Boomers Embracing Fitness in Growing Numbers Says CNN

The average age of fitness club members and clients of personal trainers is on the rise - driven upward by the baby boom generation's ongoing quest for the fountain of youth, according to a story posted Monday (July 30) at cable news giant CNN's online news service.

The story, The new face of fitness is getting older, by CNN reporter David Williams outlines the both the growing awareness of the benefits of physical activity, and the change in mindset among the boomer generation that places a high value on exercise and phsical fitness.

From the story:

Today's seniors also have a much different view of fitness than their parents, said Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging.

"Exercise was actually a bad word," Milner said. "The term exercise meant hard work. It was what you did in the military or body builders did at Muscle Beach and women were told that if they did it they weren't womanly or it would hurt their reproductive organs."

Baby boomers like Jane Fonda, jogging pioneer Jim Fixx and aerobics inventor Ken Cooper helped create the modern fitness movement, according to Milner. He said 37 percent of health club members are 55 or older, and that doesn't count people who work out at retirement homes -- an area he said is exploding.

"Nine out of the 10 top builders in the U.S. are building active adult communities and they will typically put in anywhere between a 20,000- and 40,000-square-foot fitness center."

The average age of personal training clients also is going up, from 36.5 in 1998 to 42.4 in 2006, according to Robyn Stuhr of the American Council on Exercise. The council certifies fitness professionals and has partnered with the AARP to help match the group's 38 million members with personal trainers.

"Our trainers say they're starting to see more middle-age and older clients and we've actually been looking at developing more curriculum about working with those groups," she said.

Read the complete story at www.CNN.com.

New York City Program Puts Retirees to Work in City Offices

From Newsday.com

An innovative program in New York City is killing two birds with one stone - providing part-time employment opportunities for the growing ranks of retired professionals in the city and capitalizing on a relatively low-cost pool of experienced, knowledgable labor to help city programs run more efficiently, according to a story in the July 26 online edition of New York Newsday.

From the article, by Associated Press reporter Samantha Gross:

When Mort Sheinman retired in his mid-60s, he was managing editor of a major trade publication, and he'd spent more than four decades earning some well-deserved rest.

Instead, the former Women's Wear Daily manager went right back to work, ultimately taking a job that used all his professional expertise and paid him just $10 an hour.

New York City is hoping to find more ex-professionals like the 73-year-old _ people who are either unable or unwilling to return to full-time work but who want to use their skills and stay in touch with the workaday world.

The city's Department for the Aging is launching a program to bring at least 100 such participants to work on short-term projects for city agencies. With a growing number of baby boomers approaching retirement with decades of active, healthy life ahead of them, organizers say the program could serve as a model for cities around the country.

The effort is to be operated by ReServe, an organization that has been matching seniors with part-time jobs in the New York metro area since 2005. Participants, called ReServists, work about 10-15 hours a week for $10 an hour.

Read the entire article at www.Newsday.com.

Statement of Lt. Gov. André Bauer on Emma Forkner Being Named Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

“I want to thank the governor for naming Emma Forkner to be the next permanent director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Upon her arrival in South Carolina, we hope to bring to her immediate attention urgent matters regarding the crisis in Medicaid transportation. I pledge my personal support and collaboration with her, and join South Carolina’s senior community in looking forward to working with her and DHHS in resolving this issue.”

Silver Haired Legislature Holds Committee Meetings

The South Carolina Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) held their annual round of legislative committee meetings in Columbia on Thursday (July 26), working to set the agenda for their September legislative session based on input from regional caucus meetings.

Before breaking off into groups to discuss ideas for new statewide policies that would benefit seniors in areas such as consumer protection, economic security, healthcare, long term care and transportation, the group met as a body in room 101 of the Capitol Complex's Solomon Blatt building, where the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives have their offices. Lt. Governor's Office on Aging Director Curtis Loftis addressed the group, encouraging the SHL members to continue the tradition of building personal relationships with the lawmakers from their counties. Those relationships are critical on issues such as the Governor's recent veto of funding for the group, which was quickly overridden by the House and Senate.

"Almost every single House member that I spoke to [about the SHL funding issue] said they knew their SHL Rep. and had a good relationship with them," said Loftis, encouraging the new members to build on those relationships to accomplish good things for seniors.

The South Carolina senior population is steadily growing, said Loftis, moving from around 650,000 to over 722,000 in just the last six years, according to the latest census figures. Over 600 South Carolinians are centenarians. "The greying of America is happening right here."

