MEOC Junctures | Fall 2023

Junctures FALL 2023

Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc.

Public Transit Allows Jones to Maintain Independence Page 10

PACE helps stroke survivor return home Page 4

METGo! recognized for innovation Page 10

Mission teams repair homes for MEOC clients Page 14

Age-Old Values For All Ages

CONTENTS 3

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Making informed decisions about Medicare during open enrollment.

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HOME REPAIR PROJECTS Two out-of-state church groups repair MEOC client homes.

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MOUNTAIN EMPIRE PACE PACE helps stroke survivor return to her own home.

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EMERGENCY FUEL FUND Emergency heating assistance program open until March 31.

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MAE FRENCH AWARD Maddox honored posthumously as MEOC older worker.

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5K WALK/RUN Leigh Ann Bolinskey Memorial 5K Run/Walk raises $15,000.

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FREE INSURANCE COUNSELING VICAP counselors can guide you during Medicare open enrollment.

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NUTRITION COLUMN PACE Dietitian shares favorite fall produce to add to your diet.

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LINK TO INDEPENDENCE Public transit helps Jones stay independent after losing sight.

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GOLF TOURNAMENT Harold Lester Memorial Golf Tournament raises $12,500.

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INNOVATION AWARDS METGo! recognized for changing rural transportation.

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SLEMP FOUNDATION DONATION Foundation donates $10,000 to Mountain Laurel Cancer Center.

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SENIOR CONNECTIONS Congregate sites get name change, new programming.

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NEW CAC SPACE Southwest Virginia CAC's Lee County office moves to new space.

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PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE Pharmacy Connect helps all ages pay for medication.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES A look back at the June 18, 1981, edition of The Mountain Empire News.

Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. was organized in 1974 and is designated as the area agency on aging and public transit provider for Wise, Lee and Scott counties and the City of Norton in southwestern Virginia.

In addition, MEOC directs Mountain Empire PACE, the Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center, Healthy Families for Southwest Virginia and the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center.

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SENIOR MANAGEMENT Michael K. Wampler EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Stephanie R. Sprinkle CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 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. 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.

HOW TO REACH US 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

MESSAGE FROM THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

M

edicare Open Enrollment began on Oct. 15 and will end on Dec. 7. During this time, you can change or enroll in one of the many insurance plans, Medigap policies and prescription drug plans available. The number of plans available and the enrollment process can be difficult to understand and navigate.

To help you decide what plan is right for you, MEOC offers the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program. VICAP is part of a national network of programs providing free, unbiased, confidential counseling and assistance for people with Medicare (see Page 7). Trained counselors can meet with you individually and help you make MICHAEL WAMPLER the right choice during open enrollment.

VICAP counselors are also trained to assist with appeals and grievances to help resolve insurance-related disputes.

In addition, other programs are available to help pay for your Medicare costs, such as the Extra Help program and Medicare Savings program for those who qualify. VICAP counselors will be able to assist you with the application process.

This service is free to all Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of income.

Let us know if we can assist you during open enrollment or, as always, if we can assist you with information or other services offered by MEOC. Finally, as we approach the end of this year, I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and many blessings in 2024.

JUNCTURES

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PACE helps participant return home after stroke Area resident Cathy Shupe was struggling to live at home. She had recently suffered a stroke with right-sided weakness and was finding it difficult to regain her strength to stay safe and independent at home. Cathy was at risk for nursing home placement, though she was hesitant to give up on her dream of remaining at home with her beloved cat, Marmalade.

Cathy eventually enrolled in Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Unfortunately, within two weeks of enrolling, she had several falls and no longer felt safe living at home alone.

With Cathy’s consent, PACE arranged for placement at a local nursing facility so she could focus on regaining her strength. During her stay there, Cathy continued attending PACE, where she could socialize while receiving medical services, therapy and social services.

Cathy worked with the PACE physical therapy team, which includes Shirly Mooney, PT, and Candice Wiggins, LPTA. Shirly and Candice targeted Cathy’s rightsided weakness through anodyne therapy. Anodyne therapy is a drug-free and non-invasive treatment that can help manage a person’s pain. Using this form of

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PACE participant Cathy Shupe and her daughter, Jessica Fleenor. therapy decreased Cathy’s nerve pain.

Mooney and Wiggins also worked with her to improve her gait and stability, and Cathy eventually transitioned from a rolling walker to a single-point cane.

Cathy also received services from the PACE occupational therapy team, which includes Nazrin Scott, OT, and Wendy Phillips, COTA. Scott and Phillips worked with Cathy to improve her independence in mobility and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

Scott and Phillips also performed assessments of Cathy’s mobility and home environment to determine the equipment Cathy would need to return home safely. They arranged to have a handrail installed outside the home and provided a few personal equipment items for use inside

the home.

Once Cathy was physically improved enough to leave the nursing facility, the home itself needed a few repairs to accommodate her safety, including the replacement of a water line that had burst during her absence from the house.

