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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
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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.
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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.
They definitely need to increase the amount of savings you can have to qualify for services. I hope the bill passes. The article is depressing. The government needs to do a better job of outreach and informing seniors of what’s available.
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.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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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.
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.
As said, the big issue for Silents and even some older Boomers is just a lack of understanding of modern tech.
I had bloodwork done at a PCP last month. I got a lab report in my email. There was no interpretation of this stuff. I found a clinical summary document from the physician buried in another web portal. No one called. My grandmother and probably my mother wouldn't have known what to do.
There are a lot of government programs that are effectively buried in back pages or on websites where most people won't know where to look.
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.
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.
As said, the big issue for Silents and even some older Boomers is just a lack of understanding of modern tech.
I had bloodwork done at a PCP last month. I got a lab report in my email. There was no interpretation of this stuff. I found a clinical summary document from the physician buried in another web portal. No one called. My grandmother and probably my mother wouldn't have known what to do.
There are a lot of government programs that are effectively buried in back pages or on websites where most people won't know where to look.
What keeps you from stepping up to handling this for your elderly?
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.
More often than you might imagine, many don't even have family members able to navigate the application processes.
Unless they can find a social worker at the Salvation Army or somewhere to help them sort through things, they are out of luck.
Even sophisticated elders with the necessary cognitive and computer skills often hire geriatric social workers and care managers, people who specialize in navigating this world, to help them figure out what options they have available.
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