Loftis also described the impact that one important initiative for South Carolina seniors championed by the Silver Haired Legislature in 2005 is having in other parts of the country. Recently, he said, the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging was contacted by a member of California's Senior Assembly, asking for information and background on our state's Geriatric Loan Forgiveness program. The program was established in 2005 (Adobe PDF file) to help recruit fellowship-trained specialists in geriatric medicine to the state. He encouraged the group to think about asking lawmakers for an expansion of the program next year.

"Usually people go out to California looking for the cutting edge," said Loftis. "In this case, California is coming to us."

The governor's veto of funding for the Silver Haired Legislature, along with his veto message describing the legislatively-mandated organization of volunteers as a "lobbying group" obviously made a poor impression on many of the SHL's members. When Walhalla Mayor Lamar Bailes, the newly-elected Speaker of the SHL , thanked Loftis and Lt. Governor Bauer for their help in ensuring that funding for the group was retained in the state budget, clapping and cheers were heard throughout the room. Bailes made the point that the Silver Haired Legislature is simply doing the job that is outlined for them to do in state law - advising the General Assembly on policies and issues important to the state's senior population.

"If that's lobbying, then I guess that's what we're doing," but I don't consider myself a lobbyist," said Bailes, adding that his understanding was that lobbyists were people who got paid to influence legislators on behalf of their clients. Bailes questioned whether the Governor understands the group's role.

"Thank goodness we've got one good friend [in the executive branch] in Lt. Governor Bauer," said Bailes.

After the group meeting, covered locally by WIS television, was over, the SHL members split into their respective committees to consider resolutions proposed by the regional caucuses held earlier this spring and summer. After those resolutions and ideas are winnowed down into the ones the group feels are most important, they will be compiled into a list that will be debated and prioritized when the SHL convens for their legislative meeting in September. The top priorities that come out of that legislative meeting will form the basis of the SHL's advice to lawmakers when they reconvene in January.

Changes Will Slow Down Medicare Advantage Plan Enrollment

Two changes announced earlier this week should slow down the move to convince Medicare beneficiaries to change from traditional Part A and B plans administered by the government into private "Medicare Advantage" plans operated by insurance carriers. Misleading and/or abusive marketing techniques connected to the selling of those plans has been a source of concern for both federal and state leaders.

First, a change in federal law signed by President Bush July 18 will end the "continuous open enrollment period" for most Medicare Advantage plans and beneficiaries at the end of this month (July 31). Previously, the law had allowed for current Medicare beneficaries in traditional Part A/Part B plans to switch into the privately-managed plans anytime until the end of 2008. Now the enrollment period for those plans will be limited to a set time period near the end of the year (to pick a plan for the following year's coverage), just as it is for the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage program.

Download the July 23 Bulletin from CMS (Adobe PDF file).

Second, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees the Medicare program announced that they are putting measures in place that will make it easier for indiviudals who were misled into signing up for an Advantage plan to "disenroll" and return to their previous coverage. The non-profit Medicare watchdog group "The Medicare Rights Center" hailed the move in an article in their bi-weekly electronic newsletter, Medicare Watch.

From the Medicare Watch Newsletter:

CMS: VICTIMS OF MARKETING FRAUD CAN DISENROLL FROM MA PLANS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has set up a new process designed to make it easier for individuals to disenroll from a private Medicare Advantage plan if they were misled into signing up for the plan.

The new Special Enrollment Period (SEP) process follows complaints from advocates and lawmakers about difficulties getting CMS to reinstate coverage under Original Medicare for victims of marketing misconduct, including letters by Medicare Rights Center’s executive director, Robert Hayes, to Secretary Mike Leavitt of the Department of Health and Human Services and Leslie Norwalk, former acting CMS administrator.

In its letter to Leavitt, MRC requested that CMS establish a process for retroactive reinstatement in Original Medicare and disenrollment from private Medicare plans that used fraudulent marketing techniques to enroll clients. In addition, MRC called for CMS to issue written responses to clients on disenrollment decisions and the right for consumers to appeal disenrollment decisions.

CMS asserts that it has refined the script at 800-MEDICARE to standardize the disenrollment process, and that it will begin to monitor the number and types of cases of marketing fraud in order to track the activities of individual plans and their agents. In instructions to operators at 800-Medicare, CMS defined the circumstances qualifying consumers for the Special Enrollment Period. For example, individuals who had been told that a plan was accepted by all Medicare providers in a region or that a Medicare Advantage plan was supplementary insurance (like Medigap) would be able to disenroll from their plans.

