Elder Rights: United States
Archives: 2002
Paul
McCartney, Getting Back to Where He Wants to Go (November 26, 2002)
This article describes the extensive North
American tour that Sir Paul McCartney is completing since beginning last
Spring. He reviews his former Beatles career that ended in 1970.
Movin'
On Up: Boomers Reshape Real Estate (November 19, 2002)
“When
baby boomers think about retirement, they look around at their own homes,
and they like what they see.” 85% of the AARP survey respondents say
they don't want to ever move; they want to stay right where they are.
EEOC
Settles Major Age Bias Suit; Foot Locker To Pay $3.5 Million To Former
Woolworth Employees (November 15, 2002)
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) announced that it has settled a class age discrimination lawsuit
with retail giant Foot Locker Specialty Inc. for $3.5 million. The
lawsuit, alleged that Woolworth targeted employees 40 years old or over
for layoffs because of their ages, and that many were promptly replaced by
younger persons hired from the outside. The settlement looks like Foot
Locker was worried about stiffed penalties at a lawsuits’ conclusion
Poll: Choice important to seniors, disabled
(November 14, 2002)
Unrestricted choice of doctors and hospitals is the top concern of 90 percent of older and disabled people, says the poll that was designed
to study what older patients value the most in their health care coverage.
Age Counts in Hiring, the
Older Jobless Find (November 13, 2002)
Age discrimination is still strong in the United
States. Here are personal stories about many Americans 50 or older who
have lost their jobs in long-term careers.
Boomers
have work to do for cities (November 10, 2002)
Retired
boomers have a wealth of knowledge and experience. They are the living
memory of the big cities.
Best Companies for
Older Workers (November 5, 2002)
The
Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 13% of American workers today are
over 55, and that figure will increase to 20% by 2015. How are employers
going to respond to these trends ? What do companies think about the
older workers?
Help
for Elderly Parent Can Fray Family Ties (November 3, 2002)
Money signifies more control and power in older
years than at any other time of life. After losing physical power, the
money question toward ones formerly dependent children is a vulnerable
moment to face.
Daschle
Plans Position for Mondale (October 31, 2002)
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle gives a leg up
to Walter Mondale in his campaign : in case of victory, he will add
him
to
his leadership team.
Ham
Night at the Senior Center (October 29, 2002)
A woman discovered her ‘new’ father : from
the shy man she knew emerged one elder man infected by the theater virus.
Her astonished and amazing story…
Fighting
Frailty to Stay at Home (October 22, 2002)
A new English program has been established for
helping elderly fight weaknesses of aging by giving them physical
therapies.
The
Doctor, the Patient, the Funeral (October 22, 2002)
This article presents a personal and emotional
story about an
author's
patient who died at the age of 93 years old.
Social
Security and the Ballot Box (October 6, 2002)
Older Americans could certainly drive a change in
Congress if they just focused on seniors’ issues. This could be the most
significant election in decades for Social Security reform.
Two
Drug Companies Increase Prices in Discount Card Program in Response to CMS
Interpretation of Federal Law (October 3, 2002)
Two drug companies announce they will reduce the
discount they offered to Medicare people.
Energy
and Commerce To Take Up Generic Drug Bill Next Week; Full House Unlikely
To Act (October 3, 2002)
The House Energy and Commerce Comittee will
discuss about a new drug bill for protecting the consumers from the
companies generic competition.
Older Vote Carries Clout
(October 2002)
Older Americans traditionally play a key role in mid-term elections. They
could certainly "drive a change in Congress if they just focused on
seniors' issues" on November 5.
The Real King of Pop (October 2002)
Future open for Quincy Jones:
music, invitations, and bookings. What more could a person of sixty-nine
years want ?
Retirement
age 'should be raised' (September 28, 2002)
Increasing life expectancy will push retirement
age higher. That’s why the Pension Policy Institute is entering the pension crisis in a new report.
Rock's
Bad Boys Grow Up but Not Old (September 26, 2002)
Two Rolling Stones stay together far longer than
many marriages.
Breaux,
Hatch Introduce First-Ever "Elder Justice" Bill (September 13,
2002)
Two US senators introduced the first-ever
comprehensive federal legislation to address elder abuse and crimes
against seniors, which are increasing. Their aim is to guarantee
protection for older Americans.
Copy
Of Identity theft costing U.S. consumers billions (September 12, 2002)
Identity theft threatens elder rights and causes
much trouble.
Susan
Sarandon Breaks the Rule That Says Actresses Can't Age (September 8, 2002)
The
rate of disability discrimination complaints rose 0.5 percent to 20.4
percent of all cases in 2001. American
attitudes toward female youth and beauty have been growing more
sophisticated even in Hollywood. Susan Sarandon symbolizes the perfect
example to the contrary.
Ageism
in the Media Is Seen as Harmful to Health of the Elderly (September 5,
2002)
The media still continues with negative images
ignoring the power of millions of well-off baby boomers across the
country.
Doris Roberts Tells it Like it Is
to be a Senior Citizen (September 4, 2002)
Everybody
Loves Raymond’s
Doris Roberts speaks to the Senate Special Committee on Aging about the
troubles facing seniors in America. She
discusses the difficulty to get jobs as one gets older in Hollywood and
clearly makes the point that media and marketers are responsible for
perpetrating ageism.
7
Beauties (September 2002)
Betty White Helps Alert
Senior Citizens in National Fraud Awareness Campaign (August 27, 2002)
Betty White joins the nation’s Chief Postal
Inspector to warn senior citizens that old Americans are increasingly
becoming targets of con artists. She will help launch a media tour to
increase awareness of the campaign.
Homebuilders eye Vast
Market of over 55's (August 26, 2002)
Homebuilders
eye the aging population that desires more than retirement homes. Seniors
are demanding for more facilities that cater to an active lifestyle like
golf courses and fitness centers, as well as other accommodations.
Older Folk Think World is
Worse But Feel Volunteer Urge (August 26, 2002)
Seniors, though pessimistic about the world
today, are volunteering in great numbers in an effort to help in any way
they can after 9-11.
Schwinn Takes a Swing at Chain
Stores (August 26, 2002)
Bike sales plummet as baby boomers and seniors
turn to other means of activity. Top brands like Schwinn look to the chain
store market to ease drop in sales
How About a Civilized Cab,
Please, Driver (August 23, 2002)
Commentary on why London offers better cabs than
NYC, including how spacious and elder friendly UK’s cabbies can be.
Cost of Living Too High for Some
Tenants (August 22, 2002)
Change of ownership lead to soaring prices at
places like Wakefield Towers, pushing seniors and baby-boomers out.
Those who stay and dish up the expensive rent are paying up to 34%
more than in prior years.
Middle Ear
Implants Not Your Grandpa's Hearing Aid (August 22, 2002)
Times have changed and so have hearing aids. No
longer must the aging have to deal with unattractive, burdening hearing
aids. Middle ear implants are the start of a hearing revolution.
Old Chinese Man Beaten by NY
Police, Triggers off Big Clash (August 21, 2002)
Chinese man beaten by police in the streets of Flushing, New York over
parking violation dispute. The 72-year-old man and his son had as many
as eight cars show up to the scene.
Under One Roof (August 14, 2002)
More and more elderly are opting to live with
roommates. Seniors like widows, 75-year-old Janet Carroo and 79-year-old
Betty Koontz, share a house, rent, and the joys of companionship through
church, sharing meals, and visiting friends.
Walkers Fight to Keep Scooters
off Sidewalks (August 14, 2002)
Seniors are up in arms against new motor scooter
that threatens to take over sidewalks across the country.
