Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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EmailPrint.You've probably heard the news: Social Security recipients aren't getting a bump up in their benefits next year. The Social Security Administration recently announced that because inflation has been flat, there will be no cost of living adjustment for seniors.
Whether or not you think that's a good thing depends a lot on your age. Seniors are upset, but younger workers have reason to celebrate the news: Fiscally conservative choices now could mean a stronger system later.
There are plenty of reasons for 20 and 30-somethings to worry about the future of their Social Security payments. The Social Security trust fund will start taking in less than it pays out around 2016, and by 2037, as today's 30-somethings start thinking about retiring, it's scheduled to run out. At that point, if nothing changes, the benefits will shrink to about three-quarters of what they are now because only money that is then being paid into the system will be paid out.
Workers have clearly gotten the message that they're largely on their own: Just-released numbers from Charles Schwab reveal that almost half of the general population say they do not plan on counting on Social Security as a source of income in retirement.
The uncertainty over future benefits has led to a debate over whether the current budget and entitlement structure is fair to young people, who may never see all of the money that they pay into the system. (Social Security benefits are based on a person's average earnings over his lifetime and depend on the age of retirement; the current maximum benefit received is $2,346 per month for those who retire at age sixty-six.)
"They should be upset, and concerned that Social Security is structured in a way to give them less than they might otherwise receive. They'll certainly get less than their parents and grandparents, and they're stuck in a position where they are either going to pay higher taxes or get lower benefits, or, what's worse, both," says David John, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
As Andrew Biggs of the American Enterprise Institute puts it, "There's no way Social Security is as good a deal for a 20-year-old as it is for a retiree today."
The AARP, which represents retired Americans, has a different perspective. It is quick to point out that there is such great political support for Social Security that it is not in danger of slipping away. The organization released a statement opposing the cost-of-living freeze after the Social Security Administration made its announcement late last week.
While the AARP is right to point out that Social Security isn't going anywhere, it's possible that it will undergo major changes in the coming decades. Here are some of the possible shifts:
Higher taxes, especially for high-earners. Social Security is funded through payroll taxes, which are currently capped at $106,800. That means workers don't pay Social Security taxes on income above that amount. Congress could raise that limit.
A higher retirement age. Changing the retirement age to 68 from 65, instead of the 67 it's currently scheduled to reach, could mean a reduction in benefits for younger workers since they'd have to wait longer to collect their payments. If premiums or Medicare-related taxes are increased or benefits are reduced, that would also have a major negative impact on young workers' retirement finances.
A new government-backed investment plan. Some academics, including Alicia Munnell, director of Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, have proposed an altogether different method of risk management — one where the government bears the brunt of the risk. She imagines a new kind of guaranteed account, where the government would guarantee that beneficiaries receive a certain rate of return on their investments.
If the market plunged before they retired, then Uncle Sam would make up the difference. If a relatively modest guaranteed rate of return were chosen, such as 6 percent, then she says the government would rarely have to step in, so the cost would be minimal. Another option is to guarantee just a 2 or 3 percent return but to allow investors to keep any higher return provided by the market. If the government found itself needing to pony up during bad periods like the current one, then, Munnell says, "it can take on more debt and spread the losses over several generations," instead of forcing the soon-to-be retirees to absorb most of the pain.
Regardless of what changes, one thing is certain: Young workers need to save more on their own, because government programs are unlikely to comfortably fund a relaxing couple decades by the beach.
This article is adapted with permission from Kimberly Palmer's new book "Generation Earn: The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back" (Ten Speed Press).
___
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0 users disliked this commentRALPH 13 minutes ago Report Abuse To all the people that have no clue about what they are talking about. Since Reagan revamped the Federal pension system Feds contrbute into SS They also have paid into medicare for longer then that. And if you happen tp be in the old CSR system I am not sure of the exact year I think before 1950 or so You can only get 45% of your earned SS (the exact amount and year I am not sure of )So before you start putting down people know what you are talking aboutReply.1 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentBob S 1 hour ago Report Abuse Politicians become Politicians because they see the huge money pot of the common man's earnings. Millionaires aren't compassionate folks. They didn't become wealthy by being honest so we will never see tham play fair.
