A Word From Shane
JCA is Ready for Today’s Challenges

Many older adults and their families in our region have faced increasing challenges over the past several months, including losing jobs through the mass firings and layoffs of federal government employees and contractors. We know the government shutdown has created even more uncertainty and concern for many in our community. We understand this time may be especially stressful for people whose health care, benefits, and financial security are in jeopardy.

You do not have to face these challenges alone. Please call JCA’s Senior HelpLine if you or someone you know needs help.

On November 1, more than 42 million people will not receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Many older adults who rely on SNAP may not be able to afford the nutritious food they need. If you or someone you know is having trouble affording groceries or paying for household necessities, please remember that help is available. The Senior HelpLine can connect you with local food resources, emergency assistance, and support services to help during this time.

Although the government may be shut down, Medicare Open Enrollment started on October 15 and runs through December 7. During this time, you can review your current coverage, make changes to your plan, or explore new options. JCA’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is here to provide free, unbiased Medicare guidance so you can make confident decisions about your healthcare coverage.

For more than 50 years—in good times and in bad—JCA has been here to help older adults and their families. Together, we can make sure every older adult in our community stays supported and cared for during these difficult times.

December 2, 2025, is Giving Tuesday, the annual global day of generosity that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It is a movement to encourage people to give back through acts of kindness, donations of time or money, or by giving voice to causes they care about. You will certainly see many requests for donations from a variety of organizations.

As we see challenge upon challenge strain the residents of the Greater D.C. area, please keep our older neighbors in mind. Their resources are being pushed to the limit, sometimes to the point of collapse.

Your donation can help a Medicare recipient maximize their healthcare benefits, guide a jobseeker through the job-search process, and connect older adults and their caregivers with local resources.

You can multiply the impact of your investment in our work with a monthly gift. You support as a sustaining donor helps us meet ongoing needs and plan for the future.

Dumfries Global Education Group visited the Kensington Club at Parklawn on Thursday, October 16. The youth had a full-day program prepared for the club members, including presentations about their lives in Scotland, Gaelic history, poetry readings, vocabulary games, dancing, snacks from Scotland, and crafts. A homemade quilt from the group is now hanging on the wall at the Parklawn entrance.

The Heyman Interages® Center is looking for volunteers to help out at elementary schools throughout Montgomery County.

Make an impact directly in the classroom by providing one-on-one or small group support with reading, writing, or math. Or, help with fun enrichment activities to support multilingual learners.

Dedicate just 1-2 hours a week to discover the joy of intergenerational relationships and support local youth. Schools run programs on multiple days and times throughout the week.

♦ Silver Spring – East Silver Spring Elementary: One-on-one support with reading or math for K-5th graders (Tuesdays | 3:30 – 4:50 p.m.).

♦ Rockville – Maryvale Elementary: One-on-one or small group support with reading, writing, or math (you choose) homework and fun activities for K-5th graders (Tuesdays and Thursdays |
4 – 5 p.m.).

♦ Germantown – Capt. James E. Daly Elementary: Support multilingual learners with fun activities (Wednesdays | 4 – 5 p.m.).

The Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA) is warning residents that the continued Trump Administration shutdown threatens vital benefits for Maryland’s older adults and families. Compounding this crisis, federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could simultaneously cut essential food assistance by introducing work requirements for Marylanders age 55-64, an age group that was previously exempt.

SNAP benefits are only available through October 31, 2025. Unless the shutdown ends or the Trump Administration taps into existing contingency funding by October 31st, SNAP benefits will be paused, and no new funds will be deposited on EBT cards starting November 1st. While new applications will be processed, benefits will not be provided if the administration does not release funds.

Stress and uncertainty of the federal shutdown are taking a toll on families. Below are some resources available to Marylanders.

JCA’s Kesher Cafe and two caregivers were invited to attend PCORI’s annual workshop on The Caregiver Experience: Understanding the Intersection of Caregiver & Economic Outcomes. Kesher Cafe Sundays is a free monthly social engagement program for adults with young-onset dementia (YOD—diagnosis prior to age 65)

and their caregivers. PCORI, the Patient-Centered OutcomesInstitute, addresses the everyday health and healthcare challenges that people face. The workshop focused on caregivers and their advocates.

More than 1 in 5 adults in the United States are caregivers, providing regular care or assistance to a family member or friend with a health condition or disability. According to the CDC, Caregivers play a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of the people they care for.

Through this forum, advocates for caregivers and caregivers of those living with Young Onset Dementia were able to be heard and validated.

November is National Family Caregivers’ Month 

Each November, we pause to recognize and honor the 63+ million family caregivers across the United States who devote their time, energy, and love to supporting a family member or friend with health needs. Since 1994, National Family Caregivers’ Month has been recognized through presidential proclamations, nonprofit campaigns, and community events nationwide. National Family Caregivers Month is a time to:

Caregiver Action Network is hosting a webinar series and provides ways to connect with other caregivers.

Kensington Clubs seeks volunteers for program at White Oak Senior Center

JCA Gorlitz Kensington Clubs at White Oak Senior Center, 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20904, needs 2 regular Wednesday volunteers between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The volunteer will assist activity leaders with room set up/clean-up and in delivering leisure and recreational programs to independent adults living with early-stage memory loss. Please contact Manager Karen Miller or 301-255-4221.

Open Enrollment for Medicare Drug Plans

Take the opportunity to save money from October 15th through December 7th.

Even if you are happy with your current Medicare drug plan, check to see if you could save money by switching

plans. Montgomery County SHIP can compare your current Medicare drug plan to other plan options for 2026 to find the best value for your specific needs.

SHIP is hosting two information sessions at Montgomery County libraries in November:
Understanding Your Medicare Choices at Twinbrook Library on Nov. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Understanding Your Medicare Choices at Wheaton Library on Nov. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m.

SHIP is a free service. Visit the SHIP website or call 301-255-4250 to request an unbiased drug plan comparison. The 2026 plan comparison request form is now available on the SHIP website.

In October, the JCA blog was, unsurprisingly, focused on economic issues.

Scams are an ever-present problem, and in today’s tight job market, a new one has surfaced. Fraudulent job offers are targeting jobseekers, and familiar scams are proliferating.

Prepare yourself for shortfalls in social security coverage, and maybe consider homesharing to

ease the burden of expenses and gain companionship. If you live in Maryland and find yourself food-insecure, the Maryland Department of Aging has resources that may help. Learn why many older adults are reluctant to move out of their long-time homes and consider if this applies to you.

In health news, the topic of “inflamaging” is gaining notice, and some steps to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s are under investigation. You can embrace fulfilling routines in your day and find entertaining diversions with the “Thursday Murder Club.”

If you are a caregiver for an older adult, or you know one, check out the KC Blog as well.

Simon & Ellen Atlas in memory of Sonia Atlas Levin
Arden Baker in memory of Dr. Ellen S. Baker & Roger Baker
Caryl Bernstein in memory of Deborah Metzger
Michael Kurman & Patricia Hoff in memory of Win Greenwald
Mitchell Lindauer in memory of Bert Lindauer
Brendon & Nicole Shepard in honor of Shane Rock
Joseph Schechter & Patricia Makely in memory of Marian Schechter

Lynn & Steven Silberman in memory of Kathleen Rose Bainbridge
Terry Singer in memory of Edward Leshowitz to Kensington Clubs
Elinor Sondik in memory of Larry Joseph to the Larry M. Joseph Memorial Endowment Fund
Ilene, Steve, Heather & Laura Weiss in memory of James (Jim) Willett to Kensington Clubs