Upper Shore Aging, Incorporated
Annual Report for 2007
February 4, 2008



Upper Shore Aging, Incorporated
100 Schauber Road
Chestertown, Maryland 21620
410-778-6000
www.uppershoreaging.org


February 1, 2007

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. is a thirty-three year old nonprofit organization that is the designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Talbot, Caroline and Kent counties, Maryland. The Agency develops and manages a comprehensive menu of aging programs that address the needs of the nearly 21,000 elderly residents living in the tri-county service area. These programs work in coordinated fashion to maintain or improve quality of life for our elderly clients, helping them to continue living in their homes or in the community with a sense of dignity and independence, forestalling their placement in hospitals and nursing homes.

Fiscal Year 2007 presented many challenges for Upper Shore Aging, Inc., but also saw successes and even new opportunities to serve the older residents of Talbot, Caroline and Kent counties.

Overall organizational revenues were slightly higher than the previous year. However, administrative costs and labor/fringe expenses increased. Despite these challenges, USA, Inc. delivered 234,130 units of client service in all programs in 2007, ending the fiscal year in satisfactory financial position.

Unmet need for various USA, Inc. programs continued to outpace available resources for client services in 2007, exacerbating waiting lists in a number of key Agency programs, including Senior Care, Medicaid Waiver and Home-Delivered Meals.

Like many smaller nonprofit organizations, USA, Inc. struggled to accommodate stricter financial reporting requirements and financial regulations, particularly as these are governed by SAS 112. The organization reviewed all its fiscal practices, identifying opportunities for improvement and acting upon them.

Area Agency on Aging USA, Inc. developed a comprehensive Area Plan, FY 08-11, which was approved by the Maryland Department of Aging. This document details the organization's strategies and tactics for serving the needs of its clients for a three-year period.

In close partnership with Chesapeake College, the agency launched its first evidence-based program during the year, Living Well: Take Charge of Your Health, a replication of Stanford University's Chronic Disease Self Management Program. USA, Inc. will build upon the success of this project to offer additional evidence-based programs throughout the service area in the future.

The organization vigorously advocated on behalf of its clients during the year. USA, Inc.'s Executive Director provided testimony in favor of legislation that furthered the interests of the Agency's clients, and worked closely with other organizations that advocated on behalf of older Marylanders.

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. worked very closely with Talbot County government to inaugurate a project that will bring a state-of-the-art, 11,000 square foot Senior Center to Easton, Maryland in early 2009.

Upper Shore Aging, Inc. provided cost-effective, quality service to local governments and citizens in Talbot, Caroline and Kent counties in 2007.

Leonard E. Wendowski                        
President, Upper Shore Aging, Inc.

                     
Carl E. Burke
Executive Director, Upper Shore Aging, Inc.


Mission Statement of
Upper Shore Aging, Incorporated


    Upper Shore Aging, Inc. will develop and provide a variety of programs for Older Persons in the Upper Shore region, which help maintain and improve quality of life.




* USA, Inc. marketed 15 programs to a client market of 20,712 individuals (2006 estimate) over the age of 60 years residing in Talbot, Caroline and Kent counties, Maryland

* USA, Inc. served 234,130 units of service to 1,871 unduplicated clients

* USA, Inc. social workers provided 5,824 hours of client case management

* Committed volunteers provided 4,134 hours of service to the Agency and its clients during the year

* Total support and revenue: $2,596,073; number of employees: 36

* 87% of all organizational revenues supported direct client services

* Developed a Comprehensive Area Plan, FY 08-11, as required by the Older Americans Act

* Inaugurated Living Well: Take Charge of Your Health, an evidence-based program that helps Seniors to better manage their chronic conditions

* Produced three major regional conferences of interest to elders and their advocates

* Worked closely with Talbot County government to bring a state-of-the-art, 11,000 square foot Senior Center to Easton, Maryland.

* Advocated strongly and effectively on behalf of the older residents of Talbot, Caroline and Kent counties.

* The Agency's management played a key role in the Maryland Aging Network, helping to impact the lives of Maryland's older residents.