They all need to see a violent thinning of their own herd from the common man's wrath. It's called "The Big Bang Theory". They will never respond properly otherwise.Reply.1 users liked this comment
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1 users disliked this commentaudrey 1 hour ago Report Abuse if all the senate and congressmen would give up receiving
ss,that they didnt earb-us poor folk would have a chabce
show me one good honest person running this country
i owuld be happy al a bunch of crooks and ingrades,Reply.2 users liked this comment
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2 users disliked this commentb 1 hour ago Report Abuse Bernie Madoff went to jail for a LONG time doing this, which of the scum sucking bottom feeding politicians will receive the same justice. Social Security is just another Ponzi scheme, always was, always will beReply. 3 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentA Yahoo! User 2 hours ago Report Abuse Inflation is flat in the eyes of politicians, that behind closed doors decided not to include things such as food and gasoline in their decision for the COLA for Seniors and people that are Disabled. When did we as Americans get so lazy that we let our government decide to play God and put there sticky fingers into what was not theirs and basicly decided who will live and die. Amercia we had better wake up to those that are defining everything we do with behind closed door deals. If you have ever watched cpan senate instead of some soap opera you would be amazed at the deals being made that effect our lives right in front of our eyes. Well, only the Americans that want to stand up and let Washington know that they work for us and not the other way around will maybe be able to change the way our Country is run. On another not I would love to put a sign on the Statue of Liberty that says"No Vacancies".Replies (1) .5 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentEZduzit 2 hours ago Report Abuse What about the money that the Federal Government stole from Social Security? They should pay it back with interest.Reply.0 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentLarry 2 hours ago Report Abuse GEE. A REAL CLASS ACT. SEMPER FIReply.2 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentJan 3 hours ago Report Abuse I worked for the government, I did not pay soc. security but neither do I get it I did pay into our pension plan & also health plan. I do not get my husbands s.s. and never will even if he passes away. So alot of what you hear is not always true.Reply.10 users liked this comment
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0 users disliked this commentfed up vet 3 hours ago Report Abuse The illusion of Social Security has been just that since the government started looting the account shortly after it was instated. For politicians to see that much money (somebody else's - even belonging to their own parents) just sitting in an account accruing interest and having less go out than what is coming in, was toooo much temptation. So, our retirement money was used for the whim of the Federal government. Now the illusion that it is our fault that Social Security is going bankrupt! Ha! There was no vote offered to the beneficiaries as to how the money was used - it was just stolen. Wake up!! It will happen to each generation and the propaganda will be that "they had too many children" or "because of medical breakthroughs not enough people died". As for cost of living raise and inflation - guess what - COL is calculated without the price of food or energy involved. What a crock! We may be aging, but we're still not stupid!!!Replies (1) .5 users liked this comment
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3 users disliked this commentjames 3 hours ago Report Abuse You said social Security will run out around around 2016. Obama make a deal with the republicans that the payments to Social Security will be cut . That money is what's being used to pay the ones on now. Like with Clinton they got him to get rid of welfare.
Don't get me wrong there was lots of welfare cheats. But a lot of people really needed it. But today the ones who misused welfare is still on it. Like young girls having babies to get out of the house is still going on. But its not for to long but it costs more.
When the baby is born they are helped to get get a apartment. But they are not allowed to work until they are told too. In the meantime they have to attend classes. And it's mandatory to have the child in one of their approved day-care.
When the child is bused in the first thing that's done is to undress the child totally and checked head to toe for marks. If one is found D.S.S is called in and the child is taken to a undisclosed location.
The day-care or D.S.S. don't bother to inform the mother. She finds out when the bus don't show up. You say well she got right's she gets a free lawyer and goes to court to get her kid back.
Wrong, the one who runs the show in the court is D.S.S. so why pay the judge. As for the lawyer he is more like a cheering section. He will tell the mother what he can do and not to worry she will see her baby back. That never happens.
The child is worth to much to the state. You know the Lincoln freed the slaves yes but not all. A child is the property of the state till they are 21 years old. Another thing that's done is under the law you have the right to be present to during the police questioning your child.
But thanks to Clinton we now have cops in every school. Even in kindergarten and they question your kids about you. Troops died in WW2 to stop this in Germany.
Getting back to your child being worth something to the state. When a child is taken they are put up for adoption and the new parents are so excited they forget about everything else. Like the fact they just spent 60,000 to buy that child. My sister took 6 but never got what she wanted because she wasn't rich eought.. She wanted a baby but she took 6 older ones at 300,000.
As for our social workers they are worst parents than the ones having their kids removed. One had a 14 year old daughter but with her so called training she didn't know her daughter was a alcoholic and to support her habit she was a hooker.
In Massachusetts under Bush immigration still did their job and caught 45 illegal women and 2 under-age boys. The boys were sent to Florida and the women were sent to Texas. The governor who is a good friend to Obama sent 45 social workers to Texas to visit with the women. But not one to Florida for the 2 boys.
But of course the tax payers paid for their vacation. But as for Social Security the age to retiree is going up to 60 here. But in france it's gone up to 70. But Social Security was not a tax it was set up so the ones that pay later will pay for the ones who are on.
But there would always be a nest egg to keep it going. So Reagan who coned everyone spent like there was no tomorrow. Like a 20 billion cartoon called star wars to scare the Russians. It worked the Russians were afraid and spent and went broke.
To cover up his spending they borrowed the nest egg then changed it to a tax to make the national debt look better. After that every president hit Social security till nothing was left.
They did what the mob did with the retirement of the union members and they got away with it too. Now they want to push the government over the edge and into bankruptcy. Which means we lose our consitution or bill of rights and our county.
