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Senior Benefit Services Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Senior Benefit Services. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
1. Seniors
from:Seniors: The changing face of demographics
The word seniors refers to persons over a certain age, however, in many cultures, seniors are age sixty-five and over. This is normally referred to as old age chiefly because it is the age of retirement. There are many other terms used for persons over sixty-five, such as, golden age-r, oldster, baby boomer and retiree. Whatever name they are known by, seniors are valuable contributing members of society.
To illustrate this point, just take a look at many advertisements today and you will see many are geared towards seniors. The beauty market has recognized the purchasing power of seniors and is marketing some products directly to them. The anti-aging skin care market is now big business as advertisers realize that this vast market was previously untapped.
Statistics indicate that there will be more Americans aged fifty and over by 2010 than there will be young people under eighteen. Current statistics show seniors as making up 12.1 percent of the American population. The main reason for this increase in seniors is the ever improving life expectancy of the average American. Not surprisingly, the world’s aging population in general is also increasing as life expectancy increases as well. The increase in the number of seniors can largely be attributed to improved health care which helps to prolong life. With this increase many new needs are arising, not only among seniors themselves, but society as a whole.
For seniors, there is the need to keep fit and active, to find suitable housing if it becomes necessary to move, and for others the issue is finding new employment. Society on the other hand has to ensure that proper social services specific to the needs of the elderly are available. This is especially important as seniors have needs particular to their age.
Health care and access to affordable drugs are important issues to seniors. Related to this is the difficulty most seniors face in getting affordable health insurance. It is a fact of life that as we age we develop health conditions related to aging and for many seniors, treatment is expensive. This places a burden on seniors as well as family members if they are unable to afford necessary drugs. On the other hand, because the population is aging so rapidly, government agencies are hard pressed to keep up with the needs of seniors.
Seniors are remaining in the workforce longer, many persons keep working long after reaching age sixty-five. This too has an impact on society, as more jobs need to be created. By working longer seniors are ensuring that their experience and knowledge is not lost but passed on to younger members of the workforce.
No longer do the terms ‘seniors’ or ‘senior citizens’ denote feeble old men and women; the seniors of today are generally fit, contributing members of society.
Senior Benefit Services News
Senior in brief Oct. 2 (Santa Fe New Mexican)
All senior centers will be closed on Monday in observance of Columbus Day. There will be no services at any center.
Read more...Community Calendar (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services will have a Senior Benefit Expo from 9 to noon Oct. 14 at Massachusetts Veterans Inc., 69 Grove St. The expo will provide an opportunity to speak with representatives from various state and local agencies about resources that may assist them during financially challenging times. For more information, call (617) 722-1540.
Read more...Elzinga picked for prestigious program (The Journal-Standard)
Deb Elzinga, the Executive Director at Neighborhood Housing Services of Freeport, has been selected to participate in the NeighborWorks® Achieving Excellence Community Development program, which includes residential modules at Harvard Kennedy School. Elzinga is one of 50 leaders selected for this Achieving Excellence class — a prestigious and highly selective training program offered by ...
Read more...Internet Search use growth on fire, says Yahoo! exec (Manila Bulletin)
"We now have a ‘highway’ to the world! You are no longer confined to selling to your own world," says Eric Hsu, senior manager, Yahoo! Search Marketing, Yahoo! Southeast Asia.
Read more...Bailout managers may be buying own securities (AP via Yahoo! News)
The government's plan to make sure private managers of a $700 billion bailout plan are free of conflicts of interest is weak, according to some critics, and allows too much room for abuse.
Read more...