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At The Senior Alliance, advocacy is an important part of the work that we do. In episode 15 of Inside the Senior Alliance, Jason Maciejewski sits down with Emma Olson, the Advocacy and Planning Specialist at the Senior Alliance, to discuss the ins and outs of that work and how community members can get involved.

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In episode 14 of Inside the Senior Alliance, Jason Maciejewski talks with State Representative Laurie Pohutsky about what she and her colleagues in Lansing are doing to ensure protections, resources, and services are available to aging adults. Listen in as they discuss the new bills in our state and current issues in front of the committees that State Representative Pohutsky serves on, among other topics.

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Host Jason Maciejewski sits down with Lori Zimmerman, Manager of the Senior Alliance Information and Assistance Program, and Theresa Coleman, Senior Alliance team member, to talk about the Friendly Reassurance Program and why it matters. Listen in to learn more about the incredible difference our phone calls can make in the lives of aging adults and adults with disabilities.

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In episode 12 of “Inside the Senior Alliance,” Jason Maciejewski talks to Dr. Clare Luz, a gerontologist from Michigan State University and Director of Impart Alliance, to discuss the work of direct care workers and what is needed to help them do their jobs well, especially in the midst of the changes the field is experiencing because of COVID-19.

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In this episode, Jason Maciejewski, Deputy Executive Director of The Senior Alliance, welcomes three guests. The Department Director of Senior Services of Wayne County, Lisa Whitmore Davis, Division Director Joan Siavrakas, and Department Manager Maesha Hadden. They talk about the food services programs for senior citizens of Wayne County, including Meals On Wheels, the Congregate Meal program, the Liquid Nutrition program, and the specialized meals program, Halal Meals, that received national attention when it was introduced. They also discuss the importance of the nutrition program during the Covid pandemic and how the program has helped to make a difference for isolated individuals. thesenioralliance.org. Produced by Blazing Kiss Media.

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Host Jason Maciejewski is joined in Episode 10 of “Inside the Senior Alliance” by Dr. Denise Brothers, who is Chair of the Senior Alliance’s Advisory Council and a professor at Madonna University. Dr. Brothers explains the role of the Advisory Council and just exactly what it is that they do to advocate for aging adults in Wayne County.

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In episode 9, host Jason Maciejewski is joined by Susan Rowe from the Michigan Senior Advocates Council and David LaLumia, the executive director of the Area Agencies on Aging Association, to discuss advocacy, just what is the Michigan Senior Advocates Council (MSAC), and what a person can do if they are interested in joining the efforts of the MSAC.

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Michelle Danou of the Michigan Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program shares with Jason about the role of an ombudsman in advocating for those in long-term care facilities, such as a nursing home. She also details the work of an ombudsman when it comes to transitioning people out of a long-term care facility back into their community.

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Katherine Zurenko, housing coordinator and nursing facility transition support coordinator, talks with Jason about programs that assist adults in finding new housing or fixing issues with current housing. She also helps adults who are moving out of a nursing facility, whether they need to locate housing or are looking to set up long-term services to assist them in a residential setting.

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Lori Zimmerman, manager of the Information & Assistance Program at The Senior Alliance, describes the program’s mission to provide information, referrals, and options to empower individuals to make informed decisions. Information & Assistance specialists field 40-80+ calls per day, or about 1,000 calls a month, linking people to appropriate services.