More and more seniors struggle to make ends meet, and wonder how they'll survive the winter freeze

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/05/through_the_cracks/

Through the cracks

More and more seniors struggle to make ends meet, and many wonder how they'll survive the winter freeze



Barbara Howes ended up hospitalized after going without her medications so she could afford to heat her apartment for her dying husband. (Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff)

By Brenda J. Buote
Globe Correspondent / October 5, 2008

Last winter, as Barbara Howes watched her beloved husband of 56 years wage a losing battle with cancer, she risked her own health to ensure his comfort. Howes, who has diabetes, went without her prescription medications to buy the oil needed to heat their apartment.

"Everything fell apart all at once," recalled Howes, 73, who had moved to Haverhill from Florida when just a teenager after falling for a local boy. She married Ernest Howes when she was 17. "We had never asked anyone for anything, but I learned my lesson the hard way - I can't go without my medications. I ended up in the hospital last year."

Patch the leaky roof or pay the rent? Buy needed medications or send the local utility company a check?

Advocates for the poor fear thousands of area seniors, crushed by the latest economic downturn, will be forced to make gut-wrenching choices this year. Already, social service agencies are being flooded with calls from frail elders who are worried about how they'll make ends meet on Social Security checks and meager savings during the cold winter months.

"We're getting hundreds of phone calls each month from seniors who need help with medical bills, heating bills, shelter, even clothing," said Rosanne DiStefano, executive director of Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc., a nonprofit agency that strives to help elders remain in their homes. The agency serves seniors in 23 communities, from Dunstable to Amesbury.

"The people we serve are not living off retirement plans," said DiStefano. "These are people who get by on Social Security and scant savings. Until now, they've managed to keep their heads above water, but as the costs of basic necessities continue to escalate, we're seeing unprecedented levels of fear and anxiety."

[snappyturtle]

1. I heard another sad situation last Sunday. I called a friend in MN

where I lived for 15 years until two years ago. We sold our almost new 3000 sq. ft. building in town to the village's Family Center. There's a food shelf there. My friend volunteers everyweek helping with the food shelf. She said she really didn't know what is going to happen there because so many of the senior citizens who need help are too proud. I'm certain heating will be a problem as this town is "up (up) north". We should know after Katrina that the government will only do as little as possible and it will be up to us to help our fellow citizens with assistance....which is fine but the gov't should be doing its part in getting fuel prices under control and general assistance to those on fixed incomes.

[CountAllVotes]

2. there was an old lady 82 years old living not far from me

I had not seen her in sometime so I walked up to her house to visit her. There was no sign of her to be seen. I went to her next door neighbor's house and inquired about her.

Seems she had taken a fall in her bathroom and couldn't get up to call anyone and was trapped. She died after several days it seems.

She had no money for Life Alert or a cell phone it seems. She was receiving a small pension and about $900.00 a month from social security.

What a hell of a way to go ...

I'm still angry at her next door neighbors for not even noticing nor seeming to care one bit.

As for me, I'll still very upset about this. :cry:

How many other old and disabled will die this winter because they don't have anyone that cares about them nor money required to live a healthy existence?

:kick:

[billyoc]

3. Thank God these people can rely on help with their heating bills from the government

of Venezuela.

:hi:

[starroute]

4. There must be some way we can organize to help

After the election there's going to be one hell of an Obama organization with time on its hands. Surely the same people who do GOTV can also get it together to check on the oldsters, make sure they're not in trouble, maybe see they get the extra food or warm clothing they're too proud to ask for.

I mean, this is a "yes we can" situation. Or, the for religious, a "what you do for the least of these you do for me" situation. We may not have the funds to meet all their needs, but we can sure as hell see they're not abandoned.

I'm not an organizer -- I wouldn't know where to start. But there are people who would, and I'd like to see some serious brainstorming about it before winter sets in.

[roguevalley]

6. people need to adopt a senior. I would. I dread winter up here. Our

gas went up 22%.

[knitter4democracy]

20. This is a great idea!

I can think of a couple of women in my church who live near me. I wonder if they can afford fireplace wood for this winter? We're set with our wood supply, but maybe they need a cord.

