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Press Release -- December 14, 2005

Reauthorization of Older Americans Act Top White House Conference on Aging Resolution

Denver, CO. "Seasoned citizens" was the new term advocates for older adults heard at the White House Conference on Aging in December in Washington DC. The new generation of seniors, namely the baby boomers are not fond of term "senior citizens" and are setting out on a course to reform "the later years", just as they have every other institution since the first baby was born on January 1, 1946. Every 7 seconds, starting January 1, 2006, a baby boomer will become a senior.

Twelve hundred delegates from around the country, including sixteen from Colorado, selected ten resolutions as high priorities for the country.

While advocates approved reauthorization of the Older Americans Act within six months of the White House Conference on Aging as the top need, The Honorable David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States stated "the needs of current seniors and baby boomers are being challenged by a Social Security system that is going bankrupt." Advocates concurred that Social Security needed to be strengthened, however, it was not selected as one of the top ten concerns.

Advocates agreed that strengthening long term care, Medicare and Medicaid were important issues facing the nation, as Walker maintained that the nation can not continue to support the health care system for Medicare beneficiaries with the current funding system.

An overarching theme of the Conference was finding ways for seniors to continue to live in their own homes, even if they are frail, unable to drive, and need ongoing care. With 78 million baby boomers joining the ranks of older adults, "Seniors should not be trapped in their home or forced to move because of lack of transportation", according to The Honorable Norman Y Mineta, Secretary of Transportation, Washington, DC. Advocates gave the need for Older Americans to have transportation options to retain their mobility and independence as the third most important issue facing aging boomers in the 21st century.

Delegates also want the nation to identify new models of home care at the federal, state, and local level. Current systems are cumbersome, unregulated, and sporadic.

Other priorities, in the top ten include support for geriatric education for health care professionals, treatment of mental illness and developing a workforce that is competent in geriatric care.

The resolutions provide a framework for advocates working with older adults to develop policy and create programs to meet the new and emerging needs of seniors who are living longer.

The preservation of pensions and health benefits for retirees was not considered a high priority for the delegates. Retirees who have been promised pension benefits and health care in their retirement from companies will most likely see an ongoing erosion of those benefits. Unfortunately, many of the seniors who had reasonably good pensions and health care plans will end up in poverty with this ongoing trend, costing the taxpayer more in health care and other services.

According to a recent TIME magazine article, "defined-benefit pension plans decreased from 112,200 plans in 1985 to 29,700 today". Furthermore, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency which guarantees pensions is estimated to have a $30 billion deficit by the end of the year.

Delegates attending were Eileen Doherty, Colorado Gerontological Society/Senior Answers and Services, Denver, David Riveria, Denver, Janet Snipes, Aurora, Kathleen Turley, Centennial, Cathy Grimm, Denver, Carol Wright, Denver, John Zabawa, Denver, Stephen Bender, Colorado Springs, Mark Shelton, Fort Collins, Joyce Humiston-Berger, Mancos, Michael Wasserman, MD, Englewood, Barb Martig, Lafayette, Jeanette Hensley, Arvada, Janice Blanchard, Denver, Brent Green, Denver, and Edward Pittock, Denver.