General Overview

In fiscal year 2007, Upper Shore Aging, Inc. received funding and support from federal, state and local governments, as well as from other sources (see Table 1). For most programs, federal and state allocations were specifically designated for each member county by funding entities. In other cases, the Agency received a comprehensive allocation for the tri-county service area, in which case it apportioned the funds for the benefit of each county on the basis of census data.
Of every revenue dollar received by Upper Shore Aging, Inc. in FY 2007, $.871 directly funded client services. The Agency supported its administrative expenses (which were 12.9% of all revenues) with a 7% charge against eligible federal and state grants, along with unrestricted funds generated by fundraising efforts and from other sources.
A Comprehensive Area Plan, endorsed by each local government and approved by the Maryland Department of Aging, was developed that included a customized service plan for each member county. The mix of planned programs and targets for units of service for each were different for each county, a function of available funding and the unique needs of elderly residents in each jurisdiction. Input from the USA, Inc. Board of Directors; local Advisory Committees; Commissions on Aging; various Seniors' advocacy groups, other human service agencies and USA, Inc. clients helped to determine the relative emphasis of each program in each member county.
Table 2 shows the relative distribution of services delivered among the three member counties for major programs. USA, Inc. provided a total of 234,130 units of service in 15 key programs throughout the tri-county service area in fiscal year 2007, including 5,824 hours of client case management, 4,134 hours of volunteer support and 2,280 educational mailings. As the table shows, Caroline County received 36% of all units of service provided by the Agency during the year, with Talbot and Kent counties receiving 37% and 27%, respectively. Differences in the distribution of Agency services are largely explained by several factors, including: the availability of governmental funding for each county; demographic characteristics, as each county is inherently different and the demand for the Agency's programs varies for each; and mode of service delivery, which can differ for each county (for example, Senior Information & Assistance Program contacts may be largely rendered via telephone in one county, while group presentations may be more appropriate in another). It is also important to note that the physical limitations of Senior Centers in the various counties may affect the kinds and numbers of activities offered in each.

Programs & Services in 2007

* Four Senior Centers provided Congregate and Home-Delivered Meals ('Meals-on-Wheels') in 2007, from which many leisure, educational and health-promoting Activities were offered. Trained staff based at Senior Centers manned the Senior Information & Assistance, Senior Health Insurance Counseling and Senior Medicare Patrol programs, assisting elders in applying for Medicare (including facilitating their enrollment in the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit), Social Security and helping them access the programs of other agencies. Staff also enlisted Seniors' help in identifying instances of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
Issues & Trends: In 2007, additional Senior Center Operating Grant funds permitted expanded service and programs of the Federalsburg Senior Center. The Friends of the Caroline County Senior Center advocated for a new, freestanding Senior Center before the Caroline County Commissioners. In advance of its demolition, to make way for a new facility, the Talbot County Senior Center relocated to Maryland Avenue in Easton. The Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center in Chestertown continued to see an increase in men visiting the Center. The waiting list for Home-Delivered Meals in Caroline grew considerably. Senior Information & Assistance Staff in all counties were active, as they helped Medicare clients enroll in new Part D programs during the open enrollment period. Living Well classes were held at Senior Centers in Chestertown and Denton.  
* Community Based Programs, including the Medicaid Waiver for Older Adults, Senior Care, Home Weatherization and Shopping for Seniors programs, which provide case management, gap filling, in-home supports or home modification services, helped Seniors to remain in the community as long as possible.
Issues & Trends: The administrative burden regarding the Medicaid Waiver for Older Adults program worsened as funds for client case management were cut, leaving fewer staffers to address a static caseload. The waiting list for the Senior Care program, especially in Caroline County, expanded.
* The Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) and Project ROSE provided respite, outreach, support and education to individuals who give unpaid, home-based care to frail elders, including those with Alzheimers Disease.
Issues & Trends: Project ROSE, the result of a multi-year grant to implement support for the caregiver of the Alzheimers Disease patient, produced workshops in each county titled Finding Your Village, Share the Care. Support groups in each county for both the FCSP and Project ROSE continued to grow in size.
* Senior Advocacy Programs, including the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Public Guardianship and Senior Legal Assistance programs saw considerable activity.
Issues & Trends: Case management in the Public Guardianship program remains labor intensive, with cases requiring more legal support from attorneys, even as the program remained underfunded. The LTC Ombudsman spent considerable time mediating issues between families of nursing home residents and management. The Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland, Inc. continued to support the Senior Legal Assistance program. USA, Inc.'s Executive Director participated in considerable legislative advocacy, working to ensure adequate resources for programs of importance to mid-Shore elders in need. USA, Inc. supported the efforts of two local Commissions on Aging in Talbot and Kent counties.
* Working with our affiliate organization, the Upper Shore Aging Housing Corporation, we facilitated access to quality Senior Housing for eligible clients.
* We provided education and outreach to Seniors in the Upper Shore Region, publishing and distributing a monthly newsletter, the Upper Shore Clarion. The Agency's executive manager wrote several informative articles and many press releases on a variety of topics, which were published in regional newspapers.



