise’s growth. The college is expected to be a hub for the new MET Go! Mountain Empire Transit currently partners with UVa-Wise to provide student transportation through the Cavalier Connection, by which students can travel around campus, the Town of Wise and surrounding community.
MET Go! will replace and improve service provided by the Cavalier Connection.
MET Go! will be for everyone within the designated area and service times, however, whether you need a ride to work, a medical appointment, a shopping center or anywhere within the Wise-Norton zone.
More information about MET Go! and how to use it will be provided to the public as the launch date approaches.
MEOC’s SENIOR COOL CARE
Fans and air conditioners available for qualifying seniors in emergency situations.
Program runs June 1 through September 30. Limited quantities. Distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
TO QUALIFY, YOU MUST: be at least age 60
Lee,
or Wise
MEOC’s Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center will use a $50,000 grant from The Rapha Foundation to provide cancer education in Wise County and the City of Norton. Above, The Rapha Foundation Executive Director Mark Vanover (center) delivers the first of two grant award checks to MLCC Coordinator Dianne Morris. With them is MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler.
MEOC's Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center will use a $50,000 grant from The Rapha Foundation to provide cancer education in Wise County and the City of Norton.
Half the funding will be awarded this year; the remainder will come in 2022. The Rapha Foundation Executive Director Mark Vanover delivered the first $25,000 check to MEOC’s office on February 16.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving population health and access to education in Southwest Virginia.
“The Rapha Foundation Board recognizes the importance this program plays in the health and well-being of our citizens and wants to assist in the expansion of its educational component. Additionally, we recognize the great work performed by
MEOC and want to affirm our support of these programs and the people they serve,” said Vanover.
MLCC Coordinator Dianne Morris said the funding will allow MLCC to continue and expand community education about different aspects of cancer in Wise County and Norton. “Finding out that we had received the grant was such great news,” noted Morris.
MLCC provides direct services to cancer patients in its service area, including physicianprescribed liquid nutrition, home-delivered meals, financial help, transportation and pharmacy assistance. The center also provides, often in cooperation with community partners, education on various aspects of cancer.
In a region with the highest cancer mortality rate of any area of Virginia, the need for more education about the disease is great. Environmental, economic and social factors are among reasons people with cancer in this region are more likely to die than in other areas of the state. Limited access to medical care; higher rates of smoking, obesity and inactivity; and higher poverty rates are contributors.
“We need to put even more emphasis on health education, particularly cancer screenings, and improving relationships within our community to reduce
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Continued from Page 12
these risk factors,” said Morris. She also plans to expand upon existing relationships with medical facilities, local health departments, schools and churches to provide education and increased screenings. “Early detection is so important to good outcomes,” she said.
One aspect of cancer education on which Morris plans to focus using the Rapha grant is the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination. HPV infection is linked to six different types of cancer in men and women, including cervical cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine as part of routine immunizations for girls and boys at age 11 or 12. The CDC also recommends the vaccine
The Rapha Foundation also awarded a $10,000 grant to MEOC’s Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. Here, Foundation Executive Director Mark Vanover presents a check to MEOC Emergency Services Director Marsha Craiger. The grant is earmarked to benefit Wise County and City of Norton residents. MEOC’s emergency fuel fund assists older persons who live in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton with heating costs such as payment of an electric bill or oil, gas, coal or wood delivery.
for everyone through age 26 if not previously adequately vaccinated.
In Virginia, the vaccine is an immunization requirement for public school attendance for girls. However, Morris said, from fall 2019 to the end of 2020, only 35.47 percent of boys and girls combined in Wise County and Norton received the vaccine. That’s far below the national goal of 80 percent.
Morris cites misinformation about the vaccine as among likely causes for the low vaccination rate. More education needs to be done, she said. Morris plans to reach out to Wise County and Norton school officials to discuss whether an education program can be initiated in those systems.
MLCC will partner with the University of Virginia’s Master of Public Health program to develop education resources and engage with other public health professionals.
Morris will also continue teaching the Understanding Cancer curriculum, now taught both in person and virtually, which is designed for cancer patients, survivors, families and caregivers. The workshop addresses various aspects of cancer, including risk factors, prevention, screenings, treatments, support and survivorship.