Although victims of marketing abuse already had the right to disenroll from their private Medicare plan, the new SEP process appears to be an effort by CMS to instruct its call center on how to operationalize this right. Hayes told The Tampa Tribune that CMS should make sure all people with Medicare are made aware of their right. “Every plan should be required to notify enrollees in simple language how to disenroll,” Hayes said.

Visit the Medicare Rights Center at www.medicarerights.org.

'Brain Exercise' Continuing to Grow in Popularity

The idea that older adults can help stave off Alzheimer's and Dementia using games, puzzles and other mental tasks continues to get lots of attention.

An article in the online version of Monday's Indianapolis Star newspaper, www.IndyStar.com, mentioned a recent study at Indiana University's Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders that followed a group of adults for five years after a period of "brain training" exercises.

From the article:

The ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) study, which involved 2,800 healthy seniors, reported last December that relatively short training regimens -- such as 10 sessions spread over six weeks -- significantly improved mental functioning for as long as five years.

Each type of training -- for memory, speed or reasoning -- didn't have an effect on other types, said Dr. Frederick Unverzagt, director of the Neuropsychology Clinic at IU's medical school, which helped do the study.

But, at five years, many people reported they could better perform daily chores, such as balancing their checkbook.

Experts also are excited by results released last month by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago that showed seniors who did brain exercises, read, went to museums or did other mentally stimulating activities were 2.6 times less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's.

Read the entire article at www.IndyStar.com.

'Aging Revolution' Conference to be held in Philadelphia

From press release at Business Wire.com:

Contact:
LevLane Public Relations
Holly Mantle, 215-825-9633
hmantle@levlane.com

First-Annual Aging Revolution Summit to Address a New Model for Aging Service

Senator John Glenn To Serve as Luncheon Keynote
Comptroller General of the U.S. David M. Walker Special Guest Speaker

Aging Issues and Answers #7: Tips on Reverse Mortgages
by Lt. Governor André Bauer

Aging Issues and Answers is a series of bi-monthly columns that addresses common questions encountered by staff of the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging. Numerous community newspapers statewide carry the bylined column.

AI&A #7: Tips on Reverse Mortgages is a reprint of a column that ran in June.

Question: I’m hearing a lot lately about “reverse” mortgages. What are they, and are they a good idea?

Answer: I’m not surprised that you’re hearing more and more about reverse mortgages. Even though they’ve been around in one form or another for more than 15 years, there have been a tremendous number of news stories about them recently, and more people than ever before are using them. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) reported last month that the number of reverse mortgages issued last year jumped by 77 percent - from 43,131 in 2005 to 76,351 in 2006.

What are they? In a nutshell, a reverse mortgage is a cash loan against the equity in a residential home that’s available for homeowners age 62 and older. But unlike a conventional “forward” mortgage such as the one most folks use to purchase a house, you don’t make monthly payments on the money borrowed or the interest on the loan. In fact, no payments are due on a reverse mortgage until the borrower either dies, moves out of the home, or sells it. Sounds like a great deal, right?

Well, it can be, but as you might have guessed, answering the second half of that question – “Are they a good idea?” – is a good bit more complicated. It really depends on your individual situation. Reverse mortgages aren’t inherently “good” or “bad,” they’re just tools for financial planning, and it’s important to match the right tool to the right task.

The first thing you need to know is that there are 2 basic types of reverse mortgages. Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) are insured by the FHA and are far and away the most common type. Currently, about 95% of all reverse mortgages written are HECMs. You might also have heard of reverse mortgage products developed by private lenders such as the Fannie Mae “HomeKeeper” loan and the “Cash Account” sponsored by the Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation. One thing that makes reverse mortgages attractive is the fact that, unlike conventional mortgages or a home equity loans, qualifying for one doesn’t depend on income, because borrowers don’t make monthly payments on the loan balance. Qualifying, and the amount of money you can borrow, depends on other factors instead: the estimated market value of your home, your age (or the age of the youngest homeowner such as a spouse) and the interest rate offered on the loan.

Tapping the equity in your home can provide you with the finances necessary to stay in your home as you age by providing for repairs or modifications or paying for in-home services to help you remain independent, but obviously, meeting that need has to be balanced with other long term care plans. For instance: Do you have long term care insurance that will pay the costs if you have to leave your home and go into assisted living or a nursing home? If not, how will you pay for that? It’s important to understand that the loan amount plus all accrued interest and fees will have to be paid when the house is sold. That’s money that won’t be available to pay for other needs or to be passed down to loved ones. For people who are interested in keeping a property “in the family,” that’s an important consideration, as heirs will be responsible for repaying the loan balance if they want to keep the home instead of selling it.

