Community of Vermont Elders

The largest program of the organization is Vermont senior medicare patrol (vt-smp).smp's mission and message is to prevent medicare error, fraud,and abuse. Smp seeks to empower older vermonters by increased awareness and understanding of health care programs in order for individuals to prevent, detect, and report instances of medicare error, fraud, and abuse. During the first part of the pandemic, the program shifted to offer monthly remote educational presentations, biweekly email updates, quarterly newesletters and podcasts. Network building and materals development improved program outreach, even through digital avenues. Other programs of the organization included buidling bridges to services for older vermonters. The program focuses on general scam, fraud, and exploitation prevention. Cove also engages in public policy advocacy, research, and edcuation through a contract with the firm necrason group. The firm and executive director educatioe policy makers about issues affecting Elders and works with both legislators and executive branch staff to get those issues addressed. During 2020 cove published a resource guide with the support of volunteers and staff. Copies were distributed across Vermont reaching 3,000 vermonters. Additionally the guide was offered in a digital format that was downloaded and viewed hundreds of times on the cove website.