Why because neither party has a clue on whats going on. Other countries along with the rich is causing this to make us fall. They will set up a new country the way they want. Unemployment, oil, the national debt can be solved in 5 year. But neither party tried.Replies (2) ..Comments 1 - 10 of 532
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Sunday, December 19, 2010
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CALL THE AGING INFORMATION CENTER AND ASK ABOUT ADULT FAMILY CARE
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Thursday, March 4, 2010
VILLIAGE TO VILLIAGE SERVICE IN MALDEN
How to create a village
Create four own plan
14 Massachusetts existing plans in
operation with different Business plans and operations geared to Keep people in the home
and supported "neighbor to neighbor"
Presentation on how areas can participate like a unit Westside
village. --Malden Tri City area
MAlden
EVERETT
MEDFORD RIVERS EDGE.
combined MELROSE AND MALDEN
Talk about 400 diverse community membership to make it go
trans portion problems (nation wide)
Neighbors helping neighbors
Subsidized
AVAILABLE IN MALDEN AREA NEED UPDATING
Malden Senior Center medical,shopping,mayors recreation activities (Hallmark Health)
Local Grocery Stores to subsidized Housing units
SCM for out of city locations and
Paul' Place for special activities.
look into a way to extend service and assure more participation.
Stay in Home-Choice is power over own self reliance. Relieve family members from daily
chores to remain independent (one stop service)
Maintain majority of control independence.
Beacon Hill Village and Similar groups have 25% subsidized FOR members. 85% renewal
on all memberships
Give One Stop Shopping for service.
100% satisfaction guaranty.
Malden has many Seniors (10,000) to get involved as well as a new transient
population(new comers) to
apartment condos to get involved.
The idea of the "aging at home" Neighbor to Neighbor concept is to make Seniors (elderly)
feel like owners not clients
450,000 cost 1000 per member
Reflect your community Sense of Age
We ARE not a "bingo game" individualists to make it go.
Get a business plan
Well Known members of the community.
Those with visibility to attract attention and need of program.
time needed to give needed attention.
City of Malden Groups involved
MALDEN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
CITY PLANNER WITH THE VISION FOR MALDEN PROGRAM 0UTREACH
DIRECTOR OF MALDEN HOUSING
DIRECTOR OF ELDERLY AFFAIRS
MALDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OUR CITY COUNCIL WARD REPRESENT IVES
TO GET SENIORS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD INTERESTED AND INVOLVED.
OUR AT LARGE TO PROMOTE OUR PROGRAM WITH CITY BUSINESSES OUTREACH TO
WHOLE COMMUNITY
YMCA PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.
GET A BANK SPONSOR
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
Create four own plan
14 Massachusetts existing plans in
operation with different Business plans and operations geared to Keep people in the home
and supported "neighbor to neighbor"
Presentation on how areas can participate like a unit Westside
village. --Malden Tri City area
MAlden
EVERETT
MEDFORD RIVERS EDGE.
combined MELROSE AND MALDEN
Talk about 400 diverse community membership to make it go
trans portion problems (nation wide)
Neighbors helping neighbors
Subsidized
AVAILABLE IN MALDEN AREA NEED UPDATING
Malden Senior Center medical,shopping,mayors recreation activities (Hallmark Health)
Local Grocery Stores to subsidized Housing units
SCM for out of city locations and
Paul' Place for special activities.
look into a way to extend service and assure more participation.
Stay in Home-Choice is power over own self reliance. Relieve family members from daily
chores to remain independent (one stop service)
Maintain majority of control independence.
Beacon Hill Village and Similar groups have 25% subsidized FOR members. 85% renewal
on all memberships
Give One Stop Shopping for service.
100% satisfaction guaranty.
Malden has many Seniors (10,000) to get involved as well as a new transient
population(new comers) to
apartment condos to get involved.
The idea of the "aging at home" Neighbor to Neighbor concept is to make Seniors (elderly)
feel like owners not clients
450,000 cost 1000 per member
Reflect your community Sense of Age
We ARE not a "bingo game" individualists to make it go.
Get a business plan
Well Known members of the community.
Those with visibility to attract attention and need of program.
time needed to give needed attention.
City of Malden Groups involved
MALDEN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
CITY PLANNER WITH THE VISION FOR MALDEN PROGRAM 0UTREACH
DIRECTOR OF MALDEN HOUSING
DIRECTOR OF ELDERLY AFFAIRS
MALDEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OUR CITY COUNCIL WARD REPRESENT IVES
TO GET SENIORS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD INTERESTED AND INVOLVED.
OUR AT LARGE TO PROMOTE OUR PROGRAM WITH CITY BUSINESSES OUTREACH TO
WHOLE COMMUNITY
YMCA PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.
GET A BANK SPONSOR
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
Monday, October 12, 2009
Transportation in Malden
HALMARK HAS STEPPED UP WITH A GRANT TO SCM FOR TRANSPORTATION TO THEIR
FACILITIES WHEN THEY ARE OVERBOOKED AT THE MALDEN SENOR COMMUNITY
CENTER THIS IS A FIRST STEP FOR MENDICAL APPOINTMENTS
WE SHOULD NEED THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL AND THE CAMBRIDGE ALLIANCE
GROUP TO STEP UP WITH SENIOR TRANSPORTATION. MSAC SHOULD ADVISE THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE RIDE AND THE NON-PROFITS SERVICING THE ELDERLY
SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND STEP INTO THE BREECH FOR
ALL NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE EDERLY AND DISABLED. A LIITLE
PUBLICITY IN THE MALDEN OBSERVER SEEMS TO GET ACTION.
WE AT MSAC ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROMISISED SHUTTLES TO AND FROM
THE SENIOR CENTER.
