GBO NEWS: Press Rush, Agenda for July 13 White House Aging Conference
GENERATIONS BEAT ONLINE NEWS
E-News of the Journalists Network on Generations
July 9, 2015 — Volume 15, Number 10
Editor’s Note: GBO News, e-news of the Journalists Network on Generation publishes alerts for journalists, producers and authors covering generational issues. Send your news of important stories or books (by you and others), fellowships, awards or pertinent kvetches to GBO News Editor Paul Kleyman. You can subscribe to GBONews.org at no charge simply by sending a request to Paul with your name, address, phone number and editorial affiliation or note that you freelance. You’ll receive the table of contents as e-mail, just click through to the full issue at www.gbonews.org.
IN THIS ISSUE: The Old World Is Watching!
1. MONDAY’S WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AGING: Press Access, Agenda and Controversy
2. GOOD SOURCES: “Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 Report”
3. GEN BEATLES NEWS: Washington Post’s new retirement finance columnist, Rodney A. Brooks
4. THE STORYBOARD: *** Rural Aging Series by Erica Curless: Part 1: “Old and Off the Grid–Facing Cancer in the Rugged Northwest,” Part 2–“Town Copes With Retirement Trend of Friendly But Sparse Rural Living”; *** Radio & Online Print Series by Liz Seegert , Part 1–“Family Eldercare: Survival in the Big Apple,” Part 2–“Big Apple’s Sunnyside Supports Latinos & Other Caregivers”; *** “Dementia Puts Elders at Risk of Financial Abuse,” by Pamela Yip, Dallas Morning News/New America Media; *** “Abuelos,” NPR’s Latino USA; *** “Rewards of Dancing as You Age,” by Ellen Hoffman, PBS Next Avenue; *** Got Lit? The Narrative Medicine journal, Intima’s, is calling for fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and more by its July 31 deadline.
1. MONDAY’S WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AGING — PRESS ACCESS & AGENDA
The agenda and press registration information for the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging, [http://tinyurl.com/ow686qw] (WHCoA) set for this coming Monday, July 13, popped into the GBONews inbox Wednesday afternoon — and with a press pass application deadline for those hoping to attend in person fixed for tomorrow — July 10, at 12 p.m. Eastern. You might check to see if C-Span will run any of it.
The program, which will be also be livestreamed (at www.whitehouse.gov/live), will run from 10 a.m-4:30 p.m. Eastern. (7 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Pacific). President Obama’s address is slated for 11:25 a.m. (8:25 Pacific).
As this editor’s backgrounder on the decennial event explained in the June 24 issue of GBONews.org, the Barak Obama event has been controversial in the field of aging. Historically, White House conferences, whether on children’s issues or small business, have been bipartisan with involvement not just by governors and members of Congress, but also by experts and advocates in the field. The aim has been to yield a full range of public policy recommendations for the coming decade — not only to be a platform for White House talking points.
The one-day 2015 program, summarized below, includes no appointed delegates and will not bring them together to debate the resolutions over two or three days, as in the past, at a large hotel venue to accommodate a spectrum of participants – including a range of generations-beat reporters, not just credentialed Washington Press corps folks sent over to get the president’s remarks and a few colorful quotes. Even in George W. Bush’s truncated 2005 WHCoA, attending reporters had a great opportunity to come aware with strong stories and immersion in a range of issues
Those wishing to attend at the White House (East Room and South Court Auditorium) on Monday, are being told “space is limited. Members of the media who wish to cover the event must RSVP by 12:00 PM ET Friday, July 10th with the names of the sessions you’d like to cover: Opening Remarks and Panel 1; The President’s Remarks; Panel 2; Panels 3 and 4; Panel 5 and Closing Remarks.” Also, “All press will enter the White House via the northwest gate.”
The announcement continues, “Press holding White House hard passes must send their name, media outlet, and email to media_affairs@who.eop.gov with the subject line “Conference on Aging.” Press not holding White House hard passes must include their full legal name (including middle name), date of birth, Social Security number, gender, country of citizenship, and current city and state of residence.”
Call us cheeky if you like, but GBONews asked about the security about e-mailing Social Security Numbers to, well, anyone. White House Media Afairs, replied, “All our emails are protected through the White House secure server. We request that all vital information be sent through email.” Okey dokey. Anyhow, NSA probably already has ours, and the Cybermafia likely figures journalists don’t have enough left to steal. (Hmm. Has anyone used that server before — Hillary?)