With a 12.5 mph speed limit, these scooters may be hazardous to
strolling pedestrians – especially to the elderly and disabled.
RV Sales Booming Across the
Country (August 12, 2002)
Surge in RV sales are linked to baby-boomers.
After September 11th, the 50 something population in
America has taken traveling into their own hands – driving around the
country sightseeing in RVs.
Corporations Turn to Older
Executives (August 11, 2002)
Older executives are here to stay, offering years
of experience, knowledge, and stability.
Businesses like Golden West Financial Corporation who has kept 71
year-old Marion O. Sandler on board as chief executive.
A Better Way to Grow Old: The PACE
Model (August 8, 2002)
PACE is a new way of caring for elderly,
introducing the innovative idea of care during the day within a senior
center and nights spent back at home.
Elders get to experience topnotch care and stay connected with
family.
Nervous Eyes on Greenspan's
Big Shoes (August 7, 2002)
Greenspan may be 76, but no retirement plans seem
to be in his near future.
Nursing Shortage
Critical for Patients (August 7, 2002)
Nursing shortage puts young and old at risk.
There are 126,000 nursing positions unfilled in hospitals
nationwide. Bush signed bill, promising government nursing scholarship, to
ease shortage.
Gov. Bush, Reno Woo Florida's
Senior Vote: Prescription Drug Issues Loom Large in State with 2.8 Million
Retirees (August 6, 2002)
The prescription drug issue is going to be
critical in the congressional and gubernatorial races this year.
Florida, with 2.8 million retirees is one of the states most
affected by the laws that will be put into place.
With that on the brain, Jeb Bush and Janet Reno are beginning their
debates.
Single Seniors Find Love
in Different Places (August 4, 2002)
Seniors in Albuquerque, NM enjoy life after 65.
An increasing amount of elderly are seeking companionship, which
can be found in the seven senior centers that offer events from bingo to
free salsa lessons.
Forever Young (August 1, 2002)
An increasing number of senior citizens are
turning to plastic surgery to cut back the years, feel younger and more
attractive, and to battle age discrimination.
Pearl the Robot Makes Life Easier
for Elderly (July 31, 2002)
Elderly residents at a retirement home in
Oakmont, PA are getting help from a robot named Pearl.
The robot is used to remind residents of appointments, mealtimes,
social events and to escort them to their destinations.
Older Americans
'Shacking Up' More (July 30, 2002)
While a vast majority of unmarried couples that live together are under
the age 44, an increasing number of older Americans are deciding to live
together.
Money
Facts Women Should Know (July 29, 2002)
Far too many women allow their husbands to handle financial planning for
retirement. In some cases, they don't even know where their family RRSPs
are located or the pension entitlements they may have.
State Long-Term Care: Recent
Developments and Policy Directions (July 29, 2002)
A new report prepared by the National Conference of State Legislatures
analyzes states' long-term care policies and efforts to deal with the
rising costs of caring for the elderly, people with disabilities and
others requiring long-term care.The HHS-funded report shows many states are adopting
innovative approaches to addressing their residents' long-term care needs
even as they face tight budgets, according to HHS Secretary Tommy G.
Thompson.
Senior Fitness Trade
Association Launches Media Campaign Backing President Bush's HealthierUS
(July 28, 2002)
The International Council on Active Aging is enacting a new media support
program, entitled Changing the Way We Age™, in accordance with President
Bush’s new HealthierUS initiative.
ICAA’s goal is to educate the media and society about aging.
Elderly Can Think Themselves
Into the Grave (July 28, 2002)
Is getting old all in your head? According to a study by psychologist, Becca Levy and the
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, it is.
Levy claims that “How
one feels about getting old is more important even than having low blood
pressure or cholesterol.”
Older workers cry foul as
employers slash jobs (July 28, 2002)
The number of age-discrimination complaints filed
with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has risen 23.5
percent in the last two years. The
number of complaints increases as layoffs increase, but few have to do
with unfair termination practices
Monitors Hold Promise for
Easing Families' Worries Over the Elderly (July 25, 2002)
With the latest in high-tech eldercare, one can be an active caregiver,
even when separated by long distances.
Dave and Sue Shellenbarger test the new technology and report on
their findings.
Senate Defeats Plan
to Limit What Elderly Pay for Drugs (July 25, 2002)
The Senate, after rejecting plans proposed by both the Republican and
Democratic parties, tried to put together a “more modest plan” that
would regulate the amount of money spent by the elderly on drugs.
The plan barely failed with a 51 to 48 vote because Senate budget
rules require a 60-vote majority. Back
to the drawing board…
Senior Suicide Rate Alarms
Doctors (July 24, 2002)
Studies show that senior citizens commit suicide at a rate higher than
that of any other group. Poor
health, poor sleep quality and fewer friends and relatives are factors
that heavily contribute to depression in older citizens.
Paul Weiss, Philosopher
and Challenger of Age Bias, 101, Dies (July 24, 2002)
Dr. Paul Weiss, a philosopher and professor at some of the best American
universities, died July 5 at 101 years old.
Dr. Weiss was forced to retire from Yale University at age 68, then
lost an Age Discrimination case against Fordham University after they
withdrew a job offer because of Dr. Weiss’s age.
Dr. Weiss continued to fight age discrimination through the ‘90’s.
Bad Economy Bypasses
Missouri Town (July 24, 2002)
Bill Truitt, a 75-years-old coalminer from Macon, Missouri is old enough
to remember economic downtimes and made sure not to depend on mutual fund
investments for his own retirement. Mr.
Truitt’s story is far different, and far more fortunate than many
others.
For Investors Near
Retirement, Stock Fall Poses Stark Choices (July 23, 2002)
Sun
City Anthem, a retirement community in Las Vegas is feeling the effects of
the declining stock market. Anne
Mariucci, president of the housing developer, Del Webb Group, says there
is an increasing number of 60-somethings looking to buy cheaper, as
opposed to a couple of years ago when “most expensive” was popular
vernacular.
A Prescription That Would
Bust the Budget (July 23, 2002)
Republicans
and Democrats alike will be focusing on Medicare and prescription drug
plans, which mostly affect elderly Americans.
Ironically, poorer patients, who are eligible for Medicaid, have
the best prescription coverage. Many
seniors on Medicare are forced to buy Medigap to fill the gaps in their
primary health plan.
Gangster
Films, Coolly Revisited (July 23, 2002)
Mark Morris recreated George Balanchine’s “Resurrection”
for the American Dance Festival. Critics praise the dancers, the performance, and the perfect
balance created by a mix of old-timers and youngsters.
Wealth
and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich (July 18, 2002)
This review of Kevin Phillips’ new book, Wealth
and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich, argues that the
growing extremes of wealth in the US are subverting democracy and
democratic process.
IRS Impersonators Target
Unsuspecting Taxpayers (July 17, 2002)
The Treasury Department says that con artists
posing as IRS agents have duped unsuspecting victims, especially the
elderly. Some con artists are
stealing money, while others obtain information, such as Social Security
numbers or the whereabouts of people.
This article provides information about how to spot a con artist.
Old
Age in Brave New Settings (July 16, 2002)
Nursing homes around the country are beginning to
change their attitudes about resident life and patient care.
Many homes are trying to put the “home” back into nursing homes
by giving patients more freedom and independence, increasing the sense of
community, and decreasing the staff turnover rate by making employment
more tolerable.
4 Airlines Drop Their
Discounts for the Elderly (July 15, 2002)
With US Airways leading the way, American, Delta Air Lines and Northwest
Airlines have all decided to drop the 10 percent ticket discount given to
senior citizens. The move is
expected to be permanent.
