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Bernie

I am 60 years old and am on social security disability. I am not sure if I qualify for help with my AC/Heat bills...Could you please send me the application and any informatin that I might require to apply. Thank you,

Lorna Hunter - Englewood, Fl.

Editor - Here is the link to the page we have created with helpful links for finding the type of help you seek – Click Here. In particular, check Benefits Check-Up and Full Circle of Care

I am a Senior Citizen residing near Bombay in India. I am interested in topics relevant to Senior Citizens. Whilst surfing the Web for information of Senior Citizens in the United States, I came across your journal issue of Thursday, 19th June.The Journal was very informative.

I have to request you to e-mail me a list of construction sites for housing for Senior Citizens in an around New York, New Jersey, Washington, Florida for me to refer the same to my Senior Citizen friends staying around there. Also, if you can e-mail me the name and contact numbers of the developers.

Thanking you,

H G Dalal

Editor – I suggest you start here: HUD Website on Senior Housing - A page with many links to information on housing for seniors citizens - Click

Name:  Kevin
Email: clonedagain2003@yahoo.com

Do you have any paper publications? (I'm interested in advertising...)

Editor - No. SeniorJournal.com is only available on the Web. But, we hope you will try our advertisings Customers tell us it works. For information - Click Here.

Name:  caroltraeger
Email: caroltraeger@yahoo.com

I am a 60 yr old artist and paint about aging.  I am looking for images of elderly (75+)  Can you be of help and thank you.
Editor - Carol, we will publish your letter and see if you get any responses.

I am a member of the Louisiana Tigerettes Hi-Tops senior womens 55-59 basketball team.  We played in the Hampton Roads, Va senior games and won the gold medal in our age division.  Our record is 103 and 3. Between our team members we now hold 4 gold and 2 silver medals in the United States Games and many , many gold medals in the state and surrounding states.  If additional information is needed  email: matigerette@eatel.net.

Thank you.

Mavis Albin

Editor - Congratulations, Mavis, to you and your team. Send us a team photo, with names, if it is available.

Looking for a senior chat rooms

Norma Schroeder

Editor - Norma, there have been many attempts at senior chat rooms but none have been very popular. Yahoo runs a number of popular chat rooms at http://chat.yahoo.com/ but I don't think any are just for seniors. Also, if you Click Here it will take you to the Google search for senior chat rooms - you may find something there.

I need to know where to go for my parents.  They are being forced to use a mail order company for thier meds. and the company does not have all the meds that my dad takes.  The insurance is from my dad's work and now they don't want to pay for the coverage he had when he retired.  Is there anywhere I can go to get help?

Sharron Challis

Editor - This is one of the most common letters we receive. If you Click Here, it will take you to a page we have prepared that provides links to some of the most helpful information.

My name is Helena Chapman, a graduating senior from the Department of Zoology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. I am interested in writing a health article with statistics, symptoms, risk, and prevention techniques for our older citizens relating to West Nile virus. I currently work in the Veterans Administration Medical Center with nursing home patients and my passion is this older population.

West Nile virus is a growing concern for our over-50 population. Several English and Spanish news stations have reported the significance of mosquito-borne diseases, especially West Nile virus that has infected humans and animals in 26 states. The Center of Disease and Contol (CDC) records statistics that the majority of infections are in the mid-west.

In March 2003, my virology professor, ten students, and I traveled to Havana, Cuba to research the effective public health care program toward the eradication of Dengue Fever, another virus transmitted by mosquitoes. In my research project, I have gained a different perspective that I am interested in sharing with my fellow neighbors and citizens, especially on prevention methods related to WNV.

If an accepted idea, I am interested in either writing an editorial about my research trip and WNV OR a general health article about WNV.

Please write when possible.

Thank you for your time.

Helena Chapman

Editor - Helena, we do not pay for articles we publish, but we are interested in any stories of direct interest to senior citizens.

yes, I agree with all the positive information on strength training but WHERE DO YOU FIND SUCH PLACES?I have found all gyms to be geared solely to young people who need highly airconditioned places and all the equipmentgeared to them too. If I want to adjust anything I have to call trainer each time and it seems very few are trained in senior fitness capabilities.  So many people I know have hurt themselves in those places. Everybody talks but nobody does anything to help us. How about a website with good stretching regimen and other information? thanks.

Livia Shagam

Editor - Many communities have centers where older people can join exercise classes and other recreational programs. Ask about fitness programs at your local church or synagogue, civic center, community college, park or recreation association, senior citizens' center, or service organization such as an area agency on aging, see the yellow pages in your telephone directory under "senior service organizations." Also, Click Here to a link with lots of information about senior citizen exercise programs, including local programs.

Medicare Part B Enrollment?

