In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen this time and again as Hoosier friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other.

In Indiana, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too.

Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). Our own Governor Eric Holcomb issued this proclamation recognizing May as Older Americans Month for our state. This year’s theme is Communities of Strength, recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities.

Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life—a conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when we share these activities with others—even virtually or by telling about the experience later—we help them build resilience too.

One way to join in strengthening our Hoosier state is by nominating older adults with a commitment to community service and dedicated volunteerism for a 2021 Golden Hoosier Award. The Golden Hoosier Award is the highest honor bestowed on a senior in Indiana. Nominations are due June 19, 2021.

We are also simply encouraging community members to share their experiences with each other. Together, we can find strength—and create a stronger future. Here are some other ways to share and connect:Read More

In our last article on spam calls, we highlighted the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) blog on How to Stop Unwanted Calls. Now that you’ve learned about call blocking, call screening and spoofing, here are some tips as you take a deeper dive.

Some DO’s and DON’Ts:

• Do learn the terminology! (i.e., call blocking, screening, labeling, spoofing, etc.)
• Do learn what type of phone you have, i.e., VoIP landline, traditional landline, smart or dumb mobile phone. Options for blocking and screening vary by the type of phone and your carrier. Some are free and some have an associated fee.
• Do consider upgrading to a “smart” phone so you can use mobile apps to help block and screen calls. Smart phones have blocking features built into the phone.
• Do check with your telephone carrier to see what call blocking, caller ID/labeling and/or screening services it offers. Some block potential scam calls, some flag suspicious calls and some screen, label or filter calls.
• Do check with trusted resources like your local area agency on aging, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division or the Better Business Bureau if you want to know more about the caller’s proposal or offer. They can help you ferret out likely scams.
• Do report scam calls to the FTC or 1-877-FTC-HELP.
• Do list your number on the state and local Do Not Call Registry.
• Do install a call blocking device if your carrier does not offer any service you like or can afford.

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