PACE social workers and home care coordinator visited the home to assess the damage and help the family establish a restoration plan. The social workers assisted in locating water line repair services and put the family in touch with them to arrange the necessary repairs.

During this time, the family also arranged for someone to deep clean the home so Cathy would return to a nice, clean living environment.

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Continued from Page 4 Though circumstances beyond anyone’s control resulted in a longer nursing home stay than initially intended, Cathy was finally able to return home to Marmalade.

Cathy remains in her own home today. She attends PACE three times a week, where she continues to participate in therapy and receives other services as needed.

MEOC Transit picks Cathy up from her home in the mornings, delivers her to the PACE center where she can visit with her friends, and then picks her back up in the afternoons to return her safely home.

Once a month, PACE arranges

to have all of Cathy’s necessary medications delivered right to her door to ensure she remains on the appropriate medication regimen.

If you were to ask Cathy about PACE, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that, while she wanted desperately to remain independent in her home, she was scared to be alone and afraid of falling.

She acknowledges that PACE therapy services were one of the key factors in helping her regain her strength, restore her confidence in her abilities and pave the way for her return home.

She enjoys coming to PACE because she can see the medical team if she has a clinical concern,

participate in therapy, visit with friends and engage in other activities at the center. PACE, she says, gives her the chance to socialize but still return home every evening.

Cathy's daughter, Jessica Fleenor, credits PACE as a vital role in her mother's stroke recovery.

"I couldn't have gotten Mom safely home without the help of PACE," said Fleenor. "Mom has come a long way since her stroke last October. Therapy has been key in her recovery and still keeps her going strong. We are so thankful these services are available, and she is still able to live independently," she stated.

Above left, Occupational Therapist Nazrin Scott (left) and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Wendy Phillips worked with stroke survivor Cathy Shupe to improve her independence in mobility and activities of daily living. Above right, Cathy receives anodyne therapy to help with pain management. With her are Physical Therapist Shirly Mooney (standing) and Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant Candice Wiggins.

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Maddox posthumously honored that Maddox should receive it.

As MEOC’s kitchen services manager, the late MEOC annually presents the award to an MEOC Ron Maddox helped serve hundreds of thousands older worker in recognition of of meals to older adults in need in their exemplary service, loyalty, Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the 'If you knew Ron, he commitment and kindness in the City of Norton. Maddox was kind and made you laugh. He workplace and the community. generous. He was also funny, quickMae French volunteered at the witted and had a smile for everyone he was a friend to all.'

Norton Nutrition site from 1974encountered.

1975. She became employed at the “If you knew Ron, he made you — MEOC Executive agency in 1976, at age 81, through laugh. He was a friend to all,” said Director Michael the Green Thumb Program. She MEOC Executive Director Michael worked until 1993, when she retired Wampler, who knew Maddox since Wampler at 98 for health reasons.

Ron began working at MEOC in 2009 The annual award named in her as a transit driver. honor recognizes an older MEOC employee at least Maddox passed away on July 26 after battling cancer. When it came time to select the 2023 Mae French Outstanding Older Award, it seemed fitting CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Jaylen Maddox and Denise Franklin are pictured in the center holding the 2023 Mae French Award, which they accepted on behalf of their father, Ron Maddox, MEOC’s kitchen services manager who passed away in late July. Joining them were Ron's brother and sister-in-law, Charles Steven 'Stork' Maddox and Jackie Maddox, on the far left. Also pictured are MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler and Nutrition Services Director Kristen Rutherford.

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Free Medicare counseling available Medicare open enrollment is underway, so now is the time to review your coverage and make changes if you feel better options are available.

If you need help comparing plans or navigating the process, MEOC’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) offers free, unbiased, confidential counseling.

VICAP Counselors Tiffany Jacobs and Leah Spivey are trained to walk you through the steps It’s important to to maximize your check your Medicare benefits, help with enrollment, compare plan every year due plans, discuss Medigap to changes in your plan options and assist with Extra Help prescriptions and in for premiums and the plan itself. medications for Part D drug plans.

Jacobs explained that Medicare open enrollment is the annual period to change your Part D or Medicare Advantage plans.

During open enrollment, which began Oct. 15 and will end Dec. 7, you can switch from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan, from a Medicare Advantage Plan to original Medicare, from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another or from one Medicare drug plan to another. You can also enroll in a Medicare drug plan if you don’t have one.

MEOC’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program Counselors Tiffany Jacobs (left) and Leah Spivey can help you navigate your options during Medicare open enrollment.

Any changes made during open enrollment will take effect on Jan. 1 after open enrollment.

Spivey noted that it’s important to check your plan every year due to changes in your prescriptions and changes in the plan itself. "What is covered this year may not be covered next year. We’ll check your prescriptions and pharmacies on the Medicare website to see what plan is best for you,” she said.

For more information about MEOC’s VICAP program or to schedule an appointment with one of MEOC's VICAP counselors, call 276-523-4202.

Continued from Page 6 age 55 who demonstrates the same qualities of service, loyalty, commitment and kindness in the workplace and community she exemplified.

