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I think -- and this is just a guess based on my past older family members, only one of whom is still living -- that another reason is that many older people are too proud to apply for "charity" or any kind of federal assistance. I grew up with the idea that only lazy people applied for welfare and it was shameful to do so. Now, of course, that idea is out of date, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if many older people still felt that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinkalot
That being out of date is strictly your opinion. Many people feel that way, maybe more than those who think it's ok to apply for those benefits.
I can see why you think that the bold was my opinion, but I meant that I think that is the majority view in the U.S. now. I do think that most people now think there is nothing wrong with people being on SNAP or whatever if they need extra help. That might be a wrong perception on my part -- that the majority feel that way -- but I do agree that sometimes people are poor through no fault of their own, although I do think that is not true in most cases with the young.
P.S. On Edit: I also think that there are still very many old people around who retired a long time ago and/or that some widows never earned a paycheck. If someone retired 20 years ago (or her husband did), she/they might find that Social Security doesn't cover their current expenses -- and then if one adds expensive medical and prescription expenses to that --
Last edited by katharsis; 11-17-2023 at 06:28 AM..
This article brings up the money that's available but going unused in poverty assistance programs. Many programs aren't well understood, or the process to apply is difficult for some. It's a fairly quick read and might bring up some programs that those living on low-income might find helpful.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/pers...528039c&ei=214
...
It almost sounds too far-fetched to be true. But according to research by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) millions of adults aged 65 and older struggle to pay for basic living expenses because…they aren’t enrolled in programs they actually qualify for.
The result, NCOA has found, is that millions of people are not able to take advantage of some $30 billion a year in benefits that could help them cover the cost of food, utilities, medical care, prescriptions and more.
...
Programs such as SNAP, Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs and SSI could help. Check out how to apply with your local area Council (or Agency) on Aging.
It is well known that local council on aging can help everyone with necessary applications. If you call AARP, they will either help you themselves, or give you the contact address of the local public agency that can help you. What else is needed?
Many people who need help don't know that it is available or how to access it.
When I was a striving college student living on about $40 per week after my dad died I just ate as cheaply as possible. I'll never forget waiting in the checkout line at Safeway to buy my spaghetti and dry packet of "sauce" for about $1 and observing that the people in line ahead of me were buying steak using food stamps.
I didn't know that I would have qualified for food stamps. I had never even heard of such a thing.
It is well known that local council on aging can help everyone with necessary applications. If you call AARP, they will either help you themselves, or give you the contact address of the local public agency that can help you. What else is needed?
Well known by you perhaps, but many, many people, including seniors, have never heard of the local council on aging. That's the point. They don't know what programs are out there, don't know if they are eligible, don't know how to apply, or aren't capable of navigating the application process. We need more outreach to the needy elderly (and the computer illiterate) to lead them to, and help them access, the programs that are available. If someone doesn't have a helpful, willing family member or friend then they are just screwed. Like I said earlier my disabled and uneducated mom, for one, would have not ever managed to access the things that made her life manageable after age 60. I have 4 siblings and not one of them ever even thought to investigate what she was eligible for or assist her with finding the programs and funding available to her. I doubt if they would have persisted in appealing her SSDI rejection, etc. As the article states, billions of dollars are allocated to these programs, the dollars go unspent, and yet people who are eligible are living in the streets.
Well known by you perhaps, but many, many people, including seniors, have never heard of the local council on aging. That's the point. They don't know what programs are out there, don't know if they are eligible, don't know how to apply, or aren't capable of navigating the application process. We need more outreach to the needy elderly (and the computer illiterate) to lead them to, and help them access, the programs that are available. If someone doesn't have a helpful, willing family member or friend then they are just screwed. Like I said earlier my disabled and uneducated mom, for one, would have not ever managed to access the things that made her life manageable after age 60. I have 4 siblings and not one of them ever even thought to investigate what she was eligible for or assist her with finding the programs and funding available to her. I doubt if they would have persisted in appealing her SSDI rejection, etc. As the article states, billions of dollars are allocated to these programs, the dollars go unspent, and yet people who are eligible are living in the streets.
Agreed.
I googled "Sullivan County TN Council on Aging," and I got this.
"First Tennessee" is not a common term. I've never heard of this organization. I've never seen it promoted by any local government or nonprofit that I'm aware of.
The website does provide a good amount of links to different types of services, but I can't imagine the organization is well-resourced.
Lots of help isn't generally known. I broke my leg at 22 and was resolved to pay cash at the hospital since I had no insurance. Some social worker showed up and said I was eligible for Medi-Cal. I hadn't asked; I'd never heard of it.
We had a friend that was on every assistance program possible---many we'd never heard of, like assistance to pay his heating bill.
Like another poster said, I'd never heard of food stamps until I happened to read some article about them in my 30s.
We had to get a professional to assist us getting Obamacare back then. And we just had to go to the Geek Squad, lol.
Most of this stuff is anything but intuitive, unless you're in IT or something. You guys who help your seniors deserve much praise!
Not to mention endless phone trees, never being able to speak to a live person, on hold forever....
The problem is that at a certain age, many are not capable of doing the research and all of the complicated paperwork. We had to do all of that for my mother-in-law at 80, and again for my Mom at age 88. My mother-in-law passed at age 95 in 2013 and had never touched a computer or smartphone. My Mom is now 93 and she did have a computer but only stored photos on it, and never had a smart phone. For the older seniors without family willing and able to help them, it's a difficult situation.
To say nothing of the fear of a government that the offer "I am here to help you," makes one run from the room screaming.
That is, the SSA rules incident where those who did not understand the forms were declared mentally incompetent and lost their 2A rights. Very unConstiutional and yet, it happened.
One thing I believe none of us want is a declaration against us that we are unable to look after our affairs and lose our independence.
Being at the mercy of such a bureaucracy, who wouldn't be hesitant?
When my mom was alive, she needed so much help in order to apply for the programs she was eligible for. If I hadn't helped her she wouldn't have ever gotten her SSDI (which required an appeal), SSI, or Medicare. I also got her into subsidized housing, a handicap parking pass, a handicap parking space at her building, and when she could no longer access her building (due to stairs), I helped her get a place in subsidized IL and a IHSS worker a couple times a week. The application processes were tricky and time-consuming. For those like my mom with minimal education, limited internet access, or a low tolerance for bureaucracy, it was damn near impossible.
Your mom was very blessed to have a kind, and caring daughter like you to help her in her need. Not all would bother to take the time do that, sadly.
What keeps you from stepping up to handling this for your elderly?
What makes you think that they didn't help them, besides a big assumption?
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