ANYONE can be a victim of elder abuse

So many important issues this week, I could post five times one rights after another...but let me start with this.

Child Star Mickey Rooney Testifies Before Congress As Victim of Elder Abuse

March 2, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. At a hearing held today the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Aging focused on the issue of abuse of the elderly in America. The hearing, called  "Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation,"   was held on Capitol Hill.

Several members of the Select Committee from New England spoke at the hearing. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, said that "combatting elder abuse should be a national priority. It is no longer justt a family responsibiltiiy."

Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called elder abuse a "hidden scourge in our society." "All too often," Blumenthal said, "it is hidden and denied. It is upreported because people are embarassed and ashamed. But these are crimes, and they should be reported. It is unacceptable inour society that we allow so many elders to be victims in our society."

The Committee's lead off witness was child film star Mickey Rooney, 91, who told the committe: "Unfortunately, I'm testifying not just as a concerend citizen, but as a victim of elder abuse. Rooney told the Senate Committee he was financially exploited, that his resources were "stolen from me by someone close, a family member... I was unable to avoid becoming a victim of elder abuse. You feel scared and disappointed, and can't believe it's happening to you. You feel overwhelmed. You're afraid about criticism from your family and friends."

Rooney said he suffered "emotional blackmail" as part of his abuse. He said he was told that his financial matters "were none of his business." "It came out of nowhere," Rooney said. "It started with something small, but it was rather sinister. For years I suffered silently. I was told to shut up and be quiet: you don't know what you're talking about."

"It's important for me to tell my story," Rooney explained, "especially to those seniors who suffer in silence."

"You are not alone," Rooney said, addressing seniors directly, "and you have nothing to be ashamed of. You deserve better. You deserve the right to control your life. To end the cycle of abuse, not to allow yourself to be silenced. Tell your story.  Above all, have hope and faith."

"If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone," Rooney concluded. "Stop this abuse of elders now. Say its a crime, and we will not allow it in the United States."

Rooney urged the committee to pass legislation sponsored by Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin , the "Elder Abuse Victims Act."

Massachusetts has had an elder abuse reporting law for 27 years, but national studies show that for every one case of abuse reported, another 24 go unreported. Every day in Massachusetts, another 54 reports of elder abuse are filed. The problem of elder abuse was called  "a silent pandemic" at a Beacon Hill hearing on February 16th.  Elder advocates say funding for protective services was cut back to 2008 levels. The Commonwealth spends 31 times more on child abuse and domestic violence services than on services to alleviate violence against seniors.

FOR MORE BACKGROUND: AL NORMAN, MASS HOME CARE 978-502-3794 CELL.

Health care? What health care?

Aron Goldman of the Springfield Institute did this video of one of our founding members, who was back in Springfield for a few months after a 20 year absence.

Tell me what level of frustration you would be feeling if you had to go through what Hollee did.

UPDATE on January 25: Wish I could say something more positive about Hollee's situation, but I can't.  The good new I can share, however, is that the Caring Health Center is once again accepting new patients.  Hollee tried to get an appointment during the two months when the center was understaffed, and the center had to prioritize their 14,000 existing patients over new patients. 

Health centers across the state are struggling with funding, and they deserve our support as a community.

Hidden pockets of elderly said to be in poverty

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Writer Hope Yen, Associated Press Writer – 16 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living.
The National Academy of Science's formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over at 18.6 percent, or 6.8 million people, compared with 9.7 percent, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure. The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account of rising costs of medical care and other factors.
Read more at:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090904/ap_on_bi_ge/us_older_americans_poverty


photo from: flickr.com

Neal still waffling on health care

A hundred people showed up yesterday for a rally at Congressman Richard E. Neal's Springfield office on State St. We were there to see if we could win Neal's support for HR 676, The United States National Health Insurance Act.

Many groups have met with Cong. Neal to ask him to support HR676. He just keeps putting off a real answer. Yesterday he released the following statement:

“Since President Obama’s election, I have pledged to work with him to reform America’s health care system. I share his goals that comprehensive health care reform must be affordable, provide coverage options for every American and guarantee quality care. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, one of three committees in the U.S. House that has jurisdiction over health care, I am committed to passing real health care reform legislation this year. On numerous occasions, I have spoken with the White House and officials in the Obama administration about the importance of passing health care reform during the 111th session of Congress. I know they share my view that the American people cannot afford to wait any longer. As the debate in Congress resumes, I look forward to continuing my work with President Obama and the leadership in Congress to make health care affordable and accessible for every American.”

Well, blah, blah, blah.

Two days before the rally, a member of the Western Mass. Single Payer Network had a conversation with Neal's legislative aide Bill Powers about HR 676. The gist of it went like this:

• Rep. Neal has already met with 2-3 groups regarding his stance on healthcare, and can't keep spending time meeting with groups over this single issue.
• • Neal's position on health care is not clearly articulated in any public place and cannot be articulated without a "longer conversation" but unfortunatelty Neal is not available to meet on this topic for at least a month-and-a-half or two months in the future.
• • When asked whether Neal supports HR 676 or not, Powers stated that Neal takes issue with how HR 676 is written, but does not necessarily object to HR676. Again, his position on HR676 requires a "more lengthy discussion".

Could Neal's lack of support for HR 676 be linked to the fact that his top contributer category is insurance companies? That's not the case for any of the other 13 U.S. Senators and Representatives in Massachusetts.

Unfortunately it seems as if President Obama has yet to come around to supporting a true single payer plan. His current proposal gives too much power to insurance companies. A good fact check on his plan can be found at PolitiFact. A real problem is that his plan mimics the Massachusetts model. Yesterday's Boston Globe sees the state's health care costs spiraling out of control, waits for doctors increasing, and costs keeping patients from accessing prescription drugs and doctors.

It's not too late to win HR676, but we have our work cut out for us.

Photos: President of Arise Don James, Shirley McCready and John Bennett from Mass. Senior Action, Liz Bewsee from Arise and Ashley from OutNow, Arky Markham from Western Mass. Single Payer Network, Sadie Centeno and Vanessa Rivera from Arise, State rep. Ben Swan, City Council candidate Norm Oliver.

Homelessness, heating oil, health care: Bad news just keeps on coming

Don't look at the Boston Globe this morning if you don't want to be depressed.

Heating oil: Citgo Petroleum Corp., a Venezuelan oil company, will no longer be making donations of oil to Citizens Energy Corp, a non-profit which has provided heating oil at reduced cost to low-income people and Native American communities in 23 states. Declining oil prices-- which means declining profit-- is cited as the chief reason.

Homelessness: The number of homeless families living in shelters or motels in Boston has jumped 22 percent in one year. (I imagine it's similar across the state.) Reason? "For families, it's really about insufficient income to afford a place to live," said Jim Greene, director of the city's Emergency Shelter Commission. "Family homelessness is caused by the divide between people's incomes and housing costs, and when the gap is too great the problem gets worse."

Health Care: Increasing health care costs around the state are jeopardizing the state's new mandated health insurance plan. Meanwhile, Tufts Medical Center in Boston has announced it will no longer accept Blue Cross/Blue Sheild health insurance because the reimbursement rates from the insurer are too low for the medical center to operate efficiantly. A sign of things to come?