July 2020 OutreachNC

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Feature Intro: Aging Around the World: Ghana In our continued series on Aging Around the World, we head to Africa this month, to the country of Ghana. Home to approximately 31 million people, Ghana (like most of the world) is experiencing a reverse pattern of population growth: fertility and birth rates are declining while the life expectancy of citizens is increasing.

In many ways, these markers reflect advances in medicine, economic opportunities and shifts in social norms. Declining birth rates and increased life expectancy also create challenges for governments and communities ill-prepared to address the needs of a growing population of seniors including the infrastructure for eldercare, funding for social services and social understanding and appreciation of a very real concern for the entire population.

OutreachNC spoke with Ghana native Soso Nii Ayie, whom many of us know as Coach Soso. Coach is the JV Head Soccer Coach at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines as well as the school’s Media and Technology Assistant. Outside of the school walls, Coach Soso is a Head Soccer Coach for AC Sandhills, where he guides many of our children both on and off the field. We are thrilled to hear more about Coach Soso’s background, the culture of his native country and what aging is like for many of the people of his homeland. continued page 4

CONTENTS

ASK THE EXPERT: BE PREPARED AGING AROUND THE WORLD: GHANA EYE HEALTH: GLAUCOMA CAREGIVING: COVID-19 AND FAMILY CAREGIVING FAITH: THE PATH FORWARD RECIPE: SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD VETERANS CORNER: COVID-19 AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIP

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Amy Phariss, Editor-in-Chief, OutreachNC | editor@outreachnc.com

JULY 2020 - 2 Summer is now in full swing. My windows are often damp when I wake from the humidity, and by noon I’m looking for a beverage cascading over ice. I can’t complain, however. The kudzu wraps a familiar tangle around my favorite trees (and occasional mailboxes), and I can walk to the ice cream parlor from my little white house. Life is good.

This month, we’re excited to share with readers the next installment of our Aging Around the World series with an exploration of aging in Ghana. We hear from local soccer trainer Coach Soso, who grew up in Ghana and allows us a glimpse into his childhood, how the country is changing and what these changes mean for the older generation, many of whom grew up in villages and sometimes long to go back to what seem like simpler times.

In Ask the Expert, Amy Natt answers a reader’s question about helping his father during an unexpected crisis. A link for a free, downloadable guide to prepare for these moments is offered at the end of the article.

Dr. R. Allen Sharpe of Carolina Eye helps us understand how to avoid the seemingly inevitable drops associated with glaucoma.

Rev. Colette Bachand of Penick Village offers us a way forward, looking at the past and remembering how to move ahead. Jim Pedersen with the Moore County Veterans Service Office helps veterans experiencing COVID-19-related financial hardship seek help and relief and explains what the VA is doing now to address these issues.

Latorius Adams, a Family Caregiver Support Program Specialist and Medicare Counselor with the Harnett County Government, explores caregiving in the context of COVID-19, offering tips to ensure everyone’s needs are met.

We’ve also got games and a recipe for a fresh summer salad to keep you cool, healthy and refreshed. We’re clinking glasses of iced tea and coffee right alongside you, our brows damp with sweat as we clutch our pearls.

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Amy Natt, MS, CMC, CSA | amyn@agingoutreachservices.com

ASK THE EXPERT: BE PREPARED

My Dad was hospitalized last month. My brother and I attempted to step in and assist with managing the house and bills, until he was feeling stronger. We quickly learned that while we were aware of his medical directives and my dad had things carefully planned out, there was a lot about his “business” we didn’t know. How can we be better prepared if this happens again, without totally invading his privacy?

Quarantine is the perfect time to get your affairs in order! Young or old, it applies to all of us.

One of the best gifts you can leave your adult children (or spouse) is the gift of organization.

It can be very difficult to go to into a parent’s home and gather the information needed to pull together the pieces when a loved one is no longer able to manage daily affairs or has passed away.

Think about yourself for a moment: who would know your accounts, passwords, policies etc.? How difficult would it be for a loved one to step into your shoes? How many policies go unclaimed because no one knew they even existed?

JULY 2020 - 3 One of the best ways to organize information is to write it down. There are some great planning guides available to help accomplish this. The benefit to filling out a guide is that it can be kept in a safe place, until the information is needed. This enables your father to maintain some privacy, but if a crisis occurs, you would know where to look.