I am 68 years young and worked full time until last year when I was laid off. I opted for Cobra coverage instead of Medicare Part "B" because I needed to have health coverage for my Spouse and 19 year old son who is attending college. In dealing with my old company they indicated that I could not have my family on Cobra if I opted for Medicare Part "B". Just recently they indicated to me that I would be able to have my spouse and son on Cobra even if I opted for Part "B". I would have done that 8 months ago if they had given me that option.

I now find out that because I did not get Part "B" within 8 months of losing my job, I will have to wait until first quarter 2004 to apply and will not be covered until July 1 2004. I will also be penalized 10% on my monthly Medicare premium. This seems very harsh for being a couple of months outside a window that I was not aware of. I assumed that as long as I continued on my work related Medical Plan and did not opt for Part "B", the better for all.

I guess I don't know what I did wrong. I continued to be employed after 65 and still have complete Health Coverage. I don't see where the government has been damaged at all. I have continued to pay my own way without asking for Medical Assistance from the Government. I have saved the Government and the taxpayers a good deal of money and now I am being penalized!!

Can you provide any word of wisdom on this problem?? Do you know why Medicare has such a hard fast window??

Regards Don Bedell

Editor - Don, I understand your problem and it is difficult to know all of the choices we must make under Medicare. They do, however, maintain a very good Website with all the information. This is the url - http://www.medicare.gov/ - although, we have been having trouble getting the site to open.

Re: Outpatient Therapy Act – Senate Bill 560

Can you e-mail me the actual bill? I have searched everywhere and only get a small sample of information? Thank you, Help? I am a long term care nurse interested in this legislation. 

Debbie A Cox

Editor - Debbie - Click this link - http://thomas.loc.gov/ - to the Library of Congress. You will see a box to enter the bill number. This will take you to all the information you want on the bill.

After losing my job 9 months ago at the young age of 51,  I decided to make a career change. I am bringing to market “Joe's Original BACKTEE” which was designed for golfers that have bad backs, bad hips or knees, and especially for elderly golfers that still want to be on the course, but may have trouble bending or stooping to tee up the ball. The Backtee attaches to the handle of any golf club and can insert the tee, place the ball on the tee, and pick up the ball and the tee after play without ever having to bend or stoop. I can't tell you how many people have told me that this is a wonderful product to bring golfers back to the sport they love.

Since my business is a start up my financial resources are quite limited. Please let me know if you are interested in a review of the product, or if there is anything else I can provide for you.

Please visit my website www.offcoursegroup.com for the press release, pictures, and instructions.  This could be very useful to your readers.

Thank you.

Jim McGrath
Off Course Group, 334 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02115  USA
Tel/Fax   617-424-7673

My name is Carla Short and I head up the PR committee for the Grove Area Chamber of Commerce in Grove, OK. We are writing to request a media kit and copy of your publication to use as we prepare our media budget and PR plans for the remainder of the year.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter,

Carla Short

Carla - SeniorJournal.com is only available on the Web. We do not have a media kit but you can find all the information about advertising by Clicking Here.

I am writing to encourage you to visit our website, www.myziva.net.  MyZiva.net is a completely free resource for caregivers and prospective residents and their loved ones to find, evaluate, and compare nursing homes in their local community.  It is a comprehensive searchable directory of all nursing homes in the entire nation containing addresses, phone numbers, driving directions, and government data including Survey (Inspection) Reports, Quality Measure Rankings, Staffing Hours Ratios and more.  We also provide members (joining is absolutely free and takes only seconds) with the ability to save selected facilities on a personalized homepage, as well as a unique feature enabling users to compare nursing homes side-by-side.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ron Lebow

Public Liaison

i need to find out information on the rebate for rent program in the state of north carolina if you could be of any assistance your help would be greatly appreciated

 thank you

beverly gardner

Editor - Beverly, Click Here to our page of helpful information.

June 20, 2003

I came upon your web-site by accident and was totally horrified by all the advertising geared towards gullible seniors.  There's no reason why people under 80 should be treated differently from those of 30 or 40.  My main leisure activities at age 70 are running and mountain climbing, not bridge, crocheting or carpet bowling, and I'm very insulted at all the garbage about nutritional supplements.  I completed a half-marathon last year, and feel if people got off their duffs, ate vegetarian food and did some real exercise, they'd live longer, healthier lives. And forget the geriatric propaganda!!!    

V.S.   (Canada)  

Editor - Wish we were all as healthy as you!

June 19, 2003

I was recently at a "rehab" facility after a knee replacement and now a friend of mine is in a "nursing home / rehab" facility after a hip replacement.

Question - why are facilities so lax in providing the required pain medication even when repeatly asked for that is necessary in able to properly do the exercises for rehabilitation.

Since there are not enough true rehab units such as St. Joseph's in RI, and more and more people are requiring the use of some type of facility after the operation, what can be done to ensure patient's needs.

