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What's New? March 26, 2012 |
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Pension | Health | Elder Rights | Rural Aging | GAA Blog
US
Social
Security--A “Crisis” Only in Super
PAC and Politicians’ Rhetoric
(March 19, 2012)
To the many supporters of both parties in the presidential election this year, the reality of Social Security is skewed alongside dubious claims. Proposals to fix Social Security by reducing benefits would largely impact ethnic and racial populations. What makes this worse is the introduction of the Super Political Action Committee into the electoral system. This concentrates political power among the wealthy, a predominantly white and male group. They give mostly to conservative causes that favor the reduction through changes in programs like Social Security and Medicare. Political rhetoric regarding Social Security not only runs counter to actuarial projections of the program but it also contradicts public opinion. WORLD Algeria: Army Retirees Require Upgrading of Pension (March 22, 2012) (Article in French) Algerian military retirees are angry. Every other sector has seen the amount of their pension increase in 2010 and 2011, but theirs remained unchanged. They expressed their displeasure by organizing a march in Algiers; police arrested several of the demonstrators. For Colonel Boulagroune, President of the Association of Former Mujahidins, it is about restoring justice and respecting those who defended the country. France: Workers Getting More Information About Future Retirement (March 19, 2012) (Article in French) In France, it is sometimes difficult to know where you stand with retirement. If the system still seems too complicated after the reform, workers know more about their rights, thanks to new tools. Since January 1, 2012, the "personal situation transcript" makes it possible for most workers to check online where they stand, at any age. The "retirement information service" also offers the opportunity to meet or call an agent to discuss the situation. Finally, young workers with valid first two quarters of their insurance now receive a brochure summarizing their rights. France: Should We Update the Pension Reform? (March 19, 2012) (Article in French) In this interview, the heads of various organizations discuss the best way to understand and use the pension reform. For Olivier Ferrand, president of Terra Nova, "It's not about going back, but about improving the reform." Director of the Copernicus Foundation Willy Pelletier argues that the country can afford to offer retirement at age 60 to all citizens. Finally, Agnes Molinié-Verdier, director of the French Institute for Research on Public Administration (IFRAP) asks for a universal pension. China: Experts Recommend Quickening the Establishment of Multiple Channels to Guarantee Social Security of Older Persons (March 15, 2012) (Article in Chinese) Academics, government officials and private sector leaders met in Beijing to discuss challenges related to aging. Professor Yang Yansui of Tsinghua University says that a portion of GDP should be transferred to the elderly to guarantee their livelihoods and, more importantly, for social capitalism. When their incomes increase, they would spend more and invest more, encouraging innovation, and the economy would develop steadily. Older persons could also contribute by working. She labels these effects “elderly population bonuses.” Spain: Protect Yourself at 65: Demand for Reverse Mortgages Grows As Pensions Decrease (March 14, 2012) (Article in Spanish) Starting in 2005, Spain’s banks and insurers have offered reverse mortgages, i.e. the promise of a monthly payment for life in exchange of putting up one’s home as collateral. The recipient of the loan is able to live in the home until he passes away. Elders often seek this financial arrangement to ensure a comfortable and stable retirement. Because Spanish pensions are some of the lowest in Europe, reverse mortgages are becoming the primary source of income for seniors living in Spain; in fact, the demand for reverse mortgages has increased by 10 percent in the past year. Investors often seek homeowners with properties valued at over 200,000 Euros and located in capital cities.
Author with Unusual Experiences Encourages Gay Men to Embrace Aging, All that It Comes With (March 20, 2012) Robert Levithan was diagnosed with HIV in 1984 but has survived AIDS, thrived, and is now approaching age 60. In his new book, “The New 60,” he shares how he is aging with vitality and grace. He describes “The New 60” as a book about aging in the 21st century. Data: Many Medical Marijuana Cardholders Are Older than 50 (March 19, 2012) According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 35 percent of medical marijuana patients in Arizona are between ages 51 and 81. The collected data indicates that older (over age 40) individuals are more likely than any other group to be consumers of medical marijuana. This is likely because elders often have a greater need for the drug, as they are afflicted with more weakening medical conditions. In contrast, detractors say that consumers are substance abusers, not patients. A Successful and Sustainable Health System - How to Get There from Here (March 15, 2012) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, even if it is fully implemented, will not represent a complete solution to the main issue of affordability and performance in health care. First, life expectancy in the United States is trailing behind other countries internationally. The only category in which the US far exceeds all other countries is health expenditures. Now, the joint problem of relatively low performance and high costs impede the way of a successful and sustainable health system. The only morally and politically acceptable way to curtail costs is to take measures to preserve or enhance the performance of the health system, thus getting more value for dollars spent. For example, the burden of chronic disease could be mitigated through widespread public health preventative education. 101 Year-Old Woman Sets Paragliding World Record (March 21, 2012) (Article in French) To celebrate her 101st birthday, Mary Allen Hardison, a resident of Ogden, Utah, decided on September 1 to try paragliding for the first time. For the occasion, she gathered four generations of her family to cheer her on! She becomes the oldest woman to paraglide, a world record approved by the Guinness World Records Academy. For her, jumping was a means of challenging her 75-year-old son, and a way of showing that by staying active, older people remain healthy. A Drumbeat on Profit Takers (March 19, 2012) Arnold Relman and Marcia Angell are two former editors of The New England Journal of Medicine who, appalled by the health situation in the US, decided decades ago to change things. Their crusade? Fighting against for-profit medicine and its practice. Their target? The medical-industrial complex that puts stockholder interests above those of patients. Their goal is to bring ethics back to the center of the care system, for example, by getting rid of the private insurance industry. Their video interview is available on the New York Times’ website.