To learn more about the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center, contact Morris at (276) 523-4202 or dianne.morris@meoc.org.
MEOC AmeriCorps Seniors Director Brandi Barnette displays one of the new tablets that program participants are using to connect in new ways.
Faced with continuing COVID-19 restrictions, MEOC AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are using technology to stay connected to the program and each other, attend virtual workshops and even participate in activities to improve their well-being.
The MEOC program (formerly the Foster Grandparent Program) purchased 18 new tablets earlier this year using the bulk of a one-time $15,000 augmentation grant from
AmeriCorps. The funding was made available to help AmeriCorps Seniors programs address challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The remainder of MEOC’s grant was used to buy $100 Food City gift cards for each of the program’s 27 volunteers to replace the value of meals they are missing by not being able to work in classrooms. The program also earmarked $1,000 of the grant for marketing expenses.
AmeriCorps Seniors participants serve as foster grandparents to at-risk children in area Head Start and elementary schools, working one-on-one to mentor and tutor students.
Because of pandemic restrictions, the volunteers have been unable to physically volunteer in classrooms.
MEOC AmeriCorps Seniors Director Brandi Barnette has found other ways for the volunteers to serve the community, such as assembling packets for remote learners and helping with a local Thanksgiving meal outreach.
Now, however, the tablets provide new ways for AmeriCorps Seniors to stay connected and learn new technology. They can participate in virtual meetings and training. The tablets would even allow them to interact with their classrooms with school approval. The technology also helps volunteers battle the isolation that many older adults have experienced since the pandemic.
Because the program has 18 tablets and 27 volunteers, the devices will be checked out for a set period, similar to a library system.
Barnette is thrilled with the foster grandparents’ embrace of the technology. “After the very first Zoom meeting, all of the
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Continued from Page 14 MORE
AmeriCorps Seniors provides volunteer opportunities for people age 55 and older willing to devote at least 15 hours a week to tutoring and caring for children in partnership with teachers in pre-school, Head Start, kindergarten and elementary schools. Benefits include an hourly tax-free stipend, a daily free meal, transportation and accident insurance.
MEOC’s AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are assigned to classrooms throughout the agency’s service area of Lee, Scott and Wise counties and Norton. Call Brandi Barnette at (276) 523-4202 for more information.
participants were so happy, and many said they did not feel as nervous about trying this new technology. In fact, one of our volunteers felt confident enough to go online and pay a bill, all by herself, for the very first time!” Barnette said.
Their first group activity with the tablets was MEOC’s A Matter of Balance workshop. It also marked the first time in the state of Virginia the class was taught virtually.
A Matter of Balance, open to adults age 60 and older, teaches practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels. Master trainers Nicky Fleenor and Carol Schoolcraft taught the classes from the MEOC Transit conference room. Volunteers used Zoom to participate.
In April, the volunteers
participated in a three-part Understanding Cancer workshop offered by MEOC’s Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center.
The AmeriCorps Seniors program also partnered with other agencies including Clinch River Health Services for a Diabetes & Hypertension Prevention & Education course, the American Red Cross for an adult preparedness training and Mental Health Association of East Tennessee for mental health training.
Barnette said although the volunteers would rather be serving in their schools, this opportunity to learn new technology and improve mental and physical health during the pandemic is a great way to help prepare them for their return to classrooms.
AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers virtually participate in A Matter of Balance class in March. Pictured left to right are Sharon K. Mullins, Mary Rogers and Cheryl Asbury.
Some MEOC Senior
Community Sites will open with restrictions on June 7 after being closed for more than a year because of the pandemic.
One site each in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton will open once a week during June. COVID restrictions will dictate whether the schedule will change.
June site meetings will be limited to 15 people, and no open food or drinks will be allowed. However, congregate site participants will continue receiving home-delivered frozen meals until regular services resume.
Though meals will not be served, the meetings will provide program participants the muchneeded socialization many older adults have missed during the pandemic, said MEOC Nutrition Services Director Carrie Stallard.
the number of meals provided to older adults by MEOC’s nutrition program from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
“Our nutrition program offers more than just a meal. We focus on helping our seniors stay physically and mentally active as well as keeping them connected and engaged in the community,” she noted.
