|
Pension | Health |
Elder Rights | Rural Aging | Join
Us on Facebook!
PENSION
UNITED STATES
401(k)s
Still Fall Short as a Retirement Strategy (March 4, 2010)
Only about half the US workforce is covered by some type of
employer-sponsored retirement plan. Most of those are 401(k) plans, which
usually require employees to contribute and make investment decisions.
Moreover, the majority of Americans can't depend exclusively on pension
plans because of the substantial losses these accounts sustained during the
Great Recession. Consequently, one-third of all workers will likely end up
depending on Social Security for all of their retirement income.
WORLD
China:
Government Officials' Pensions (March 7, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
Currently, government officials' pensions are double the pensions of
private organizations and companies because of the so-called dual pension
system. In the following one to two years, the dual pension system will be
consolidated into one and the pension difference will be reflected in
annual salaries.
France:
Retirees' Standard of Living: Some Progress But Not For All (February 23, 2010)
(Article in French)
On February 24, retirees will demonstrate to demand an increase in their
pension and health care coverage. Although the standard of living of
retirees is better than it was 30 years ago, many live just above the
poverty line. The major French unions are calling for an increase in the
annual pension, it has been based on inflation rather than on salary since
1993.
HEALTH
UNITED STATES
Senate
Rejects $250 Checks for Elderly (March 4, 2010)
A White House-backed initiative to provide $250 checks to older people,
veterans, and the disabled was rejected by the Senate last week. While some
believe the Senate is turning its backs on seniors by rejecting this bill,
others see it as a superfluous measure in light of new policies that index
Social Security with inflation.
In
America's Gyms, More Than a Touch of Gray (March 3, 2010)
Island Fitness, with about 200 members, is a relatively small gym housed in
what was once a machine shop. But the 8:30 women's class and the 9:30
stretching class for older men that follows it are emblematic of a changing
dynamic at fitness clubs coast to coast. Call it the graying of the gym:
whether they have been prodded by their physicians or spurred by research
showing the many benefits of physical activity for older adults, people in
their 50s and 60s are joining gyms and jolting the workout culture.
Old
Age, From Youth's Narrow Prism (March 2, 2010)
In a poignant article, Marc E. Agronin, M.D., writes of how younger people
perceive age, and how we often forget that with older age comes new
opportunities, growth, freedom and even love. We lapse into mistaken
perceptions of old age and project our own fears concerning death. His
experiences as a doctor have shown him that in reality older people accept
their own deaths and continue to lead happy, fulfilled lives into old
age.
When
to Turn in the Car Keys: Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Helps Elders and
Children Determine Ability to Drive (March 1, 2010)
The Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has issued guidelines to help
older people determine if they need to be screened for driving safety.
Beyond the ability to drive safely, the hospital urges people to pay
attention to health concerns that underpin a decline in driving ability.
Research:
How You Think About Your Age May Affect How You Age (February 22, 2010)
A February study from Purdue University shows that how old a person feels
has an effect on his/her perception of how they function and believe they
will function in the future. The age identity of older adults is significant,
although researchers are not sure which comes first: physical wellness or
cognitive ability. The report also shows potential connections to age
perception and gender.
WORLD
Chile:
Feeling Young Increases Cognitive Abilities in the Old Age (March 8, 2010)
(Article in Spanish)
According to new research, people who feel younger than their age are more
likely to maintain their mental abilities and have a better quality of life
and health in older adulthood. The aim of the researchers was to determine
the influence of subjective and actual age in the maintenance or loss of
cognitive abilities in old age. "Self confidence is of utmost importance
to a person in old age," says University of Chile psychiatrist Eliecer
Maluenda.
China:
Do Chinese Seniors Threaten the World? (March 4, 2010)
(Article in French)
Currently, 176 million Chinese people--12.79% of the country's
population--are 60 years old and over. Four major developments explain this
phenomenon: the one-child policy; changing cultural expectations (some
young couples don't want to have kids); the celibacy of many men; and
increased life expectation. According to projections, in 20 years one-fifth
of the Chinese population will be 60 years old and over. Given this imminent
change, China will have to reform its pension system.