Legal directives are equally important for decision making authority, but the planning guide can help you find all the pieces. Here are some things a typical guide covers: • • • • • • • • • • • •

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It’s a process to gather and Age the w ay you choo maintain this data, butseit. is so important in times of crisis or death that loved ones be able to access and use it to carry out your wishes. As a care manager, we help clients get organized and prepared.

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continued from page 1 OutreachNC: How is the family dynamic in Ghana? Do you typically live with your parents and grandparents or live separately?

Coach: In Ghana, we have more bonding with the extended family; we all live on a big property. I built my house on my mom’s property. My grandmom lives on the same property as well. We all come out and have morning devotions and pray together.

We are now leaving the older generation in the village to the cities in search of white collar jobs. In the village, there is just farming, fishing and petty trading, that sort of stuff. Now, the younger people want to live a different life, the kind seen on the TV. We are moving away from that extended family bonding, but we still find ways to send money back to them and to visit them. In my culture, if you don’t go back home or you don’t visit the family and the clan heads...during our annual festival, we have a homecoming ceremony where natives travel from far and near to celebrate and visit. This means you have to go back home and visit the clan heads, those who brought about your existence. You have to pay homage, bring drinks and pay respects. The older people form the clan heads and it’s generational. They are entrusted with the lands and the treasures of the family; they know the boundaries of the family land and where it is located and they pass this on from one generation to the other.

The clan heads are the custodians of the family; hence they keep the secrets of the family.

ONC: How are the clan heads chosen?

d n u o r A g n i g A World the THE HEALING POWER OF ANIMAL COMPANIONS

GHANA By: Amy Phariss

Coach: They are chosen by inheritance; if I am the head of the clan, my son will be my successor.

If you don’t have a son, your brother’s son will be the clan’s head. My sister’s son cannot be a clan head. So, the succession is with the male born (patrilinear form of inheritance). They will keep the family name for generations to come. My sister might live in the clan house with me, and she might educate the children or the young ladies about how to go about coming of age and how to keep the traditions going, how to train their children. When I was growing up, there are things you will not learn at school. Like when talking to an elderly person, you can’t use your left hand. The left hand is considered an unclean hand, the one you use to go to the bathroom. These are the things the clan head is there to teach, to pass on from generation to generation.

ONC: What are some traditions the elderly in Ghana are responsible for?

JULY 2020 - 5 Coach: They take care of the burials. When you die, you are taken to your clan house. The older people will do this because they know the traditions better. If my father dies, he must go to the clan house (as in lay in state there for final rites before burial). He cannot be taken anywhere else. If my father dies, as his son, I must take him to his clan house. The clan heads will see to the funeral rites. The elderly performs rites for burial.

I’m a Christian, so we would take my father to the clan house and then move to the church where we worship, and then we will bury him. It’s a mix of the cultures. A pastor might come to the clan house to pray for you. For non-Christians, they will call a traditional man of God or in accordance of the faith of the departed soul to come and say prayers, so you depart peacefully. Everything will always go through the clan house; that tradition is very strong.

Before you are born, you already know your middle name; your first name will be chosen by your parents.

The middle and last names are already chosen, already decided. When you go home, home-home, they always call you by your middle name. The older generation always calls you by your middle name because that is your ‘real’ name. Once that name is mentioned, a third person would know which clan or family you are from and also whether you are a first-born son, second or third, a first-born daughter, second or third.

Also, the seniors settle disputes among the members of the family. They make sure if anyone dies without a will, they step in to divide the properties among the children or the wives, if the person has more than one wife.

ONC: What does a day in the life of an elderly person look like?

Coach: Usually they will have a family member living with them, to take care of them, to help them with their chores, their cooking, taking care of them. We don’t really have homes where we take elderly people. If my grandmom wants to move from the city back to the village, one of her daughters will move in with her and live with her to care for her. If there is no one around, one person in the family, someone in the extended family, will go back to the village and take care of the grandparents. If they cannot leave because of work, they will send a teenage child of the extended family to live with the grandparent. The child will be schooled in the village. The child will do house chores and clean, cook, do stuff for them.

ONC: How do you show respect for the elderly in Ghana?

Coach: That’s one very important aspect of our culture: respect. It doesn’t matter how rich you are or how poor you are, if you are disrespectful in general, you are nothing. This is especially true toward an older person.