[Shallah Kali]

10. Do you have a state/local Agency on the Aging? they would be a good place to start

to find ways to help so you don't have to reinvent the wheel if there are existing programs. Do you have a local food pantry with a clothes closet? See if they have a food clothing drive coming up, maybe ask about getting one to collect blankets, warm clothes, electric blankets etc. Many states also have programs to weatherize the homes of the elderly and other homes caulking windows, putting up weather stripping, wrapping water pipes, etc as well that always could use volenteers.

[Two Americas]

11. yes

Important. Very important.

Thank you.

[G_j]

5. real possibility that people in America could freeze to death

http://www.whynam560.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=189062&article=4304667

GOVERNOR: PEOPLE COULD FREEZE TO DEATH
Friday, September 26, 2008

(AP) Governor Patrick says there's a real possibility that people in America could freeze to death this winter due to the soaring cost of home heating fuel. Patrick met with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation on Capitol Hill and later testified before a House panel on the need for heating aid in cold-weather states.

Patrick said the cost of heating a home -- whether by electricity, gas or oil -- is expected to cost between 20 and 31 percent more than a year ago. He said that will have an impact on many families, and not just those who are defined as low-income.

The House has approved legislation to double the government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to 5.1 billion dollars for the coming winter. According to the Associated Press, Massachusetts would receive 163 million dollars under the plan, an increase of 36 million dollars from the last fiscal year. The Senate must still sign off on the measure. Meantime, Maryann Covalanski, who runs the Springfield Fuel Assistance Program says that it will help...but even more is needed.

[roguevalley]

8. when an essential resource is being managed by someone to

maximize profit for speculators to the point where people freeze to death, that is the time to nationalize it and put people in prison.

[Shallah Kali]

13. I agree. People should not die because they can't afford over priced food, heat, and medicines

It is inhumane, unethical and anti-life. Self proclaimed Pro-Life politicians should have to wear their refusal to rein in speculation and price gouging like an albatross.

[G_j]

16. or "family values"

these people, of course, are our human family,

[Shallah Kali]

17. I believe in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things

whatever harms another harms me as well. Family values as they should have been means as you said valuing all our human family not just the ones who live with me or are of my religous, political, ethnic, cultural or other group.

No matter how much I read on psychology I cannot comprehend such appalling indifference to human suffering, how the ones who aren't sociopaths/psychopaths can identify with their own kind and fetuses but when it comes to people outside of a womb and outside of their group they could care less if we live or die. How can they shut empathy on and off like that?????

[G_j]

18. I think we're allowed to expect others to act as decent human beings

and the hypocrisy of these stances, deserves to be called out on what ii is.

I mentioned the human family, but of course, cruelty to other humans is often accompanied by a cruelty to animals.
(hi, Sarah Palin!) anti-social?

[Shallah Kali]

19. Good point about cruelty to animals which is often the first sign of dangerous mental issues

Bush with his blowing up of frogs, cheney and his canned hunting, Palin's wolf hunting. Does anyone know if McCain goes in for hunting of captive animals or other unsavory treatment of animals?

[knitter4democracy]

21. It happened last year here in Michigan.

It's a real possibility.

[Bryn]

7. I checked for COLA for 2009

(Cost of Living Adjustment) for people on Social Security. They are saying it'd be 2.4. This is tooooo little! Average raise per month would be whooping 30.00 for seniors for 2009 which is unrealistic. Should be between 7 and 9% or so.

[Shallah Kali]

9. Thanks to people like Bush America's seniors have many choices this winter

such as how to die - lack of food, lack of medication, lack of heat......

So many choices thanks to the Bush Administration and their pro-choice ideology :nuke:

American Seniors: one more group the bushites would love to drop off on the nearest melting ice floe next to the polar bears.

[Shallah Kali]

12. Bush wanted to kill heat assistance program last Feb and threatened to veto an increase last

month -

Bill would cut weatherization help
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-07-10-2695335299_x.htm

More heat on heating oil
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/09/10/more_heat_on_heating_oil/

If there really is a Hell I belive w and his cronies will be spending a good long while in the freezer section.

[Vinca]

14. The sad fact is, if nothing more is done there will be people dying

from lack of heat . . . in the United States of America. I never thought I'd see a day as shameful as this in this country.

[raccoon]

15. Well, why don't they all just move to a warmer state? :sarcasm: nt