More Tips on researching reverse mortgages

• The loan costs and other fees associated with reverse mortgages are substantial. They can include closing costs (such as appraisals and title searches), origination fees (capped at 2% of your home value), and a mortgage insurance premium. Counseling from a government-approved third party is mandated for everyone who applies for an HECM loan, but your lender should also be willing to go over costs and answer all of your questions.

• Beware of any lender who’s pressuring you to sign up for a particular loan program or is unwilling to take the time necessary to make sure that you understand ALL the options available to you. The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) is an organization that sets best practice guidelines for people in the reverse loan industry. They strongly recommend getting independent advice from someone who isn’t going to earn a fee or commission on an annuity or other investment before making a decision to finance such a purchase with a reverse mortgage.

• Think of a reverse mortgage like making an investment. Doing some research and getting information from a trusted source are critical for making a good decision.
  
  Following are some good places to start:

• As mentioned above, the NRLMA is active in setting standards for best practices among their members. They’re also a good source of information for consumers considering a reverse mortgage who want to learn more. Check out their consumer education web site at www.reversemortgage.org.

• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also has good information about reverse mortgages for consumers on their web site at www.hud.gov/buying/rvrsmort.cfm.

• The AARP has a very informative publication called “Home Made Money A Consumer’s Guide to Reverse Mortgages” that is available from their web site at www.aarp.org/money/revmort/ (click on “Basics” on the left side of the page) or call them at 1-800-209-8085 to order a free copy by mail.

• Also, the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) has some useful booklets available for download on their website at www.ncoa.org (click on “publications” in the bar menu near the top of the page).

Boomers and Books: Libraries Looking to Retiring Boomers for Programming Changes and Volunteers

from Library Journal.com

This article about retiring boomers comes from a somewhat unlikely place, the online periodical Library Journal.com. In it, LJ writer Beth Dempsey explores who the information needs of the baby boom generation are beginning to impact and guide programming and planning for libraries. Libraries are also looking to affluent retirees as potential financial supporters and as a pool of motivated volunteers, according to the article, What Boomers Want: They're changing old age and library service with it.

From the article:

By tapping into baby boomers, libraries are reaching not only a large market (there are now more people over 50 than under) but one that is a bellwether for future generations. For instance, Generation Xers are already showing signs that they've adopted the boomers' outlook on old age. Developing new outreach and new ways of looking at services to boomers could establish library programming for generations to come.

Boomers may also be the library's prime target for fundraising, with the highest net worth of any age group, and, unlike our Depression-era parents, willing to spend—maybe on the library if we're engaged.

Engagement means a set of services, says Amy Ryan, director of the Hennepin County Library (HCL) in suburban Minneapolis, which launched a program for seniors called 55+. “It's about programs, yes, but it's also about volunteerism and partnerships with other organizations.” What libraries can provide and expect back from older patrons is likely more than they've imagined, especially when it comes to boomers.

Read the entire article at Library Journal.com.

Senate Medical Affairs Hearing Digs Deeper Into Medicaid Transportation Issue

Yesterday (July 18), the South Carolina Senate's Medical Affairs Committee held hearings on the topic of the state's Medicaid Transportation program.

Problems with the new system initiated by the State Department of Health and Human services have prompted news stories and were the focus of much of the discussion at a public hearing held by Lt. Governor André Bauer in Greenville Monday morning (July 16). Testimony from citizens and representatives of organizations involved in providing services to seniors and numerous complaints on this issue fielded in the Office on Aging prompted Lt Governor Bauer yesterday to call publicly for Governor Mark Sanford to expedite the process of naming a new permanent head of DHHS. Lt. Governor Bauer was placed in charge of the state's Aging programs by the legislature in 2005.

View video of Greenville Television station WSPA's coverage of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee Hearing.

View video of WSPA's coverage of the Greenville Public Hearing on July 16.