Maddox exhibited all those qualities. He was honored posthumously with the award at the MEOC Older Worker Luncheon on Sept. 1.

Accepting it were several of Maddox’s family members, including his son and one of his

daughters, Jaylen Maddox and Denise Franklin, and his brother and sister-in-law, Charles Steven “Stork” and Jackie Maddox.

Nutrition Services Director Kristen Rutherford presented the honor. She noted Maddox's dedication to MEOC and helping the region's older adults in need.

"Ron's impact is still far-reaching, and his legacy leaves a wide footprint,” she said.

“Ron was always having fun,

bragging about the Minnesota Vikings and singing along with the radio. His witty banter was the center of inside jokes at MEOC. "Behind his gregarious personality, he had a quiet kindness and a gentle side that never boasted or needed recognition. He is loved and deeply missed,” Rutherford concluded.

The MEOC family will forever miss Ron, his easygoing demeanor, quick wit and friendship to all.

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Public transit is link to independence For 82-year-old June Jones of Norton, Mountain Empire Transit is more than just a way to get from here to there. The public transportation service is a lifeline to her independence.

For 35 years, MET has provided public transportation to people of all ages in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton.

Mountain Empire Older Citizens operates MET, which provides all its services for free.

Jones is among regular MET riders. After losing her eyesight and driver’s license to macular degeneration, an eye disease that affects a person’s

central vision, she rides the public transit system through the week, when family members are working, to get her where she needs and wants to go. She uses the service for weekly standing beauty salon appointments, ladies group lunches, medical appointments and more.

“I like people, I like going places, and I like being active,” said Jones on a sunny late summer afternoon while sitting outside her backdoor beside a carefully tended hillside flower garden. “Being active” is an understatement, however.

Jones is a familiar face in her community. Many know her from the 37 years she worked as a teacher’s aide for Norton City Schools. “I knew every kid in Norton,” Jones noted.

Others will recognize her as Mrs. Claus, whom she portrayed in Norton’s Christmas parade for years alongside her late husband, Victor “Vic” Jones, as Santa.

Others may know her from the Norton Green Thumb Garden Club, of which she has been a member for nearly 53 years, or from a long list of other community and church activities she’s been and remains involved with over the years.

Jones first used Mountain Empire Transit in 2015 to visit her late husband during his stay in a Tri-Cities nursing facility because of a hip fracture. “It was such a blessing to me,” she said.

She became a more frequent June Jones, 82, of Norton, stands with Mountain Empire Transit rider after her worsening eye Driver Jeff Brummett, who had just transported her home from her

standing weekly hair salon appointment. Jones, who is legally blind, has been a regular transit rider since losing her eyesight.

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Continued from Page 8 disease made her unable to drive for even short trips close to home. While losing one’s eyesight can be devastating, Jones wouldn’t allow her dimming vision to hinder her from doing the activities she enjoys.

She learned to use a walking cane for the blind to assist with mobility and was intent on continuing the activities she enjoys. Already familiar with Mountain Empire Transit, she turned to the public transportation service to take her where she wants to go. “MEOC Transit helps me to be the person that I am,” said Jones.

Jones knows a long list of drivers and dispatchers by their first names and can rattle them off quickly: Gale, Greg, Lawrence, Jimmy, Clark, Todd, Mike, Johnny, Donnie, Jeff, Judy, Ralph, Shanghai, Darrell, Jeremy, Bryan and Patty — and others too.

“I got close to so many of them. They are all easy to talk to, and they listen. They are a special group of people,” she added.

“I recommend Mountain Empire Transit to everybody.

It’s simple to use. I just make a phone call, and the dispatchers schedule my rides. It has been a Godsend. I don’t know how I could make it without it,” said Jones.

For more information about Mountain Empire Transit Services, call 276-523-7433.

RIDE FOR FREE

on Mountain Empire Transit!

MET offers fare-free service to the general public.

CURB-TO-CURB TRANSIT SERVICE

METGO! ON-DEMAND SERVICE (LIMITED AREAS)

Trips are arranged at least 24 hours in advance on an individual basis. No fixed routes or designated bus stops.

Riders schedule on-demand trips using a smartphone app.

Service area: Lee, Scott and Wise Counties and the City of Norton.

Hours: 7 am-5 pm.

Plan a trip: Call 276-523-7433.

Service area: In and around the Town of Wise and City of Norton.

Hours: 7 am-7 pm.

Plan a trip: Download the MetGo smartphone app from Google Play or the App Store.

Call 276-523-RIDE for more information about any of Mountain Empire Transit services.

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Mountain Empire Transit Director Mitch Elliott and Director of Operations Will Wright (third and second from left, respectively) display a USAging Achievement Award at Salt Lake City, Utah.

MET was honored for its on-demand METGo! service. MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler is pictured third from right.

METGo! recognized for innovation METGo!, Mountain Empire Transit’s free on-demand bus service in the Wise-Norton area, received two awards this year for changing how people ride public transit in a rural area.

