This country has gone through a significant financial crisis in the last ten years. Many of our citizens were totally unprepared for the significance of this time. Many of us have not been able to climb back to the economic level we were privileged to have before the financial downfall. Many loosed their home, the single most assets for their retirement. We have been taught 'if we worked hard we would succeed (physically and financially) in this country'. Those looking at retirement did work hard all their adult lives, only to lose their home and now are unable to work. Finding a job for those in their late 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s, is almost impossible.
Possibly due to affluence in America, many of us did not pay attention to the many resources when were told about them. Now we are in a place at a when those resources could mean the difference between having needed medication or eat. This dilemma is not due to something we ask for or did wrong before our retirement. Many people are without shelter and thus live on the street when 10 to 15 years ago they were high middle class and could go on trips or buy a new car. Those living on the street are unaware of the resources available to them.
There are resources available to us. One stop shopping is to contact our County Commissioners or visit our courthouse. Another reason for the older generation not knowing how to find the resources available is telephone books are a thing of the past. Each county has resources for helping us. Should we not want to seek out local help due to embarrassment or the inability to travel to the location? Go to our local library where there will not only help (usually in the form of a person) also most all have computers for our use at not cost. And there is help at the library to get ‘plugged in’ to the computers. Another place to get information regarding help is the local food bank. The food banks are not just a source of food, but also a place to seek guidance. A shelter in our area may be a resource for more than a warm bed out of the inclement weather. Also, houses of worship can share significant resources and many times for not only agencies but also for work within our knowledge base and community. DSHS is also a place to seek help, for instance we can file for Food Stamps, Food Vouchers. Also, they can provide immense help in the area of where to find medical care. Most if not all, communities have a clinic dedicated to providing medical help for those of us without money to pay. DSHS and the many service organization where support can be found are there for us. One part of DSHS that we may not be familiar with is called Adult Protective Services (APS). I am sure many of our generation have or had bad memories of Child Protective Services (CPS). APS was originally formed to help senior citizens. The age group now covered these agencies is by anyone 18 years or older. Their mission is to help the adult citizen who possibly is being taken advantage of or perhaps due to a short-term health issue.
There are also general and social organizations that we may not all about their scope of work. Most all of these agencies require the use of a computer (remember the library resources mentioned above). This avenue can provide us with a knock at the door of Justice in Aging housed under the larger Nation Senior Citizens Law Center. This agency is a mountain of information and help. They are very interested in our troubles and needs. They can send legal aid to help or provide answers to help. They have advocates across the country ready and willing to help. Whether, the need is rent increases, the law, and medical needs, local shelters we can stay in for more than one night and so much more. There is an establishment formed out of the Older Americans Act that can help with most every service we need by directing us to the current starting place.
Certainly, this is not all of the help we can access however it is a great starting place. We need to use our resources and to become familiar with the help they can provide. It can be very easy to miss something we find valuable to our situation.
There is still another part of this Trilogy of places to look and what answers can be found to help when a lifeline is needed. Be sure to read the next the next article in this Trilogy some specific groups of people trying to. Please feel free to ask questions, if I do not know the answer I will help you find it.
I have worked with the elderly for a number of years. During this time, I would like to have change many things. Education on resources being one - this is not considered a positive promotion of Medicare or Medicaid. So it was not picked up on and this is a way I can give back to a generation which never had to look at these topics before.
I did not see any typo's and I use two websites which check for those and grammar. Please tell me where you saw them and I will correct immediately.
Marsha
My mother had a very comfortable retirement with my father for 20 years by gradually consuming their assets (real estate) and his pension and Social Security. Unfortunately, he was in the hospital for four months, a month beyond the three month Medicare allowable limit, leaving them penniless before he died.
Fortunately, my sister had become an expert in the kinds of services you are describing that allowed my mother to stay in her apartment until she couldn't do it alone anymore about four years ago. She is now in assisted living at 91 provided for by state and county services.
There are a few typos that need to be corrected.
Ron