Malden seniors unsatisfied with public transportation options
By Rich Tenorio / malden@cnc.com
Thu Mar 05, 2009, 04:57 PM EST
Tools:
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Malden - Transportation issues are at the heart of a Malden senior’s
frustration with the city he calls home.
Howard McGowan, the Metro North membership coordinator for the Mass.
Senior Action Council (MSAC), has protested what he describes as
insufficient access to the new senior center on Washington Street, as
well as a lack of adequate transportation opportunities for seniors to
medical appointments.
“There are two issues,” McGowan said in an interview with the Observer
on Monday. “We want to be able to enjoy the senior center, and to see
that we get transportation to medical facilities.”
Located on 7 Washington St., the center held an opening celebration on
January 24, with MSAC members from the Cambridge, North Shore and
Metro North chapters attending. McGowan, however, said that since
then, seniors who rely on public transportation to get to the center
may find access too difficult.
“If you don’t have transportation, you can’t get there,” said McGowan,
an 84-year-old World War II veteran who now lives on Pleasant Street.
“Once they took the (MBTA) buses off Florence Street and took the bus
stop away from the senior center, you have to walk across a state
highway or across Florence Street, a dangerous section.
“We took somebody from the mayor’s office and showed them how far it
is to walk from the bus stop. There’s a hill, and you have to walk
from the Stop & Shop way down on Route 60. They promised they would
put on a shuttle bus.”
McGowan said that bus routes and stops were changed about a year and a
half ago, “just about the time they were building the senior center,
which is what got us so upset. The bus came right down Main Street and
Pleasant Street.”
However, Debbie Burke, a spokesperson for Mayor Richard Howard, said
that the center is accessible.
“It’s still within walking distance,” she said. “You can take the bus
to the MBTA station. It’s right around the corner. As far as we’re
concerned, it remains accessible by public transportation or car.”
Burke also said that “ridership counts on (bus) routes are really
dwindling,” and that the center has on-street parking as well as lots
on Dartmouth and Florence streets, adding that next year there will be
an additional lot on Pleasant Street.
McGowan has also called for more ways for seniors to get to medical
appointments.
“The Medical Service transportation for Hallmark Medical sites is
handled at the Malden Senior Community Center and is overwhelmed and
overbooked,” he wrote in a mass e-mail on February 14, citing “turn
downs growing (personal experience).”
On Monday, McGowan said, “At the senior center we get transportation
for medical (purposes) backed by Hallmark Health, but they’ll only
take you to Hallmark facilities.”
He added, “It takes an hour, you have to make arrangements, and they
can only do one per hour. It used to be one per half-hour.” And, he
said, “There is no transportation from senior housing for people who
can’t get down. A lot of people can’t go on public transportation.
People who have to go to Winchester Hospital for Blue Cross — there’s
no transportation out there.”
McGowan and Burke both mentioned other transportation opportunities
for seniors. One is the MBTA Ride program, which requires registration
on an individual basis and which takes seniors to medical
appointments. Another is SCM (Somerville-Cambridge-Medford), an
organization that provides shopping trips for eligible seniors as well
as some medical trips. Burke also said that through the efforts of
human services director Chris DiPietro, there is a van that makes some
shopping trips for seniors.
In the end, whether it’s getting to the Senior Center or getting to a
medical appointment, the main point seems the same.
“It makes it hard for people if they can’t get transportation,” McGowan said.
. Comment refer to web page
http://maldentax.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-we-go-again.html
MTFA
CMurphy1 month ago
Report AbuseWho is this Debbie Burke person, and how old is she? And
does she actually ride public transit? I would really like to know. I
am not a senior myself, but I can see the difficulty in her suggestion
that seniors take the bus to the Malden Center T stop, and go *just
around the corner* to the senior center.
The problem with this is that they would have to cross
Florence/Commercial Street to get there. Anyone remember the old
*Frogger* video game? Well, crossing that street on foot is like being
the *frog* in a game of human Frogger. It's hard enough for an
able-bodied person who can move quickly, but if you're an older person
who can't move so fast, you may well become road pizza. There are a
lot of crazies on the roads.
Heck, often I have to stop at the crosswalk in front of 630 Salem
Street to let some elderly person get across, and some jerk behind me
is blowing their horn to try to get me to move. I may care about our
seniors, but most younger people here do not.
As for Ms. Burke's comments about parking...can I drum it into her
head once again...MANY SENIORS HERE DO NOT HAVE CARS. So what the heck
is the use of parking lots, when the people that this place is
supposed to serve do not drive?
Don't even get me started about the transportation to medical
appointments thing. Even if these people CAN get a bus to their
appointments, good luck in getting on the bus, or, if they do get on,
getting a seat. When I used to ride the bus, I had the misfortune of
having to ride when the teen thugs from the high school were on.
They'd crowd the bus, refuse to move to the rear, and if the driver
thought the bus was too crowded, they'd just refuse to stop for
people.
There used to be this elderly man who'd get on the bus at the stop in
front of Vinnie's Pizza on Salem Street, he had medical appointments
to get to. He must have been 90 if he was a day, walked with a cane,
and when he'd get on the bus full of teen thugs, NOT ONE OF THEM would
give him a seat. I didn't have a seat to give him myself. We adults
would try to shame the brats into giving the man a seat, but they just
laughed and spewed obscenities at us. The bus driver did nothing.
