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CARE Connection
NWKAAA Spring CARE News - April 2010

Update Trainings Set

CARE Update training will be held Wednesday, June 2 in Hays and Wednesday, June 16 in Colby.

The training in Hays will be from 12:25 pm to 3:35 pm.  It will be held in the Trails Room in the Memorial Union at Fort Hays State University - 600 Park Street.  Driving directions are available at www.nwkaaa.com/2010CARETraining.htm  Class will not be in session; no parking permit is required.

The training in Colby will also be from 12:25 pm to 3:35 pm.  It will be held in the Little Theater of the Colby Community Building - 285 E 5th St.

Both trainings will focus on Choices.  Many service providers will be present.  Some who will be unable to attend have sent informational materials.

Participants can choose several presentations to attend.  Be sure to ask lots of questions!!

Call Tammy G to reserve your space at 1-800-432-7422 or 785-625-2037.

Informational Webinar Available

By now you are aware that an informational webinar is available.  How does that affect you?

• It is not something that anybody has to participate in at this time.
• People who choose to participate do not need to meet the qualifications of a CARE assessor.  This training, in fact, is designed for people who work with CARE but are not CARE assessors.
• Many associations and organizations will be presenting this webinar.  Watch your email for dates and times.

Name Tags Available; will be distributed with contracts

Several assessors have mentioned that it would be helpful to have something to identify themselves as a CARE assessor when completing assessments in the community.  We have designed a business-card sized badge with the NWKAAA logo, assessor's name and NWKAAA CARE Assessor on it.  These name tags are not currently a requirement for CARE assessors; they are simply another way to allow you to identify yourself to clients.

Contracts for 2010-2011 will be distributed at the CARE update trainings.  The name tags are inside those envelopes.  Please let us know if you will not be able to attend so we can get the contract in the mail to you!

You can decrease the likelihood of an appeal by talking to the client, family members and checking clinical records or speaking with the client's physician when conducting an assessment.

Q:  I read recently that the 2010 Census is underway.  When someone claiming to be a Census worker knocks on my door, how can I be sure that he or she is legitimate?

A:  First, ask to see a photo ID and a badge that shows that the person represents the U.S. Census Bureau.  The worker will also have a hand-held device that is used to take your information, a canvas Census bag and a confidentiality notice.  Census workers will not ask for your Social Security number or for information about your bank accounts or credit cards.  The Better Business Bureau advises you not to invite the worker, or anyone you don't know, into your home.  To protect against identity theft, the BBB also warns you never to give out personal or financial information to anyone who shows up at your door.  For more tips, go to the Better Business Bureau online at www.bbb.org

--Q&A found in AARP Bulletin, March 2010 edition, page 34.

Additional Census information can be found online at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php

Tips for protecting yourself from fraud or scams relating to the 2010 Census can be found online at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/fraudulent-activity-and-scams.php

Preventing Financial Abuse of Elderly
By Curtis Brown, staff attorney at Kansas Legal Services

Financial abuse towards the elderly by a power of attorney is very real and is happening at this very moment.  To prevent financial abuse by a power of attorney, you need to take control of the situation from the start.  By carefully selecting your power of attorney from the onset, you can limit the risk of abuse.  There are people out there preying on the elderly.  They befriend you and earn your trust.  Elderly widows are the most susceptible to this type of abuse because they are looking for companionship.  As soon as you put your trust in them by signing a financial power of attorney then it is too late and the scam is under way. Be very wary of selecting your power of attorney.  Not all family members are trustworthy but for the most part have your best interest in mind.  By appointing joint power of attorneys where one power of attorney does not hold all of the power is another way to limit the risk of abuse.  Another suggestion would be to limit the scope of the attorney's power.  Whoever you select, just make sure you take a long look at that person and never feel forced into signing a power of attorney.

So what happens if you selected what you believed to be a trustworthy power of attorney but now you or someone close to you suspects financial abuse?  No matter who your power of attorney is, either a family member or a friend, always make sure your paperwork states that an accounting must be provided at your request or provided periodically throughout the year.  An accounting makes the power of attorney accountable for their decisions and assures you that you will have information as to where your assets are going.  If your power of attorney has a problem with providing this accounting then that should tip you off that some sort of abuse may be happening.  Do not be ashamed if you have questions about your assets; they are yours.  A power of attorney that has your best interest in mind will gladly provide you an accounting.  If there is financial abuse, you should report it to Adult Protective Services so that they can take the appropriate steps in stopping it.  If you feel the power of attorney is not working in your best interest then you can easily revoke it and make a new one.  Don't feel like once you sign off on a power of attorney that you can't make changes to it in the future.  By carefully picking your power of attorney and making sure an accounting can and is provided, you can significantly cut down the chances of being taken advantage of by your power of attorney.

Kansas Legal Services
2017 North Vine
Hays, KS  67601
Phone:  785-625-4514
Fax:  785-623-4262
Candace Bridgess, Managing Attorney

New Assessor Training Coming Soon!

The new assessor training in Northwest Kansas will be held Thursday, April 22, at the Kansas Highway Patrol Building, 1821 Frontier Road in Hays.

Hospital and community-based assessors will need to attend the entire training, which runs from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.  Nursing Facility assessors only need to attend the morning half of the training.

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You can download the New Assessor Application from our website.

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Be sure to bring a current copy of your RN / social worker license!

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For more information or to reserve a space, please call 1-800-432-7422.