Read the Greenville News coverage of this issue:

Fix state's Medicaid transportation system (July 19 editorial)
Patients and taxpayers, deserve better than they're getting with this new system

Transport woes lead to calls for new chief (July 19)
Lawmakers urge Sanford to fill top vacancy at agency overseeing Medicaid

Transport system faces audit (July 18)
Department says it changed procedures to improve accountability, efficiency

Medicaid complaints prompt calls to find director (July 18)
Top senators ask Sanford to fill job immediately

Other statements and documents:

Read statement from Bobby Harrell, Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Download a copy of Lt. Governor Bauer's letter to Governor Mark Sanford. (Adobe PDF file)

Download a copy of Lt. Governor Bauer's letter to Senator Harvey Peeler, Chair of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee. (Adobe PDF file)

E-News from the U.S. Administration on Aging

A New Web Site for Senior Transportation

The National Center on Senior Transportation (NCST) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Web site at www.seniortransportation.net. Six months in development, the site offers extensive resources toward the advancement of transportation options for older adults who wish to live more independently within their communities. The Web site is the NCST's most important way of extending its information and resources to the public, including announcements, facts and tips, publications, special events, opportunities of others, and technical assistance for the aging and human service community, transit providers, and older adults and caregivers.

Based in Washington, D.C., the NCST is a partnership of Easter Seals Inc. and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Additional team members include the Community Transportation Association of America, the National Association of State Units on Aging, the American Society on Aging and the Beverly Foundation. A national steering committee helps to guide the center's work.

Bauer Asks Sanford for DHHS Leadership
Safety of Medicaid patients at Risk

Lt. Governor André Bauer today requested that Governor Mark Sanford name a permanent director of the Department of Health and Human Services to stem public concern that new Medicaid transportation policies are endangering senior citizens and people with disabilities.

“I respectfully renew my request that you act with dispatch to name a director of the Department of Health and Human Services. That vacancy, now in its fourth month, has resulted in a public perception that no one is responsible or accountable for decisions by this $4 billion agency that is placing senior citizens and people with disabilities in danger,” Lt. Gov. Bauer said in a hand-delivered letter.

Testimony presented at a public hearing held by Lt. Gov. Bauer in Greenville on Monday indicated that “this Cabinet agency has not been conscientious in resolving consumer complaints arising from its new policies on the transport of patients to and from medical appointments,” Bauer said.

He said he was pleased that the Legislative Audit Council agreed with him Tuesday morning to audit the Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid transportation contract.

Lt. Gov. Bauer said he is very concerned that families are reporting frustration at not being able to find someone within the agency who is in charge and can resolve instances of pick-up delays, missed doctor’s appointments, and elderly and disabled patients left unattended on street curbs on days with hot weather.

Several telling points were made in Greenville, he said. DHHS, which certifies that nursing home patients are physically impaired to the point that they require skilled nursing care, now requires them to be self sufficient in traveling outside the nursing home to medical appointments. “If fraud is an issue as claimed by DHHS, should that not be motivation to fill the vacant director position as well as two newly vacated deputy director posts?”

He also sent a summary of the Greenville public hearing results to Sen. Harvey Peeler, who as chair of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, will hold a public hearing in Columbia on Wednesday regarding the Medicaid transportation contract that was put in place on May 1.

Lt. Gov. Bauer stated in his letter to Senator Peeler that, for some reason, the number of Medicaid eligibles, which is a key to provider reimbursement, apparently has abruptly decreased by 30 percent in some counties. “This is among several factors that have led Councils on Aging in Laurens, Greenwood, and Pickens to terminate initial 90-day contracts with the DHHS Medicaid transportation broker, and is contributing to several other counties considering similar actions.”

Read coverage of the July 16 Public Hearing at the online edition of the The Greenville News at GreenvilleOnline.com.

Download a copy of Lt. Governor Bauer's letter to Governor Mark Sanford. (Adobe PDF file)

Download a copy of Lt. Governor Bauer's letter to Senator Harvey Peeler, Chair of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee. (Adobe PDF file)

Heat Warnings May Not Be Getting Through to Elderly

A new study from researchers at Kent State University indicates that older adults may not be paying enough attention to warnings from public health agencies or taking the appropriate actions to protect themselves from heat-related illnesses.

The study was the focus of a July 7 article distributed by Healthday.com. According th their web site, HealthDay is a division of ScoutNews, LLC, a Norwalk, Conn.-based news and information company. HealthDay is in the news syndication business. The news produced by HealthDay's journalists and editors is licensed to media companies, hospitals, clinics, group practices, managed care organizations, publishers, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

Healthday reporter Ed Edelson writes that the study, underwritten by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), surveyed people in Dayton, OH; Phoenix, AZ; Philadelphia, PA and Toronto, Canada to determine whether or not government-sponsored heat warnings were doing any good. Unfortunately, what the study found was that nealy 50% of people surveyed made little or no changes in their behavior based on the government warnings. The study was originally published in the July issue of the International Journal of Biometeorology.

From the article:

Too often, many older Americans aren't taking the protective measures that could mean the difference between life and death when heat advisories are issued, researchers say.

Of more than 900 people aged 65 years of age or over interviewed in four cities, "virtually everyone seemed to be aware when there was a heat warning -- about 90 percent," said study author Scott C. Sheridan, an associate professor of geography at Kent State University in Ohio.

"But once I started asking questions about taking the recommended actions for protection against heat, the percentages fell. Only about 70 percent said they did anything at all, and only 50 percent said they changed their behavior," Sheridan said.

That type of inaction could prove lethal, he added, since summertime heat waves have claimed more lives than hurricanes, floods or other well-publicized natural disasters.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3,442 Americans died from heat-related causes between 1999 and 2003.

In some cases, respondents to the survey were heat "tough guys." Residents of Phoenix tended to see being able to take extreme heat in stride as a point of pride. Many respondents in the other cities had trouble picturing themselves as "vulnerable," despite being in categories such as elderly or suffering from chronic disease that heat warnings are typically targeted at.

Read the entire article at www.HealthDay.com.

Charleston Woman Will Represent South Carolina's Older Workers in Washington D.C.

The non-profit organization Experience Works announced July 5 that Betty Craven of Charleston has been awarded their Outstanding Older Worker in South Carolina for 2007. She will represent South Carolina at a ceremony in Washington D.C. in October.

From the Experience Works press release:

Beverly Craven, Clerk of Charleston County Council will be honored within the state and October 3-5, 2007 in Washington, D.C., as this year’s outstanding older worker from South Carolina. The Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging sponsors the state program with Experience Works. Experience Works, the nation’s largest provider of training and employment services for older workers, recognizes outstanding older workers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The Office on Aging administers funds received through the Older Americans Act. In January 2005, they partnered with Experience Works to develop and manage programs in 33 counties for older citizens of South Carolina. The Prime Time Awards Program is the only national program annually honoring the contribution of working seniors. Now in its ninth year, the Prime Time Awards Program seeks to remove barriers to employment and lessen negative stereotypes about older workers

Craven, age 74, has worked as the Clerk of the Charleston County Council since 1988. Working more than 40 hours a week, Craven serves the nine members of the Charleston County Council and acts as their public representative. She attends all council and committee meetings, prepares agendas, takes meeting minutes and posts public notices about upcoming meetings.

“As our population continues to age, it is becoming more important than ever that businesses look to older workers to fill critical jobs,” said Billy Wooten, regional director of Experience Works. “Our Prime Time Awards Program showcases the talents of our nation’s seniors and helps us demonstrate that ability is truly ageless.”

In addition to special activities and recognition within the state, the honoree will attend the 2007 Prime Time Awards in Washington, D.C. this October. The visit will include meetings with congressional representatives, U.S. Senate and U.S. House events, and the awards banquet and ceremony on October 5th. In addition, America’s Oldest Worker will be announced at a press conference on October 3rd in Washington, D.C.

Experience Works is a charitable, community based organization focused on meeting the training and employment needs of low income seniors. Experience Works is supported by individual donations, foundations and grants. The organization reaches more than 125,000 mature individuals in all 50 states and Puerto Rico each year. Information about Experience Works and its programs can be found at www.experienceworks.org.

For more information contact Ann King with Experience Work's Southeastern Office.
(912) 756-7708
(912) 756-7739 fax
ann_king@experienceworks.org

Greenville Public Hearing Will Focus on Medicare Fraud, Medicaid Transportation Contract and Office on Aging Budget

What: Lt. Governor André Bauer will hold a public hearing in Greenville on Monday, July 16, to receive input from senior citizens and their community of service. Although open to all viewpoints and inputs, the hearing is intended primarily to gain information in four specific areas:

1) Medicare insurance marketing abuses

2) Medicaid transportation program changes and their impact on seniors and the aging network

3) Incentives to encourage more public and private home- and community-based services in light of new federal initiatives

4) Development of new four-year aging plan and the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging budget plan

When: 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon, Monday, July 16. Lt. Governor Bauer and other participants will be available to answer questions from media representatives from 12:00 until 12:30.

Where: The Greenville County Council chambers, Greenville County Square, 301 University Ridge. Directions/map are available from the Greenville County government web site, www.greenvillecounty.org.

For more information about this event, contact Frank Adams in the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging at (803) 734-9912 or (803) 622-5412.

