The Older Americans Act was passed in 1965, and provides many benefits for the elderly. One of these benefits is the Senior Citizen Center.

The Senior Citizen Center is a place for seniors to congregate and share common backgrounds. They also are mandated by law to be the Senior's resource to all other government programs. This "information and referral service" may include:

- Quality Aging Program

-Transportation Program

- Activities and socials

-Senior Companion Program

- Homemakers Home Health Aid Program

-Hospice Program

- Foster Grandparent Program

-Telephone Reassurance

- Alternative Program

-Senior Employment Program

- Retired Senior Volunteer Program -Legal Services

- Health Screening Center

- Nutrition programs, both congregate and Meals on Wheels

Many of the ideas presented at these centers have given retirees the feeling of worth and self respect. That in return, has improved their health and life satisfaction.

Medicare Basics

Recent trends have been to increase the premiums clients pay on Part B (there is no current charge for Part A, however, there has been several in Congress who believe there should be). Also the trends have been to cut the benefits, and therefore the costs, associated with the Medicare program. It is expected that retirees will need to provide more and more of their own health coverage as the next 2-3 decades come upon us.

Medicare divides up the country into regions and then studies the "average" cost of services rendered in that area. They are usually 2-3 years behind the actual cost at the time that they publish their rate tables. This leaves providers with less reimbursement for their services than they would normally charge.

In the mid '80s and attempt to keep escalating medical costs down created a new system: Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). Taking data on average hospital costs for each of many given conditions, the DRGs now specify how much ("predetermined payment") Medicare will pay your hospital for treatment of your condition when admitted.

It does not matter how long you actually stay, the hospital is paid this predetermined amount specified by the DRGs. Only one condition can be applied for per stay, so sometimes, people are being released one day and re-admitted the next under a different medical condition to allow the DRGs to keep paying. However, most patients are being "pushed out quicker and sicker."

Most Medicare supplemental policies are designed to pay all or some of Medicare's deductible and co-payments. In determining the medical services covered, remember that these policies tend to follow the same guidelines as Medicare. Medicare pays only for services deemed to be medically necessary, at rates that they set yearly. This means that most people Medicare end up paying (including deductibles) an average of 35% of the total medical bill.

Families with Elderly Members

There are no clearly defined rules in our society for the inter-relationship between generations. In some other societies, such as Japan, the "older folk" are not only honored, but the son takes great pride in how well he is able to take care of his parent's needs.

For our society, independence appears to be very important for all generations. Older people generally do not "want to be a burden" on younger generations and government, it is felt, should have only a limited role in "family matters," leaving government policy ambiguous.

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Some advice for the older relative:

An article, "What You Really Owe Your Kids", found in Money Magazine, June 1988 page 157 written by Denise M. Topolnicki should be part of any retirees reading. Some specifics mentioned in the article:

- If your adult children live with you, don't let them forget that it's your house.

- Charge live-at-home kids for room and board

- Cut the Apron strings, even if your kids are still under foot

- Set Limits

- When a child who has left home asks for subsidy, don't automatically agree

- Decide whether that artist offspring of yours is really a deadbeat dilettante

- Don't give serious amounts of money without demanding something in return

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As our society ages, more and more women are finding that they are the "default" care-givers to both their own parents as well as that of her husband's parents. This often occurs while she is still concerned about her own adult children. Termed the "Sandwich generation," this care-giver is often in retirement years herself with parents in their 80's and 90's.

Even though family ties are considered important to our society, the strain of "going it alone" in these care-giving situations can emotionally harm both the care-giver and the parent. This may well become one of the most important social problems of the early portion of the 21st century.

Due to the "graying of America," the issues of caregiving for adult family members becomes a serious future concern. By the year 2010, it is estimated that the AVERAGE U.S. family will consist of 5 generations living TOGETHER!

Consider this 600 year old story from Europe: "A lonely widower struck a bargain with his son that he would be taken care of in his old age in return for turning over his property to the son while he yet lived.

Later on, when the father became quite invalid, the daughter-in-law nagged her husband to move the old man to the barn. The son, ashamed to do it himself, required the grandson to take the old man to the barn and wrap him with a horse blanket.

The grandson tearfully obeyed his father, but tore the horse blanket and wrapped the old man in only half of it. When the boy's father discovered this, he was angry and demanded, "How could you be so cruel as to leave your grandfather in the barn to freeze with only half a blanket?" The son replied, "Father, I feel obligated to save the other half for you."

See "Adult Caregiving" http://homepages.msn.com/SpiritSt/dwightladams

 for more discussion on adult caregiving issues.

When it Goes Wrong

Elder abuse is present when there is actual or threatened harm to the individual, and the act against the person results in physical or emotional harm, a lessening of the person's quality of life, or a threat to personal property. It is generally considered to be elder abuse if the person is 65 years or older.

Abuse of the elderly comes in many forms. Physical abuse results when the act results in physical harm to the person's body. Psychological abuse occurs when the emotional well-being of the person is harmed. When the elderly person's property or assets are put in danger or exploited, this is referred to as property/asset abuse.