Prior to the pandemic, MEOC’s senior sites were open at eight locations throughout the agency’s service area, providing a healthy meal in a group setting to adults at least age 60. The program provides a range of services including nutrition assessments, food safety education, and nutritional counseling.
Sites closed in late March 2020 when the pandemic hit. MEOC began providing emergency meals service to homebound seniors in addition to clients already being served by the agency’s home-delivered meals program.
From April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, MEOC provided a total of 145,825 meals to 1,032 older persons. That includes 55,524 meals to 507 individuals receiving emergency service and 90,301 to 583 clients enrolled in the normal program.
Staff also kept in touch with participants through weekly phone calls and text messages. From April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, 9,035 well checks were made on 212 individuals.
Call (276) 523-4202 or email carrie.stallard@meoc.org to learn more about MEOC's nutrition services.
DEBBIE COLLIER
OMBUDSMAN
What is a long-term care ombudsman? An ombudsman advocates for residents in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The local ombudsman serves residents in Lee, Scott, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Ombudsmen also handle complaints regarding personal care or home health services being provided to someone over age 60. An ombudsman acts as an investigator
of complaints, a mediator, an advocate for residents’ rights, and an educator for residents, staff and the community.
Federal law prevents a facility from denying an ombudsman access to residents, but during COVID, traditional visits were halted for the residents’ safety. Non-conventional methods were employed to ensure
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
from Page 14
residents still had access to the ombudsman. Video calling was an avenue used to communicate and meet face-to-face with residents and families. COVID relief funds enabled residents to have access to tablets and smart phones so they could contact the ombudsman if needed. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have evolved to include
Mountain Empire Older Citizens began accepting 2021 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program applications for Wise County and Norton on May 3.
APPLY BY PHONE (276) 523-4202 OR (800) 252-6362
younger and younger residents. Many of the residents are under age 50 and familiar with using smart phones and tablets. Those who were not received assistance from staff.
In March, facilities began allowing the ombudsman to enter. They were opened to other visitors in April. The reopening of facilities to visitors and families
brought with it an increase in the number of complaints and reports of issues regarding longterm care facility residents.
If you or someone you know has an issue with or a question about a long-term care facility resident’s care, feel free to call (276) 523-4202 and ask for Debbie Collier or email dcollier@meoc.org.
Those who qualify receive $45 worth of checks in $5 increments that can be spent at local farmers markets in Big Stone Gap, Norton, St. Paul and Wise beginning June 1.
At least age 60 Live in Wise County or City of Norton Income level at or below 150 percent of federal poverty level
Checks are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
If you are raising the child of a family member, you’re not alone. An increasing number of children in the region are being raised by grandparents or other relatives for a variety of reasons.
MEOC’s KinCare program provides free services and support to those acting as surrogate parents to or who have legal custody of relative children. To be eligible, caregivers must provide full-time care of relative children living in their home. Kincare children may be living in the caregiver’s home through the formal or informal foster care system or after the caregiver received legal custody of or adopted children.
What can KinCare offer? The program includes care coordination, monthly support groups, family fun events, counseling/case management, legal assistance, parenting education and information, advocacy, and information and referral.
To learn more about MEOC’s Kincare program, contact Kristen Mahan at (276) 523-4202 or kristen.mahan@meoc.org.
Located within the MEOC office complex is the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), which offers a full child abuse continuum of care, from prevention to intervention to treatment. All services are free.
At the CAC, representatives from many disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, treatment and prosecution of child abuse cases. The multidisciplinary team approach brings together under one umbrella all the professionals and agencies needed to offer comprehensive services: law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, victim advocacy
and the medical community.
Because child abuse affects not only the child, but the entire family, the CAC also offers a family advocate program. A program is also available for adults who were abused as children.
Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia is a home visiting program that provides information, education and supportive services to new parents. All services are free. Parents can access the program prenatal or postnatal through their obstetrician-gynecologist, in the hospital following their baby’s birth, or through self-referral.
In recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, MEOC Children’s Services staff (Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Virginia, Healthy Families and KinCare) gathered April 1 with supportive individuals and organizations to plant pinwheels, the symbol of child abuse prevention, in front of MEOC’s administrative offices. Among those joining them were MEOC staff; Multidisciplinary Team members including law enforcement, Wise County Victim Witness staff and Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney staff; an MEOC Board of Directors member; and Children’s Services Advisory Board members.
Looking for some simple, inexpensive but fun things to do with your children or grandchildren this summer? MEOC KinCare Coordinator
Kristen Mahan offers some suggestions.
Plant a garden.
Build a blanket tent or fort.
Make a family memory book.
Cook a meal together.
Plan a scavenger hunt.
Camp out in the backyard.
Paint your driveway using colored chalk.
Have a water balloon fight.
Paint pictures of different animals on rocks.
Play a board game on the deck or porch.
Make a ring toss game using paper plates.
Go on a hike or family picnic.
Play baseball in the backyard.
Learn to fly kites.
MEOC personal care aide Edna Ayers is the 2020 Grace P. Davis Award recipient.
The award annually recognizes an in-home and family support services staff member who has shown dedication to MEOC’s mission. The recipient must demonstrate compassion, concern and respect in providing services to frail older clients.
Award nominations are made by clients. Eligible employees include those who provide services through the homemaker, personal care, adult day health care and/or respite programs.
Ayers, of Big Stone Gap, has worked at MEOC since August 2015. She is also manager at MEOC’s Big Stone Gap congregate meal site.
Ayers is characterized as kind, compassionate, honest and hard-working. One client wrote in her nomination for Ayers, “She has always been kind to me and anyone who comes to my house … She works diligently to see that I am well taken care of and able to stay in my own home. She is compassionate and concerned about the health of her clients. She has great respect for older people and all the places she works. I don’t know what I would do without her.”
Ayers was presented the award by MEOC Director of In-
MEOC personal care aide Edna Ayers displays the 2020 Grace P. Davis Award. With her is MEOC In-Home & Family Support Services Director Heather Oakes.
Home & Family Support Services
Heather Oakes during a January virtual staff meeting.
The late Grace P. Davis was a retired Lee County educator who was instrumental in the organization of MEOC and provided invaluable leadership in its growth and expansion for 25 years.
Davis was a leading and
outspoken advocate for development of in-home services for the elderly.
She served on the local planning group that received the initial grant in January 1974 that established MEOC and on the agency’s board of directors through 1999, when she resigned at age 96 because of health problems.
She passed away in September 2002.
- Certified Nursing Assistants - Personal Care Aides - Homemakers Apply online at www.meoc.org. On the ‘About Us’
Immediate openings to help care for older individuals in their homes in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. PCA positions also available at Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
CNA: $11.50 hourly.* Requires active and valid CNA licensure in Virginia
PCA/Homemaker: $10 hourly* * Additional $1 per hour during pandemic - Flexible schedule - Paid mileage - $250 sign-on bonus after 90 days
FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021
Lonesome Pine Country Club, Big Stone Gap
REGISTRATION: 8:00 a.m. | SHOTGUN START: 8:30 a.m.
All proceeds benefit the Harold Lester Memorial Fund of the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support & Resource Center.
To register or for more information, contact MLCC
Coordinator Dianne Morris at dianne.morris@meoc.org or (276) 523-4202.
Level 1 - $475
Four Person Team
Hole Sponsor
Name on Tournament Board
Level 2 - $400
Four Person Team
Name on Tournament Board
Level 3 - $100
Hole Sponsor
Name on Tee Box
Level 4 - $100 Individual Participant (Tournament committee will place you on a team)
Level 5 - Donation of Any Amount Business/Individual Sponsor
*Mulligan package included for all levels
• Would you like to keep your loved one home and out of a nursing home?
• Does your loved one need help with routine activities of daily living?
• Are you worried about your loved one’s social interaction?
• Do you feel torn between caregiving and your job or family commitments?
Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc.
PO Box 888
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219
Return Service Requested
@VAMEOC Connect with us
@mountainempireoldercitizens
Mountain Empire Older Citizens
•