I also think Hallmark Health is lousy, we've had nothing but bad
experiences with them, their doctors, and hospitals, and seniors need
to have a choice. Just because people can't drive doesn't mean they
deserve substandard treatment, health care, etc.
My husband and I would rather die young than have to retire in Malden,
if this is what they think of senior citizens.. We can't afford to
move now, but we are working on being able to do so long before we get
to that age. Mayor Howard may think he's all that for opening the new
senior center, but I think he's just a rich jerk who is out of touch
with the working class and senior people here.
Don't get me started about the garbage tax...but that's O/T, so I'll stop now.
Leave a Comment:
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--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
FACILITIES WHEN THEY ARE OVERBOOKED AT THE MALDEN SENOR COMMUNITY
CENTER THIS IS A FIRST STEP FOR MENDICAL APPOINTMENTS
WE SHOULD NEED THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL AND THE CAMBRIDGE ALLIANCE
GROUP TO STEP UP WITH SENIOR TRANSPORTATION. MSAC SHOULD ADVISE THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE RIDE AND THE NON-PROFITS SERVICING THE ELDERLY
SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND STEP INTO THE BREECH FOR
ALL NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE EDERLY AND DISABLED. A LIITLE
PUBLICITY IN THE MALDEN OBSERVER SEEMS TO GET ACTION.
WE AT MSAC ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROMISISED SHUTTLES TO AND FROM
THE SENIOR CENTER.
Malden seniors unsatisfied with public transportation options
By Rich Tenorio / malden@cnc.com
Thu Mar 05, 2009, 04:57 PM EST
Tools:
PrintCommentsShareThisStumbleUpon Newsvine del.icio.us Digg
Malden - Transportation issues are at the heart of a Malden senior’s
frustration with the city he calls home.
Howard McGowan, the Metro North membership coordinator for the Mass.
Senior Action Council (MSAC), has protested what he describes as
insufficient access to the new senior center on Washington Street, as
well as a lack of adequate transportation opportunities for seniors to
medical appointments.
“There are two issues,” McGowan said in an interview with the Observer
on Monday. “We want to be able to enjoy the senior center, and to see
that we get transportation to medical facilities.”
Located on 7 Washington St., the center held an opening celebration on
January 24, with MSAC members from the Cambridge, North Shore and
Metro North chapters attending. McGowan, however, said that since
then, seniors who rely on public transportation to get to the center
may find access too difficult.
“If you don’t have transportation, you can’t get there,” said McGowan,
an 84-year-old World War II veteran who now lives on Pleasant Street.
“Once they took the (MBTA) buses off Florence Street and took the bus
stop away from the senior center, you have to walk across a state
highway or across Florence Street, a dangerous section.
“We took somebody from the mayor’s office and showed them how far it
is to walk from the bus stop. There’s a hill, and you have to walk
from the Stop & Shop way down on Route 60. They promised they would
put on a shuttle bus.”
McGowan said that bus routes and stops were changed about a year and a
half ago, “just about the time they were building the senior center,
which is what got us so upset. The bus came right down Main Street and
Pleasant Street.”
However, Debbie Burke, a spokesperson for Mayor Richard Howard, said
that the center is accessible.
“It’s still within walking distance,” she said. “You can take the bus
to the MBTA station. It’s right around the corner. As far as we’re
concerned, it remains accessible by public transportation or car.”
Burke also said that “ridership counts on (bus) routes are really
dwindling,” and that the center has on-street parking as well as lots
on Dartmouth and Florence streets, adding that next year there will be
an additional lot on Pleasant Street.
McGowan has also called for more ways for seniors to get to medical
appointments.
“The Medical Service transportation for Hallmark Medical sites is
handled at the Malden Senior Community Center and is overwhelmed and
overbooked,” he wrote in a mass e-mail on February 14, citing “turn
downs growing (personal experience).”
On Monday, McGowan said, “At the senior center we get transportation
for medical (purposes) backed by Hallmark Health, but they’ll only
take you to Hallmark facilities.”
He added, “It takes an hour, you have to make arrangements, and they
can only do one per hour. It used to be one per half-hour.” And, he
said, “There is no transportation from senior housing for people who
can’t get down. A lot of people can’t go on public transportation.
People who have to go to Winchester Hospital for Blue Cross — there’s
no transportation out there.”
McGowan and Burke both mentioned other transportation opportunities
for seniors. One is the MBTA Ride program, which requires registration
on an individual basis and which takes seniors to medical
appointments. Another is SCM (Somerville-Cambridge-Medford), an
organization that provides shopping trips for eligible seniors as well
as some medical trips. Burke also said that through the efforts of
human services director Chris DiPietro, there is a van that makes some
shopping trips for seniors.
In the end, whether it’s getting to the Senior Center or getting to a
medical appointment, the main point seems the same.
“It makes it hard for people if they can’t get transportation,” McGowan said.