In June, METGo! was announced as the 2023 First Place Best Practices Award winner from the Virginia Commonwealth Council on Aging. Then, in July, METGo! was honored with a USAging Achievement Award at its 2023 Annual Conference and Tradeshow on July 16-19 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

METGo! applies the same concept of ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to public transit. Riders book their trips using a smartphone app. Within minutes, a METGo! van picks them up and delivers them to their destination, stopping for

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other riders along the route.

The service, part of a DRPT pilot project, covers about 14 square miles in the Wise-Norton area.

Mountain Empire Transit, operated by Mountain Empire Older Citizens, has provided on-demand transportation, which requires passengers to call at least 24 hours in advance to book a trip, for decades. METGo! fills a gap for those who need same-day service.

USAGING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD USAging annually identifies and showcases its members’ innovative and successful programs to encourage their replication by other agencies.

The awards program recognizes AAA and Title VI Native American Aging Programs

that exemplify innovation and sound management practices in various categories. MEOC was among 34 achievement award winners; 16 agencies received innovation awards.

CCOA AWARD METGo! was chosen from over 15 competitive nominations as CCOA’s 2023 First Place Best Practices Award winner. The 24-member CCOA advises the governor and General Assembly on aging-related issues.

The award, which includes a $5,500 cash prize, was judged on criteria including community impact, potential for replication, innovation, outcomes and promotion of aging in the community.

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Mountain Empire Transit Director Mitch Elliott and Director of Operations Will Wright (fourth and fifth from left, respectively) display the 2023 first-place Best Practices Award from the Virginia Commonwealth Council on Aging for the innovative METGo! on-demand bus service. Also pictured, left to right, are VDARS representative Charlotte Arbogast, MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler, METGo! Driver Judy Horne, CCOA representatives Amy Duncan and Tina Savla, and DRPT representatives Katy Miller and Neil Sherman.

Continued from Page 10 CCOA member Tina Savla, during comments made before the award presentation at the June 8 Mountain Empire Older Citizens Advisory Council meeting, called METGo! “exemplary, sustainable and groundbreaking.”

“We are honored to be recognized by the Commonwealth Council on Aging,” MET Director Mitch Elliott said after the meeting. “A partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation made METGo! possible and allowed us to fill a need for same-day public transportation service in a rural area. The response to METGo! has been amazing since its launch. We hope to expand the service area to other towns in the near future,” he added.

Savla noted that the CCOA’s Best Practices Awards, sponsored by Dominion Energy and AARP, recognize and encourage the replication of pioneering initiatives, particularly those that foster aging in place, livable communities and advance in home and community-based services.

Savla noted that transportation is a pressing need for older adults across Virginia, not just in providing access to necessities such as healthcare, shopping and employment but to social integration too.

METGo! represents how transit has adapted to meet those evolving needs in recent years, she noted.

Savla said METGo!’s tangible results particularly impressed the awards committee. In its inaugural year, METGo! accounted for 39 percent of MET trips across its 1,390-square-mile service area and clocked over 40,000 trips for 8,000 unique riders.

More than 26,000 of these trips were for older adults or people living with disabilities. METGo now averages about 200 trips per day.

Savla said the CCOA foresees METGo! becoming a beacon for other rural regions in Virginia and beyond.

Other guests attending the award presentation included representatives of the Virginia Department for the Aging and Rehabilitative Services, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and AARP.

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CONNECTIONS SENIOR CENTERS Meeting Locations & Times LEE COUNTY • Jonesville Center Wednesdays & Fridays 9 am-1 pm at First Baptist Church Family Life Center • Pennington Gap Center Mondays & Wednesdays 9 am-1 pm at First United Methodist Church

MEOC Nutrition Services Director Kristen Rutherford (center) is shown with Norton Connections Senior Center Manager Deborah Green (right) and Assistant Manager Betty King.

Congregate nutrition program gets new name, more activities MEOC’s congregate nutrition program has a new name to better reflect the program’s purpose and benefits.

Congregate sites, locations within MEOC’s service area where older adults can gather for a nutritious meal, socialization and more, are now called Connections Senior Centers. The name change better reflects the program’s purpose beyond providing meals, which is helping participants connect to their peers and communities, said MEOC Director of Nutrition and Senior Employment Services Kristen Rutherford.

“We connect through food, and we connect through social interaction, so it seemed fitting,” said Rutherford.

The program is open to anyone age 60 or older living in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Centers are located at Big Stone Gap, Coeburn, Pound, Norton, Hiltons, Nickelsville, Jonesville and Pennington Gap. Adding new activities at the centers has also been a priority in 2023, she continued. All sites now have internet service and smart televisions, which reduce the barriers to different types of education and activities.

Site managers have access to programming such as exercise classes, cooking classes, virtual tours, health education and much more, all through the internet.

"There is a wealth of online resources, so the programming will never get dull," said Rutherford.

Call MEOC at 276-523-4202 for more information about the Connections Senior program.