World:
Pfizer Alzheimer's Disease Drug Fails in Study (March 3, 2010)
(Article also available in Arabic)
A promising Alzheimer's disease drug being developed by Pfizer Inc. failed
to work in a late-stage study, a startling disappointment after initial
tests kept symptoms from worsening for a year. Pfizer and partner
Medivation Inc. said Wednesday that the experimental drug Dimebon failed to
meet its primary and secondary goals: improving thinking ability and
overall daily function over six months in patients with mild to moderate
Alzheimer's disease.
Canada:
Budget Likely to Ignore Impact of Aging Population (March 3, 2010)
In the midst of building the federal budget, Canada's legislators are
apparently ignoring the demographic "elephant in the room" of the
country's aging baby boomers. The coming demographic transition will
heavily strain federal finances, and the government will have to raise
nearly $30 billion in the next budget to keep its deficit in check.
France:
Everyday Life Accidents: Especially Older Persons (March 2, 2010)
(Article in French)
According to a study of the National Health Monitoring Institute, 18,549
people died in France in 2006 because of an everyday life accident. Among
them, two-thirds were older persons 75 years and older. The most common
causes of accidents were falls, suffocation, drowning and poisoning.
France:
Many Older Persons Have Epilepsy Without Diagnosis (March 1, 2010)
(Article in French)
Epilepsy might be the cause of the sudden and unexplained fainting that
plague many older people. Epilepsy is a serious problem; fainting can
result in bone fractures and other injuries. Most of these people are not
diagnosed and medical examinations to determine the illness are often quite
expensive.
China:
Dancing Can Make Seniors Healthy and Happy (February 20, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
Dancing has been promoted as a way to keep seniors healthy and happy, but
they need to take certain precautions to stay safe. For example, after
waking up, they should have a cup of water before trying dance movements
and it is recommended that they rest for 40 minutes after meals before they
start to dance.
ELDER RIGHTS
UNITED STATES
Nursing
Home Residents Often Sign Away Rights to Sue (March 8, 2010)
Many seniors entering nursing homes in Massachusetts are unwittingly
signing away their rights to sue the facilities in the event of neglect or
bad medical care, and officials in Washington are seeking to ban what they
see as a "hidden" practice. The seniors are being urged to sign
contracts that put disputes in the hands of arbitrators. Advocates say
vulnerable elderly patients fail to realize they are giving up their rights
to bring cases of slipshod treatment before a judge and jury.
Report
Finds 36 Died Under Assisted Suicide Law (March 4, 2010)
At least 36 terminally ill people died last year after taking lethal
medication prescribed by doctors under Washington State's new
physician-assisted suicide law, according to a state report released
Thursday, the first report since the law went into effect a year ago. The
report is based on data collected over 10 months, beginning in March 2009,
when Washington became the second state, after Oregon, to legalize
physician-assisted suicide. The laws, both passed by ballot initiatives,
allow mentally competent, terminally ill adults to obtain a doctor's
prescription for a lethal dose of medication.
Starting
Over at 55 (March 3, 2010)
More than five million Americans aged 55 or older run their own business or
are otherwise self-employed, according to the Small Business
Administration. A study by Babson College and Baruch College found that
Americans ages 55 and above started 18.9 percent of all businesses created
in 2008, compared with 10 percent in 2001. The 55-and-overs are playing a
larger role in entrepreneurship partly because the number of Americans in
that age category is rising rapidly. The Small Business Administration says
age 50 to 70 is "the perfect time to leverage experience, passions,
hobbies and resources to launch or purchase a small business."
Matching
Life Experience With New Careers (March 3, 2010)
Health navigator? Conflict coach? Pollution mitigation outreach worker?