Committee Backs Expansion
of Access to Low-Cost Drugs (July 12, 2002)
The Senate passed a bill increasing access to generic versions of
prescription drugs. There are
plans to offer amendments to authorize coverage of prescription drugs
under Medicare.
The Fight to Keep
'Direct-to-Consumer Ads' (July 12, 2002)
Drug companies and their allies who have profited from prescription
direct-to-consumer drug ads are working in opposition to legislative
threats. Drug advertising is
now a multi-billion dollar business. Many of the drugs being advertised are mostly prescribed to
the elderly.
Freed From Jail Despite His
Pleas, 92-Year-Old Is Found Dead in a River (July 11, 2002)
Coval Russell, recently released from jail after stabbing his landlord,
David William Boos, took his own life recently.
The 92 year old man, who had no family and few friends tried to
remain in jail where he says he found refuge from utter loneliness.
Dreams
This is an anecdote about an 87 year old woman,
Rose, who completes her dream of getting a college degree.
She overcomes the obstacle of age and breaks the stereotypes of “an
old woman.”
A 'Dr. Spock' for the
Senior Set: New Guide to Aging for
Neurotics (July 9, 2002)
A new book, “Keep Your Brain
Young,” by Guy McKhann and Marilyn Albert, is a ‘Dr. Spock’ for
seniors-in-waiting and geriatrics. It
is a guide specifically addressing those issues that worry older people
most, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and how to deal with those issues.
Census Tracks
Grandparent Caregivers (July 8, 2002)
The 2000 census found that more than 2.4 million grandparents are the
primary caregivers to a grandchild. Questions
regarding grandparenting were added to the long-form questionnaire after
the welfare changes of 1996. Some
states offer subsidies to people raising a grandchild because of the
financial burden, especially the legal battles.
Drug Co. Takes Care of
Elderly Woman (July 7, 2002)
About 50 years ago, a woman named Nellie Parker became a guinea pig for a
company called Eli Lilly and Co. In exchange for being a guinea pig for the company’s
testing program for pernicious anemia, Nellie has received free medical
care for life, including two operations.
Companies Adding
Benefits for Care of the Elderly (July 7, 2002)
Ford, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Pearson Education are among companies
offering new benefits such as geriatric care managing.
The care management includes benefits such as home assessment,
which promotes independent living for elderly people.
The benefits are designed to help employees who care for an elderly
person in their immediate family.
Bringing Discipline (and
Scorecards) to Nursing Homes (July 7, 2002)
William R. Floyd, the new chairman and chief executive of Beverly
Enterprises, the nation’s largest nursing home chain, wants to emphasize
accountability and introduce several new, more profitable health care
services. Floyd now faces the
challenging task of turning the image of Beverly Enterprises around.
The New Retirement
Comes in Four Financial Flavors (July 7, 2002)
Dr. Ken Dychtwald, author and gerontologist, recently did a study on
current retirees and found that there are four main types of retirees.
They include: the Ageless Explorers, the Comfortably Content, the
Live for Todays, and the Sick and Tireds.
These four categories describe the attitudes of people toward
retirement, and give insight into life styles before retirement.
Amid stock gloom, many
see gleam in real estate (July 5, 2002)
Baby boomers, expected to reach retirement age around 2010, are beginning
to buy second/vacation homes now. Analysts credit the shaky stock market and alluring
mortgage-interest rates for the surge in the second-home market.
“Dad, Please Let Me Have
the Car Keys” (July 2, 2002)
For Max Knechtel, an 84 year old retired geologist, driving was his last
form of independence. His son
and doctor, however, decided that Knechtel was too old to drive.
Pharmaceuticals
Group Files Suit to Ban State Drug Lists (July 2, 2002)
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America filed a lawsuit
against federal regulators for approving a price-control program in
Michigan, which the industry fears will compromise its pricing power in
the U.S.
Retirement
boom? Not likely (2
July, 2002)
Many aging baby boomers have not saved
enough to support themselves in old age even with Social Security and
perhaps a pension. Increasingly
they must stay in the workforce because they have no choice.
Smart Boomers haven't sold
off (July, 2002)
A shaky, unstable Stock Market has
left many people, including the elderly, retirees, and Baby Boomers
questioning their investments. Adrian
Mastracci, a Vancouver-based advisor, says not all Boomers are bailing on
their stocks, and with good reason.
A Pervasive and
Damaging Influence
Should older workers move aside in the workplace to make room for younger
workers? Should a 64-year-old worker be forced into retirement?
Age discrimination is still prevalent in the American workforce,
damaging our society, reducing incomes, and destroying self-confidence.
In many cases, workers do not realize they are victims of age
discrimination.
Helping Those Workers
Who Want to Cut Back (June 30, 2002)
Many retirees are hoping to have a
“phased retirement,” one in which they can reduce hours and workloads,
but keep a foot in the office door. Employers
and employees alike are benefiting from phased retirements.
Some employers are worried the IRS may challenge the plan because
the IRS requires that workers be completely retired before they can
receive pension benefits.
Her Cart's Wheels Slow
to a Halt (June 30, 2002)
A woman, identified only as Annie, works at the Fulton Fish Market.
Annie, who is probably in her 70’s, has no pension plan beyond
Social Security, but also has no plans to retire.
Annie made an attempt at retirement, but went back to working at
the fish market nine months later. Annie
claims that working makes her vibrant, and “If you’re vibrant, you
become youthful.”
From Michigan to N.Y.: A New
Job, a New Life (June 30, 2002)
Mary Magdalene Roberts, a 60 year old woman from Michigan, recently moved
to New York to start her new life as a retiree.
Mrs. Roberts was accepted in a program for New York City Teaching
Fellows, which pays for people to get a master’s degree in education in
exchange for them teaching where needed.
Exercise
Keeps Older People's Brains Sharper (June 28, 2002)
Two studies from the University of
Maryland found that physical activity increased brain function and
focusing abilities. Physical
activity allows for more blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
A person does not have to be “physically fit,” but must be
active in some way, including leisurely walking, moving, standing,
sitting, or some vigorous activity.
Retiree Builds
Town's Arts Complex (June 26, 2002)
Retiree Myra Janco Daniels, founder, chairman and
CEO of the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, brought the
Philharmonic center and museum to the artless town of Naples, Florida.
She moved to Florida in 1980, and in 1989 opened the Philharmonic
Hall. In retirement, Daniels
works 12-16 hour days, and claims she, wouldn’t have it any other way.
Aging Homeowners are
Staying Put (June 26, 2002)
In Denver, home modifications referred to as “Aging-in-Place,” are
becoming increasingly popular as baby boomers mature, and older citizens
look to a more active lifestyle. With such modifications as removing stairs, and widening
doorways, it provides a safer at-home atmosphere so the elderly can remain
independent.
Workers over 40
aren't entitled to equal job benefits (June 25, 2002)
In
California, the state Supreme Court ruled that employers may discriminate
against workers over 40 years old, and are not required to award college
tuition or other job benefits equal to those of their younger co-workers.
The ruling is likely to affect many, as 45 percent of workers are
over 40. A bill, however,
that would give all employees, regardless of age, protection of privileges
and benefits, is pending.
Study says prices
of 50 most prescribed drugs for seniors tripled inflation rate last year
(June 24, 2002)
The liberal consumer advocacy
group, Families USA, released a report stating that, of the 50 most
prescribed drugs for seniors, only 12 did not increase in price last year,
and nine of those are generics. The
other 38 drugs mostly prescribed to seniors rose, on average, at almost
triple the rate of overall economic inflation.