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SCOTT COUNTY • Nickelsville Center Wednesdays 9 am-1 pm at First Baptist Church Family Life Center • Hiltons Center Thursdays 9 am-1 pm at United Methodist Church WISE COUNTY • Big Stone Gap Center Wednesdays 9 am-1 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church • Coeburn Center Tuesdays 9 am-1 pm next door to the Lays Hardware Center for the Arts Building • Pound Center Mondays 9 am-1 pm at Pound Town Hall CITY OF NORTON • Norton Community Center Wednesdays & Fridays 9 am-1 pm beside Norton Elementary School

Pharmacy Connect of Southwest Virginia

FREE AND LOW-COST prescriptions available Struggling to afford your medications?

Pharmacy Connect of Southwest Virginia helps people of all ages with or without health insurance access prescriptions.

Call to learn more, or scan the QR code below with your smartphone to complete an online request for more information.

276-523-4202 Pharmacy Connect serves the counties of Lee, Wise, Scott, Dickenson, Buchanan, Tazewell and Russell and the City of Norton.

Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm

Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc.

JUNCTURES

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Mission groups from Northbrook Church in Carleton, Michigan, travel to southwestern Virginia two to three times a year to complete home repairs and other projects such as wheelchair ramp construction for those in need, including many MEOC service recipients. The group above visited this past summer.

Church groups repair homes for MEOC clients Two out-of-state church groups completed some much-needed home repairs and renovations this past summer for some of the region’s elderly in need.

Eight individuals from Ochre Hill Baptist Church in North Carolina visited to repair and improve several MEOC client homes. Projects included subflooring replacement, ramp construction and other household improvements. This church has been coming for many years, dedicating time, money and work to individuals in our area.

Another long-standing group came from Northbrook Church in Michigan. This group makes two to three mission trips throughout the year to southwest Virginia to do home repair and complete projects such as wheelchair ramp construction. The church donates all materials and supplies.

This past summer, a group of 35 individuals from the

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Local resident Georgia Walls presents a quilt to one of the Northbrook Church volunteers as a thank you gift to the team for the repairs done to her home.

Need tech training to help you enter the workforce?

Older workers who want to enter or reenter the workforce but lack the technology skills needed to compete in the job market may find help through Senior Technology Career Support.

The STCS program provides technology training for income-

eligible adults at least age 55 who are seeking employment.

Working with community partners at the Regional Adult & Career Education Center and Virginia Career Works, participants attend classes to help develop work-ready computer skills. Training is available in

person and virtually.

Participants may also receive a laptop computer and accessories designed to help make technology more accessible.

Please call 276-523-4202 or visit the ‘careers’ section at www.meoc.org to apply for the STCS program.

Continued from Page 14 church, including one with cerebral palsy, dedicated over a week to completing more than five major home projects. They also visited friends in the nursing home and even took home repair requests in the grocery store line! Their tasks included ramp construction, window treatment installation and floor, bathroom and water heater repairs, plus much more.

You can find out more about their ministry and a video of the work they completed on their Facebook page NorthBrook Church or by visiting www.northbrook-church.com.

More church partners needed

Above and below, volunteers from Ochre Hill Baptist Church in North Carolina repaired several houses of MEOC clients over the summer.

MEOC receives many requests for home repairs, ramp building, roofing and plumbing issues, bathroom grab bars and other needs. Often, all we can do is make referrals to partner agencies for the completion of these projects.

MEOC relies on the donation of materials and supplies and kindness of volunteers to complete projects. The agency has a long list of individuals seeking help.

If your church, business or organization is seeking a way to give back to the community, please get in touch with Brandi Pettey, Director of Care Coordination, at 276-523-4202 or brandi.barnette@meoc.org.

The region's culture of hospitality and caring for our fellow neighbors reaches far and wide, and we all play an important part in helping our neighbors in need.

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contact information, the number of people in your household and income.

If you request help with an electric bill, you must provide your account number.

If requesting assistance buying propane or heating oil, your tank must be able to hold at least 100 gallons.

FUNDING

Emergency heating assistance requests expected to increase Mountain Empire Older Citizens is now accepting applications for heating assistance through its Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly.

The fund pays electric bills or purchases wood, coal or heating fuel for those 60 and older in need in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. The program runs from Nov. 1 to March 31.

monthly income limit is $2,465.

ELIGIBILITY

The application process is simple.

Call MEOC at 276-523-4202 and say you are calling to apply for fuel assistance.

You may also go to MEOC's website at www.meoc.org and click on the "Need Assistance" button on the home page to complete an online application.

You must provide some basic information, including your name,

The Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly has three basic requirements. You must: • Be at least age 60.

• Live in Lee, Scott or Wise counties or the City of Norton.

• Have income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

For a one-person household, the monthly income limit is $1,823.

For a two-person household, the

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HOW IT HELPS

Those who qualify may receive assistance once per program year.

The fund will pay up to $300 on one electric bill or purchase two tons of coal, $300 worth of wood or 100 gallons of propane or heating oil.

HOW TO APPLY

The Emergency Fuel Fund is entirely dependent on donations.

The program receives no state or federal money. No administrative costs are paid from it.