These emerging jobs aren't household terms yet, but they are a natural fit
for older people looking for new career opportunities, said Phyllis Segal,
vice president at Civic Ventures, a nonprofit research group based in San
Francisco. "Many of today's new encore careers build on multiple work
and life experiences, so they are a good match for older adults who've
spent decades in the workplace," Ms. Segal said. To help older workers
upgrade skills for such jobs, she added, community colleges, online degree
programs and intensive workshops are expanding training and fast-track
certification programs.
WORLD
China:
National Party Congress Member Chen Wanzhi: Many Seniors at Confucius's
Hometown Have No Supporters (March 8, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
The "Xiao" culture, which emphasized the need for young people to
respect, protect and take care of seniors, lasted for thousands of years.
Now, Chen Wanzhi proposes to re-establish and legalize the traditional
"Xiao" culture.
China:
Health Talk Considered Scam by Seniors (March 8, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
Seniors at Li Village who attended an early morning health talk considered
it a scam. However, those who attended were rewarded with gifts and
encouraged to go again. The attendance at these talks has been steadily
increasing.
China:
Seniors Become Traffic Advisors (March 8, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
A group of seniors started fast walking for exercise and while they walked
they witnessed a lot of traffic accidents. After eight years of walking
(with no accidents), 500 seniors have now become civil traffic advisors.
Mexico:
The Older Adult is the Most Important Member of the Family (March 7,
2010)
(Article in Spanish)
The Department of Human and Social Development of the State of Morelos
in Mexico has launched an initiative on behalf of the older population. The
program's main objective is the insertion of older adults into the labor
force. "You have to draw on the wisdom of older adults; we must
involve them in the work life because they have much to teach current and
future generations," explained Esponda Gaxiola, General Secretary.
World:
German Retirees Help in the Development of the Developing World (March 5,
2010)
(Article in Arabic)
Anyone who thinks that the role of expert ends with retirement is mistaken.
Some Germen retired experts established a special program to share their
experiences with the developing world and especially the Arab world.
Established in 2003, the "Senior Experten Service" program is one
of the biggest programs in Germany to provide aid to companies, institutes
and official administrations in the third world.
Adygea:
The Government of Adygea Congratulates Women on Women's Day (March 5, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
On March 5th, the Government of Adygea organized a special event honoring
all women who participated in the Great Patriotic War. There are about 500
women war veterans currently living in the Republic of Adygea, and those
able to come to the celebration were personally congratulated by the
President of the Republic, Aslan Tkhakushinov. The events were held on
International Women's Day, annually celebrated on March 8.
Canada:
Protect Yourself Against Fraud (March 4, 2010)
People pretending to be relatives in trouble are targeting seniors in the
hope of catching them off-guard. Fortunately, more seniors are empowering
themselves to nip such attempts in the bud. They are learning about these
scams, as well as alerting police. Awareness of scams is growing among
older adults, empowering them to not only keep their peers informed, but
also their families. Where they might once have told their grandchildren
not to talk to strangers, the current advice might be not to give their
social security number to someone asking for it on the Facebook social
networking website.
Russia:
Triangular Shaped Envelopes for War Veterans (February 19, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
During the Great Patriotic War in Russia, all letters were triangular in
shape. Due to a shortage of paper, people were often unable to even put
their paper letters into envelopes. Now, in celebration of the war's 65th
anniversary, the Russian Postal Service has decided to make presents for
the veterans: triangular-shaped envelopes. With 1.5 million triangular
letters already produced, each veteran will be able to send three of them
to anyone in the world.
RURAL AGING
WORLD
Argentina:
Mass Gathering of Older Adults (March 8, 2010)
(Article in Spanish)
More than 200 older persons from the Patagonia region attended a mass
gathering to celebrate the success of the program "Old age in the
Coast and Mountain Range." This program was launched under the Law of
Integral Protection and Promotion of the Older Adult to promote social
tourism among the older population. The main objective is to reach out to
elderly in rural areas and help them participate in sharing games and
rides, make new friends, and experience valuable cultural and economic
resources.
|