Saudi
Arabia: Specialist in Nutrition Advises
the Elderly to Enjoy their Workout
(March 16, 2012) (Article in Russian) In the senior center
“Dolgoletie,” many elderly people see themselves
as only 25 years old, even though the majority
are in their 70s. What is their secret? They
explain: Not thinking about their age, never
complaining about aches and difficulties of
everyday life, always being cheerful and
grateful for every day. With this attitude, they
are sure they will never grow old, staying
closer to 25 in spirit.
Growing Old, Sick and Latino in the South Without Papers (March 16, 2012) Elders not only face the threat of unexpected illness, but also the threat to finances that comes along with medical treatment. This scenario becomes bleaker for those without proper immigration status. These elders do not have access to public health services such as Medicaid or Medicare. Many undocumented elders fight to survive. It is harder for them to get to the resources they need to stay well. Surprisingly, the problem that this group of people confronts is worse in the Southeastern United States. England: TV Show About Sex Life of People Over 70 Shocks (March 22, 2012) (Article in French) Tracey Cox, sex
expert of the morning show “This Morning”
broadcast on ITV in England, is once again
the target of critics. After setting up a
demonstration of vibrators and sex toys
designed for older people last October, she
has devoted her column to the sexuality of
those aged 70 and older, including giving
tips and tricks. An elderly couple was on
set to "mimic" the positions recommended by
the host, which didn’t please some viewers.
Canada: Report on Euthanasia Raises Concerns (March 22, 2012) (Article in French) The Special
Commission on the issue of dying with
dignity has released its report on the
situation in Canada, worrying Bruno
Marchand, president of the Quebec
Association for Suicide Prevention.
According to him, allowing these practices
surrounding the end of life adds extra
pressure on elderly patients. There are also
concerns that the Swiss scenario in which
the conditions of access to euthanasia have
continuously been extended, might repeat
itself in his country.
South Korea: Korean Government Increases Jobs Opportunities for its Older Citizens (March 21, 2012) (Article in Arabic) The Ministry of Health and Social Care will increase job opportunities for Korean senior citizens, which is going to augment by 10 percent this year. China: Older
People Rarely Go to the Movies; Elder
Consumers Forgotten by Cultural
Industries (March 20, 2012)
(Article in Chinese) The Hong Kong movie, “A Simple Life,” is doing very well and has sparked discussions about elder life issues. Ironically, it did not attract older people to the movies. They tend to be frugal, focused on living healthily and helping out at home. Their leisure activities are free or low-cost. Unlike in Japan, cultural products in China often neglect the elderly. One reason is that in Japan, children are independent at an earlier age, leaving their parents free to pursue their own interests. An official from the Ministry of Culture admits that China has inadequate publicly funded cultural spaces and activities, and these often are not attractive to the elderly. France: Employment Rate of Older Workers Finally Taking Off (March 20, 2012) (Article in French) France has
tried over the past ten years to promote the
employment of older workers in order to
increase its rate, including by the
implementation of a series of measures in
their favor. Even if they did--as President
Nicolas Sarkozy stated--help lower the
unemployment rate for older workers, the
Research Department of the Ministry of Labor
reminds us that their impact has been
limited.
China: Eldercare Plan Must Be Foreseeable (March 20, 2012) (Article in Chinese) China is
rapidly aging as a country--because of the
one-child policy and increased longevity.
Ensuring quality of life for the elderly
is a requirement for a people-oriented
political system. In China, parents raise
children to ensure their own elder care.
Children see providing for their parents
as their responsibility and payback for
their own upbringing. However, a rapidly
aging China cannot totally depend on the
family model of care. The current model is
insufficient and has to be improved before
the full-blown actualization of an aged
society.