MEOC fundraises throughout the year for the program. The biggest annual fundraiser is the MEOC Walkathon, which brought in $150,600 of its $200,000 goal this year. Every cent of that will help heat the home of an older adult needing emergency heating assistance. Other donations come in throughout the year.

Craiger is thankful for everyone who contributes to the fuel fund in any way. “The Emergency Fuel Fund would not exist without the generosity and kindness of those who donate any amount,” she said.

The amount of funding never exceeds the need, however. Last winter, during a five-month period, the fuel fund assisted 1,025 older adults at a record expense of a little more than $262,660. Craiger anticipates even more heating assistance requests this coming winter.

"The need for emergency heating assistance among the region’s older adults has not decreased. In fact, with inflation and the rising cost of living, many are struggling more than ever," said Craiger.

EMERGENCY FUEL FUND FOR THE ELDERLY AT A GLANCE 1,025

Number of older adults assisted in 2022-2023

$262,660 Amount spent in 2022-2023 Provides emergency heating assistance to adults at least age 60 in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton whose income is at or below 150 percent of federal poverty level.

Funded entirely with donations since it was created in 1975 from $500 in community contributions.

WAYS TO DONATE •

Online at www.meoc.org.

•

By mail to MEOC, Attn: EFF, P.O. Box 888, Big Stone Gap, Va. 24219.

•

In person at MEOC’s administrative offices at 1501 Third Ave. E., Big Stone Gap.

MORE INFO: 276-523-4202

2023 Walkathon

Thank you to our corporate sponsors!

Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc.

STAFF

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5K benefits Mountain Laurel Cancer Center The 2023 Leigh Ann Bolinskey Memorial 5K Run/Walk raised a little more than $15,000 for the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support & Resource Center.

The event was held on Sept. 16 in Big Stone Gap. The Mountain Laurel Center, operated by MEOC, will use all proceeds to help cancer patients in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton.

The center provides liquid nutritional supplements, home-delivered meals and financial aid for travel for diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and other unforeseen cancer-related expenses. These services are available because of various sources of community support and monetary donations.

“We are so appreciative of everyone who supported the 5K in any way — our sponsors, participants, timekeepers, the Town of Big Stone Gap, Big Stone Gap Police Department and all volunteers,” said MEOC Director of Wellness and Insurance Counseling Tiffany Jacobs, who oversees the Mountain Laurel Center.

First, second and third place medals were awarded

The Mountain Laurel Center provides liquid nutritional supplements, homedelivered meals and financial aid for travel for diagnosis, treatment and surgery, and other unforeseen cancer-related expenses. to males and females in eight age groups ranging from 12 and younger to 65 and older.

The annual 5K is named in honor of Leigh Ann Bolinskey, director of the Mountain Laurel Center from 2004 until 2014, when she died of leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer.

Tax-deductible donations to the Mountain Laurel Center are welcome at any time. Please make checks payable to MEOC-MLCC and mail them to PO Box 888, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219. Make online donations at www.meoc.org. For more information about the center and its services, contact Tiffany Jacobs at 276-523-4202 or tiffany.jacobs@meoc.org.

Participants begin the Leigh Ann Bolinskey Memorial 5K Run/Walk in Big Stone Gap on Sept. 16. Proceeds from the event benefit MEOC's Mountain Laurel Cancer Support & Resource Center.

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FALL 2023

Need an alternative to nursing home care?

Mountain Empire PACE can help.

We offer a full spectrum of services designed to help older adults remain independent and in their own homes as long as possible.

Coordinated Healthcare: Primary and emergency care, hospitalization

Prescription Medications Pre-packaged and delivered to your home

Transportation: Rides to and from the PACE center and appointments

In-Home Support: Personal care and homemaker services

Therapies: Occupational, physical and speech

Specialty Care: Dental, vision and hearing

live in Lee, Scott or Wise counties or the City of Norton

Social Engagement: Group activities, crafts and more

Nutrition Services: Meals and dietary counseling

(Must meet certain financial and medical requirements)

ELIGIBILITY at least age 55 eligible for nursing facility level of care able to live safely at home with support

CALL TO LEARN MORE!

276-523-0599 Mountain Empire PACE Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

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NUTRITION Fall produce favorites to include in your diet

BY MAGGIE ADAMS, MS, RDN Mountain Empire Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly It is fall, which means different produce is in season at your local grocery stores.

Fall provides a variety of vegetables and fruits, perfect for making comforting meals you can enjoy as the weather gets colder. You can always buy frozen or canned versions year-round, but the best flavors will come from fresh produce when it is in season.

So, if you want to focus on eating whole fruits and vegetables, a diet rich in fall produce can help support a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the fall’s best produce and the health benefits they bring.

SWEET POTATOES Like pumpkins, sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber and Vitamin A. However, including a sweet potato in one of your meals can provide a good source of Vitamin C to help support your immune system!