Download the official media advisory (Adobe PDF).

Transportation Options for Seniors Expanding in City of Rock Hill

A long-awaited expansion of the dial-a-ride point-to-point transit system operated by the York County Council in rural York County will give seniors in the city of Rock Hill access to mass transit beginning in August, according to a July 10 article in the Rock Hill Herald (free registration required).

The story "Dial-a-ride aims for Aug. start," by Herald writer Matt Garfield details the struggle between City and County officials that has delayed the start up of the expanded service. York County Council on Aging Director Wendy Duda was quoted in the article.

From the article:

"You can't just start driving," said Wendy Duda, director of the York County Council on Aging. "Let's face it, a lot of people have to agree to a lot of things. When the city finally decided they wanted to do it, they had to figure out a way to go along with the county. Then, they had to get approval from the state and the feds. There's a lot of people involved."

Duda added of her agency, which will manage the service: "We're probably the quickest part of the process."

Read the entire story at the paper's web site, www.heraldonline.com.

Recommended Reading on Medicare, Other Insurance Options and Long Term Care Planning

Newsday columnist Saul Friedman used his column space in the July 7 edition of the Long Island-based daily to share three of his picks for valuable "how-to" books for boomers and seniors struggling to make sense of healthcare and long term care insurance issues.

According to Friedman, three currently available paperback titles have answers to many of the most common questions posed to him by readers of his regular column on family and relationships:

Freidman recommends:

• "Fight Your Health insurer and Win," by Laurie Todd
• "The Baby Boomer's Guide to Nursing Home Care," produced by the reputable Washington-based National Senior Citizens Law Center, and Eric Carlson, and Katharine Bau Hsiao
• "Curing Our Sick Health Care System," by Robert and Alice Gumbiner

Says Friedman:

I have little use for most of those "how to" books, because they tell me how to do things that, at my age, I would be foolish to try. Or they tell me what most of us already know, like don't eat too much. Yeah.

But I have asked for and gotten review copies of three paperbacks that I think are valuable because they deal with real issues and answer questions that are raised repeatedly in your e-mails and letters.

Read the entire column at Newsday.com.

Bank of America Acquires Major Reverse Mortgage Business in Anticipation of Boomer Retirements

Charlotte-based Bank of America announced June 29 that the financial services giant's plan - first announced in April - to acquire the Seattle Mortgage Company, a major player in the reverse mortgage field, is complete.

According to a press release on parent company Seattle Mortgage Group's web site:

Seattle Mortgage entered the reverse mortgage industry in 1995. It has a loan portfolio of 40,000 reverse mortgages, totaling over $4 billion in outstanding balances. Approximately 400 Seattle Mortgage associates will join Bank of America, including a retail sales force of more than 200 sales associates in 25 states and the District of Columbia. John Nixon, executive vice president and COO of Reverse Mortgage of America, a division of Seattle Mortgage Company and Charlie Jones, vice president of Loan Servicing, will join Bank of America and report to David Rupp.

Bank of America achieved market leadership as the nation's No. 1 home equity lender in 2006 and remains the market leader today with more than $92 billion in loans and lines of credit.

The online magazine SeniorJournal.com reported on the completion of the takeover in its July 6 edition. As the Senior Journal story noted, Bank of America is clearly interested in the millions of baby boomers now reaching retirement age, many of whom will be interested in tapping the equity in their homes to help finance their retirements.

Read the complete article on SeniorJournal.com.

Bank of America leaders were bullish on the potential of the fast-growing reverse mortgage industry.

From the BOA release:

"Today's baby boomers desire financial independence but often lack the savings to stay in their homes and fully enjoy their retirement years," said Floyd Robinson, president of Bank of America Consumer Real Estate and Insurance Services Group. "Now they can turn to Bank of America, the nation's largest consumer bank and trusted financial partner to more than 50 million consumer households, for the expertise and service capability to meet their financial needs."

"Seattle Mortgage has been the gold standard in the reverse mortgage industry. We are excited about the opportunity to now integrate their sales and service expertise with our superior distribution and delivery platform," said Colin McCormick, Reverse Mortgage Product executive.

John Nixon, formerly executive vice president and COO of Reverse Mortgage of America, is now Bank of America's reverse mortgage origination executive.

Read the complete press release announcing the closing of the deal on the Bank of America web site .

Read the April announcement of the deal on the Seattle Financial Group web site.

