Greetings AFSPA Family,

As we approach the holiday season, one of the busiest times of the year, make sure you continue to prioritize your health. Read below for information to help you close out the year in a great way.

National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month, a time when organizations around the country raise awareness about a disease that affects 10.5 percent of the U.S. population.  According to the CDC, a majority of people with prediabetes do not know they have it. That is why this year’s National Diabetes Month campaign focuses on prediabetes and preventing diabetes. By making healthy lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet and working with your doctor to create a health plan, it is possible to prevent Type 2 diabetes and reverse prediabetes.

Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) members looking to manage their diabetes should take advantage of the Livongo-Remote Diabetes Monitoring Program. The program is offered at no cost to eligible members and offers personalized support through a cellular-enabled meter and mobile app. The main goal is to help you make good and effective decisions about diabetes management. For more information, visit the Livongo website.

Long-Term Care Awareness Month

 November is historically the month to recognize the importance of Long-Term Care Insurance. With larger portions of the U.S population expected to reach age 65 and older in the coming years, the need for long-term support services is growing. Visit the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance’s website to learn more.

AFSPA provides free Long Term Care consulting services for members interested in finding a plan. This special service will advise of any available policies that custom fit your caregiving needs and affordability. Members may also want to consider our Group Enhanced Life insurance plan, which offers an Accelerated Benefit Option (ABO) that allows you to use a portion of your principal sum benefit towards home care, assisted living and nursing home expenses if you become chronically ill.  While it doesn’t replace long term care insurance, it may assist with any future care giving costs.

National Family Caregivers Month

In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, we want to honor and support the individuals who hold such a special place in many of our families. Caregivers are tasked with many, often competing, responsibilities, which take a significant emotional, physical and financial toll. Providing caregivers with the right resources can improve their overall well-being to allow them to provide better care for longer. The Senior Living Foundation (SLF) and U.S. State Department will be hosting a special webinar aimed at empowering caregivers on Wednesday, November 3. AFSPA’s AbleTo program is also a great resource. The eight-week video conferencing treatment program is designed to address members’ unique emotional and behavioral health needs. Learn more and see if you are eligible for this program here.

Open Season

Open Season begins Monday, November 8. Just like last year, COVID-19 has prevented us from traveling for the occasion. We will miss connecting with you in person, but we hope you join us for one of our virtual sessions so we can bring you up to speed on open season opportunities and offerings. Look for more details on upcoming plan changes in the AFSPA in Action Fall Newsletter.

Happy Thanksgiving

Whether you will be celebrating in-person with loved ones or from a distance, I want to wish you all a safe and peaceful Thanksgiving. This ’s message of gratitude and unity holds especially true after a difficult past two years. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your delicious feasts, but don’t let the holiday pull you completely off track in your wellness journey. Our Mediterranean Wellness, Health Coaching and Digital Coaching programs offer great food control coping mechanisms and diet management.

Stay up-to-date on all things AFSPA through our website, blog, social media, You Tube channel and podcasts. We are excited to share our AFSPA Talks November episodes with you – the month is jam-packed with great discussions about Diabetes, Open Season, and more. Visit our Podcast page to learn more about upcoming topics as well as past sessions.

Your health is always the top priority for us, and I thank you for entrusting us with your care.

To Your Health,

Paula S. Jakub, RHU
CEO, AFSPA
Executive Director, Senior Living Foundation