No Day at the Beach (June
21, 2002)
The Metropolitan District Commission ordered that
the Pavilion on Nantasket Beach, MA, a Sunday afternoon attraction for
many elderly citizens, be torn down.
The building was in shambles and needed to be replaced.
Many people are angry with the MDC because they tore down the
Pavilion without plans for a new one, leaving many elderly without a place
to go when they want to get out of the house.
Farmers' Excess Feeds
Many in Fla. (June 21, 2002)
For the past ten years, Farm Share, a food
distribution charity in Florida, has been helping poor and elderly
citizens. In Florida, many
elderly are at or below the poverty level and, as one elderly man states,
“Every little bit helps.” An
average of 5,000 families from south Miami-Dade County make a trip to Farm
Share each month. 70 percent
of the 1.8 million families across Florida that partake in the program are
elderly.
A Wired Retirement?
(June 20, 2002)
About a quarter of retiree
households are online and an increasing number of seniors are surfing the
Net. This article gives
websites specifically catered to seniors and retirees.
Sites include: Communication, Travel, Finance, Real Estate, Health
and Volunteerism.
Drug Bill for
Elderly Advances, and Stalls (June 20, 2002)
The prescription drug bill proposed by Republicans, which gives free
physical examinations for senior citizens on Medicare, was approved by one
house committee, but stalled in another panel when Democrats claimed the
legislation was a gift to the drug industry for campaign contributions.
It was predicted that at least 95 percent of Medicare beneficiaries
would voluntarily sign up for the drug benefits offered under the House
Republican bill. The House
will vote on the bill before the Fourth of July.
House GOP Drug Plan
Covers Physicals (June 18, 2002)
A Republican-backed prescription drug bill, which is expected to go to the
House for debate next week, would give senior citizens free physical
examinations under Medicare. The plan is bigger than what President Bush wants, but gives
only half of what the Democrats would provide for Medicare.
Senior
Staff (June 17, 2002)
A report issued by the AARP says that one in
every five men over the age of 65 is working, and one in ten women.
As baby boomers hit retirement age, the number of people working
after 65 years is expected to grow. While
some people have not saved enough for their golden years, many more are
living longer, healthier lives that allow them to work later in life.
More elderly are
having problems with gambling (June 16, 2002)
In Arizona, an increasing number of retirees are taking their savings and
turning to casinos and racetracks to stave off loneliness.
Of the estimated 67,000 retirees with a gambling addiction, 75
percent are women. The problem is worse when the addiction takes hold later in
life because it is more difficult to rebuild finances after retirement.
Raising Farm
Subsidies, U.S. Widens International Rift (June 15, 2002)
President Bush signed a new farm bill, raising subsidies for farmers.
U.S. farmers will begin flooding the European market with cheap
produce and European economies will suffer, with small, individual farmers
will suffering the most as they struggle to compete.
Rural area farmers are being forced off their land and into the
cities in order to survive, leaving their elderly behind.
Don't
Free the Prisoners (June 13, 2002)
As California faces its largest
deficit ever, some are proposing the state should let elderly prisoners
out of jail before their sentences are up.
Opponents to the proposals say that “Aging should not translate
into a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
Burglar Slays Man in
One Apartment, Then Kills Elderly Couple Downstairs (June 13, 2002)
A burglar killed three people in their homes, including an elderly couple,
in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
All three victims had been shot in the head, and the elderly woman
sexually abused. The burglar
was supposedly under the influence of marijuana that had possibly been
laced with cocaine.
Your Options
and Rights If Your Employer Drops Your Retiree Health Insurance
What can I do if my employer drops
my Retiree Health Insurance? Unfortunately, this becoming a frequent
question. This article tells about the possible ways used in Wisconsin to
solve that problem
California struggling
with growing numbers of elderly prisoners (June 9, 2002)
California prisons increase the
number of inmates everyday thanks to the state’s “three-strikes”
law, which offers 25 years to life in prison for a third felony offense.
Elderly inmates are more likely to require special medical
attention, costing the state millions of dollars.
Some are advocating for prisons devoted entirely to inmates over 55
years old, claiming it will dramatically reduce costs and overcrowding in
prisons. A separate prison
will also give senior inmates more protection from the younger ones.
AARP helps out
Indian elderly (June 7, 2002)
The Arizona chapter of AARP called for senior volunteers to help with home
repairs on the Navajo reservation. While
many AARP chapters help inner-city elderly, this is the first to help
Native Americans—and this is only the beginning.
The AARP has plans to return to the Navajo reservation next spring,
as well as the Fort Apache reservation later this year.
One man said the work not only helped the Native Americans, but the
seniors helping, too. “We are of a certain age, and all of a sudden we realize
things don't matter. People matter," he said.
VA Hospitals May Close
With New Focus (June 6, 2002)
Many Veterans hospitals are expected to close, and many
others renovated within the next couple of years. Some people are worried that veterans will lose access to
care, but government auditors insist that, while some facilities will be
closing, especially those in areas where the number of veterans is
declining, the money will be better spent improving facilities where most
veterans of the future will live. VA
officials are outraged and want the funds distributed more efficiently, in
a way that would not require any veteran hospitals to close.
At Elders' Home, Each
Day Is Valentine's Day (June 4, 2002)
The Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale, the Bronx, firmly believes in
the rights of patients. One of those is the right to be in a relationship, sexual or
not, with few provisions. The
Hebrew Home is pioneering, as it is the first facility to address sex and
sexual expression. The home
produced a film to promote elder rights called, “Freedom of Sexual
Expression: Dementia and Resident Rights in Long-Term Care Facilities,”
which has been distributed to 677 homes all over New York State.
Feds Study
Grandparents As Caregivers (June 1, 2002)
Many older people are becoming the primary caregivers for their
grandchildren all across the country, and especially in Oklahoma where the
number has climbed to 73 percent. Many children were taken from drug and/or alcohol addicted
parents, teenage parents, and abusive parents.
For Many, No Age Is
Right Age To Hang It Up (June 1, 2002)
While many citizens want to retire as soon as possible, there are many
others who do not want to retire when they reach the golden age of 65.
Rather, they would prefer to keep working; some want to keep
working for extra income, some because they want to add to their pensions;
and some because they enjoy work and find it fun.
Bert Ely, president of Ely & Co of Alexandria says that in
order to keep working, the key is to “stay in the loop,” so he is not
forced out by someone younger.
Keeping Elderly Abuse
In Check (May 28, 2002)
Senator John Breaux, D-La, proposed a bill that would protect older
people against financial exploitation.
The Senate Aging Committee found that elderly abuse has increased,
yet four out of five cases go unreported.
Under Breaux’s plan, the federal government would be more
directly involved, but State officials would remain the primary protectors
of the elderly.
At 98, Still Fashion's Miss
Ballyhoo (May 26, 2002)
At 98, Eleanor Lambert, the acclaimed fashion publicist, still goes to
work in her Midtown office several days a week.
Even though she suffers from macular degeneration and arthritis,
Eleanor is a strong advocate for elder persons in the work force,
declaring, “As long as you can function, you might as well be useful.”
Older
Generation More Active
Study shows that retirees are increasingly participating in sports and
other physically demanding activities, as well as television watching.
Non-retirees were more likely to have a decline in physical
activity than retirees. The
most widely used activity is quick-paced walking.
Elderly Abuse
Legislation May Be Put Before Missouri Voters; Advocates for the Aged
Weigh Initiative Petition After Bill Dies in Senate
(May 24, 2002)
An elderly abuse bill for Missouri died in the Senate on Friday.
