By Joanna Kent, IHSS Advisory Board Chair

growing needs of the IHSS community. Your input helps guide the recommendations presented for changes and gives us opportunities to share success stories.

We also want to know what you are interested in for outreach. Would you like more educational opportunities, such as a conference about all things IHSS? Your input is invaluable.

The IHSS Advisory Board meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. You can join us in person or via Zoom.

To learn more about our meetings, please visit pascc.org/advisoryboard, call (408) 350-3286, or email info@pascc.org with any questions or concerns you would like the board to know about, or if you need help attending the meetings.

The IHSS Advisory Board is committed to ensuring your voice is heard and looks forward to hearing from you!

 By Steven Rubalcaba

During AEP you can:

• Enroll, switch, or drop a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
• Join or change a Medicare Advantage (Part C) HMO or PPO plan.
• Return to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan or Medigap for greater provider choice.

What’s expected in 2027:

• Part D Drug Cost Protection Continues: Medicare’s prescription drug redesign continues in 2027, including a yearly out‑of‑pocket cap (estimated around $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026). Once you reach the cap, you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
• Medicare Advantage Plan Changes: Plans may adjust benefits, provider networks, and costs each year. New federal rules for 2027 also update how plans are rated for quality (Star Ratings) and how they communicate with enrollees.
• More Focus on Quality of Care: Medicare is refining its Star Ratings system to emphasize health outcomes and patient experience, which may affect how plans perform and the benefits they offer.
• Medi‑Cal Enrollment Limits: California has paused new enrollment for certain undocumented adults. Current Medi‑Cal members can keep their coverage as long as they remain eligible and complete renewal requirements.
• Medi‑Cal Asset Test in Effect: Medi‑Cal now includes an asset limit of $130,000 for an individual, with additional amounts allowed for household members.
• Annual Medi‑Cal Renewals: Medi‑Cal members must complete annual renewals. Coverage could end if eligibility requirements are no longer met, or paperwork is not returned on time.

How to prepare:

Create a Medicare.gov account to review prescriptions and coverage. Ask HICAP about Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) to lower Part D costs; many Medi-Cal beneficiaries qualify automatically. Bring a list of current medications to appointments and watch your mailbox for your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September

Get support:

By Myhanh Thi Tran

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data indicates that at least 220,000 people in the United States develop lung cancer every year. This November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, as a reminder to check your lung health and raise awareness about lung cancer.

Our lungs help us stay active, maintain our independence, and enjoy everyday activities. However, many factors can affect the lungs in different ways. Colder temperatures, flu or fever, and periods of poor air quality can be especially challenging for older adults and those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or other lung conditions.

If you are showing any combination of the signs and symptoms below, reach out to your doctor:

• A new cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood, even a small amount
• Hoarseness
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing

Adopting a preventative outlook can help protect your lung health and support your overall well-being and that of others throughout the year. If you smoke, consider quitting, and if you need help, talk to your primary care doctor so they can help guide you. Learn and inform others about secondhand smoke, and how it can also cause lung cancer in those who have never smoked before.

For further lung health information, visit hlung.org/lung-health-diseases or the Lung Cancer Awareness page at cdc.gov.

By Myhanh Thi Tran

As we move into the fall season, cooler temperatures, rain, shorter daylight hours, and fallen leaves can create new safety concerns.

Here are a few simple ways to help prepare for the fall season:

Watch for Slippery Surfaces:Wet sidewalks, driveways, and fallen leaves can become slippery and increase the risk of falls. To minimize slips, wear shoes with good traction and take extra care when walking outdoors after rain.

Prepare for Shorter Days: With fewer daylight hours, visibility decreases earlier in the day. Consider carrying a flashlight when walking outside and make sure outdoor and indoor lighting around your home is working properly.

Dress for Changing Temperatures: Fall weather can change quickly throughout the day. Wearing layers can help you stay comfortable, safe and warm.

Check Home Heating Systems: Check your home smoke detectors and make sure heating systems are functioning correctly. Check windows and doors for air drafts, and seal them to keep the cold out and the heat in.

