Social Security to hand out first raises since '09

Some good news coming in 2012 for the nation's 55 million Social Security recipients.

Social Security to hand out first raises since 2009 – USATODAY.com

Hunger Among Older Americans On The Rise

Hunger Among Older Americans Spikes Nearly 80 Percent Since 2001

Medaglia pushes rehab services for seniors

Larry Medaglia, the Republican candidate in the March 15 special election for the 11th District State Senate seat, has a plan to help senior citizens stay in their own homes.

GOP candidate pushes rehab services for seniors

Report: Younger Boomers Have Been Squeezed Most by the Recession

Younger Boomers Have Been Squeezed Most by the Recession, Reports Mintel

Senior citizen drug dealer, 73, headed to prison

It might as well be a life sentence for a Pottstown, Pa., septegenarian, who was sentenced this week to 27-to-54-months in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to felony drug charges for delivering cocaine.

The 73-year-old Pottstown man is one of the oldest persons ever prosecuted in Montgomery County for a drug crime, according to authorities.

Pottstown drug dealer, 73, headed to prison - pottsmerc.com

AARP warns about Obama Assault on Social Security

The group that helped get Obamacare passed earlier this year is now warning its members that the Obama "Deficit Commission" is attempting to gut Social Security.

Will the AARP make up its mind on whether it will advocate for seniors or not?

Deficit Commission Proposal Hurts Middle Class Americans

Social Security: No COLA in 2011

The Obama Administration has announced there will be no cost-of-living increase for Social Security recipients in January 2011, the second year in a row that seniors will have to make due with what they got in 2009.

Social Security: no COLA in 2011 - CSMonitor.com

New Health Law Puts Seniors at Risk

New study says seniors are most vulnerable under Obamacare. Sounds like Obama and his czars have decided older Americans are expendable.

New Health Law Puts Seniors at Risk

Survey: 1 in 5 Older Americans Are Financial Swindle Victims

Survey: 1 Out of 5 Older Americans Are Financial Swindle Victims, Many Adult Children Worry About Parents' Ability To Handle Finances

PA Offers Expanded Food Program for Eligible Older Adults

PA Ag Secretary Reminds Eligible Older Adults of June 30 Deadline to Sign up for Expanded Food Program

Rendell Proclaims May as 'Older Pennsylvanians Month'

Governor Rendell Proclaims May as 'Older Pennsylvanians Month'

More Reasons Not To Trust Government

As if you needed another reason to mistrust the government ... turns the feds have deliberately underestimated the number of elderly Americans to cover up shortfalls in Social Security and Medicare. And this was happening before Obamacare.

From "Staying Older Longer," a blog post at Caregiving by Richard Peck:

What is the impact on Social Security and Medicare now that people are living longer lives?

It's common knowledge that people these days are living longer than ever, with life expectancy approaching 80 years of age (especially for women), and over-85-year-olds being the fastest growing segment of our population for some time now. Now a new study by the prestigious MacArthur Foundation says that we ain't seen nothing yet — that the mid-21st century is going to see men and women routinely living into their late 80s and early 90s, respectively, and 100-year-olds numbering nearly 2 million!

The MacArthur researchers, a blue-ribbon panel of well-known geriatricians and policy analysts, say that federal government agencies like the Social Security Administration and the Census Bureau, are underestimating Americans' longevity rates by some 3 to 8 years. The MacArthur panel maintains that advances in medical science and understanding of human health will develop more rapidly during the 21st century than they did in the latter half of the 20th century. Not only high-tech genetic manipulation and medical research, but increased emphasis on common sense calorie restriction and insulin control will pay off in longer, healthier lives, they predict.

Obviously a good thing, right? Yes, indeed, if you're among those likely to survive into this Golden Era. From the standpoint of society at-large, though, this might be a different story, and a scary one at that.

Read the full post here.

Also check out, "New Research Predicts Longer Life Expectancy for Americans, Higher Outlays for Medicare and Social Security," at The MacArthur Foundation Web site.

(H/T "Increased longevity has its price" by Kathleen Martin, posted at The Mercury)

RetireSafe: Seniors deserve Social Security COLA

With a 'Zero' Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Just Ahead for 2010, Seniors and Congressman Vow Action

Seniors group: Dems plan devastating cuts to Medicare

Seniors advocacy group targeting Pelosi bill supporters

Attention Democrats who supported the Pelosi Health Care Bill that guts Medicare to pay for expanded coverage to younger people: Seniors have long memories and they tend to vote in every election.

The 60 Plus Association is targeting 15 Democrats, including two from Pennsylvania.

New $1.5 Million Campaign Targeting 15 'YES' Votes on House Health Care Reform

Democrats Had A Choice

Don't pay for health care reform on the backs of our seniors

Senior citizens advocate calls Pelosi 'shameful'

Video: Seniors' Bill of Rights

Beware of angry old people

The Democrats have a real problem on their hands. Angry old people are turning out in large numbers to oppose Obamacare. These are the same people who tend to show up on Election Day.

From a story by Victoria McGrane and Chris Frates in POLITICO:

The senior citizen problem could pose a serious problem for the 2010 election cycle.

Older Americans turn out in much higher numbers than other age groups during midterm elections. In 2006, the 55-and-older age group still had the highest voting rate of any age group, at 63 percent, even though younger voters turned out in record numbers for a midterm, according to census data. Half of all votes cast in the 2006 midterms were from voters age 50 or older, according to AARP. And one out of four were AARP members.

But voting statistics tell only part of the story. Look at the faces at these chaotic congressional town hall events across the country. They are the faces of older Americans who paid into Medicare most of their working lives and are now enjoying the health care benefits they believe they’ve earned for their senior years.

They exhibit a vocal distrust of the government taking a larger role in health care — despite the fact that the very popular Medicare program is run by the government.

Read more about "The Democrats' senior problem" in POLITICO