Gov. Crist well thought of?

[beachmouse]

I used to work in the aging field. I know how badly some people need those services. It just seemed like 30ashopper tried to present that population as a group that wasn't getting the huge $$$ of federal and state services that it does.

 

[idlewind]

I would rather give money to needy senior citizens than give it to fat cats flying jets around.:angry:

 

[Matt J]

I would rather give money to needy senior citizens than give it to fat cats flying jets around.:angry:

Can we stay on subject? Not one major car company executive flew through Florida air space.

 

[Matt J]

Maybe they vote that way because they didn't have federally funded services like this and did just fine on their own? They have far more experience at this than we do, maybe they know what their doing?

Hmm, I have to disagree based on what my grandfather did. He was a child of the depression and served his country during World War II. He received not only a social security check, but a military pension, and a pension from Ma Bell. He worked his entire life and paid into social security his entire life. He despised his brother who worked under the table his entire life and still collected social security. Since he was more than comfortable and the government wouldn't take back his social security check (he actually tried). He donated the entire thing to charity every single month and included a stipulation in his will that my grandmother donate any survivor benefits to charity as well.

I asked him when I was younger why he did this. He told me that it made him ill to collect it as he didn't need it and felt that the money could be used better elsewhere. He also told me to start saving as I would probably never receive a social security check.

My point is that anytime you even mention the idea of cutting or adjusting social security benefits the people who receive them come out in droves to protest. I'm not saying that they don't all need them, but I can guarantee you that the majority of those receiving social security benefits would survive just fine without them. They would rather see children go without immunizations or unable to read than give up their Viagra prescription. That to me is disgusting and deserves no respect.

 

[idlewind]

Can we stay on subject? Not one major car company executive flew through Florida air space.

It was a metaphor, lighten up before you have a coronary.

 

[idlewind]

Hmm, I have to disagree based on what my grandfather did. He was a child of the depression and served his country during World War II. He received not only a social security check, but a military pension, and a pension from Ma Bell. He worked his entire life and paid into social security his entire life. He despised his brother who worked under the table his entire life and still collected social security. Since he was more than comfortable and the government wouldn't take back his social security check (he actually tried). He donated the entire thing to charity every single month and included a stipulation in his will that my grandmother donate any survivor benefits to charity as well.

I asked him when I was younger why he did this. He told me that it made him ill to collect it as he didn't need it and felt that the money could be used better elsewhere. He also told me to start saving as I would probably never receive a social security check.

My point is that anytime you even mention the idea of cutting or adjusting social security benefits the people who receive them come out in droves to protest. I'm not saying that they don't all need them, but I can guarantee you that the majority of those receiving social security benefits would survive just fine without them. They would rather see children go without immunizations or unable to read than give up their Viagra prescription. That to me is disgusting and deserves no respect.

I will probably never see a penny of SS money, but if it is there when I get there, I will take every dime of it. Why? Because I paid for it. Since I was 14 the government has been taking money from my check as a "contribution" to my social security. That is not a handout, it is a return.

I am in favor of some form of privatization, but I oppose using one penny of that money for other government programs. Those should be paid for with income tax receipts.

 

[Andy A]

What, like the social security payments that end up being far more than what they payed into the system, or the medicare/medicaid benefits they get that everyone under the age of 60 heavily heavily subsidizes? Or all the services provided under the Older Americans Act?

I suggest you remember who put all these programs in place. And in case you don't know, many of us contributed greatly to the quality of life you now enjoy and berate the "the elderly" for having done so. Your generation needs to grow up and contribute to the good of this country without whining about how badly they are put upon. I could say a lot more but by now I am sure you get my drift.

 

[beachmouse]

Duuude, you have no idea of who I am or what I've done, and I'm feeling insulted at what you're saying here.

As for seniors and services, so much of it comes down to knowing how to play the system. There's a financial planner in these parts who runs tv ads about how seniors can game the system to max out on getting medicare/medicaid benefits while still passing on a sizeable estate to their kids.

When they game the system like that, they aren't hurting me or my generation. They're hurting the other people their age who don't have the resources that affulent seniors do, and who are facing the same sorts of end of life health difficulties.

I used to run a Medicaid waiver program that helped seniors stay in familiar housing instead of going into nursing home care. The waiting list to get services was long enough that only about 1/3 made it off the waiting list. 1/3 died while on the waiting list, and the last 1/3 got moved to nursing home care anyways when maybe all they needed was a steady supply of Depends and a home health aide to come in for six hours a week. (different funding source for nursing home care that couldn't be shifted to home health)

It actively angers me to hear the 'shield your estate' ads because the seniors who could afford to pay for their own end of life ads aren't taking money away from me. They're taking money directly away from the little old lady right now on oxygen living in a singlewide on $600 a month in social security who really could use the services that come from the same pool as the estate-shielders who are there in her place.

If I could take you on some of my old meals on wheels routes, you'd come away actively angry too.

 

[Bob Wells]

Beachmouse and AndyA
Gov. Crist cut funding for in home care here in the State, in doing so there will be the likelyhood of more folks entering nursing home care. I find that funny because it will cost more for nursing home care than home assistance. The State I believe have cut reimbursements to provider from medicaid. This will increase cost to the taxpayer somehow. As patient are seen in the ER instead of being able to go to their primary care physician. The cost will increase for those services we use and will be passed on. Such is the system we live. We cut from those that can least afford it and the society will pay for it one way or another.
There was a time in our society that families took care of their parents or ages family members, now they place them in a nursing home and won't even come and get them when they are in the hospital.

 

[beachmouse]

Aw heck, might as well continue the thread drift.

Both family structures and the needs of the elderly have changed a lot over the past 50 years. It's common for people to move far away from hometown and family in their 20s these days, and that causes problems down the line. My parents still live in Michigan. I'm here. My sister is currently in Georgia and has a career that will see her moving around the country every couple of years.

I can't move back to Michigan to care for an elderly parent. Job market's even worse up there. They wouldn't want to move in with me. Other than the part of us driving each other nuts after a couple of weeks, they're knit strongly into the community up north- friends, extended family, doctors, churches, etc. and they don't want to have to give that all up and start somewhere again.

And from a science and health care standpoint, we now are able to keep frail elderly alive much longer and while they have conditions that would have killed quickly in an earlier age, whether it's cancer or Alzheimer's or any number of heart or lung conditions. It's entirely different to let Grandma move into your house for the last two years of her life than to have her move in for a twenty year commitment.

And I will never ever think ill of an Alzheimer's caregiver who burns out and just can't take it anymore. It's one of the hardest things you can ask a person to do.