It must be yes sir, yes ma’am, please. In Ghana, if an elderly person comes in, you must get up, you have to be on your feet. You can’t wear a cap/hat when you talk to an elderly person, you have to take it off. You must have your hands behind your back when you talk to an elderly person. If you are in a place and an elderly person enters, you have to give them your seat. When you go to a place, you always have to be the first person to offer a greeting; the person entering the place must greet first. It is very disrespectful if you go into a place and look for something and can’t find it, and then you ask for help. The person you met there and did not greet may decide not to help you because you are disrespectful.

You must greet someone, exchange pleasantries first before you ask a person for something. It is considered very, very disrespectful if you skip the greetings.

Even if you are walking on the street, you must say hello. You cannot take something from an elderly person with your left hand; it is the highest form of disrespect.

Family is really changing. Parents might leave for work at 6am or earlier because of traffic and don’t get home until 9pm. They don’t even see their children or get to spend time with them like before.

ONC: Tell us more about family life in Ghana and how it is changing.

Coach: In Ghana, one person gives birth, but it’s the responsibility of the community to discipline them and bring them up right.

When I was growing up, when a teacher punishes a child, the parent will ask the child what you he or she did. The parent would give the child more lashes if required.

The community would discipline you.

Now, you can’t do that. If you discipline someone’s child, you will be in trouble. The parent will go to the teacher and ask, “Why did you hit my child or discipline my child?”

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When I was in high school, the seniors will discipline the other, younger, students. Now, that is fading away.

They are taking away corporal punishment. Discipline is not strict anymore.

I started doing my own laundry at about 8 years old, by hand, not with a washing machine.

Here in America at school, I saw a student eat and leave his food and wrappers on the table. A teacher asked him to clean up, but he said the custodians will do it. I was shocked! The custodians are older people and I can’t imagine having an older person clean up a younger person’s trash. It really saddens my heart.

Right where they are sitting, there is a trash can sitting just three or four feet away from them.

ONC: In Ghana, what is the biggest challenge the elderly now face?

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Coach: I would say, things they are used to, having family bonding and traditions – sitting by the fireside where they can tell stories to the kids – it’s all changing and growing rapidly and fast. They don’t have just fresh foods from the garden. Sometimes, my grandma will tell me she misses the old days when she would just make her own food, just simple food. Now everything is canned or blended and when she eats, she says she can’t taste a tomato or feel the tomato skin on her tongue.

Before, everyone will go to the farm to work. They will come together, afterward, at the table or the fire.

Kids are neglecting them because they are always on a cellphone or watching TV. Gadgets are replacing that kind of family bonding.

People are moving from the villages. They don’t see people as much as they used to. People are so busy; they have to work, two or three jobs. So, people don’t have time to go see the grandparents.

The biggest challenge is family bonding – where everyone lives in the same place, everyone eats from the same pot. Everyone would sit at one big table, talk and chat and bond. That is a big challenge; we don’t have that anymore.

Editor’s note: Many thanks to Coach Soso for providing such a rich, detailed description of life in his homeland.

For more – including Coach’s thoughts on the biggest misconception the West has about Africa, the status of women in Africa and what life was like when the culture was more communal-focused – visit us online.

GRAY MATTER GAMES

ACROSS

1. “Naughty you!”

6. ___ carotene 10. Fink 14. Muggy 15. Carbon compound 16. Reduce, as expenses 17. Getting on 18. Certain surgeon’s “patient” 19. “O” in old radio lingo 20. Interventions 22. Alternative to steps 23. Cuban dance 24. Book of maps 25. Fungal spore sacs 29. Sightings 31. Plant material used as fuel 33. Direction the wind is blowing 37. Barrio resident

38. Lack of vigor 39. Nauseant 41. “Way to go!”

42. Sideways 44. Decomposes 45. Batter’s position 48. Nosegay 50. Woman’s dress, in India 51. Sporatic popping sounds 56. BBs, e.g.

57. Apple’s apple, e.g.

58. Acoustic 59. Animal with a mane 60. Persia, now 61. Inclination 62. “The War of the Worlds” base 63. ___ bag 64. Perfect, e.g.

