Getting What You Need in Cavendish: Checklist

The following resource pamphlet, provided by Chronic Conditions Information Network and Healing Whole, is also available in PDF format from margoc@tds.net

CHECK LIST FOR THOSE: LIVING WITH A CHRONIC CONDITION; CAREGIVERS AND/OR SENIORS Cavendish, VT Edition 6/2/11

The following checklist has been developed to help you identify resources that might assist you. It also provides a way to track what you are doing for yourself. As you go through the checklist, you may find that you qualify for a service, but aren’t sure how to find them in your community. To assist you in finding resources in Cavendish you can contact:


• Information and referral service helpline for Vermont - Call 211 or www.vt211.org

• In case of emergency call 911

• The Vermont Center for Independent Living 1-800-639-1522

• A condition specific organization, such as the Diabetes Association, Cancer Society

• Vermont Elder care (Senior) HelpLine: 800-642-5119

• Vermont Dept. of Disability, Aging and Independent Living

• Council on Aging Southeastern VT: 885-2655

• Black River Valley Senior Center (10 High St. Ludlow) 228-7421

• Gill Odd Fellows Home (Nursing Home) 228-2802

• Gill Terrace Retirement Apartments 228-4571

• Choices for Care (Medicaid program which reimburses in-home caregivers for seniors & people with disabilities) 800-642- 5119

• Telecare: Free phone reassurance, check-in and friendly phone calls 885-2083

• Visiting Nurses Association & Hospice 800-575-5162

• Vermont Assistance for the Blind 802-775-6452

• Deaf Hearing Impaired 802-258-9500

• Lifeline 1-800-286-5463

• Poison Control 800-222-1222

• Black River Good Neighbor Services 228-3663

• Southeastern VT Community Action (SEVCA) 885-6153

• Springfield Hospital 885-6585

• Ludlow Health Center 228-8867

Support Network: If you haven’t joined a support group, consider doing so on-line or in person. Places to find a support group include: local newspaper; clinic or doctor’s office where you receive care; condition specific organizations; asking friends and family; your place of worship; or library. Find friends and places that can support you emotionally, and where it is safe to talk about your health is-sues. Be sure to consider AA, Al-Anon, church group, or even a social club. On-line resources

Legal: Planning ahead is important for both you and your family’s future. You will need to have:

• a will;
• living will (advanced directives);
• durable power of attorney (makes financial & legal decisions for you if you are unable to do so);
• durable power of health attorney (makes health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so);
• legal guardian (who would care for your child or other dependent adult if you were unable to do so).

It is best that you work with a lawyer in completing the necessary paper work. There is a Legal Aid Of-fice in Springfield 885-5181 or 800-889-2047 www.vtlegalaid.org or www.vtlawhelp.org

Case Manager for Medical Issues: A case manager is someone who can help you monitor your care. You can learn more about medical case management from your doctor or clinic; the social work de-partment where you receive your medical care; or a condition specific organization.

Case Manager for Social Needs: A case manager can help you with such issues as housing, transportation, finances and completing forms. The following organizations offer case management serv-ices in the area:
• VT Center for Independent Living: 1-800-639-1522
• Council on Aging 885-2655
• Visiting Nurses Association 800-575-5162
• Condition specific organization (e.g. Cancer Society)
• Social work department at the hospital or clinic where you receive your care.

Note: Your case manager for social and medical needs can be the same person. If you are already enrolled with the Council on Aging, Visiting Nurses Association, or have Medicaid, you have a case manager. Know who they are.

Personal Health Notebook: It is important to keep a health notebook about the care you are re-ceiving as it helps to monitor trends, allows you to share information with other providers, helps to re-duce errors at medical appointments, when your chart may not be available, and can be a resource in making important health decisions. There are a variety of free on-line e-health tools you can use. On-line tools.

Organize Help: Lotsa Helping Hands is a free private, web-based caregiving coordination service that allows family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to create a community to assist a family caregiver with the daily tasks that become a challenge during times of medical crisis, caregiver exhaustion, or when caring for an elderly parent. If you are going to be needing help for any length of time, this is an excellent way to organize help and support. It’s the right answer to the common question, “What Can I do to help?”

Shared/Informed Decision Making: Programs that can help you with the process of making a health care decision. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH has a program 603-650-5578. “Hard Choices for Loving People” is an excellent booklet resource to help when you are needing to make choices for other people. Ordering information and free download of the booklet is available at Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making also provides tools and resources.

Health Insurance Forms and Policies Help
• Vermont: The Office of Health Care Ombudsman: 1-800-917-7787, (802) 863-2316, or 1- (888) 884-1955 (V/TTY).
• Medicare Help in Vermont 885-2655

Paying for Healthcare: If you are having difficulties paying for your health care consider the following:
• VT has a number of programs to assist those who can not afford health insurance, including:
• Green Mountain Care includes state insurance programs-Catamount Health; Vermont Health Access; Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur 1-800-250-8427
• Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Programs (Ladies First) 1-800-508-2222

• If you are a veteran, there are a variety of programs to assist you. Call 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or go on-line

• If you are disabled and/or 65 or older, you qualify for Medicare

• Free Clinics
- Springfield , Precision Valley: 885-1616
- Windsor Community Health Clinic: 802-674-7213
- Red Logan Dental Clinic (White River Junction) 802-295-1868

For more resources.