This year WHCoA also marks the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act, as well as the 80th anniversary of Social Security.
The WHCoA website also lists “Watch parties’ organized by groups in aging around the contry, so reporters may be able to get to one of those to get local quotes and gauge reactions.
The White House is also planning to release final papers on the four limited topic areas. Check with WHCoA Deputy Communications Director Rachel M. Maisler with questions about obtaining these, or if you have any other concerns. E-mail: info@whaging.gov; Twitter: @WHAging.
THE AGENDA
The four planned panels are on the designated conference topics:
10:05 AM — Panel 1: Caregiving in America
11:25 AM — Remarks by the President
11:35 AM — Panel 2: Planning for Financial Security at Every Age
South Court Auditorium, Eisenhower Executive Building
1:20 PM — Welcome to the Afternoon Session
2:05 PM — Panel 3: The Power of Intergenerational Connections and Healthy Aging
2:50 PM — Panel 4: Empowering All Generations: Elder Justice in the 21st century
3:50 PM — Panel 5: Technology and the Future of Aging
4:30PM — Closing Remarks
“In addition to these remarks and panel discussions, the conference agenda will feature a series of short discussions and remarks by community members, leaders in the private sector, local government officials and senior Administration officials.” The WH Advisory lists a dozen top administration usual suspects, who will get some face time.
Although the four subject areas are important, the draft papers circulated for the public comment. The drafts touched on many significant issues that then seemed unrepresented in the list of White House policy actions, and some weren’t mentioned at all. For example, strengthening Social Security and SSI for the most vulnerable seniors, end-of-life care; transportation, increasingly seen as a barrier to healthy aging; immigration; housing, especially in urban areas under stress of gentrification; and numerous other vital concerns.
WHCoA SOURCE:
The Association of Health Care Journalists this week posted a blog on its “Aging”section by long-time gen-beat journalist Eileen Beal headed, “Conference offers occasion, sources to report on key issues of aging.” Key among source she lists a special issue on the conference’s topics. “Dense and written by recognized experts” Beal write, “they are goldmines of insight, interview sources and story ideas about the aging of America and how the nation is likely to respond to the challenges and opportunities that come with an aging society.” Among the topics are Social Security plays in keeping the majority of Americans out of poverty as they age; the burden cognitive impairment and dementia; “palliative care”; age-friendly communities and community-based services; and healthy aging. The issue, titled, “The 2015 White House Conference on Aging: Agenda Setting and Issue Framing,” is available online.
Beal particularly notes articles and proposed solutions on:
- access challenges – to preventive services, transportation, nutrition programs, family supports, livable housing and neighborhoods that older adults (and those caring for them) face (Carstensen, et. al, Greenfield, et al.)
- the need to “recast” the Social Security debate to reflect the realities the social insurance program faces in the 21st Century (Kingston and Checksfield)
- the looming caregiver crisis (Thomas and Applebaum)
- the physical and mental, not just financial, consequences of elder abuse (Kaplan and Pillemer)
- the need for federal policy that promotes partnering and cross-cutting solutions and stops looking to the past for solutions to current and future challenges (Whitman). This is an especially worthwhile read.
Speaking of Eric Kingson and Molly Checksfield, noted above, this week they run a shorter version of their article on Huffington Post, “White House Conference on Aging: Exercise in Benign Neglect of Retirement Income Crisis?”
They begin, “Next week’s White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) seems destined to be little more than an exercise in benign neglect of the growing economic problems of today’s and tomorrow’s seniors. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Among their points, the call on the White House to focus on issues one would think would already be front and center, such as, “Highlight Economic Insecurity Among Today’s Seniors.”
Kingson and Checksfield stress, for instance, “Annual Social Security benefits average just $16,000 in 2015 . . . . Nearly half (48%) of seniors are economically vulnerable when 200% of the New Supplemental Poverty Measure is used as the standard.” They add, “While the struggle to make ends meet is a burden many seniors face, this stress is more pronounced among Latinos, African Americans, unmarried women, and the oldest old [people 85-plus]. Further, older workers with health and employment limitations often have no choice but to take permanently reduced retired worker benefits at an early age (e.g., 62).”