Emirates:
Lecture in Shargah about Violence
against the Elderly (March 20, 2012) Canada: Canada Urged to Segregate Elderly Prisoners (March 19, 2012) In Canada, the number of elderly persons being sent to prison is greatly increasing. To address the human needs of older offenders, Canada is being encouraged to follow an American model of accommodating those prisoners by separating them into age-specific units like The True Grit Senior Structured Living Program in Nevada. The True Grit Program appeals to the safety, interests, physical abilities and health issues of convicted seniors, with no added cost to the state. However, critics say that True Grit is not strict enough on elderly offenders of serious crimes. (Article in French)
Employers
are often reluctant when it comes to hiring
older workers, especially because their
seniority entitles them to a higher salary.
President Nicolas Sarkozy faces growing
unemployment of older people. To fight
against this phenomenon and as part of his
campaign, he announced that he wants to
exempt firms that hire unemployed people
over the age 55 for more than six months
from social taxes. This is not the first
time he has mentioned this possibility; it
was written into his pension reform of 2010
but was never implemented. He stated that
this change would cost the state 100 million
euros the first year and that 50 000 to 60
000 people would benefit from it every year.
The number of Japanese aged 100 and above has risen for the 41st consecutive year. This article introduces some of the new robots that will soon be released. These include: an improved hair-washing robot and a robotic suit that is worn by the user for assistance in walking. The article also features a video of a robot that looks like a teddy bear designed to lift patients in and out of wheelchairs and beds. Even though there is a Ministry responsible for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, there is no comprehensive social protection for the elderly in Malawi. Access to healthcare is crucial since the elderly tend to turn to traditional remedies instead of modern science. Also, the government’s HIV/AIDS program assumes that those above 49 are not sexually active which means older persons are often excluded from HIV/AIDS information and prevention. (Article in Chinese) In the UK, children live off their parents because their standard of living is comparatively lower due to reduced social benefits, even as expenses increase. In 2000, family incomes of 20-30-year-olds were for the first time lower than those of baby boomers. In Greece, families supported by grandparents or parents are more resilient in the crisis. In Spain, the average age at which children leave home is now 32, the highest in Europe. This has negatively influenced their ambition and life skills like cooking. In Italy, some parents have sought government help in moving children out of their parental homes once they have reached age 40. (Article in Chinese) The 2012 Zhejiang Expo on businesses targeting aging consumers attracted experienced Japanese and Korean firms that bring in more sophisticated ideas and specialized products and services, because Chinese firms are new to this industry. These include clothing, food, health, entertainment, travel offerings and elder care services. By 2020, older persons will make up 17 percent of China’s population and the market for elder products will a 2 trillion Yuan attraction. Egypt: The "Bank of Medicine" Calls for March 20 to be
the Day for Elderly in Egypt (March 18,
2012) (Article
in Arabic) 7 Ways to Save Your Relationships from Caregiver Stress (March 17, 2012) Many family caregivers say the experience strengthens their bonds with the loved ones in their care. However, many of their other relationships are often strained and suffer as a result. This creates isolation, lost sources of support and a lot more stress. Caregivers should utilize protective buffers against relationship stress. Russia: “Buranovskie Grandmothers” Will Represent Russian Federation on the Prestigious Eurovision Song Contest (March 12, 2012) (Article in Russian) Two years after almost making it to the prestigious Eurovision contest, a recent music sensation and already beloved folk group "Buranovskie Grandmothers" (Buranovskie Babushki) finally won the prequalifying rounds and will represent the Russian Federation in the upcoming Eurovision 2012. Buranovskie Grandmothers won first place with 38.51 points by viewer voting. The long anticipated competition will be held in Azerbaijan's capital Baku May 22-26, and will represent 40 European countries. Russia: Buried Alive or Just Crossed Off List Due to Age? (March 12, 2012) (Article in Russian) One of Galina’s biggest surprises in life was being notified by authorities that she passed away about four months ago. The elderly woman from Yekaterinburg got a letter from social services stating that she is no longer eligible for senior discounts and privileges due to the fact that she passed away. Galina says that even though she is 91 years old, she is very much alive and enjoys reading Chekhov and spoiling her cat Kesha. Galina is working with authorities to sort out this misunderstanding. RURAL AGING
WORLD
France: Rural Elders Satisfied With Life (March 19, 2012) (Article in French) The
Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology
and Development of Bordeaux conducted a
study revealing that retirees living in
rural areas feel physically better than
urban dwellers. For this study, 1,002
elderly people living in the countryside
have been followed for four years by a
neuropsychiatrist and a doctor. The
medical team has done blood and full
gerontology tests. The survey took into
account many factors, such as the
environment, lifestyle, education level,
utilization of health care and social
benefits.
A Nursing Home
Tour With Chiquita Smith
GAA's good friend Chiquita Smith took interns Louise Riondel and Naoreen Chowdhury on one of her nursing home tours in Brooklyn. Read about what they discovered, thought and felt while visiting for the first time. |