The bill would improve treatment of the elderly and would have
required that all suspected cases of elderly abuse be referred to law
enforcement. It also would
have allowed homes to hire a sufficient number of staff.
A Birthday Poem (May 23, 2002)
A Global Action on Aging supporter recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
Here is the poem he read the assembled guests.
States Go to Court in
Effort To Rein In Costs of Medicine (May 21, 2002)
The beleaguered pharmaceutical industry faces a new
assault from a growing number of state prosecutors who are exploring
action to bring down soaring drug costs. Now more than 35 states are
working together in hopes of success. The drug companies also face
class-action suits from a coalition of consumer groups alleging that the
companies engaged in deceptive and illegal acts to drive up medicine
prices.
The Graduate, Age 87, Looks
Ahead (May 20, 2002)
Now, at age 87, Ms. Anne Martindell has finally completed her Smith
education: she became the oldest person ever to graduate from the
venerable women's college and the first to get a B.A. in American studies
and an honorary doctor of laws degree on the same day. Many colleges have
set up programs for older students. The American Council on Education says
there are thousands of undergraduates over 65, although fewer than 500 get
degrees each year.
Senate Aging Panel Head Wants Check On Nursing Home
Aides
(May 20, 2002)
The Senate Aging Committee chairman wants nursing homes workers
to have a thorough
criminal background before being able to work, as there are growing
problems of elder abuse.
Older actresses hit
back at Hollywood (May 17, 2002)
Actors feel that Hollywood is
over-obsessed by starring young, gorgeous women in its films. They also
dislike the lack of parts for older women and say Hollywood ought to
accept them for who they are.
U.S.
Companies to Give Workers More Responsibility for Health Care Benefits
(May 15, 2002)
Watson
Wyatt and the Washington Business Group on Health conducted a survey of
“large employers” recently, and reported that only one-third of those
companies surveyed said they would be willing or able to absorb rising
costs of health care for employees. Instead,
employers are trying to encourage employees to take individual
responsibility for their own health care.
“Consumerism” is expected to increase from 19 percent to 43
percent within the next year. Unless
employers raise wages, these policies mean a paycut for workers.
New Report Synthesizes the
Impact of Health Insurance on Mortality and Economic Opportunity (May 10,
2002)
A new report released by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the
Uninsured (KCMU) concludes that health insurance does lead to improved
health and better access to care. The uninsured receive less preventive
care, are diagnosed at more advanced disease stages, and once diagnosed,
tend to receive less therapeutic care (drugs and surgical) interventions.
White House Seeks to
Ease Regulations For Emergency Care at Medicare Sites (May 9, 2002)
The Bush administration is seeking to relax rules
dictating that hospitals accepting Medicare provide emergency care to
patients even at non emergency facilities. Hospitals that accept Medicare
would no longer have to equip off-campus facilities, such as radiology and
mammography clinics, to screen and stabilize patients who come in with
emergencies…
Pharmaceuticals to Support
Drug Bill (May 2002)
In an early start to the campaign-season television wars, the advertising
by United Seniors Association coincides with a GOP plan to bring
legislation to House floor, part of a broader Republican effort to
neutralize the Democrats' long-standing advantage on key issues of
importance to senior citizens.
Clinton, Snowe,
Mikulski, Breaux Unveil Legislation to Provide Relief to Family Caregivers
(May 9, 2002)
At a Capitol Hill news conference with representatives of caregiver and
disability organizations, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), Olympia
Snowe (ME), Barbara Mikulski (MD) and John Breaux (LA) introduced
legislation to provide more relief to family caregivers through increased
access to respite care services. Grants would be available to help
increase availability to respite care services and the training of respite
care workers and volunteers.
It Takes a Tough Law to Hold
Her (May 8, 2002)
Ms. Martha Weatherspoon is a 73-year-old lady who is not due to leave
prison before her 80th birthday. She is serving 20 years to
life in prison for drug sale and possession, and there is little use in
appealing and grants of clemency are rare. Age and condition means nothing
under the toughest law in the nation signed by Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller
29 years ago.
Florida Redoubles Effort
to Accommodate Aged (May 5, 2002)
Florida is trying to improve the quality of life for older people,
beginning with the town of Dunedin, one of more than 40 Florida
communities working to be certified as “elder ready.” Currently, the population of citizens 65 and older is 17.6
percent, and is expected to reach 26.3 percent by the year 2025.
Some efforts include improved transportation, medical services and
law enforcement. The program is state-funded.
Planning for a
Retirement Move (May 5, 2002)
Studies show that about 80 percent of Americans say they want to stay
right where they are when they retire. But for an adventurous minority
that wants to move somewhere different and begin a new life, the choices
can be daunting. Here are 2 websites offering good information for
retirement planning: www.BestPlaces.net,
www.kff.org.
Making a Residence for
the Elderly More Like Home (May 5, 2002)
Twenty years ago, seniors had few choices when deciding
where to live during their declining years. They could continue to reside
in a house or apartment. They could move in with an adult child. Or they
could opt for an old-age home — a place inhabited by some seniors
needing only minimal assistance and others requiring more intensive
nursing care. Now, they can move to one of an increasing number of adult
care facilities — often called enriched housing communities or assisted
living or independent living — designed for older people who are mostly
healthy and independent.
GOP's
Doughnut Plan (May 3, 2002)
The House Republican leadership announced its latest
prescription drug proposal. “Their goal obviously is to deflect
attention from the immediate need for a universal, voluntary Medicare
prescription drug program and the need to make prescription medications
more affordable but older Americans are not going to let them get away
with it.”
GOP Works on Elderly Drug
Plan (May 1, 2002)
Medicare recipients would receive protection against catastrophic drug
costs and the low-income elderly would get federal subsidies for all their
prescription expenses under election-year legislation that Republicans
intend to bring to the House floor by Memorial Day.
Many
Seniors Prefer Seminars (May 1, 2002)
With their ties to universities and community colleges, the institutes
have grown in popularity since the 1990s, providing seniors the chance to
learn with kindred spirits. Many participants called the weekly lectures
and seminars the key to longevity. The focus on lifelong learning has also
become a marketable feature for state government and on college campuses.
For Mentally Ill, Death and
Misery (April 28, 2002)
Every day, New Yorkers come face to face with the mentally ill who have
ended up on the streets since the state began closing its disgraced
psychiatric wards more than a generation ago. The mentally ill typically
have shorter life expectancies than the general population, because they
have difficulty caring for themselves and are more prone to health
problems.
More Gen Xers juggle jobs, parents' care
(April 26, 2002)
Have you been struggled to maintain two roles in your life; a caregiver to your parents and a career woman? You are not only a person under that kind of stressful situation. The recent survey shows that a quarter of people younger than 34 years old have been caregivers and two-thirds of them hold jobs. Also many of them are at the peak of their careers.
U.S. Begins Issuing
Consumer Data on Nursing Homes (April 25, 2002)
The Bush administration released data on the quality of care at more than
2,500 nursing homes in six states. The new data would help people select
nursing homes and would motivate homes to correct deficiencies. For most
nursing homes, the government will report six types of information: the
proportion of residents who have bedsores, who are in physical restraints,
who have lost too much weight, who are suffering pain, who have certain
types of infections and who need more help with daily activities.
Drug Industry Wants to
Protect Patents, Avoid Price Controls
(April 25, 2002)
Congress should not tinker with generic drug laws but instead focus on
passing a prescription drug benefit for seniors, Alan Holmer, president of
the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the nation's
pharmaceutical lobby said.
