Aging News from South Carolina and Around the US
This service of the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging compiles news and information of interest to South Carolina's aging community, including seniors and their families, advocates, and professionals working in aging-related fields. This page will be updated frequently with aging news and commentary from a variety of different state and national sources, so please bookmark and check back often.
Recent Headlines
Retiring teachers: The final bell
As boomers age, districts prepare for wave of teacher retirements
7% of teachers eligible for retirement
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Tuesday, April 15 -A conference on “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" will be held Tuesday, May 13, at the Activity Center at Maxcy Gregg Park, Capital Senior Center Inc., 1650 Park Circle.
Conference in Clemson addresses plans for center to help seniors
Three-day conference focused on improving quality of life for seniors
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 CLEMSON UNIVERSITY — In the future, South Carolina seniors could be safe, mobile and independent longer if a venture called the Senior SMART Center of Economic Excellence is successful.
Millions of seniors still going hungry, Congress told
(Kansas City Star) March 5, 2008 -WASHINGTON - Despite privately and publicly funded food programs, hunger still plagues more than 5 million elderly Americans, Congress was told Wednesday.
Press Release: US Senate Special Committee on Aging Highlights Startling Facts on Senior Hunger
March 5th, 2008 - Washington, D.C. - In an effort to bring attention to the issue of senior hunger in America, Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), held a hearing in the Senate Special Committee on Aging today titled, “Seniors Going Hungry in America: A Call to Action and Warning for the Future.” The hearing examined the current and future trends related to senior hunger in the United States. Senator Smith serves as the committee’s Ranking Member and as the co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus.
Seniors must file tax return to get stimulus check
(Senior Journal) February 25 - IRS Helps Low-Income Senior Citizens Qualify for Economic Stimulus Payments
A special version of a Form 1040A highlights the simple, specific sections to be filled out by low-income seniors, veterans.
SC ETV offers Digital TV 101 primer
(SC ETV) February 25 - Welcome to Digital TV 101. This is a short course designed to teach you more about the exciting but sometimes byzantine world of digital TV and HDTV.
Aiken County Council Opposes Cuts to Senior Meals
(Aiken Standard) February 22 - By approving a resolution, Aiken County Council is on the record as opposing possible state budget cuts that would drastically reduce the Meals on Wheels program locally.
Media Coverage: Possible Cut to Senior Meals Program
(Associated Press) February 21 - The Lieutenant Gov.'s Office on Aging and other advocates of the meals, usually delivered five days a week, are pushing for more money, telling legislators it's far cheaper for taxpayers than the alternative.
"Spend a few dollars on the front end; save a lot of dollars on the back end. That's the conservative approach to government," Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said last week.
Report: Supplemental Senior Meals Expenditures Calendar Year 2007 - by County (pdf)
Free Tax Preparation Assistance at Libraries
(VITA and AARP) February 13 - Area residents can get free help with their taxes at several Charleston County Public Library branches through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program and AARP. Assistance will be available in Spanish at two branches: Cooper River Memorial and John's Island Regional.
Columbia Parkinson’s Support Group Reaches Out
(South Carolina Office on Aging) January 29 - An estimated 2,000,000 people in the U.S. have Parkinson's disease and this estimate is growing as Baby Boomer's reach age 60. Parkinson’s disease is an ailment affecting about 1 in 100 Americans, primarily the elderly, with the majority of patients diagnosed at 60 years of age or older. Yet, the clinical and pathological features of the disease may also occur in younger individuals...
New Senior Connections Show Airing Tuesdays at 1:30 on WACH TV
(WACH FOX 57) January 8 - Monarch Productions will introduce the first thirty-minute program targeted toward seniors and those dealing with senior issues in the Midlands, titled Senior Connections. The program, airing on WACH FOX 57 on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m., will address a host of issues ....
DSS offers new food stamp program for seniors
(Department of Social Services) January 18 - The Department of Social Services (DSS) is offering a new program to help senior citizens receive Food Stamp assistance. ...
Lieutenant Governor's Office on Aging 2008 Schedule for I-CARE & Medicare Fraud Basic Training
(South Carolina Office on Aging) January 11 - I-Care classes for Upper Savannah, Central Midlands, Santee Lynches and Appalachian ...
Candidate Who Motivates Seniors Will Win S.C. Primary -- André Bauer
(South Carolina Office on Aging) January 10 - With 80 percent of the senior vote undecided, Lieutenant Governor Andre’ Bauer says next week’s South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary is far from settled. ...
The Boomers Hit 62
(Time Magazine) January 9 - Time magazine picks up on Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's theme that presidential candidates are not addressing the senior issues ...
Applications for the South Carolina Geriatric Loan Forgiveness Program End January 22nd
(South Carolina Office on Aging) - January 8th reminder - Applications for an innovative loan forgiveness program designed to attract more doctors with specialized training in geriatric medicine to South Carolina are now available. ...
South Carolina Universities Grant Free College To Seniors
(The State) January 4 - South Carolina’s retiring baby boomers are discovering a 1970s law that allows the 60-and-older crowd to attend state college classes tuition-free. ...
Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer and the Office on Aging Announce Recipients of the 2007 Aging Awards
(Lieutenant Governor Andre' Bauer) December 31 - In a continuing effort to stimulate public perception of issues confronting our state’s 1.3 million baby boomers, the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging annually presents awards that acknowledge contributions ...
Choosing Long Term Care Placement (pdf)
A booklet put together by the Central Midlands Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
Steps to Choosing Long Term Care
Medicare's website
National Institute on Aging Creates Toolkit to Help Older Adults Find On-line Health Info
(NIH) November 27 - To broaden the numbers of older adults able to search for and find reliable health information online, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) has developed a free training curriculum for those who teach and work with older adults.
André Bauer was the keynote speaker at the Silver Haired Legislature this September 11th.
You can view the speech in its entirety and read the text of his speech Seniors: One third the vote, none of the debate ( available in .pdf format).