. Comment refer to web page
http://maldentax.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-we-go-again.html
MTFA
CMurphy1 month ago
Report AbuseWho is this Debbie Burke person, and how old is she? And
does she actually ride public transit? I would really like to know. I
am not a senior myself, but I can see the difficulty in her suggestion
that seniors take the bus to the Malden Center T stop, and go *just
around the corner* to the senior center.
The problem with this is that they would have to cross
Florence/Commercial Street to get there. Anyone remember the old
*Frogger* video game? Well, crossing that street on foot is like being
the *frog* in a game of human Frogger. It's hard enough for an
able-bodied person who can move quickly, but if you're an older person
who can't move so fast, you may well become road pizza. There are a
lot of crazies on the roads.
Heck, often I have to stop at the crosswalk in front of 630 Salem
Street to let some elderly person get across, and some jerk behind me
is blowing their horn to try to get me to move. I may care about our
seniors, but most younger people here do not.
As for Ms. Burke's comments about parking...can I drum it into her
head once again...MANY SENIORS HERE DO NOT HAVE CARS. So what the heck
is the use of parking lots, when the people that this place is
supposed to serve do not drive?
Don't even get me started about the transportation to medical
appointments thing. Even if these people CAN get a bus to their
appointments, good luck in getting on the bus, or, if they do get on,
getting a seat. When I used to ride the bus, I had the misfortune of
having to ride when the teen thugs from the high school were on.
They'd crowd the bus, refuse to move to the rear, and if the driver
thought the bus was too crowded, they'd just refuse to stop for
people.
There used to be this elderly man who'd get on the bus at the stop in
front of Vinnie's Pizza on Salem Street, he had medical appointments
to get to. He must have been 90 if he was a day, walked with a cane,
and when he'd get on the bus full of teen thugs, NOT ONE OF THEM would
give him a seat. I didn't have a seat to give him myself. We adults
would try to shame the brats into giving the man a seat, but they just
laughed and spewed obscenities at us. The bus driver did nothing.
I also think Hallmark Health is lousy, we've had nothing but bad
experiences with them, their doctors, and hospitals, and seniors need
to have a choice. Just because people can't drive doesn't mean they
deserve substandard treatment, health care, etc.
My husband and I would rather die young than have to retire in Malden,
if this is what they think of senior citizens.. We can't afford to
move now, but we are working on being able to do so long before we get
to that age. Mayor Howard may think he's all that for opening the new
senior center, but I think he's just a rich jerk who is out of touch
with the working class and senior people here.
Don't get me started about the garbage tax...but that's O/T, so I'll stop now.
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Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
Saturday, July 4, 2009
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
Long-term care insurance, something that wasn’t so common back when my
dad could have bought it, seems like one solution. These policies are
offered as a way to pay for a nursing home, assisted living, home
health care and other costs associated with growing older. But where
to begin? The policies are expensive, complicated and have a severely
flawed history. And let’s face it, it’s hard to shop for something I
hope I won’t need for another 30 or 40 years.
So I turned to experts, to answer some of the most pressing long-term
care insurance questions.
Q. Why should I buy this insurance? Don’t Medicare and Medicaid cover
long-term care?
A. That’s what many people think, said Russell Fox, a certified
financial planner and managing director of Apex Wealth Management, a
financial planning firm in Oxnard, Calif. But the reality is, Medicare
pays for only short-term medical care at home or for a limited stay in
a nursing home after a hospitalization.
Medicaid pays for long-term care — but not until people have already
spent the majority of their financial assets.
“You can have a situation where a married couple spends down all their
assets for the husband, which leaves the wife in a vulnerable
financial situation should she outlive her spouse,” Mr. Fox explained.
A good long-term care insurance can help protect assets, as well as
pay for expenses.
Q. I’m only in my 50s. I don’t need to worry about this insurance yet, right?
A. Actually that is a good age to start thinking about a policy,
advises Marilee Kern Driscoll, author of a newsletter on long-term
care insurance. LTC123.com If you wait until you are in your 60s and
health problems have set in, you may not qualify for any policy. And
premiums are slightly lower when you buy younger.
Typically people in their early 50s will pay $2,000 a year, depending
on the length and type of coverage, compared with an average of $2,250
a year for someone age 60 to 64. True, you’ll be making those payments
for a longer number of years. And premiums may go up as much as 10
percent a decade over the life of the policy, Ms. Driscoll notes.
Q. What should I look for in a policy?
A. Under almost all policies, coverage will kick in if you can’t
perform certain activities of daily living — like walking, eating or
bathing — because of a physical or cognitive impairment.
Verify that the coverage will start if you can’t perform any one of
the above activities — not necessarily all three. For example, someone
may well be able to eat after they are too frail to walk or bath
unassisted.
Once a policyholder meets the definition of a triggering event, the
kind of care that is covered varies widely. Make sure yours provides
for the following:
¶All types of care. That includes nursing homes, assisted living
centers and home health care attendants. Most policies do provide for
all three types of care. But it’s important to make sure your policy
does.
Claims have also been denied because insurers say a particular nursing
home or other long-term care facility doesn’t qualify for coverage,
leaving policyholders responsible for huge bills after they’ve already
become a resident. Be sure to check that the policy you are
considering doesn’t include overly narrow restrictions.