Consumers Can
Reduce Costs of Drugs (April 25, 2002)
Consumers spent 17 percent more on prescriptions in 2001 over the previous
year, partly because doctors are prescribing more of the latest and more
expensive brands. The cost of drugs also has risen. But it is possible for
patients, particularly the chronically ill and those on maintenance
medications, to find ways around paying the $71 average charge for a brand
name prescription.
AARP Wants Bigger Role
in Prescription Drug Cases (April 23, 2002)
AARP says it intends to join lawsuits around the country to help its 35
million members gain access to lower cost prescription drugs. One
challenges tactics used by brand-name drug companies to delay the
marketing of low-cost generic medicines. But states are also defending
innovative programs to buy large quantities of prescription drugs for
their citizens at low prices
Many Consider a Living Will Important, but Wait Too Long
(April 21, 2002)
A recent survey conducted by the National Council on the Aging reports that 77% of older Americans think it important to have a living will, whereas, most people have not yet prepared it. To show your wishes for future medical treatments or health-care provides, having a living will beforehand is not a bad idea. This article gives you some practical advice.
Officials hope special day
will reduce health gap (April 18, 2002)
The average life expectancy for blacks at birth is 71.8 years, compared to
77.4 years for whites. Blacks are twice as likely to die from diabetes,
and blacks are twice as likely to die as infants as whites are. The gap
exists throughout the system, with minorities less likely to get
appropriate care for a host of diseases.
Older Americans Month May,
2002
The U. S. Administration on Aging will celebrate the Older Americans Month
2002 in May. The theme of this year will be “America : A Community for
All ages. Here are some links to documents about the elderly in America
today.
Chao Defends Workplace Injury
Policy (April 18, 2002)
Nursing homes will be the first industry targeted by the Labor Department
as it develops voluntary guidelines to help reduce workplace injuries
involving strain and repetitive motion.
New Drug Cards for Seniors
(April 18, 2002)
Only about 30% of the 40 million seniors on Medicare qualify for the
discount cards. And people who meet the income requirements but happen to
live in states that already have a drug plan for the poor aren't eligible
for most of the cards either.
2001
Retiree Health and Prescription Drug Coverage Survey
This survey, released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Commonwealth
Fund, and HRET, profiles retiree health coverage for Medicare retirees,
including the amount retirees pay for coverage compared to active workers,
cost-sharing for prescription drugs, and eligibility requirements for
retiree benefits.
Changes
In Insurance Coverage: 1994–2000 And Beyond
For the second consecutive
year the Current Population Survey (CPS) revealed that the number of
uninsured non-elderly Americans fell in 2000. The number of uninsured
declined by 570,000; uninsured children actually declined by 700,000,
while the number of uninsured adults increased by 130,000.
'He
Started Beating Me ...' (March 7, 2002)
The National Center on Elder Abuse says that any
reports of abuse from an elderly victim should be taken very seriously.
Elder abusers typically have serious personal problems and may have also
been victims of abuse themselves. Here is a story about Helen Love, 75,
seriously beaten by a nursing-home caregiver.
Congressional inquiry faults
nursing homes in abuse cases (March 4, 2002)
In addition to the article about the General Accounting Office reports;
unreported elderly abuse cases at nursing homes, this is the case of Ms.
Helen Love who was abused to death at Sacramento nursing home. Who can
protect elderly people? How does the government deal with saving these
elderly people? What is the elder right? Lots of issues are coming up.
Senior drug discount
plan not without critics (March 1, 2002)
The Bush administration is touting its revised plan to promote private
drug discount cards as a much-needed step toward helping seniors save
money on prescriptions. The plan still encourages older Americans to buy
the cards from private companies, by giving some cards what amounts to a
government seal of approval. After paying a one-time enrollment fee -- not
more than $25 -- senior citizens could get discounts of up to 15 percent
on some medicines.
Bush Offers New Drug Plan Similar to One
Court Barred (March 1, 2002)
President Bush offered a proposal to require pharmacies to give discounts
to Medicare beneficiaries, but drugstores contended that the president was
still exceeding his legal authority.
Bush Prescription
Drug Card Proposal is Much Ado About Very Little (March 1, 2002)
“The President's discount
card proposal offers little in terms of prescription drug price relief for
America's seniors. Despite skyrocketing pharmaceutical costs that are
making drugs more and more unaffordable for seniors, this proposal offers
very meager price relief,” released Ron Pollack, executive director of
Families USA.
Unreported Abuse
Found at Nursing Homes (March 1, 2002)
Investigators say that both physical and
sexual abuse of residents of nursing homes have not been reported to the
authorities on time and is also rarely prosecuted. Residents suffered
serious injuries and in some cases may even have died.
Two False Claims about
African Americans and Social Security (March, 2002)
Two false hoods regarding Social Security:
(1) African Americans on average have substantially shorter life
expectancies than other Americans. Therefore they are short-changed by
Social Security. (2) Private accounts to replace Social Security would
give every retiree wealth that he or she could pass on to anyone else,
just like other private saving accounts. Read the correct story in this
article.
Sheltered housing must allow pets
In 1983, a law was passed in the States requiring sheltered
accommodation to permit pets. Problems of noise, hygiene and extra work,
which had all been prophesied, failed to materialize, according to
subsequent surveys.
Nurseries in nursing homes
The Emily Jackson House nursing home for the elderly in Sevenoaks has
a nursery for preschool children on the top floor and runs a program of
activities to integrate the children and the residents. Twice a week, the
children visit the residents on their way to the garden; and once a
fortnight the children and residents congregate in the residents' dining
hall for music and motion sessions.
A community work centre
makes the elderly feel less redundant
The work centre provided work for a few hours and good company for
those taking part, and a small nominal wage per hour. The first job for
the elderly 'workers' was to sort bicycle parts from the nearby Raleigh
factory, but in later years work also included postal distribution,
button-sewing, packing knitwear and even inspecting string vests for
holes.
John Q “Shamelessly
Manipulative “??? (February 27, 2002)
"A rare case of blatant political propaganda in a major Hollywood
picture, John Q. is a shamelessly manipulative commercial on behalf of
national health insurance." The film graphically demonstrates how bad
the health insurance situation is in this country and how urgently we need
a solution.
Trustee Ends His Oversight of District 37;
Chief Chosen
(February 27, 2002)
Ms. Roberts, 74, was elected as the
District Council 37’s new executive director. As head of the
125,000-member union, which represents municipal workers, she will
immediately become one of the city's most powerful and visible labor
leaders.
Subject: New Study Examines
Supplemental Medicare Coverage (February 27, 2002)
As many as 38% of seniors lacked prescription drug coverage in the Fall of
1999. “Trends in Medicare Supplemental Insurance and Prescription Drug
Coverage, 1996-1999,” reports that the overall share of people on
Medicare with supplemental coverage remained fairly constant during the
four-year period ending in 1999.
Governors Say Medicaid
Needs More Federal Help to Control Rising Costs (February 25, 2002)
Medicaid is financed jointly by the federal government and the states.
But the program costs increased 11 percent, and many states reported that
spending on prescription drugs, which are covered by Medicaid, rose more
than 20 percent. The nation's governors demanded that Congress and
President Bush take immediate action to slow the explosive growth of
Medicaid.
Job Discrimination
Complaints Rise (February 22, 2002)
Discrimination allegations based on age and disability had the highest
rates of increase. The aging baby-boom generation means more older workers
are in the work force who are protected by age discrimination laws. Baby
boomers are more likely to stand up for their rights and you may see more
who are likely to file charges of discrimination than earlier generations.
