| Aging and The Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology, 2/e Jill Quadagno,
Florida State University
Old Age and the Welfare State
Internet Exercises- The National Council of Senior Citizens (http://www.ncscinc.org/)
is one of the leading activist agencies for older Americans. Go to the council's
website and link to Our Issues, then to Medicaid, then to Medicare. Select
Fast Facts and answer the following questions:
- What are the facts about Medicare and Americans age 65 and older?
- Medicare has two parts; explain what each covers.
- Will Medicare be financially sound after 2025? Why or why not?
- To learn more about Supplemental Security Income (SSI), go to the AARP's
Homepage (http://www.aarp.org/) and type
"SSI" in the search bar. Then select the article "AARP Webplace/On
The Issue" and answer the following questions:
- About how many of the 6.6 million men and women who received SSI benefits
in 1996 were at least 65 years old?
- Discuss the requirements an American must meet to qualify for SSI.
- Some states provide varying supplements to SSI for some recipients. In 33
states, being eligible for SSI automatically entitles beneficiaries to what
other supplements?
- Why aren't all eligible older men and women getting SSI?
- What two recommendations does the AARP make to improve SSI?
- The web site of the Administration on Aging (AoA) (http://www.aoa.gov/)
includes information for older Americans, their families, and others concerned
with the lives of older persons. From the homepage, click on "About AoA
and the Aging Network." Then click on "Older Americans Act–Administration
on Aging Fact Sheet." Scroll down to the heading, "The Older Americans
Act and the Administration on Aging." Read that section of the article,
as well as the next one, "State and Community Programs," and answer
the following questions:
- What kinds of services does Title III support?
- What is the role of the AoA?
- How is program funding determined and allocated for each state?
- What does AAA stand for, and what does it do?
- The Web site Welfare Reform State Links (http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/news/welfare/stlinks.htm)
brings together all fifty state welfare homepages into one location. Click on
your home state and then scroll down until you find information about elderly
and disabled persons. Read the article and answer the following questions:
- What must a person have in order to be eligible for the welfare services?
- What can elderly or disabled persons receive from this service?
- What are some of the services available to elderly or disabled persons in
your state?
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