“In our Telephone Reassurance program that Trellis supported with emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, we reached out to an elderly woman who had in the past received our home-delivered meals,” notes an Optage staff member.

“Her husband answered the call and told us that his wife had been admitted to an assisted living community. Through the call, we discovered that when she moved to assisted living her husband lost their apartment because he couldn’t afford it by himself.” Optage learned that he was living in his car and, without a permanent address, he did not qualify for assistance. He had diabetes and was not getting the medicine he needed to control it. His diabetes had gotten so bad that he faced possible amputation of his leg.

Optage connected him with The Salvation Army, and they housed him up in a hotel where he will be able to stay long term. “We also connected him with the VA to assist with treatment for his diabetes and to provide access to the medication he so desperately needs.”

“Isabel” contacted Trellis Pension and Retirement Rights about her surviving spouse benefit after she was told by her husband’s former employer that they had no record of her eligibility. She was certain that she and her husband had selected the form of pension that provided a surviving spouse benefit.

Trellis Pension and Retirement Rights contacted the pension plan and filed a claim on Isabel’s behalf, citing the provision under the federal law (ERISA) that requires a pension plan to pay a surviving spouse benefit to the spouse after the death of the participant unless the spouse signs a valid waiver. Isabel had never signed any such waiver.

The claim was approved, and Isabel received a retroactive lump-sum payment of $4,565 and an ongoing monthly benefit of $801 for the remainder of her lifetime.

“Our seniors are mostly uneducated. Some don’t know how to write their own language, and they are afraid of technology,” noted Yorn Yan of the United Cambodian Association of Minnesota (UCAM). UCAM is the only human service organization in Minnesota dedicated to meeting the social service and other needs of the state’s Cambodian immigrants and refugees and is a recipient of Trellis’ Older Americans Act funding.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, UCAM staff and volunteers called isolated community members every day to check in about their mental and physical status. “Many have lived in refugee camps for a long while and the pandemic is making them relive some of that trauma,” continued Yan. UCAM also provided grocery delivery to community members and staff spent time talking with individuals receiving groceries.

“People are also very concerned about what is happening at home in Cambodia. COVID-19 spread quickly, and the government didn’t allow people to go anywhere or to buy anything for two to three weeks. Staff and family members sponsored tons of rice to be sent to ‘Red Zones’ where people in Cambodia can get supplies. This is another level of stress for people during a difficult and confusing time.”

“Jackson” retired in January and used a special enrollment period to sign up for Medicare. He and his insurance broker called the Senior LinkAge Line^® for help in finding a Medicare Part D drug plan. Maylee, a Senior LinkAge Line specialist, helped him select a plan and get enrolled for coverage starting in February. In February, he called back and said the plan hadn’t kicked in.

Maylee called Medicare and they confirmed that they had approved the plan. She also called the Part D provider who said they would investigate. In March, the plan had still not kicked in. Between March and May, Maylee and other SLL staff made four to seven calls a month to Medicare and the Plan D provider to help solve the problem. Finally, in mid-May, Jackson got a call from the provider telling him that his plan was approved and retroactive to February 1.

During this time, he had been paying $300 per month out of his pocket for medications. He will now be able to bill his insurance company and get reimbursed for those expenses. Getting the issue settled was a big relief for everyone, especially Jackson.

Pedro moved to the United States from Mexico with his wife, two children and mother. He is the only wage earner in the family and when the pandemic started, he lost his job. He had some savings that he used to pay the mortgage and food, but these savings only lasted for a short time. He didn’t qualify for unemployment and, without resources, he decided to look for help.

“When he arrived at Centro Tyrone Guzman, he had a very high level of stress, and he didn’t know where to start to solve his problems. Knowing that he was taking care of his mother, we invited him to participate in our Wise Elders Families program,” noted Yoli Chambers, Adult & Aging Programs Administrator at Centro. “We were able to provide financial support, groceries and a walker for his mom using funding that Trellis provides under the Special Access program through the Older Americans Act and funding from Hennepin County and other Foundations.”

Pedro’s mom participates in Wise Elders Program activities that give her an opportunity to socialize with others and receive lunches two times per week. “With the walker that we provided, Pedro’s mom is able to be more independent and when the weather permits, she likes to go on little walks,” according to Chambers. “Pedro and his wife shared that they have learned so much and noticed his mother is happier. Recently, Pedro received an offer for a part-time job and the family is very excited about this.”