Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Honors Three Senior Advocates with Claude Pepper Award
Twenty-six others also recognized; Antrim County agency wins inaugural Diana C. Jones Award
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DETROIT, August 20, 2008 - A senior citizen patient advocate from West Bloomfield, a Detroit retiree who volunteers at a downtown senior citizen community center, and a Kentwood woman who champions issues in support of seniors in West Michigan will be honored Sept. 19 with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Claude Pepper Award.
The late Florida Sen. Claude Pepper was a lifelong activist for the nation's elderly, and the award bearing his name recognizes people's contributions toward improving the lives of Michigan's senior citizens. The Claude Pepper Award honorees, who each will receive a $1,000 check to be given to nonprofit organizations of their choice, are:
Cheryl B. Dworman, 61, of West Bloomfield, in the working advocate category. As a full-time patient advocate, Dworman, a registered nurse, is the voice of her elderly patients. She helps physicians manage patients' sometimes complex medical conditions to help bring them back to health, and also meets the end-stage needs of both the elderly and their caregivers with caring counseling.
Alvin Edmunds, 76, of Detroit, and Louise Thomas, 82,of Kentwood, in the volunteer advocate category. As a retiree, Edmunds has volunteered to serve the elderly at St. Aloysius Church in Detroit for 14 years. Thomas is a member of the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan Advisory Council and has been a senior advocate for more than 20 years.
The inaugural Diana C. Jones Award, named for the retired Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan vice president of community affairs, honors an organization contributing to the well-being of older adults and enabling them to continue living meaningful lives. The first award winner is the Antrim County Commission on Aging, located in Bellaire in northern Michigan. The commission provides seniors in the county with in-home care, food coupons for fresh produce, home upkeep services, and loaner items such as wheelchairs and patient lifts.
Twenty-six other people will receive honorable mention certificates for helping improve the lives of the elderly. They are:
Joann Adrangna, Detroit
Roger Bushnell, Allen Park
June Dodd, Spring Arbor
Karyn Dombrowski Curro, Center Line
Yvonne Edwards, Detroit
Richard Euler, West Bloomfield
Joe Evans, Jackson
Jay Henderson, Detroit
Esther Howell, Grosse Pointe
Donald Kramer, Wyoming
Norma Lagana, Ypsilanti
Constance Leftwich, Detroit
Jane Legg, Pontiac
Elizabeth Neidhardt, Ann Arbor
Marion Perry, Detroit
Barbara Peters, Grand Rapids
Harriett Peterson, Detroit
Shannon Scarbrough, Lake City
Thomas Seigo, Tawas City
Vera Thompson, Detroit
Sybil Weaver, Lansing
Betty Welsh, Dearborn
Linda West, Detroit
Randy Whitmire, Rochester
Shirley Williams, Detroit
Angela Willis, Clinton Township
Cathy Mozham, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan director of community affairs, will present the awards on Friday, Sept. 19 in Traverse City during the annual Blues' Senior Advisory Council conference. Themed "Living Well — Celebrate Healthy Aging," the conference is geared toward older adults, service providers, caregivers and others interested in learning more about healthy aging.
Featured will be Tai Chi demonstrations and informative sessions on such subjects as living holistically, preventing falls, safe driving, elder law and estate planning, with a keynote presentation by octogenarian Art Holst on living happy and well in retirement.
Cost is $20 per person for seniors 55 and older and caregivers, and $50 for service providers. The fee includes continental breakfast, lunch, discussion sessions and conference materials. To register, call 800-733-BLUE (2583) by Sept. 5.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, provides and administers health benefits to 4.7 million members residing in Michigan in addition to members of Michigan-headquartered groups who reside outside the state. The company offers a broad variety of plans including: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred, Community Blue and Healthy Blue Incentives PPOs; Blue Care Network HMO; BCN Healthy Blue Living; Flexible Blue plans compatible with health savings accounts; Medicare Advantage; Part D Prescription Drug plans, and MyBlue products in the under-age-65 individual market. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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