Medicare Debate Needs Grown-Ups

Can we talk about the politics of fear for a moment? I really don’t like to get into the political stuff very much. But this is getting out of hand already, and I just have to say bring it up. Here goes. It’s hard to believe that just a few short months ago, everyone was talking about civility. Because right now, in the middle of a huge financial crisis, where our elected public servants are trying to figure out how to avoid national bankruptcy, people are starting to accuse others of really ridiculous things. It’s almost cartoonish.

Here’s what I’m referring to. The new chairwoman of theDemocratic National Committee Debbie Wasserman-Schultz said that Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal would “literally be a death trap for seniors.”

This remdins me of a routine by comedian Brian Regan. He was talking about how politicians make the most outrageous claims against eachother. For example, Regan saw a local political ad where one candidate accused his opponent of wanting to taser seven year olds. Ridiculous. The accused candidate scoffed that he had signed a bill talking about disarming a person with a weapon by tasing them. That included a teenager or even a child who was about to do serious damage with a weapon. The commercial was completely insane.

And this is insane, too. Are we really to believe that Paul Ryan and his republican colleagues hate senior citizens and want to kill them? Ridiculous. But the scare tactics always seem to come up when the budget is being discussed. Fifteen years ago, it was widely reported that one party wanted to “starve children” at school. And Ed Asner came on strong shortly after that with the then current tactics to frighten senior citizens into voting for his man.

I know, I know. Both sides do it. Neither one should. Let’s face it: whether you agree with his plan or disagree, it is clear Rep. Ryan is attempting to do something that, at least in his mind and the minds of his colleagues, will save the financial future of this nation. Entitlement programs cost this nation trillions of dollars, and they need to be restructured. That includes Medicare and Medicaid. His proposal would allow states to accept block funds for the programs and use them at their own local discretion, essentially.

Now, the chairwoman apparently disagrees. Fine. You don’t like his budget proposal. But don’t call it a “literal death trap” for seniors. I’m sure Rep. Paul Ryan has parents and grandparents. I’m sure he likes elderly folks just fine. And I’m sure he would like to be one in twenty years. So, just to play it safe, I’m guessing he does not want to kill seniors any more than he wants to tase seven year olds.

I think we all need to grow up a little. Seriously. Ryan could easily counter that if the nation does not cut back on its spending, then Medicare and Medicaid will collapse in a few short years, and there will not be any money available for seniors in nursing homes. And that would be an even bigger “death trap.” Yes, everyone can play this game…

Anyway, I am just tired of it. I am tired of the political roller coaster. I’m tired of people pandering so much to groups. I’m tired of fear tactics. Medicare, Medicaid, and other elder care services have to be reformed somehow if they are going to stay afloat. Maybe Ryan’s budget goes about it all wrong. Maybe he’s cutting too much too fast. If that’s what you think, that’s what you should say.

But don’t try to scare seniors into action. It’s insulting to your opponent, and condescending to seniors who rely on those funds and want them to be there for their grandchildren.

Betty White & Age Discrimination in Hollywood

Nine years ago, Doris Roberts, the celebrated actress who was then co-starring on the hit sit com “Everybody Loves Raymond” went before a Senate Special Committee on Aging. Her testimony was pointed. She did not mince words when describing what she considered to be a workplace that had no use for women over the age of 40. She talked about how difficult it was for many of her peers, who were incredibly talented actresses, and whose talent had not diminished over the years, but who were now unable to land a job in Hollywood. She said there were four times as many jobs for women under 40 as those over 40. Roberts had been lucky enough to land a role as a grandmother on her show, but most others, she said, were not that lucky. Hollywood, she said, really didn’t care for elders very much.

It was one of the beginning ripples of the Age Discrimination battle that rolled through the first decade of the twenty-first century. It continued all the way through early 2010, when Hollywood writers over forty won a $70 Million class action lawsuit against the studios for age discrimination. This was ironic, especially considering Hollywood’s self-righteous attitude that it is too grown up for such problems. In reality, the film and television industry has perpetuated this problem for decades.

Age discrimination is not a new issue, and it is not over by any means. And it certainly is not confined to Hollywood. When a person becomes a senior citizen especially, they can often have a very hard time holding on to or finding a job. You might remember that airline flight attendants were accused of this years ago, and just about every field as well.

Thankfully, the storm against Hollywood over the past decade might have done its job. Today, people are aware of the issue, and there is a lot of sympathy that comes toward the aging workforce who is so often “easily” replaced by executives looking for a younger image.

One really bright example is Betty White, who, it has just been learned, will host her own prank show on NBC.

White has been a star for decades, even before Golden Girls. But her legend grew even more last year when she starred in what was probably the most popular TV commercial during the Super Bowl, and then become a viral hero. Facebook users across the nation began a campaign to draft White to host an episode of Saturday Night Live. She was 88 years old at the time! And somehow, the internet campaign won over the NBC executives, and she hosted a show in May. The result? Huge ratings. It was said to be the best show of the season.

Since then, Betty has become a hero not only for senior citizens, but for young people who think she is “super cool.” Who would have guessed?