PUMPKINS Pumpkin is full of dietary fiber and beta-carotene, which is responsible for its bright orange color.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that serves as a natural defense in your body. Beta-carotene can also convert into Vitamin A, which is good for your skin and eyes.

KALE Kale is a nutrient powerhouse! One cup of kale only has eight calories but is packed full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K, which make proteins that help with blood clotting and bone building.

Look at all the benefits of adding kale to your fall diet!

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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FALL 2023

KinCare offers resources for families raising relative children

Fall produce

(continued from Page 20) APPLES Apples are the most popular fruit of the season! Apples have many health benefits, such as being very high in dietary fiber and Vitamin C, and they can also lower your risk for heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Apples also contain flavonoids, which may help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?

PEARS Pears are available year-round but are at their peak of ripeness in the fall months. Pears are similar to apples but have even more dietary fiber and contain Potassium, which helps regulate the heart and maintain muscle and nerve function.

CRANBERRIES Cranberries contain a high amount of fiber and Vitamin C. According to the American Heart Association, cranberries are a heart-healthy food that may improve blood pressure and cholesterol.

If you’re the primary caregiver for a relative child who is not your own son or daughter, MEOC’s KinCare program can offer support, assistance and services.

The program includes care coordination, counseling/ case management, legal assistance, parenting education and information, advocacy, information and referral, and more.

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 the child.

To learn more about KinCare, call (276) 523-4202.

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Golf tournament benefits Mountain Laurel Center The 12th Annual Harold Lester Memorial Golf Tournament raised about $12,500 to assist local cancer patients and their families.

The June 16 event at Lonesome Pine Country Club in Big Stone Gap benefited the Harold Lester Memorial Fund of the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center. Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., the local Area Agency on Aging serving Lee, Scott, and Wise counties and the City of Norton, operates the center.

Nineteen teams participated in the tournament.

“The tournament proceeds directly benefit local cancer patients in our local The late Harold Lester communities,” said MEOC Director of Wellness and Insurance Counseling Tiffany Jacobs, who organizes the event with the Lester family.

“Facing a cancer diagnosis can come with financial hardships. The fund helps cancer patients of all ages meet unexpected needs not addressed by other cancer resources. Some examples are cancerrelated travel costs, purchase of liquid nutrition supplements such as Ensure, construction of wheelchair ramps and assistance with utility costs,” Jacobs said.

MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler expressed appreciation to the tournament sponsors, the teams who participated and others who helped in any way. “We are especially thankful for the Lester family’s longtime support of the Mountain

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Laurel Center. Their generous contributions help cancer patients throughout MEOC’s service area,” noted Wampler.

The Harold Lester Memorial Fund was established in 2011 by MEOC and Mr. Lester’s family to honor his legacy of giving after he lost his battle with cancer. Those who knew Mr. Lester remember a man with a strong Christian faith and a belief that one needs to care for family, neighbors, friends and those in need. Mr. Lester assisted thousands during his lifetime, much of which was spent working with children and their families through the Wise County School System, where he was a teacher, coach and administrator for over three decades. He was the director of secondary education at the time of his retirement.

Donations of any amount to the Harold Lester Memorial Fund are always appreciated. Make an online contribution at www.meoc.org or mail your donation to P.O. Box 888, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219.

Contact Jacobs at 276-523-4202 to learn more about MLCC.

The Harold Lester Memorial Golf Tournament champions are, left to right, Chance Boggs, Dalton Marshall and Robin Dotson.

SCSEP

Senior Community Service Employment Program

Connecting older adults to the workforce The Senior Community Service Employment Program at Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. offers part-time community service training positions for adults age 55 and older. The program focuses on the needs of mature workers, the community and employers. SCSEP prepares eligible workers for unsubsidized jobs through training in community-based organizations. Participants receive a stipend while receiving training, classroom experience, job search support and other individualized supportive services.

PARTICIPANTS MUST:

TO APPLY

• Be at least age 55 and live in Lee, Scott or Wise counties or the City of Norton

Visit www.meoc.org. On the main menu, choose “Careers.” Click on the Senior Community Service Employment listing to apply.

• Be unemployed and need training to perform jobs available in their area • Meet family income requirements (125 percent of federal poverty level or less) • Be a Virginia resident

MORE INFORMATION Call 276-523-4202 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

• Be authorized to work in the U.S. SCSEP is administered through the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

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Annual gala to benefit CAC set for Nov. 11

Slemp Foundation donation to assist cancer patients A $10,000 grant from The Slemp Foundation to MEOC’s Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center helped buy liquid nutrition supplements and gas gift cards for cancer patients in Lee and Wise counties.

MEOC Executive Director Michael Wampler (second from right) accepts the donation check from The Slemp Foundation trustee Nancey Edmonds Smith on June 21. Accompanying Smith to present the check at MEOC's offices in Big Stone Gap were son and daughter Jim Smith and Melissa Jensen (far right), also foundation trustees.

MEOC Director of Wellness and Insurance Counseling Tiffany Jacobs, who coordinates Mountain Laurel services, is also pictured.