DOWN

1. Bogus 2. Bigger than big 3. During 4. Peewee 5. First name in mystery 6. On occasion 7. Attire 8. ___ clipper 9. Brews 10. Exercise attire 11. Political clique 12. Bouquet

13. Attention-getters 21. Tuft of grass 24. Bond, for one 25. ___-bodied 26. Thailand, once 27. Pigeon’s home 28. Counterfeits 30. Extremely tidy 32. Biscotti flavoring 34. Early pulpit 35. Brawl 36. Quite a while 40. 1972 Winter Games site

JULY 2020 - 7

41. Common solvent 43. Chewy candy 45. Church song 46. Female demon 47. Knight’s “suit” 49. Bakery supply 51. Buttonhole, e.g.

52. Be a monarch 53. “Pumping ___” 54. Drops off 55. Delight

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Eye Health: Glaucoma

R. Allan Sharpe, MD, Carolina Eye Associates | 910-295-2100

JULY 2020 - 8 Tired of eye drops? Consider a simple laser treatment for glaucoma.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a one of the most common causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. While many factors can cause someone to develop glaucoma, vision loss ultimately occurs from damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve supplies the connection between the eye and the brain, and when that connection is damaged, the result is permanent vision loss.

What are the symptoms?

The difficulty in detecting glaucoma lies in the fact that it has almost no symptoms in early stages. It is painless, and the loss of vision starts with peripheral or side vision. Central vision is typically the last to be lost. Because of its insidious nature, it has become known as the “silent thief of sight�. By the time a person begins to notice vision changes from glaucoma, he or she has already lost a significant amount of vision, which cannot be restored. Therefore, the best approach is early detection and treatment, and it is important for all adults to have annual eye exams to diagnose glaucoma early. Evaluation for glaucoma involves visual field testing and dilation with examination of the optic nerve for any early changes.

Who gets glaucoma?

The most common risk factor for glaucoma is age. With every passing year, the risk of developing glaucoma for every individual increases.

Race also plays an important role with African Americans having increased risk at even

younger ages. Additionally, glaucoma can run strongly in families. If you have a family member with glaucoma, especially if he or she lost vision, you should get tested yourself as soon as possible. Intraocular (eye) pressure is another well-known risk factor for developing glaucoma, but many people still develop glaucoma who never have a high intraocular pressure.

How is it treated?

The primary treatment focus for glaucoma is lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP), which has been proven to slow down or even halt progression of vision loss. While many patients with glaucoma start out with a very high IOP, some have normal or even low IOP. The IOP goal in each eye is determined according to the amount of nerve damage and degree of vision loss already sustained.

Today, we have several types of eye drops to lower IOP, which are often the first steps in treatment. While drops work well, there are a few drawbacks: drops may provide some pressure lowering but not quite enough to reach our goal; patients may forget or have difficulty using drops; drops can be expensive; and drops may cause eye redness and burning.

How does the laser help?

To address these issues with eye drops, we have an incredible laser technology available to control IOP and stabilize glaucoma while often reducing the need for drops.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) has been proven over the years to be a safe, gentle, and effective means to treat glaucoma.

It works by improving the function of the natural, internal drain in the eye to lower eye pressure. The laser session is performed in the office. It is painless and takes about 5 minutes to perform. The risks of the procedure are very low and include primarily inflammation and transient IOP rise.

SLT has become so popular that patients are often choosing it as initial treatment for glaucoma to avoid having to start drops.

Others use it to either wean off drops or avoid having to use multiple drops simultaneously. Consult your eye care provider to discuss if this procedure is right for you.

If it’s been a few years since your last eye exam, schedule one now and make sure to be evaluated for glaucoma.

Remember there are many good treatment options for glaucoma, but nothing can reverse the damage. The key is to detect it and start treatment early to prevent vision loss.

R. Allan Sharpe, MD is a specialist in glaucoma and cataract surgery, providing state-of-the-art medical, laser, and surgical treatment for these eye disorders. For more information, call Carolina Eye at (910) 295-2100 or tollfree at (800) 733-5357 or visit www.carolinaeye.com.

Caregiving: Covid-19 and Family Caregiving

Latorius Adams, Family Caregiver Support Program Coordinator | 910-814-6075

JULY 2020 - 9 Caregivers are great at planning ahead and managing unexpected health crises, but with COVID-19 you may not have time to plan or sort through the rapidly changing and sometimes conflicting available information.