So it’s no surprise that NBC just announced the plans for its new show. White will host it, and it will be a sort of hidden camera practical joke kind of show, but it will feature and star senior citizens. Think of “Punk’d” with older folks. They might be doing all kinds of things, like acting senile to embarrass the younger crowd, etc. This concept has worked well in TV shows in Europe, and NBC is betting that with White’s star power, it can be a hit here as well. I guess we will have to wait and see…

So. Is Betty White’s latest rise a signal that we are beyond the age discrimination problem? Probably not. Just as with racism, sexism, and every other negative trend in our society, there will always be those who will look at a person’s age and attach all sorts of negative characteristics to them on that basis alone. But that is an issue for individual character. Perhaps the issue has been talked about so much that it is officially stigmatized. Or maybe it’s just that America’s population is aging rapidly now, and everybody wants to be sure that they can be included in society well into their later years.

Who knows.

But one thing is for sure: Doris Roberts must be proud.

Helping Seniors Start a New Chapter

Our philosophy on elder care is simple: we don’t just think it’s enough to just care for elders’ health and housing needs. We think they ought to be treasured. They have inherent value. Always have. And the fact that they cannot “contribute” to society at the same level they used to is of no concern of ours whatsoever. A person’s value is not measured by their contributions. It is built it, and it cannot be taken away.

That is why this idea makes me so happy. Recently, the Marquis Home Health company began something called the “New Chapters Program.” It seems to be rooted in this value system. Seniors should not simply be taken care of, they should be listened to. They still have hopes and dreams. They have things they are passionate about. And far too often, they believe that all of these are out of reach. The New Chapter Program sets this notion straight.

This program is initiated by the employees of Marquis Home Health. Employees listen to their patients, trying to understand what makes them tick. And when they are able, they try to step in and help them “turn a page” in their life. To start a new chapter in their life.

For instance, there was one man who used to love skiing. It was a major part of of his growing up. But today, he lives in an Oregon assisted living community, and he has multiple sclerosis. So obvkously, skiing is out of the question, right?

Wrong.

The good folks at Marquis Home Health helped him take to the slopes again, even in his condition. Here is a picture:

This particular story can be found here at an Oregon news site.

Another woman wanted to turn a page in her life by getting into the digital age. Marquis bought her a laptop. She was overjoyed!

Don’t mistake this program for a version of the “Make a Wish” program. These residents aren’t dying. They simply want to begin a new phase of life. And the program validates their wishes. And by doing this, they show how much they value these seniors.

We think that’s awesome.

Helping Seniors Avoid Getting Scammed

My grandparents live near Victoria, British Columbia. They had a gorgeous backyard, which he kept meticulously gardened. He had rows of perfectly landscaped flowers, a perfect vegetable garden, and captivating koi ponds. Best of all, the house had an ocean view. It was awesome.

But when my grandpa got into his 80′s, he was no longer able to deal with the constant upkeep of the lot, so he decided it was time to sell it. This was understandable.

When he put the place on the market, he began visiting with potential buyers. And he wanted a deal done quickly. Too quickly.

Fast forward to today. My grandparents are now living in an assisted living facility–a nice place–and no longer own the home. But they are far, far less off than they would have been had my grandpa asked one of his kids for help. The deal that was offered was pathetic. The house is now gone, and his yard is crowded with multiple houses. The buyer probably got the lot for half of what it was worth.

My uncles to this day are furious. But what could they do? It wasn’t illegal. It was just a matter of a young, slick business man taking advantage of a senior citizen who was in over his head.

How can we help our parents and grandparents avoid this kind of thing? How can we keep them from making bad deals, or from sending money to a dubious organization? How can we protect them from getting scammed? Because 20 percent of scams are inflicted on seniors, and those are just the ones that they REALIZE were scams. The numbers are much worse than they look.

Here’s a start: Keep them on speed dial. Stay in contact with them. Daily. Encourage them to NEVER give money to a group, or to make any type of financial deal without talking with you first. It might sound patronizing at first, but surely you can help them see that the world is changing. Fast. And you can help make sure they don’t get scammed in the process.

Because we care for elders. They are family. And they are worth it.

Elder Care Services at Tax Time

There’s a new article from Elderly Care Services. It talks about the difficulties of preparing taxes for seniors, but highlights a couple of quick ideas that can help. It bears repeating and elaboration here.

Caregivers should know, first of all, whether they can claim their aging loved one as a dependent on their return. This would require that their loved one is unable to care for himself, and that he lives in their house and is under their 24 hour care. There are other stipulations obviously, but they are worth looking into for any caregiver. Why? Because the potential tax return could be worth it. Caregivers incur a lot of expenses that normal people do not. Oftentimes, many of those expenses can be claimed on their return. Caregivers really ought to look into this possibility.

Second, the article advises seniors who plan to file independently to seek out help from a tax aide volunteer. Many volunteers help out with the AARP Tax Aide program. This begins at the start of February, and it is free of charge, since most senior returns are relatively straight forward. More complex filers might have to hire out professional tax counselors instead.

Anyway, the over all point is this: taxes are not fun, but there is relief out there. Relief for the filer and for the family!

To find elder care services in your area, click the A Place For Mom banner to the right!

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