Paying for Medications: Partnership for Prescription Assistance Vermont (PPARxT) has developed a website to help low income, uninsured Vermont residents get access to patient assistance programs where they may qualify for free or nearly free prescription medicines. You can also call 1-888-477-2669. Vermont offers prescription programs for persons with low-income through Green Mountain Care 1-800-250-8427

Non Medical needs: There are many indirect costs of living with a chronic condition, such as transportation, housing, childcare, home maker services etc. There are a wide array of community serv-ices that can be of help to you. Places to consider:
• SEVCA (Springfield) 885-6153
• Council on Aging, if you are 65 or older : 885-2655
• Social services department of the hospital or clinic where you are receiving your care
• Vermont Center for Independent Living Center 1-800-639-1522
• Civic organizations, such as Rotary, Lions club
• Churches
- Calvary Assembly of God 226-7607 Rt 131 Proctorsville

- Cavendish Baptist Church 226-7131 2258 Main St. Cavendish

- Gethsemane Episcopal 226-7967 Depot St. Proctorsville

- Holy Name of Mary Catholic 228-3451 Main St. Proctorsville

- St. James United Methodist 226-7819 570 Main St Proctorsville

• Cavendish Elementary School’s RESPECT Club (226-7758) and Green Mountain Union High School (875-2146) both offer student power to assist with yard work and home chores

Be aware that even if you qualify for a particular service, because of funding issues, the service may still not be available. It is important to develop a good support network to assist you.

Disability Benefits: There are a variety of programs, which you may be eligible for. They will in-volve filling out forms. Case managers, social workers and organizations like the Council on Aging or SEVCA may be able to help you with this activity.

With the exception of Workers Compensation, information and forms for the following programs can be obtained by calling 1-800-772-1213 or (TTY) 1-800-325-0778 or going on-line

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI): A Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes), designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income. It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): Must have worked in a job that was covered by So-cial Security; meet Social Security’s definition of disability; and be totally disabled and unable to work.

• Social Security Retirement: Best to call three months before eligibility for funds takes place.

• Social Security Survivors: If a parent or spouse dies, you may be eligible for benefits.

• Special Benefits for WWII Veterans: If you qualify for SSI, and were a veteran of WWII, you will qualify for this benefit.

• Short-term disability benefits: Designed to provide a paycheck to employees during periods of serious illness resulting in total disability, many companies offer optional long-term disability insurance (often paid by the employee). Short-term disability insurance covers the employee during the "gap" between the two insurance policies. Check with your employer, human resources, to learn if you are eligible for short term disability.

• Workers Compensation: A program that provides replacement income and medical expenses to em-ployees who are injured or become ill due to their jobs. Financial benefits may also extend to workers' dependents and to the survivors of workers who are killed on the job. You will need to check with your employer, human resources, about such benefits.

Life settlements and Viaticals. If you have a life insurance policy, you can consider these op-tions. Be cautious about such activities and check with a financial advisor before doing so.

• Life Settlements allows policy owners to cash out of unwanted, unaffordable or obsolete life insurance policies insuring a senior over age 65.

• Viatical Settlements enable someone facing a terminal illness to utilize the present day value of their life insurance policy to ease the financial burdens that can be caused by the high costs of medical care.

Reverse Mortgage is a loan against your home that you do not have to pay back for as long as you live there. For more information

End of Life Care
• Hospice Care is usually provided at home with the help of a visiting nurse and is usually time limited, six months or less. Talk to your care provider for a referral.

• Palliative Care provides focused care to improve overall quality of life. This approach offers relief from pain and other symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and/or anxiety. It is not time limited and can be provided at any stage of the illness. Usually such care is pro-vided by a team. Ask about services at the treating hospital or talk to your care provider.

• Funeral Consumers Alliance: Non-profit organization, dedicated to protecting a consumer’s right to choose a meaningful, dignified affordable funeral. 802-223-8140 http://www.funerals.org/affiliates/vermont/

Work related: Consider the following:

• If you are no longer able to work, consider filing for disability.

• If you would like to return to work, but are afraid of losing benefits, contact Vermont’s Benefit’s to Work Program through VT Center for Independent Living or VT vocational rehabilitation program for assistance.

• If you would like to return to work, but are no longer able to do your old job, and/or you’ve never worked but would like to do so, contact Vermont’s vocational rehabilitation (VR) program. VR can help you find a job, keep a job as well as be train you for a new career.
- Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation: 1-866-879-6757 (Voice/TTY) or 802-241-1455 (TTY Next Talk)



Cavendish Town Services

Cavendish Town Office 226-7292 Office open Monday through Friday 9-noon and 1-4:30 pm. On Wednesday the Clerk is open until 6 pm. Office closed for major holidays.

Cavendish Town Manager’s Office 226-7291

Town Office Fax 226-7290

Cavendish Transfer Station

Cavendish Community Library 226-7503

Cavendish Town Elementary School 226-7758

Green Mountain Union High School 875-2146

For fire, rescue and emergency 911