In most cases, the staff cannot separate a rehab patient with full facilities from a nursing home patient that cannot take care of himself.

Pretty disturbing to be treated as a non-individual with no brains and not able to know what you need.

Have we cut staff and lost the ability to properly train personnel in all phases of operation in hospitals and outlying facilities?

Right now, there is no way I would want to have to go to a nursing home again - it was the pits!!

Nancy Volpe

June 13, 2003

I am a senior citizen in a graduate writing program at a San Diego, CA University. I am additionally disabled, and I have the need to air substantial grievances in the context of being a senior in Education, as well as a physically challenged person in education.

 I have had several encounters over the past few years, not only with harassment from "fellow" students, but from professors as well. Much of the discord is a consequence of my age itself being regarded as  a disability by younger students, while my actual physical disability is simply ignored. I have regularly received trashy hate mail by way of  e-mail, over the past year.

My initial reaction was to change my e-mail address, but one student made it his business to find out my e-mail and disperse it, that it could be picked up by former students, who are able to send me hate mail with academic impunity because they are no longer students here. Since this student's aggravated abuse of my e-mail address was initiated by a hostile professor, some two years ago, I do in fact hold the professor as well as the University accountable in these regards.

Even though I have pursued these circumstances through the channels provided by the University, these channels do not provide more than a token remedy (a listener), which does not allow me to know what measures were taken, or what, if any  conclusions were achieved as a consequence of my complaint. Since I am now dealing with a third abusive response from the same student, there are no actual remedies, except that I get to complain again, and have the complaint swept under the rug.

Since I am a writer, I am looking for literary outlets that will allow me to relate my academic to the powers that be through a public forum, rather than the token, hush-hush, sweep-it-under-the-rug, policies of this university. Since the Disabled Student Service providers are also the worst abusers of the disabled here, providing at best a patronizing pat on the head while they actually reduce the imperative services, they are also the subject of my general complaints against this University.

Do you have any prospective sources that might be interested in a series of articles of the nature herein described?

Kenneth Pearce

Editor - If we hear from anyone, we will let you know.

Medicare Cap on Physical, Speech Outpatient Therapy

June 4, 2003

Most senior citizens are not aware that Congress has placed an annual $1500 cap on Medicare's coverage for outpatient physical therapy and speech therapy services.  Than is, any charges over $1500 that a patient incurs within a calendar year in the course of recovering from, say, a surgery or a fall, will have to come out of the patient's pocket.  If a patient were to have knee replacement surgery in the beginning of the year and receives physical therapy three times a week for six weeks, the $1500 cap has probably been used or exceeded.  If the patient is unfortunate to have a stroke later on in the calendar year, Medicare will not cover outpatient physical or speech therapy services and the patient will have to pay out of pocket or be denied much needed care.

The cap is set to take effect July 1, 2003.  It will affect the millions of Medicare recipients already receiving rehabilitation and those who will need it this coming year.  As a practicing physical therapist, I know that rehabilitation often requires more care than the $1500 cap allow for.  Cutting rehab short frequent leads to greater - and more expensive-complications down the road.

By removing the arbitrary $1500 cap, Congress would achieve two goals:  (1)  It would allow dollars to be used for cost-effective rehabilitation now, rather than on far more expensive procedures and treatments down the road, and (2)  Just as importantly, it will improve life for thousands of this paper's readers and millions across the nation.

I urge anyone who is a senior citizen or who has loved ones who are Medicare beneficiaries to contact his or her elected representatives and urge them to take action to remove this arbitrary limit and keep their promise to assure that senior citizens get the rehabilitation care they need.

Sincerely,
Daniel J. Dussman, PT, CHT
Director Physical Therapy Industrial Strength Fitness  584 32nd Street  Union City, NJ 07087

Contact Representatives on Government Pension Offset

Jane Anderson

Why Should Majority of Seniors Sacrifice for the Rich Few?

 April 9, 2003 - While surfing the internet I came across a narrative by Mr. Charles Javis, C.E.O of United Seniors Assoc. In it he espouses the virtues of the Bush administration tax proposal. Part, of which, is quoted here:

"Of the 28 million taxpayers age 65 and older 9.8 million receive dividends. This represents 28% of all senior tax payers receive dividends "

Mr Javis' position tacitly suggests that the remaining 72% of us seniors, 65 & older should acquiesce to the financial interest of a small minority!

As one of those within that 72% I adamantly disagree with Mr Javis.

Now is the time for seniors to 'speak out' against this inequitable tax proposal that ignores most of us. It seems to me that the political ramifications of neglecting 18 million senior voters could be catastrophic to the Republican cause in 2004 

From a Life Long Republican

Gordon Borges - age 75

P.S. Perhaps you can publish this message with Mr Jarvis' answer?