During this time of heightened awareness about public health and reducing risk of exposure for ourselves and those we care for, it’s critical to gather updated information from trusted sources. We also recognize that the everyday demands of caring for your loved one is already a full-time job, without adding decision-making on how to prepare for an infectious disease.

More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one. (Caregiving in the United States; National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP; November 2009) Caring for those who are caring for others is an exploding new area for community concern.

There’s statistical proof that caregivers tend to neglect their own spiritual, emotional and physical health, suffer stress levels equal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), experience depression and have increased mortality risk. Men, women, even children are affected. The numbers are on the rise as 77 million Baby Boomers turn 65 and older, and developmental disabilities now affect 1 in 7 children.

THESE TIPS CAN HELP KEEP YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OF THE CDC. The CDC has put together a number of resources to answer specific questions and address concerns you may have. They have also formulated this ​guidance for caring for someone sick at home. The CDC’s current recommendations to help ensure everyone’s health and safety include: • Avoid large crowds. Currently, the CDC is recommending no public gatherings exceeding 10 participants.

• Avoid non-essential travel.

REFILL PRESCRIPTIONS Make sure you have enough of your loved one’s medical supplies and medications for an extended period.

MONITOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR LOVED ONE, AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEIR MEDICAL TEAM Many health care plans and practices have their own guidelines for how and when they should be contacted about possible COVID-19 exposure or symptoms. Call your loved one’s primary care doctor and ask how they want you to proceed.

KNOW YOUR OWN RISK FACTORS Do you have a chronic condition? Are you immunosuppressed? Many caregivers themselves have health issues, so don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger.

BE AWARE OF ANY CHANGES TO VISITATION POLICIES Many hospitals and emergency rooms no longer allow visitors, including family caregivers, in treatment areas or patient rooms. In a situation where you are not allowed to be with your loved one in the hospital or emergency room, discuss a strategy with staff that will allow you to get updates on your loved one. Many skilled nursing and assisted living facilities have made changes to their visitation policies. Check to see if outside visitors are allowed before making a trip.

PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE QUARANTINE If your loved one has been exposed to COVID-19 or has developed symptoms and/or tested positive for the virus, you will need to manage a 14-day quarantine.

Can your loved one stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home? They should also use a separate bathroom, if available. Avoid sharing personal items such as dishes, towels, and bedding.

Clean all surfaces that are touched often, including counters, tabletops, and doorknobs. Use household cleaning sprays or wipes according to the label instructions.

SELF-CARE IS IMPORTANT: With the stress and anxiety around COVID-19, ensure that you’re taking care of yourself.

JULY 2020 - 10

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Gray Matter Games Solutions

Faith: The Path Forward

The Rev. Colette Bachand | cwood@penickvillage1964.org

It’s often tempting to think that the best summers of our lives were the ones we had as kids. There were no schedules, we slept late, and had long lunches with people we loved. (Sounds a little like retirement, but I digress.)

Childhood summers were a time the world seemed to simultaneously pause and expand.

The favorite part of my summers as a child evolved around weekends at my grandparents’ small cottage. Every Friday afternoon my mother would load up the car and we would depart our New England mill town for the pond. By evening my aunts and uncles would arrive, living behind their work in the textile factories. Over whiskey Manhattans and games of Rummy 500, the weekend would fill with stories of people in my relatives’ lives. I was transformed to a world of drama, comedy, joy, tragedy, and … ok, maybe a little gossip too. My cousins were all grown, so as the only children at the cottage, my brothers and I received special treatment like extra Snickers bars snuck by an aunt when Mom wasn’t looking.

The best part of these weekends though was Saturday afternoon when we would go to church.

It was treasured because everyone went; we were all together. Church was always a magical place

JULY 2020 - 11 for me and to have everyone I loved in that space felt, yes, as though the world both paused and expanded.

As summer 2020 rolls through, I find myself nostalgic for that time. Not because being a kid was so free, but because of the people I had around me. Aside from my mother and brothers, all the people in those memories are gone. At a time families are separated by pandemic fears, it’s easy to wish I was sitting in that church holding the hand of a favorite auntie.

Older adults I work with now share with me that while much of life has been hard, the hard times were bearable because they had those they loved with them. This pandemic time is unique because of the loneliness almost everyone has felt.

It seems we are far more tribal than we realize, or at least, we need each other more than we knew.

So while summer 2020 may not have the things we’re used to, especially the people, I am reminded that pain, grief, and chaos are signs of transformation. I grow more confident in the transforming power of the Divine and trust that our current difficulties will be redeemed.

As a kid, the end of the summer always came with a pair of new shoes for the school year ahead. The shoes were reminders then, and now, that there is always a path forward and always a God who will walk with us.

Walter’s wife called and said this: “ Walter, don’t forget your swimsuit – water’s just fine! ”

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Walter, who has hearing loss, heard this:

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The operator generates captions of what the other party to the call says. These captions are then sent to your phone. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. No cost is passed on to the CapTel user for using the service. CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc. NC Department of Health and Human Services • Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing ncdhhs.gov/divisions/dsdhh • NCDHHS is an equal opportunity employer and provider. • 06/2020

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Pet Friendly

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

JULY 2020 - 13

Sandhills Farm to Table | www.sandhillsfarm2table.com

Candied Pecans: Add pecans, brown sugar and butter to a small non-stick skillet and cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly until sugar starts to melt and caramelize, about 2 – 3 minutes.

Balsamic Dressing: • Add vinegar to a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat and allow to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

• Pour into a jar or bowl, add olive oil, dijon mustard, honey and whisk to blend while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Thin with a little water if desired.

Toss together spinach, strawberries, half of the feta, red onion and pecans.

INGREDIENTS Strawberry Salad • 1 lb. strawberries • 10 oz spinach • 1/3 red onion • 5 oz feta, cubed or crumbled Candied Pecans • 3/4 cup pecans, • 1 1/2 T. brown sugar • 1/2 T. butter Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette • 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar • 1/2 c. olive oil • 1 T honey • 1 T. dijon Instructions *To make this easy salad in advance, prep all ingredients and store in separate containers. Then toss the salad just before you’re ready to serve it.

Once the balsamic dressing has been drizzled over the strawberry spinach salad, you’ll want to eat it immediately, as the dressing wilts the spinach.

Drizzle about 1/3 of the dressing over salad, then plate and drizzle remaining dressing over individual portions and top with remaining half of the feta.

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Jim Pedersen, VSO & Director of Moore County Veterans Service Office | 910-947-3257

Veterans Corner: COVID-19 and Financial Hardship

The Veterans Administration has taken several steps to help veterans who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. Veterans who have lost jobs due to the virus and shutdown can apply for Hardship Assistance.

Veterans who are determined to have a financial hardship will be exempt from payment of all hospital and medical care copays. They also qualify for enrollment in VA Healthcare in Priority Group 5.

JULY 2020 - 15 To further assist veterans with heath care costs, as of April 6 the VA stopped sending bills for copays during the pandemic.

Veterans who have VA debt can also find relief. The VA has stopped collection action on newly-established veteran debt and made it easier for veterans to request extended payment plans.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury will not take any more action on Veteran debt at this time. This means they will not add more fees or interest, To apply for a financial hardship, veterans won’t reduce or withhold job wages or federal/ should complete VA Form 1010HS which state payments to pay debt and will not turn documents income and expenses. For COVID-19 veterans in for collection. hardship requests, veterans must also submit proof of unemployment or job loss due to the virus and shutdown.

Documentation needed for hardship requests includes:

The VA has also announced it will work with veterans who have VA-managed debt. Veterans will have the option to temporarily stop collection action or to extend repayment terms.

• Veterans who have debt related to VA benefits may call the VA Debt Management Center at 800827-0648 to make arrangements.

• Documentation of out-of-pocket medical expenses • Documentation of funeral/ burial expenses for immediate family • Current bank statements • Divorce decree or legal separation papers • Proof of projected income • Copy of W-2 for current tax year • Proof of unemployment/loss of income • Social Security Benefits Statement Form SSA1099 if applicable • Proof of insurance premium expenses

•

Veterans who have debt related to VA healthcare may call the health Resource Center at 888-827-4817. Veterans should have their account number ready when speaking to a representative.

The Moore County Veterans Service Office is assisting veterans with their disability claims and other VA needs during the pandemic and continuing shutdowns.

Veterans who need assistance with completing and filing hardship claim forms are asked to call the county office at 910-947-3257 for assistance. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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