¶All types of caretakers. Some policies cover only “skilled” home
health care workers, like registered nurses. But you want to be able
to pay for home health care attendants and the person who comes in to
make meals and do light cleaning, too. Look for a policy that pays for
“skilled, intermediate and custodial care,” said Mr. Fox.
¶A wide range of illnesses and injuries. Not too long ago, policies
routinely excluded coverage for Alzheimer’s and dementia, two of what
are now the most common reasons for seeking long-term care. In
addition, several insurers came under fire a couple of years ago for
denying claims for care that were clearly covered in their policies.
Increasing state regulation and rising demand from boomers has forced
the $8 billion industry to clean up some since then, “but there are
still some policies out there that exclude far more than they cover,”
Mr. Fox said. Your best defense is this: Read your policy carefully
for any health-related exclusions or other reasons to deny coverage.
¶Inflation protection. You want coverage, at the very least, that will
increase the daily benefit amount enough to keep pace with inflation.
Without this protection, 20 years out your benefits may not cover your
expenses, and you’ll have to make up the difference.
Q. This insurance is expensive. What can I do to get more for my money?
A. Unfortunately, long-term care insurance is more costly than ever.
That’s because insurers in past years did a poor job of anticipating
how much they would be paying in nursing home and other long-term care
costs. They also overestimated the number of people who would let
their insurance lapse.
Now, the insurers are scrambling to make up for these actuarial
shortcomings by charging higher rates for new policyholders. And as it
turns out, insurers can raise rates on existing policyholders as long
as state regulators approve the increase. (The states have often done
this in the past, although some are now showing signs of resistance.)
To lessen the sting, try the following:
¶Avoid lifetime benefits. Opt instead for a policy that covers a set
amount of time, like four or five years, suggests Ms. Driscoll. The
average nursing home stay is two to three years, she points out, and
only 12 percent of patients live longer than five years once they
enter.
¶Look for a policy that pays a monthly sum. Most policies specify a
daily benefit — anywhere from $50 to $500. Recently insurers have
begun using a monthly amount so you have the flexibility to receive
more care on some days, when no family member is available, for
example, and less care on others.
¶Consider a front-loaded policy. With these, you pay the entire cost
of the premiums before you retire. You’ll pay more upfront, but
payments will end just as your income decreases.
¶Look into cash benefit policies. Once benefit payments kick in, these
policies will send you a regular cash payment, say $200 a week.
Instead of filing claims for specific care (with specific requirements
to qualify for coverage) you are free to use the payout however you
see fit.
You may still pay the nursing home or home health care attendant with
the money when the need arises. But you can also use the cash to pay a
family member for care, pay travel expenses for a visiting relative
and take care of other expenses that would not be reimbursed under a
traditional policy. You’ll pay more for these policies, but some
families find the extra flexibility is worth it.
¶Find a good agent. You’ll need someone who is experienced in
long-term care, Ms. Driscoll says. This might be the same insurance
agent who sold you your life and auto policy, or you may need to find
a specialist. Either way, make sure the person fully understands your
needs and is active enough to be selling at least a dozen policies a
year.
--
Howard McGowan
dad could have bought it, seems like one solution. These policies are
offered as a way to pay for a nursing home, assisted living, home
health care and other costs associated with growing older. But where
to begin? The policies are expensive, complicated and have a severely
flawed history. And let’s face it, it’s hard to shop for something I
hope I won’t need for another 30 or 40 years.
So I turned to experts, to answer some of the most pressing long-term
care insurance questions.
Q. Why should I buy this insurance? Don’t Medicare and Medicaid cover
long-term care?
A. That’s what many people think, said Russell Fox, a certified
financial planner and managing director of Apex Wealth Management, a
financial planning firm in Oxnard, Calif. But the reality is, Medicare
pays for only short-term medical care at home or for a limited stay in
a nursing home after a hospitalization.
Medicaid pays for long-term care — but not until people have already
spent the majority of their financial assets.
“You can have a situation where a married couple spends down all their
assets for the husband, which leaves the wife in a vulnerable
financial situation should she outlive her spouse,” Mr. Fox explained.
A good long-term care insurance can help protect assets, as well as
pay for expenses.
Q. I’m only in my 50s. I don’t need to worry about this insurance yet, right?
A. Actually that is a good age to start thinking about a policy,
advises Marilee Kern Driscoll, author of a newsletter on long-term
care insurance. LTC123.com If you wait until you are in your 60s and
health problems have set in, you may not qualify for any policy. And
premiums are slightly lower when you buy younger.
Typically people in their early 50s will pay $2,000 a year, depending
on the length and type of coverage, compared with an average of $2,250
a year for someone age 60 to 64. True, you’ll be making those payments
for a longer number of years. And premiums may go up as much as 10
percent a decade over the life of the policy, Ms. Driscoll notes.
Q. What should I look for in a policy?
A. Under almost all policies, coverage will kick in if you can’t
perform certain activities of daily living — like walking, eating or
bathing — because of a physical or cognitive impairment.
Verify that the coverage will start if you can’t perform any one of
the above activities — not necessarily all three. For example, someone
may well be able to eat after they are too frail to walk or bath
unassisted.
