Did you know that 7918 have turned 60 every day since January 2006?

In Northern Kentucky there are 57,000 older adults age 60+ in an eight county region.

In the next 17 years the senior population is expected to double.

As a constituent, your lawmakers and political appointees know that you are the key to their future and understanding of issues that are important to you. Find out what you can do to affect policy on Social Security, Medicare health care reform and other senior related issues. Urge Congress to support a National Health policy to insure affordable, accessible health care for the elderly, and we need to urge Congress to pass the Older Americans Act Reauthorization.

ACTION ALERT! Urge your senator to approve OAA funding.

The senate will soon consider the appropriations bill that includes funding for the Older Americans Act (and many other human needs programs.)

The Labor HHS-Education bill is one Congress's annual appropriations bills. NCOA is generally pleased with the Senate committee's work on this year's bill, and urges the Senate to pass it. The bill provides important increases in several OAA lines, including nutrition and "Choices for Independence." The House has already passed its version of the bill, with somewhat different numbers. After the Senate passes its bill, the two chambers will resolve their differences, which is not expected to be difficult.

The President has already threatened to veto this bill, because he is unhappy that Congress will spend more money than he wants. Our goal is to get a strong vote in the Senate, so that the President will be persuaded to withhold his threatened veto

UPDATE October 17, 2006

President George W. Bush signed the Older Americans Act (HR6197) into law on October 17, 2006.

Tell Our Senators No More Harmful Cuts & Changes to Medicaid/Medicare and Other Social Programs
Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security Commission: The bill creates a commission to look at the long-term “solvency” of these programs. To reach “solvency” under this bill, Congress would have to slash Medicaid by 22 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2042.

Speak Out to Support the Elder Justice Act

Although the number of older Americans is growing, the problems of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation have long been invisible and are among the most serious issues facing millions of families.  The U.S. Elder Justice Act (S.333 and H.R. 2490) would give important federal recognition to these issues and provide federal resources to support state and community efforts dedicated to fighting elder abuse.

HOW YOU CAN HELP