This series of articles have provided many of the questions regarding benefits for our aging people in this country. What is also true many people do not realize Adult Resource is for anyone over the age of 18 years? These are the hand-up for Americans finding existing problems that seem insurmountable. In early 1950 if a Down’s syndrome baby was born the parents were told not to educate or bestow their hearts for the child, as they would not live long. The same applied to others diagnosed with polio, mild retardation (a term not used today) and more. Of course, we know better today, however where to turn for some of the answers to ‘what now?’
The parents caregiving and emotionally depleted are trying desperately to find resources and help for these children before the parents pass. Now we know our society, was unprepared for the life span of persons with these and many more diseases. Although Polio seems to return in some older people, for the most part, we are discussing young and middle-aged person’s who could need a hand-up. Some of this population have held down jobs and paid into Social Security; some have even run their own business and provided well for themselves while doing so. The most important part for us to remember this population will seek resources two fold, first for the children requiring a little more help, and second for those in golden years that have not been financially able to set aside funds for their retirement.
So what resources are available and more importantly how to access the necessary help? Let’s begin with a very well known resource that is tough for some proud people to swallow, Food Banks, Food Stamps from DSHS and some churches. These are benefits we have paid into and should receive. There is no shame in asking for help after all this is a resource we developed for when a need arises. And in many cases, these benefits can be accessed on-line. Therefore, we can maintain our dignity.
Another resource to keep a roof over our heads can be Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac home loans. Yes, there are many homeless people in our communities, and it seems that we may be taking from a younger person who could use these benefits more than us. We have worked hard to construct programs that will help us. There are two lifelines we send to the people in our community. (1) These benefits are not as good or as well formed into an advantage they have been taught to believe. And (2) there is a fissure dividing two or more cultures within our communities. Now I am not going to get into racial division, physical division, education divisions and alike. If we are talking about basic human needs, we must recognize the need and the solution.
There is nothing to say regarding medical help; as of this date every person can get medical help for our citizens of the U.S. Our view of who can and who can’t take part in the use of these benefits is changing day to day. Again the resource for finding medical help is DSHS and you can be enrolled for help or seek out your Union is employed and being given 30-35 hours so that those owning the company will not have to pay for health care.
How to pay for prescriptions and still have food in our cabinet, we did discuss how to access medical help. There are more and more of us finding a g the ability to manage health needs between the food and the medical care necessary. Should our exam is paid for by our medical insurance. What should we do, as our diagnosis must then have the pharmaceutical interventions not that is not covered? Should this not hold true , we need to begin a dialog with the pharmaceutical company. We sometimes forget people run these companies just like us. They are allowed to help people with extraordinary prescription costs. The same applies to durable medical equipment we may need. And another resource is our local. Cancer Organizations who frequently have or know of someone who has the equipment to donate.
If we still cannot find the essential benefit we are looking for, there are two fail-safe ways to get help. Our local hospitals are a wealth of information and can frequently help us find resources unique to our locale. And our local AOA (Agency on Aging) funded by the Older Americans Act, is tasked with providing assistance for those in need. AOA does not provide money; rather it is to connect people with specific agencies in every county. One such agency (on a national level) is the NSCLC (National Senior Citizens Law Center (www.NSCLC.gov) and under that is Justice in Aging. This agency has or wants to have Advocates available to help us. They are the Balance to our checks and balances.
Finally, I hope this has helped some with the overwhelming tasks for us at this time in America. There are so many resource agencies out there it is impossible to list them all.