Keep an Emergency Kit: Power outages can occur. Consider keeping flashlights, batteries, medications, bottled water, preserved food, and important phone numbers easily accessible.

Stay Up to Date on Vaccinations: Make sure to contact your medical provider for seasonal flu vaccine or recommended immunizations.

Stay Connected: Be sure to check in with family, friends, or neighbors regularly and let someone know if you need assistance.

A little preparation can go a long way in helping you stay safe, healthy, and independent throughout the fall season. Visit nia.nih.gov/health/safety/cold-weather-safety-older-adults for more information.

By Vi Lam

American Diabetes Month starts each November, serving as a good time to learn more about what diabetes is and learn how to prevent it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that more than 40 million Americans have diabetes. Over time, diabetes can cause health problems like heart or kidney disease.

Our bodies break down the food we eat into sugar, known as glucose, which is then released into our bloodstream. This signals your pancreas to release insulin, which acts as the key that allows blood sugar into your cells and converts it into energy.

There are several types of diabetes:

• Type 2: This is where the cells don’t respond normally to insulin, called insulin resistance. The pancreas keeps making more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Over time, your pancreas can’t keep up, causing your blood sugar to rise, setting the stage for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
• Prediabetes: This is when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. At this point, you can learn and change certain habits to prevent diabetes.
• Gestational: Women who have never had diabetes but are pregnant can develop gestational diabetes, which usually goes away, but it can increase their risk of having type 2 diabetes later. The baby will also have a higher risk of obesity or type 2 diabetes later in life.
• Type 1: Your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin in your body, and you must take insulin medication every day to help your body convert blood sugar into energy.

You can learn more at cdc.gov/diabetes/about  or diabetes.org/about-diabetes. Then schedule a visit with your primary care provider to discuss your concerns about diabetes and be sure to have your levels checked yearly.

By Vi Lam

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a time to review and raise awareness about cholesterol. So, what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy substance that helps build the cells we need and makes certain hormones. We get cholesterol from our liver and the food we consume (usually in the form of meat, poultry, and dairy products).

Our body has two types of cholesterol- the good and the bad:

• High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is often called “good” cholesterol because the liver breaks it down and flushes it from the body. The HDL cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol in the blood and carries it back to the liver.
• Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol: LDL Cholesterol is often called the “bad” cholesterol, as it can build up in arterial walls, causing clots to form in the narrow space and, over time, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The American Heart Association states that at least 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have high LDL cholesterol. Several factors can increase the risk of high LDL, including age, family history, smoking, diabetes, and blood pressure. Those who have high LDL might not show or feel any symptoms, which is why it is crucial to get your cholesterol level checked yearly with your doctor.

When was the last time you had your cholesterol level checked? If you haven’t scheduled your doctor’s visit, ask them to check your levels. In the meantime, you can find out more at heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol and share resources with others using the Cholesterol Communications Toolkit cdc.gov/cholesterol/php/toolkit.

By Mary Jo Griego

Our brains don’t retire – they reorganize. When you break routine, challenge a belief, or experience something new, the neurons in the brain wake up again. Each change, curiosity, or new skill sends a signal that says: “We are still learning – keep the lights on.” So, challenge your brain with different activities, like solving puzzles or learning a new game.

Neuroplasticity is the ability to remap reality. New experiences allow the brain to connect dots it has never connected before. That’s why travel, conversations, playing card games, and creativity don’t just make life more interesting; they keep the mind functioning. Novelty is mental oxygen – without it, the circuits suffocate.

The brain is trained daily not through willpower, but through exercising different patterns. Every time comfort is chosen over curiosity, decay is reinforced. Growth isn’t about intensity. It is about curiosity.

To keep your mind engaged, try to incorporate these mantras into your daily routine:

• Movement sharpens the mind – it floods the brain with oxygen and clarity.
• Connection deepens understanding – each conversation rewires perception.
• Curiosity keeps everything alive – it’s the antidote to mental stillness.

September 21 is Alzheimer’s Day. Use it as a reminder to learn about strategies to preserve cognitive faculties by continually challenging your brain to keep surprising it, stretching it, and teaching it to stay alive. Visit alz.org/about/awareness-initiatives/world-alzheimers-day for more information.