Reduced Cost For Lifeline Service for NAZARETH Residents!

The Wagner Family Foundation recently awarded the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley grant funding to be utilized with their Lifeline Personal Response program. As a result, American Red Cross will be able to subsidize the cost of the Lifeline service for a number of residents who reside in the Nazareth area.

Lifeline, the #1 medical alert service, has helped over 6 million seniors and their families. It is an easy to use service designed to reduce the risk of living alone. In the event of a fall or emergency, help is available at the push of a button. The appropriate help is sent, resulting in reduced hospitalization, lower medical costs, shorter recovery times, and greater independence for the user.

The cost of the Lifeline service is $40.00 per month. Individuals would be responsible for paying $30.75 per month, plus a one-time shipping and handling fee of $12.95. The Wagner Family Foundation grant funding would cover their balance of $10.00. This reduced fee is available for a maximum of 12 months.

If you know someone living in Nazareth, please pass on this information. To sign up for the program or for more information, please contact Laura Sheehan at the American Red Cross -- 610-865-4400.

Direct Care Alliance

Have you checked out the Direct Care Alliance webpage? Do you know about the Direct Care Alliance, a national Direct Care Worker Association?

If you haven't already checked out the new Direct Care Alliance website, you might want to take a look this week. They have revamped it to offer more information and inspiration, including separate landing pages to help direct care workers, consumers, employers, and members of worker associations and coalitions (hey -- that is us!) find what they're looking for.

Other features include:

• News and Opinions. Read blog posts by our direct care worker specialists, Executive Director Leonila Vega, and others -- and join the online conversation by leaving a comment yourself.
• Issues. This section outlines challenges facing direct care workers and links to ways you can learn more about the issue, advocate for improvements, or find out about other groups working for change;
• Resources. Publications, organizations, and online services that match direct care workers with clients; and
• Videos. Videos shot at the DCA's 2007 conference, at last year's open house, and at other DCA events are salted throughout the site, so you can hear what direct care workers, employers, consumers, funders and others are saying about the DCA and its mission.
• Who We Are. Meet our staff, board, and direct care worker specialists or read about our beliefs and principles. This section also includes a definition of direct care work from our direct care worker specialists.

Over the next few months, they will be adding interactive features to help build their movement and give advocates more ways to communicate with each other online, making the website a powerful tool for grassroots advocacy and community building!

Local FREE Conference on Handling Paychecks for Direct Care Workers!

The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Direct Care Workers Association, Lehigh Valley Alliance on Aging, the Workforce Investment Board and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley understand how the economic crunch is affecting your wallet. When you are stressed with money problems, your work can be affected. We proudly offer you this
opportunity to learn how to stretch your paycheck in these trying times.

When? Friday, March 13th, 8:00 am to noon

Where?
Moyer Hall
Phoebe Home
1925 Turner Street
Allentown, PA 18104

How much? Free for members that register before March 6th. $5 for non-members and late registrations.

What?
The training will be provided by Denise Continenza from Penn State Cooperative Extension. Denise Continenza is the Family Living Educator with the Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lehigh County. She conducts community education programs on topics related to families across the life cycle such as parenting, family financial management, youth resiliency, and life skills. She is also a panelist with Help for Families, the weekly parenting column appearing in the Morning Call. Denise has been an extension educator since August, 2001. Denise holds a B.A. in sociology from East Stroudsburg University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Youth and Family Education through Penn State. Denise is an avid runner, and she lives in Whitehall, PA with her husband and three children.

Denise will provide practical ways to make your money go farther this year. She will discuss:
· Making Decisions about Money
· Developing a Budget
· Credit and Debt
· Recordkeeping
· Consumer Protection/Credit Reports

How do I sign up?
Simply fill out the following information and send or email to:

Cori Rolón
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
2200 Avenue A
Third Floor
Bethlehem, PA 18017-2189
corir@unitedwayglv.org
(610) 807-5742

Registration Form:
Name: __________________________________________
Company:_______________________________________
Street Address:__________________________________
City______________________________
State: _________ Zip: _____________
Phone #:_________________________
Email: ____________________________
Social Security #: (required by the grant)
__________________________________

Please make all checks payable to:
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

Town Hall Meeting on Electric Rates!

Experts from AARP and the PA Consumer Advocate's office will be on hand to tell you about potential changes that could result in dramatic increases in your electric bill over the next two years.

Intended Audience: General Public
Reservation Required: Yes
Cost: Free
Contact: John Vargo
Phone: (717)231-5325

Additional Information: AARP will also provide information about how YOU can take action against electricity price hikes. Limited seating, registration required by calling 1-877-926-8300 by March 2. All registered attendees will receive complimentary snacks and materials.
Handicap Access:

WHEN?
Date: March 6, 2009
Time: 10:30AM - 11:30AM

WHERE?
South Side Senior Center 401 W. Berwick Street, Easton, Pennsylvania Northampton County

Meeting Today

The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Direct Care Workers Association will meet today from 2:00 - 3:30 in Conference Room West, Third Floor, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017.

Our previously scheduled dementia tour will NOT occur at today, but will be rescheduled for another meeting. Our deepest condolences to the presenter as she deals with a death in her family.

Is Health Care Recession-Proof?

If the job numbers coming out of Long Island are any indication, then healthcare’s reputation as a “recession-proof” industry is well warranted.

As reported by Newsday on Feb. 2 ("Health care seen as recession-proof job sector"), figures from New York’s Department of Labor show Long Island adding 2,500 education and health service jobs in the 2008 calendar year, even as other sectors suffered serious losses, with trade, transportation and utilities shedding 6,700 jobs and professional and business services shedding 4,700 jobs.

Click here to read PHI's full story on the issue.

What do you think? Have you seen the recession impacting the direct care workforce jobs? Click below on the word "comments" to leave your opinion.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Has Anti-Cancer Components!

According to the matherlifeways Aging in Action newsletter, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Has Anti-Cancer Components!

A recent study by Javier Menendez and colleagues found that a chemical in extra-virgin olive oil reduced certain cancer genes. The study showed that good quality extra-virgin olive oil contains certain chemicals that can reduce the risk for breast cancer. Click here for the full story.

Who Are Direct Care Workers?

PHI released a new fact sheet on direct care workers. Did you know?:

• 88 % Female
• 52 % Minority
• 21 % Foreign born
• Average age: 41
• Median Annual Earnings for direct-care workers: $17,000
• 42 % Some college or advanced degree
• 41 % Receive public benefits such as Medicaid or food stamps
• 27 % Have no health insurance
  

Click here to read PHI's full story and the report