Red heart decoration.

National Wear Red Day

by Sara Jackson, MiCAFE Network Specialist When you go to the store during the month of February, you will see lots of red and pink decorations for Valentine’s Day. However, the red decorations can be used for another special event. That special event is American Heart Health Month. During the month of February, the American Heart Association raises awareness throughout the whole month to express … Continue reading National Wear Red Day

Hands reaching up.

The Psychological Impact of Poverty on Seniors

by Kathryn Larlee, J.D., Hotline Attorney “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m sixty-four?” The Beatles, in their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in 1967, asked this question, half in jest. However, this question has significance for many adults staring down the road at their later years of life. Unlike the Beatles’ song which envisions a later life with grandchildren … Continue reading The Psychological Impact of Poverty on Seniors

Update on the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE)

In August, we posted about the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE). As highlighted by our post, the new ABLE accounts were not expected to be available for a year. Yet, on November 1st, the State of Michigan launched its the ABLE program and enrollment is now open. The ABLE program allows families and individuals to fund a special savings account for certain people with … Continue reading Update on the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE)

Side view mirror with traffic reflected in it.

Tips and Resources for Aging Drivers 

by Dawn Kepler, Project Administrator Older adults (age 65 and up) comprise just under 20% of all drivers licensed in Michigan, and this number is projected to increase. Similarly, recent Michigan vehicle crash data reveals that older adult crashes are also increasing, up to 45,864 in 2015 from 36,997 in 2006. Older drivers were more likely than other age groups to engage in the following crash … Continue reading Tips and Resources for Aging Drivers 

Grandfather and granddaughter with laptop computer at home

Did I Ever Tell You About Your Uncle Fred?

by Ron Tatro, Vice President Do you remember when you were a child and going to visit older relatives? They would start talking about family members, some longed deceased, and tell stories. If you were like me, you could not care less about those relatives. Recently, I have spent time with a college professor who is very engaged with looking into her family tree and ancestors. … Continue reading Did I Ever Tell You About Your Uncle Fred?

Windows with fencing.

Helping One Senior at a Time

by Gay Nell Jenkins, MiCAFE Network Partner Liaison  I first met Ms. H when I went to her home to complete her SNAP application. Ms. H., a homebound senior in her mid-seventies, has multiple health issues that she is being treated for. Her home is located in a blighted area of Detroit and when you turn onto her street, you can see blight and overgrown grass … Continue reading Helping One Senior at a Time

Laptop with coffee cup and jar of flowers.

Elder Law of Michigan Releases Mi-SOAP 3.0!

Released in August 2016, the new Michigan’s Support for Older Adults Portal (Mi-SOAP) has been rebuilt from the ground up to provide a better user interface, implement new features, and address user feedback to provide a quality user experience. Additionally, Mi-SOAP now has a public site, allowing seniors and other members of the community to better connect with the resources seniors need most. Mi-SOAP now includes … Continue reading Elder Law of Michigan Releases Mi-SOAP 3.0!

Child smiling while outdoors.

Back to School Season

by Sheila Robison, Economic Security Team Member In this “day and age,” many grandparents are raising their grandchildren, for a number of reasons. Through past experience, grandparents do quite well for the most part, for some things never go out of style.  However, some things do. Day-to-day life can be very demanding on an older parent who has total care of his or her grandchildren. It’s … Continue reading Back to School Season

Man smiling.

A Working Class Program that Works to Solve Your Pension Problems

by Sandra Wisnewski, J.D., Director of the Mid-America Pension Rights Project The Mid-America Pension Rights Project (MAPRP) assists clients with pension and 401(k) issues. There are no age or income restrictions. And there is never a charge for the services. MAPRP works to find answers and solutions to your pension-related problem. Just ask Mr. J. Mr. J worked for an exhaust company in the state where he … Continue reading A Working Class Program that Works to Solve Your Pension Problems

Senior woman in wheelchair with younger woman crouching next to her and smiling.

Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE)

by Jadranko Tomic-Bobas, Managing Hotline Attorney Individuals with disabilities face significant challenges and obstacles in life. Employment and living independently are among the major challenges. Further, individuals with disabilities can only have a limited amount in assets at any given time in order to maintain eligibility for certain safety-net programs. Therefore, a disincentive to work and more importantly to save exists in the system.   The … Continue reading Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE)