Page 11 - Senior Issues News Today

Southern Oregon continues to recover from the fires of 2020 and grants are helping residents in the region. The Almeda Fire in Jackson County devastated the towns of Talent and Phoenix. About 1,700 manufactured homes were destroyed, and more than half of those homes were in communities for people age 55 and older. ...

In her fifth State of the State address this week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer emphasized policies designed to put more money in Michiganders pockets. The second-term Democrat included several proposals, including a plan to cut the tax on retirement income, that played well with Michigan seniors. ...

A grant program that helps with projects that benefit local communities is back. The AARP Community Challenge program selects projects for small, one-time grants. The aim is to fund projects that will make cities and towns better for people of all ages - with an emphasis on folks age 50 and older - and can be completed in a few months time. ...

A bill in the Montana Legislature would roll back access to medical aid-in-dying options at the end of someones life - access that has been guaranteed in Montana for more than a decade. LC 1043 would prohibit consent as a defense for physicians who assist a person with a terminal illness at the end of their life. Callie Riley is the Northwest regional advocacy manager of Compassion & Choices, an organization that supports medical aid-in-dying access. ...

January is National Radon Action Month, and officials are getting the word out. Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil and rocks. After smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., with the Environmental Protection Agency estimating it claims the lives of 21,000 Americans annually. ...

AARP Maine said it is hopeful lawmakers will find common ground on issues to support older Mainers this legislative session, including establishing a paid family and medical leave policy. Surveys show more than 75% of Mainers support a plan to help those providing unpaid care to older parents or spouses while often working full-time jobs or raising children themselves. Noël Bonam, state director of AARP Maine, said a paid family and medical leave program is needed so caregivers do not hav...

Arizonas blood supply is at its lowest level in a year. Vitalant is encouraging Arizonans of all blood types to donate blood, especially universal donors, those with the O-blood type. Sue Thew, communications manager for Vitalant Arizona, said the nonprofit community blood provider, which provides blood to about 90% of all Arizona hospitals, has struggled to keep up with demand as many organizations have shifted to remote work, meaning fewer blood drives are being hosted at workplaces. ...

Starting in April, an estimated 2-3 million people could be dropped from Medi-Cal, the states health insurance program for low-income people. For three years during COVID, terminations were halted, but Congress recently voted to de-link the program from the Public Health Emergency. So California will have 14 months to re-evaluate eligibility for almost 15 million people. ...

AARP Maine will sponsor an online workshop this week on long-range planning for health equity, with a focus on housing, community services and safe streets to ensure everyone has a say in the future design of their cities and towns. Compared to other states, Maine has the oldest population per capita in the U.S., and tens of thousands of Mainers are expected to retire in the coming years. Erik Calloway, managing director of ChangeLab Solutions, the group moderating the discussion, said plannin...

Marylands health officials are appealing to the public to take precautions as the states hospital bed availability is once again strained. Many hospitals are over 90% full, with some closer to 100% of capacity. While COVID continues to increase demand on hospitals, the problem is not as severe as it was at this time last year, but hospital staffing shortages are much worse than they were before the pandemic. ...