Once a policyholder meets the definition of a triggering event, the
kind of care that is covered varies widely. Make sure yours provides
for the following:
¶All types of care. That includes nursing homes, assisted living
centers and home health care attendants. Most policies do provide for
all three types of care. But it’s important to make sure your policy
does.
Claims have also been denied because insurers say a particular nursing
home or other long-term care facility doesn’t qualify for coverage,
leaving policyholders responsible for huge bills after they’ve already
become a resident. Be sure to check that the policy you are
considering doesn’t include overly narrow restrictions.
¶All types of caretakers. Some policies cover only “skilled” home
health care workers, like registered nurses. But you want to be able
to pay for home health care attendants and the person who comes in to
make meals and do light cleaning, too. Look for a policy that pays for
“skilled, intermediate and custodial care,” said Mr. Fox.
¶A wide range of illnesses and injuries. Not too long ago, policies
routinely excluded coverage for Alzheimer’s and dementia, two of what
are now the most common reasons for seeking long-term care. In
addition, several insurers came under fire a couple of years ago for
denying claims for care that were clearly covered in their policies.
Increasing state regulation and rising demand from boomers has forced
the $8 billion industry to clean up some since then, “but there are
still some policies out there that exclude far more than they cover,”
Mr. Fox said. Your best defense is this: Read your policy carefully
for any health-related exclusions or other reasons to deny coverage.
¶Inflation protection. You want coverage, at the very least, that will
increase the daily benefit amount enough to keep pace with inflation.
Without this protection, 20 years out your benefits may not cover your
expenses, and you’ll have to make up the difference.
Q. This insurance is expensive. What can I do to get more for my money?
A. Unfortunately, long-term care insurance is more costly than ever.
That’s because insurers in past years did a poor job of anticipating
how much they would be paying in nursing home and other long-term care
costs. They also overestimated the number of people who would let
their insurance lapse.
Now, the insurers are scrambling to make up for these actuarial
shortcomings by charging higher rates for new policyholders. And as it
turns out, insurers can raise rates on existing policyholders as long
as state regulators approve the increase. (The states have often done
this in the past, although some are now showing signs of resistance.)
To lessen the sting, try the following:
¶Avoid lifetime benefits. Opt instead for a policy that covers a set
amount of time, like four or five years, suggests Ms. Driscoll. The
average nursing home stay is two to three years, she points out, and
only 12 percent of patients live longer than five years once they
enter.
¶Look for a policy that pays a monthly sum. Most policies specify a
daily benefit — anywhere from $50 to $500. Recently insurers have
begun using a monthly amount so you have the flexibility to receive
more care on some days, when no family member is available, for
example, and less care on others.
¶Consider a front-loaded policy. With these, you pay the entire cost
of the premiums before you retire. You’ll pay more upfront, but
payments will end just as your income decreases.
¶Look into cash benefit policies. Once benefit payments kick in, these
policies will send you a regular cash payment, say $200 a week.
Instead of filing claims for specific care (with specific requirements
to qualify for coverage) you are free to use the payout however you
see fit.
You may still pay the nursing home or home health care attendant with
the money when the need arises. But you can also use the cash to pay a
family member for care, pay travel expenses for a visiting relative
and take care of other expenses that would not be reimbursed under a
traditional policy. You’ll pay more for these policies, but some
families find the extra flexibility is worth it.
¶Find a good agent. You’ll need someone who is experienced in
long-term care, Ms. Driscoll says. This might be the same insurance
agent who sold you your life and auto policy, or you may need to find
a specialist. Either way, make sure the person fully understands your
needs and is active enough to be selling at least a dozen policies a
year.
--
Howard McGowan
AGING IN PLACE MALDEN mA
I read your article in Malden Observer
As an active member of Mass Senior Action Council in Malden I have been getting interest in an "aging in place"
program for Seniors and their families in Malden.
I have been in contact with the Mayor, City Councillors and Chamber of Commerce along with our non-profits
charged with Senior service and have had some interest in proceeding.
The program envisioned is modeled after the Beacon Hill Villi age concept and you can get info at their Web Site if you have any
interest
Your input would be appreciated.
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
As an active member of Mass Senior Action Council in Malden I have been getting interest in an "aging in place"
program for Seniors and their families in Malden.
I have been in contact with the Mayor, City Councillors and Chamber of Commerce along with our non-profits
charged with Senior service and have had some interest in proceeding.
The program envisioned is modeled after the Beacon Hill Villi age concept and you can get info at their Web Site if you have any
interest
Your input would be appreciated.
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
Monday, September 8, 2008
Elderly Falls prevention
Yuk. A study in today’s NY Times reports that percentage of elderly people who fall drops by 11% if the doctor actually asks them if they are prone to falls — then takes their blood pressure lying down and standing, treats it properly, and then reduces their other medication. How ironic that the doctor who did the study notes she can’t estimate the cost of this ‘prevention’ program because it ought to be part of standard care. Exactly.
So — in the absence of standard care, falls among the elderly account for 10% of emergency room visits and 6% of hospitalizations for those 65 and older.
Thus is born the market for fall detection offerings — like Intel’s research and future product offering.
Where there’s a lack of will, there’s a way.
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