The Slemp Foundation was established in the will of the late C. Bascom Slemp, a U.S. Congressman from Virginia. Among the foundation’s aims is to improve the health, education and welfare of residents in Lee and Wise counties.

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FALL 2023

The 2023 Janie Dockery Memorial Gala Benefitting the Southwest Virginia Children's Advocacy Center will be Saturday, Nov. 11, from 6-11 p.m. at Mountain Empire Community College’s Goodloe Center.

The event raises money for emergency supplies for the families of children who receive CAC services.

The theme is Enchanted Ball.

The evening will include dinner, raffles, a silent auction, a cash bar and guest speakers. The night will finish with dancing and fun to the sounds of DJ Nate.

Located at MEOC in Big Stone Gap, the CAC serves Lee, Scott, Wise and Dickenson counties and the City of Norton. The CAC allows a multidisciplinary team to work together to handle child abuse cases in the region.

The event is named in honor of long-time MEOC Children's Service Director Janie Dockery, who died in January 2022.

Donations to the CAC are welcome at any time. You may donate online at www.meoc.org or by mail to Southwest Virginia Children's Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 888, Big Stone Gap, Va. 24219. Call 276-523-4202 for more information about the CAC.

Receive $40 Gift Card for Participating in Study • Are you 65 or older and experiencing financial hardship?

• Are you interested in telling your story?

• This project includes 2 interviews and includes questions about your life story and social networks.

• Everyone who participates will receive a $40 gift card of their choosing.

In our project, we are interested in learning about what it is like to age in rural Appalachia when people have limited financial resources. What are the social and personal challenges, and how do people overcome them? What does it tell us about the local economic and social histories of these areas? And what could be done to improve people’s living conditions in these contexts? Your experiences are important, and we are interested in hearing about them!

How the interviews take place The interviews last one to two hours and can take place at your home, or in a public location if you feel more comfortable (a library or coffee shop, for example). We will take every precaution to ensure your anonymity and privacy in this research.

How to contact me I thank you in advance for your interest and your time, and please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email if you are interested in participating, or if you have any questions about our research: Sadie Snow, Post-Doctoral Researcher, (540) 951-7015, gilesse@vt.edu By participating in this study, you are helping us to better understand how financial difficulties affect your daily life and that of your loved ones, and how to develop ways to better support people who are experiencing financial hardships.

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CAC relocates its Lee County office The Southwest Virginia Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) recently moved its Lee County forensic interview space from the Lee County Courthouse to 33701 Main Street in Jonesville.

The new space provides the opportunity for therapy clients to be seen in Lee County, as well as a more confidential atmosphere for those who use the CAC’s services.

The CAC is a neutral, child-friendly space that is used to aid in child abuse investigations; children are referred to the CAC for forensic interviews by specially trained forensic interviewers by law enforcement of child protective services investigators. Those children who have participated in forensic interviews are offered evidence-based, trauma-focused mental health treatment.

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The forensic interview room at the Southwest Virginia's Children Advocacy Center's new location in Lee County.

FROM THE

The June 18, 1981 edition of The Mountain Empire News featured a front-page story on MEOC's seventh anniversary celebration, which took place at the National Guard Armory in Big Stone Gap on May 30 that year.

Inside the newspaper was another full page of photos from the event.

The anniversary celebration was part of other local events planned for May in observance of Older Americans Month.

It was a day-long celebration that started in the morning and included music, clogging, bingo, craft displays, guest speakers and a fried chicken lunch prepared by the Bread and Chicken House of Big Stone Gap. In 2024, MEOC will celebrate its 50th anniversary.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EDITION • MEOC's 1981-1982 Area Plan on Aging was outlined, including the agency's funding sources, responsibilites and service plans.

• The 1981 Walkathon was recapped after being held on May 10 at what was then Clinch Valley College. About 150 walked or ran 10 miles that day to benefit the Emergency Fuel Fund for the Elderly. The edition also included a full page of photos from the event.

• MEOC recognized a group of Wise and Lee County women at an

April 29 luncheon during National Volunteer Week. The women each volunteered a few hours each week to visit homebound, elderly people and even take them to doctor's appointments, church and the grocery store.

• A "Salute to the MEOC

Nutrition Program" highlighted the service and its history. Staff photographs accompanied the story.

• A Recipe Exchange featured recipes for chocolate, butterscotch and "impossible" pies and a bean salad.

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Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. PO Box 888 Big Stone Gap, VA 24219

Non-Profit Organization STD RATE US Postage PAID Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 Permit No. 25

Return Service Requested

Connect with us @VAMEOC @mountainempireoldercitizens Mountain Empire Older Citizens

NOW HIRING CNAs, PCAs & Homemakers CNA: $13.50 hourly PCA/Homemaker: $12.50 hourly Flexible hours. We work around your schedule.

Paid time off and $500 sign-on bonus after 90 days

Weekend work optional. ($1 more per hour.)

Paid mileage.

No uniform required.

Clients assigned as close to your home as possible.

Free PCA training.

Apply at www.meoc.org.

On the About Us menu, choose Careers.