Second
Opinion: Is Health Insurance a Civil Right? (February 19, 2002)
Because people without insurance have more untreated health
problems and die younger than those with coverage, the American Medical
Association said that ignoring this problem is "bad fiscal policy . .
. bad public policy [and] bad medicine. "Roughly 39 million Americans
lacked health coverage in 2000, according to the latest census data. Since
then, another 2 million have lost insurance because they lost their jobs.
9 of 10 Nursing Homes
Lack Adequate Staff, Study Finds
(February 18, 2002)
More than 90 percent of the nation's nursing homes have too few workers to
take proper care of patients. But the Bush administration, citing the
costs involved, says it has no plans to set minimum staffing levels for
nursing homes, hoping instead that the problem will be resolved through
market forces and more efficient use of existing nurses and nurse's aides.
Transition Issues for the
Elderly and Their Families (February 15, 2002)
It is difficult for children to accept a fact that their parents are
getting older even though they know it is an unavoidable issue. Aging is
not a life stage of depression but it the stage where people have another
a meaningful time. This article gives some ideas to adults and their
families how to deal with having elder parents.
Medicare plus choice
enrollees face rising out-of-pocket costs; those in poor health hardest
hit (February 14, 2002)
Two new reports from The Commonwealth Fund reveal that Medicare+Choice
enrollees paid nearly 50% more in out-of-pocket costs for their health
care in 2001 than they did in 1999, and those in poor health had even
greater cost increases. Enrollees faced increased premiums and
cost-sharing burdens and reduced coverage of prescription drugs during the
three-year period.
New Study on
Direct-to-Consumer Rx Ads (February 14, 2002)
The New England Journal of Medicine features an article, "Promotion
of Prescription Drugs to Consumers," that examines trends in spending
by pharmaceutical companies on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. The
article is based on a report made by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Eldercare
Locator Now Online
Eldercare Locator, a program sponsored by the Administration on Aging that
provides 24-hour access to community assistance, is now online.
More info: www.eldercare.gov
Falling
in Love Again: Senior Couples Ignore Age as an Obstacle to Romance
(February 13, 2002)
Seniors
learn how to fall in love again, marry a second time, and commit to
relaxing lives with new partners proving that one is never to old to love
States Are Finding
Generic Drugs Can Cost More Than Brand Name (February 13, 2002)
Generic drugs can cost more than Brand Name drugs. The discounts on
brand-name drugs can be larger because their rebates must be partly based
on the "best price" that manufacturers offer buyers in the
private market. If that price is already deeply discounted because of
competition, states get bigger rebates, which can make the net price of
some brand-name drugs lower than generics.
NCOA Urges the
President and Congress to Reject the Social Security Commission's
Recommendations (February 11, 2002)
The NCOA joined the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) in
expressing disappointment that the President's Commission to Strengthen
Social Security did not produce a plan to ensure the long-term solvency of
Social Security. Read the letters to the President and Congress at www.lcao.org
HHS
Waiver Reduces Benefits for Some (February 11, 2002)
About
25,000 uninsured Utah residents will get some health care under a plan
approved Saturday by the Bush administration, but it will cost the state's
poorest residents some dental, vision and mental health benefits. It is
the first time the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has
approved a state proposal to expand Medicaid coverage that would reduce
coverage for those already on the program.
Advocates
Cite Alzheimer Disparities (February 11, 2002)
Studies suggest blacks may be more likely to get Alzheimer's
disease, a degenerative brain disease that causes memory loss,
disorientation, depression and decay of bodily functions. The key to
eliminating racial disparities across health care is more education and
better access to care, said Delegate Donna Christian-Christensen,
president of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Coverage
Sought for Cancer Screening (February 11, 2002)
The American Cancer Society estimates that colon cancer will kill
48,000 people this year in the United States. Not enough elderly Americans
are being screened for colon cancer even though Medicare often picks up
most of the costs, according to critics asking Congress to expand
coverage.
Elderly
Population Expected to Rise (February 6, 2002)
With baby boomers approaching retirement, the 65-and-over
population in the United States could increase nearly 80 percent by 2025.
More senior citizens depend on Social Security and Medicare while fewer
workers will be contributing to the publicly funded programs. Will we see
more 65 year-old persons in the workforce in the future?
Costs
Rise Sharply as Alzheimer's Worsens (February 5, 2002)
Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, is one of the most
costly disorders among the elderly. The number of people with the disease
in the United States is expected to grow from 4 million to 14 million over
the next 50 years. Treatments to slow progression of the degenerative
brain disease would help lower medical costs, depending on severity of
symptoms.
The needs of women
providing care to be focus of joint hearing
(February 4, 2002)
The U.S. Administration on Aging reports that despite the increased
numbers of women in the workforce, and greater geographic distances
between families, the overall degree of caregiver involvement has remained
fairly constant for more than a decade.
The "average" caregiver is a 46-year-old female baby
boomer who works outside the home and spends 18 hours a week caring for
her 77-year-old mother.
Slaney May Try Marathon
(February 3, 2002)
Mary Decker Slaney, America’s dominant female runner who has broken
every American record from 800 through 10, 000 meters, is now 43 years
old. She has stepped away from the front line as the fastest runner but
has not yet quit running. She has just changed her way to move with her
career as a runner. In this article she said that aging is not the point
where people must give up their passion.
HealthWeek: Medicare
Prescription Drugs (February 1, 2002)
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, ten million seniors lack
insurance coverage to help pay their prescription drug bills.
In addition, more than one in four seniors pay at least $1,000 a
year out-of-pocket for medications. The newest segment of Health Week
looks at the challenges facing seniors.
Grandma Helps to Fill the
Void Left by Sept. 11 (February 1, 2002)
Lots of children lost their mother or/and their father in the terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center. Grandparents have been suddenly thrust
into a second round of child- rearing. They help the single mother or
father to raise their children and to be able to earn their living. Some
had to quit their job or delay their retirement plans. Some of these women
moved into their widowed children's homes.
Facing
the journey at 80 (January 2002)
Last January, Judy Lerner, an NGO (non governmental organizations)
representative at the United Nations for Peace Action (a national peace
group), turned 80. She wrote this article to share her experience of “active
ageing”, the new way of thinking about ageing.
U.S. Elder Care Is in a
Fragile State (January 2002)
Elder care in the United States is in critical
condition. Over the last few years, nursing homes have become plagued with
bankruptcies and stressed by understaffing, and the direct-care workers
that these institutions and home-care agencies depend on have been going
on strike or quitting in droves. With baby boomers approaching retirement
age, the implications of this breakdown are sobering.
Why
Drug Coverage May Be in Jeopardy
(January
2002)
Trends over the last decade suggest that Medicare beneficiaries' access to
affordable prescription drugs has begun to decline. In Drug Coverage
for Medicare Beneficiaries: Why Protection May Be in Jeopardy, the
authors evaluate trends in prescription drug coverage for beneficiaries
during the 1990s as a way to project their future coverage, costs, and
needs. The issue brief was written by Becky Briesacher and Bruce Stuart of
the University of Maryland and Dennis Shea of Pennsylvania State
University. Read the report at www.cmwf.org.
State Offers
Alternative for Seniors Needing Care But Waiver Program Hobbled by Red
Tape (January 31, 2002)
A year-old state program aims to bring community-based services to
thousands of low-income elderly who don't need or want to spend their last
years in nursing homes. The so-called waiver program is run under a
federal dispensation of the requirement that frail, low-income seniors be
cared for in nursing homes. Although the waiver option has been available
to states for 20 years, only now is Maryland trying to provide services to
more residents.