[Insert Financial Statement Here]











Community Partnerships

    Upper Shore Aging, Inc. partnered and cooperated with many public and private local agencies in 2006 in the service of older residents of Talbot, Kent and Caroline counties, including:

Upper Shore Aging Housing Corporation            Talbot County Health Department
TRIAD of Caroline County                    TRIAD of Talbot County
TRIAD of Kent County                           Shore Health System
Chesapeake College                        Kent County Commission on Aging
Circuit Court for Caroline County                Circuit Court for Talbot County'
Circuit Court for Kent County                      Delmarva Community Services
The Caroline County Health Department                  The Kent County Health Department
The Alzheimers Association of the Eastern Shore        The Kent County Department of
The Caroline County Department of Social Services                 Social Services
Talbot County Commission on Aging                   The Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland
The Talbot County Department of Social Services        WC-ALL
 AARP                 Queen Anne's County Department
  of Aging



Population Statistics for the USA, Inc. Service Area

1. +60 Population for Talbot, Caroline & Kent Counties and as a Percentage of Total Population (source: Maryland Department of Planning estimate for 2006):

County:    +60 Population:      Total Population:         +60 as % f Total:

Talbot                10,016                   36,062                      27.8%
Caroline            5,658                   32,617                      17.3%
Kent                5,038                   19,983                      25.2%
Total                20,712                   88,662                          *23.4%

*Maryland's +60 demographic (2004) is 16.1% of total population.



2. +60 Population Per Square Mile, Per County (source: Maryland Department of Planning estimate for 2005):

Talbot:         20.39
Caroline:         17.50
Kent:             12.86




Upper Shore Aging, Inc. delivered its programs and services from five sites in 2007:



Administrative Offices:    100 Schauber Road, Chestertown, Maryland 21620
Phone: 410.778.6000; Fax: 410.778.3562


Talbot Senior Center:         108 Maryland Avenue, Suite C, Easton, Maryland 21601
                Phone: 410.822.2869; Fax: 410.820.9563


Caroline Senior Center:     403 South 7th Street, Suite 127, Denton, Maryland 21629
                Phone: 410.479.2535; Fax: 410.479.1879


Amy Lynn Ferris Adult Activity Center:     200 Schauber Road, Chestertown, Maryland 21620
                        Phone: 410.778.2564; Fax: 410.758.9994


Federalsburg Senior Center:     118 North Main Street, Federalsburg, Maryland 21632
                        Phone: 410.754.9754; Fax: 410.754.5375


www.uppershoreaging.org





At a time when government funding for elderly services is being cut, there is more
need now for Upper Shore Aging's services than ever before. Your gift to the
Upper Shore Aging Foundation will help ensure that funds are available to
meet the needs of our most vulnerable population, today and tomorrow.


The Upper Shore Aging Foundation
C/O Mid-Shore Community Foundation
102 East Dover Street
Easton, Maryland 21601




Nonprofit Organization Disclosure Statement:  Upper Shore Aging, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation duly registered with the Office of the Secretary of State of Maryland. Registration with the Office of the Secretary does not imply endorsement of any solicitation by the Secretary of State. Interested parties may review and/or make copies (at cost) of the following documents, on file in the corporate offices of Upper Shore Aging, Inc.: federal form 990, including attachments and schedules, for the preceding three years; schedule for unrelated business income tax, form 990-T; form 1023 or 1024, with supporting materials; the IRS determination letter re: tax exempt status and any other file correspondence between the IRS and USA, Inc. Interested parties may review a copy of the latest audited financial statements of USA, Inc., on file in the corporate offices.
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