With same-sex issue high on the electoral agenda these days, check out “High hopes for White House conference on LGBT elder issues,” by Chris Johnson, chief political and White House reporter for the gay/lesbian-press leader, the Washington Blade. Johnson quotes Michael Adams, executive director of New York’s Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE):
“The federal government’s the primary funder of those services and issues guidelines and mandates to local aging service providers across the country,” Adams said. “And so, fundamentally we’re asking the federal government to make clear that LGBT older adults should be a priority in federally funded aging services across the country. There’s a whole variety of things that we’re looking for, but at its core, that’s a lot of what it comes down to.”
In this case, Johnson noted, “A policy paper from SAGE on the White House conference lays out specific requests for the administration on LGBT elder issues. Among them is an executive order, specifically barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in nursing homes, long-term care settings and any entity that serves older adults and receives federal funds. Also in the policy paper is an effort to increase cultural competency for State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging on LGBT issues and data collection on the number of LGBT people reached through activities under the Older Americans Act.
There’s sure to be lots more in the coming few days on issues included or underplayed in the conference. For now, if you do apply for a press credential live at the White House. GBONews would like to know – whether you are accepted or not. And whether you cover aspects of the conference in person or virtually, please send this editor a link to your stories.
2. GOOD SOURCES
*** “Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 Report” will be high on the WHCoA agenda, coming from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. The joint report, says an NAC release, “provides insight into who caregivers are, who they care for, and the impact caregiving has on them. Caregivers represent the growing diversity of the U.S. – nearly one quarter of caregivers are millennials, and 40% are men. 32% are higher-hour caregivers, providing at least 21 hours per week of care, and on average 62.2 hours of care.” Among those genuinely important insights, for instance, is one that was the focus of Paula Span’s “New Old Age” column in this Tuesday’s New York Times, “More Caregivers Are No Spring Chickens Themselves.”
Span explains that the new Caregiving report is “focused in part on caregivers over 75. They constitute 7 percent of those who provide unpaid care to a relative or friend, the survey found — more than three million seniors . . . . Almost half of them report caring for a spouse; the others assist siblings and other relatives, friends or neighbors, most also 75 or older. About 8 percent of these oldest caregivers still care for parents.”
3. GEN BEATLES NEWS
*** The Washington Post’s new retirement finance columnist is Rodney A. Brooks, a three-decade veteran on the personal money beat at USA Today. Based in the DC area, Brooks inaugurated the column on June 25, to run biweekly in Sunday print editions for starters, and will also run on the Washington Post’s “Get There” personal finance website.
Before retiring from USA Today earlier this year, Brooks published his e-book through that newspaper organization, titled, Is One Million Dollars Enough?[http://tinyurl.com/qehgxf9] A guide to planning for and living through a successful retirement.”
Brooks’ inaugural column is a smart exploration of: What’s the best age to start drawing Social Security benefits? Challenging several points of conventional business-page wisdom, he answers, “Truth is, it depends.” He begins, “If there is one piece of advice that financial advisers seem nearly unanimous on, it’s Social Security and when you should take it. If you can, wait till you’re 70. You could double your monthly check.” But quickly noting that it’s good advice for those able to take it, Brooks goes on to note that few do so, adding, “It makes you wonder: Is there a disconnect between financial planners and ‘real people’?”
Among numerous sources, he quotes author and former reporter Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, CEO of TheMoneyCoach.net, saying waiting until the full retirement age is “easier said than done because most Americans who haven’t saved enough for retirement probably feel like they don’t have any other good option.”
Holding off can be difficult for many, such as African Americans, said Khalfani-Cox: “Blacks more heavily rely on Social Security, with about one-third of African American couples and more than half of older, unmarried blacks counting on Social Security for nearly all of their retirement income.” But she stresses that taking Social Security retirement at age 62, as many do, can result in a significant cut in monthly benefits cut for 20-30 more years.
Maya Rockymoore, CEO of Global Policy Solutions, and former research director of the Congressional Black Caucus, told Brooks that taking Social Security early for some is a “rational” decision. She continued, “African Americans take early retirement disproportionately, and many times it’s because of health. African American men are hedging their bets. They paid in for all their lives — they know fathers and brothers had short lives — and they are looking to get something out. It is a logical and rational decision.”
Brooks quotes Willie Schuette, a financial planner for the JL Smith Group in Cleveland, making a point missing from all too many articles on this subject: “Most times, the recommendation to wait till 70 is made because the financial planner industry is trying to maximize client dollars in retirement, he says, but that may not necessarily be the client’s goal.”