Federal Grant Secured for Trident-area Alzheimer’s Project

(Columbia, S.C.) Lt. Governor André Bauer announced July 5 the successful award of a $325,000 grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging to the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging that will be used to improve access to home and community-based services for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. The federally-funded project will focus on underserved rural and minority populations.

“We are looking forward to a successful partnership with the local organizations that will be partnering with us on this project,” said Lt. Governor Bauer. “Our office is committed to using every tool at our disposal to help the many South Carolina families struggling with this disease.”

The Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging will partner with the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Association, the Trident Aging Disability and Resource Center (ADRC), the Medical University of SC Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Core Research Group, and the Reid House of Christian Service to provide services to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers under the grant.

The Lt. Governor's Office on Aging would like to extend special thanks to the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association and to Carroll Campbell and Associates for their commitment to South Carolina families struggling with Alzheimer's disease and for their assistance in preparing the grant application for this project.

Download official press release from the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging.

'Smell Test' Could Predict Alzheimer's

A new study based on research done at the University of Chicago in 1997 lends strength to the idea that testing an older person's sense of smell can identify those at greater risk for Alzheimer's, according to an article in the July, 3 edition of SeniorJournal.com, the online magazine that reports on health and social issues that affect seniors.

Scientists believe that a decline in the ability to identify certain common smells (such as lemons or lilacs) could be an indicator that a person with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)such as minor memory loss could progress to Alzheimer's disease. Many people experience some level of MCI as they age, but only a small number of them - percentagewise - progress to having full-blown Alzheimer's. Identifying those cases earlier could be a key to successful treatment of the disease.

From the article:

Evidence suggests that even before the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease develop, hallmark tangles develop in certain areas of the brain that may be associated with the processing of smells. Because difficulty identifying odors is associated with other neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, other mechanisms are likely involved.

The present findings build on previous research by showing that difficulty in identifying odors predicts not only the transition from MCI to AD but also the transition from normal cognition to MCI. This latter finding is important: by the time persons meet the criteria for MCI, they are already exhibiting the primary clinical manifestation of AD, accelerated cognitive decline and the neuropathologic hallmarks of the disease, consistent with the idea that MCI is a symptom indicating the onset of AD.

The results of this and other prospective studies suggest it may be possible to identify subsets of older subjects without cognitive impairment who are at increased risk for developing MCI and AD.

Visit Senior Journal.com. to read the entire article.

Contact Office on Aging Hotline to Report Medicare Marketing Abuse

( Columbia, S.C.) Lt. Governor André Bauer would like to remind South Carolina seniors that the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging’s I-CARE (Insurance Counseling Referral for Elders) Medicare insurance counseling program can be an effective ally for seniors in stopping abusive or fraudulent marketing of private Medicare plans in South Carolina.

“Our I-CARE program staff and trained volunteers helped literally thousands of people make complex decisions about their Medicare insurance coverage during the rollout of the Part D drug benefit and the new ‘Medicare Advantage’ plans and I want to remind people that I-CARE can also be the go-to place for help for anyone who thinks they might be the victim of high pressure or even illegal sales tactics related to Medicare plan marketing,” said Lt. Governor Bauer. “We will help you get those complaints in front of the right people at Medicare or at our State Insurance Department.”

Prompted by numerous complaints about abusive marketing practices connected to Medicare Advantage private fee for service (PFFS) plans, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a voluntary moratorium last month on the selling of these plans by the seven largest insurance companies that offer them.

While anyone can make a complaint directly to Medicare or to the South Carolina Department of Insurance, the process for doing so isn’t always well understood by the general public. Reporting problems to I-CARE staff in the Lt. Governor’s Office in Columbia can help facilitate the process, as well as providing state and federal leaders with a more accurate picture of the number and type of problems that are being reported. Seniors and their families can contact the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging via a toll-free hotline to report suspected marketing abuses at 1-800-868-9095.

Download official press release from the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging.

New Online Gateway to Older Americans Act 2006 Amendments

The Administration on Aging (AoA) is pleased to announce an online AoA Gateway that houses information about the new provisions of the Older Americans Act (OAA). This Gateway will help you locate and understand the changes brought about by the OAA 2006 Amendments.

The Gateway to the OAA 2006 Amendments includes:

An outline summary of new provisions in the Act;
Statutory text for each new provision (new/revised language only); and Technical assistance resource links. Frequently asked questions will be added and updated as needed. This site also includes other valuable information and resources related to the Older Americans Act 2006 Amendments.

Visit the new online AoA Gateway.