Bush to Be Flexible on Lawsuit Cap In
Effort to Pass Patients' Rights Law (January 30, 2002)
In his State of the Union message, January 29, 2002, President Bush asked
Congress to join him this year to enact a patients’ bill of rights. New
options has been raised by Senator Edward Kennedy to explore the
possibility of a compromise.
U.S. Elder Care Is in
a Fragile State (January 2002)
Elder care in the U.S. is in critical condition. Nursing homes have become
plagued with bankruptcies and stressed by understaffing. With baby boomers
approaching retirement age, the implications of this breakdown are
sobering.
Bush Proposes
Drug Benefit for the Low-Income Elderly
(January 29, 2002)
President Bush proposed spending $190 billion over the next decade to
overhaul Medicare and provide prescription-drug benefits to the elderly,
starting with low-income people. He also proposed a big increase in
Medicare payments to health maintenance organizations.
Many H.M.O.'s for the
Elderly Make Deep Cuts in Drug Aid
(January 25, 2002)
The nation's largest health insurers are eliminating drug coverage or
demanding sharply higher payments for drugs and treatments from some of
their sickest members. But the cutbacks effectively leave the companies
providing insurance to their healthy members, while tens of thousands of
elderly patients with serious diseases have no affordable insurance
coverage for their basic medical needs.
States cite long-term
care as top health issue for 2002 (January 22, 2002)
A
recent survey shows that more than half of states rank long-term care as a
priority for the 2002 legislative sessions. Priorities are nursing home
reimbursement rates, nursing home reimbursement rates, health care worker
shortages.
One-stop Job centers
to improve service to older workers
(January 22, 2002)
The one-job centers should provide works to older persons but only 5
percent of businesses use these centers to hire and train workers. Why?
Does age discrimination reign at the human resource offices?
Congressional
Budget Battle Centers on Older Americans
(January 21, 2002)
Nowadays, elderly people vote at much higher rates than younger age groups
in midterm elections. Older Americans have now a real political power
because they have a direct stake in many of the decisions made by the
Congress or the government this year on prescription drug benefits, the
Social Security overhaul, Medicare spending.
With
new Medicare coverage, doctors and dieticians encouraged to screen elderly
for nutritional needs (January 16, 2002)
“Many older Americans are at higher risk of suffering from poor
nutrition”. This month, a change in the Medicare law provides coverage
for medical nutrition therapy for beneficiaries with diabetes or kidney
disease. Seniors can now receive that type of counseling from certified
dieticians.
Pfizer
to Offer Drug Discount to Low-Income Elderly (January 16, 2002)
Pfizer, the world’s largest drug company, will offer its drugs to
low-income elderly people for a flat fee of $15 a month for each
prescription. According to the government, at least 27 percent of Medicare
patients, about 11 million people have no prescription drug coverage. Drug
companies seem to be competing with one another in efforts to woo the
elderly.
Two Large
Pension Funds May Adopt Tougher Corporate-Governance Policies ( January
16, 2002)
After Enron’s bankruptcy, two of the nation’s largest pension
funds could adopt tougher corporate-governance policies to protect company
employees and their retirement plans. Employees would not be required
anymore to invest in their company's defined contribution retirement
savings program or they could only invest 10% of their savings in the
company’s stock.
Some
Doctors Say They May Stop Seeing Medicare Patients After Cuts
(January 15, 2002)
As of Jan. 1, Medicare cut reimbursements of these doctors' fees across
the board by 5.4%. Despite the cut in fees, the overall outlay by Medicare
for physicians' fees is expected to rise 1% to $41.7 billion in 2002. The
American Medical Association, the doctors' trade group, fought fiercely to
block the cut in physicians' Medicare fees.
Health Bill Is Rejected
in Assembly ( January 15, 2002)
The Democratic majority in the New York State Assembly rejected Governor
George E. Pataki's request to pass a complex health care bill that would
give raises to hospital workers, financing them in part with a $1 billion
windfall from an insurance company. He proposed cuts in aid for parents of
disabled children and reductions in the amount paid to pharmacies serving
elderly people on Medicaid.
States
Face Hard Choices on Medicaid Cuts ( January 14, 2002)
Medicaid, the insurance program for 44 million low-income people,
is in financial crisis, forcing states to think about cutting benefits and
reducing payments to hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies. Governors
are asking the federal government to increase its contribution to Medicaid
because of the national recession. But the States still need to balance
their budget and choose for cuts.
The
Health Card ( January 13, 2002)
New York’s Governor George Pataki is proposing a health care plan
with low-cost prescription drugs for the elderly and breast cancer
screening for all women. But first, he has to cope with a financial
crisis. He wants to take a $1 billion windfall the state expects from
Empire Blue Cross-Blue Shield’s conversion to a for-profit company and
use it to help balance the state’s budget over three years. But Metro
New York Health Care for All campaign opposes it efforts.
Not
a Generic Medicaid Director (January 13, 2002)
Ray Hanley, director of the Medicaid program in Arkansas, is a
leader in a campaign by state Medicaid officials around the country to
reduce the cost of prescription drugs covered by Medicaid, the
government-financed program that provides health care to the poor. He has
urged doctors to prescribe generics instead of more expensive name brands
promoted by drug industry sale forces.
Medicare
Chartbook (January 2002)
The Kaiser Family Foundation published a Chart Book including data
and background information critical to understanding the Medicare program
and the challenges it faces in keeping up with the rising costs of health
care and ensuring its own financial security.
A
Morgan Stanley Victory in Dispute on Bond Funds ( January 11, 2002)
The regulatory arm of the National Association of Securities
Dealers accused Dean Witter, now a unit of Morgan Stanley, of misleading
investors, many of them elderly, about the risks of buying the funds. This
investments, described as “simple and safe”, resulted in losses of $65
million.
Party
Battles Looming Over Costly Old Issue: Health Care Coverage (January 11,
2002)
Health
care issue will loom large in this election year. The elderly are under
particular pressure from the rising cost of prescription drugs, which are
not covered by Medicare. The number of uninsured could begin to climb as
people lose their jobs in the economic downturn and as the cost of
coverage rises for employers and workers.
Joined
at the Hip (January 10, 2002)
Thousands of working men and women who lost their jobs, their life
savings and their pensions will remember the biggest bankruptcy in the
U.S. history. The Justice Department launched a criminal investigation
against Enron. Did the company’s top officials dump $1 billion when they
knew the firm was in danger of collapse ?
Michigan
Judge's Injunction Blocks Law Seeking to Curb Prescription-Drug Costs
(January 8, 2002)
In the battle against the pharmaceutical industry, a Michigan judge
blocked a state law that seeks price concessions from drug companies in
exchange for inclusion on a list of preferred drugs. According to the
Judge Lawrence Glazer, the Michigan law could restrict access to certain
drugs.
Health-Care
Spending Accelerated in 2000 As Hospital, Drug Costs Continued to Rise
(January 8, 2002)
A new U.S. government report shows that health-care spending
accelerated in 2000 and grew 6.9% to $1.3 trillion. Public and private
health-care spending averaged $4,637 per person in 2000.This increase
seems to be due to higher payments from insurers, loosening of strict
policies by managed care plans, and a rise in labor costs.
Drug Discount
Cards Give the Elderly Small Savings (January 4, 2002)
This summer, Bush administration promised that drug discount card users
could “get discounts of about 10 percent to 25 percent of retail prices”
but eventually the savings averaged less than 10 percent of retail prices.
People can even get cheaper drugs in some retail pharmacies.
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