4. THE STORYBOARD
*** RURAL AGING is a beautifully written series by Erica Curless, who covers the boomer beat for the Spokesman-Review in Tacoma, Wash. She’s is one of NAM’s 2015 Journalists in Aging Fellows, through our collaboration with the Gerontological Society of America, sponsored by AARP. A seasoned journalist, Erica knows the rural life well. In fact she is also a certified equine massage therapist — that is, she’s a horse whisperer. And for this series her skill at bringing out the stories of those she interviews shows she’s also a source whisperer.
Part 1–“Old and Off the Grid–Facing Cancer in the Rugged Northwest,” by Erica Curless. Despite fighting cancer in rural Washington State, Bob Faller, 79, remains fiercely independent, defying the system with help from alternative medicine, yoga and his wife, Jane. Part 2–“Town Copes With Retirement Trend of Friendly But Sparse Rural Living,” Posted: July 5 & 7. As U.S. retirees seek the peaceable pace of rural towns, places like Republic, Wash., look to each other to solve for mutual support.
*** Eldercare in the Big Apple Series: “Family Eldercare: Survival in the Big Apple,” Liz Seegert, Posted: Jul 01, 2015. There are 1.5 million seniors in the Naked City–increasing and more diverse than ever, as their caregivers face growing frustration with the lack of multicultural services. Part 2–“Big Apple’s Sunnyside Supports Latinos & Other Caregivers,” Posted: Jul 02, 2015.. Latinos make up over 60% of seniors at New York’s Sunnyside Community Services, and their model approach provides many culturally appropriate programs.
*** “Dementia Puts Elders at Risk of Financial Abuse,” by Pamela Yip, Dallas Morning News/New America Media, Posted: Jun 28, 2015. With over 5 million Alzheimer’s patients and rising, U.S. elders are increasingly vulnerable to scam or theft by those they trust.
*** “Abuelos,” (“Grandparents”), Latino USA, week of May 29, 2015. The hourlong public radio magazine, hosted and started 25 years ago by the marvelous Maria Hinojosa, runs on NPR stations in English with spicy pinches of Español. “Abuelos” includes eight terrific segments of from about 4:30 mins to 8 mins, which can be heard in full or separately. They included Hispanic grandparenting now and then, grandparents raising their grandchildren, transgender Chanel’s devotion to his abuela after rejection by her parents, and Latino USA producer Camilo Vargas’ moving goodbye letter to his grandmother. Among other segments, novelist Isabel Allende’s reminiscence of her abuelos—and regrets that modern life has so separated her from her own grandchildren.
*** “Rewards of Dancing as You Age,” by Ellen Hoffman, PBS Next Avenue will get you hoofing. Noting that she is 71, the veteran writer on retirement for Business Week and many other top pubs, explains, “It all started in LaCrosse, Wisc., in August of last year. My partner, Riccardo, is a good dancer who loves salsa and rock and roll (but says ‘I will dance to anything with a beat’). For more than 20 years, he had been trying to cajole me onto the dance floor. Despite, or maybe because of, social dancing lessons I endured in junior and senior high school, I always felt I was a terrible dancer. As for rock and roll, I spent the late ’60s and early ’70s as a serious reporter on a national newspaper, going to work every day in stockings and high heels, finding little time to partake of the music tsunami that I realized, in retrospect, was sweeping the country.”
There they were at a “grungy local bar with an ear-splitting band and an empty dance floor” in LaCrosse one night on a Midwestern trip. She continues, “By the time we left a couple of hours later, a much younger local was impressed enough to say ‘you guys really cut some rug. I can tell you were really there in the ’60s’.” The rest is about reaping dance dividends.
*** Got Lit — Literature, Poetry, Music, Bioethics? Intima’s Fall 2015 issue deadline is July 31, to submit “articles from a variety of perspectives exploring narrative medicine and its applications in healthcare and healing. Narrative Medicine is interdisciplinary.” Submissions can include: Fiction, Short Fiction, Non-Fiction (personal narratives or perspectives on medicine), Field Notes: perspectives on Narrative Medicine in clinical settings, Poetry, Scholarly essays or articles geared towards educating a general audience about Narrative Medicine, Studio Art, in any medium such as paintings, photographs or prints, or Visual or Audio Multimedia. For information, consult http://www.theintima.org/submission-guidelines/. Contact editor@theintima.org with questions. So brush up that short story or poem.
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