on Apr 13th, 2006Senior News Digest, Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Senior News Digest is a glimpse into the politics of growing older around the world. Two fascinating articles today: the AARP is initiating a senior workforce in several states that hooks up employers with seniors who want to work and the Iowa Senior Center will start streaming video online (think of it as a senior-oriented TV station). The web is going transform the manner and ability of seniors to participate in society beyond anything seen before. The hell with sitting around the house, waiting for family and relatives to visit.
Arkansas unveils program to attract senior citizens to workforce
WREG-TV Memphis Wed, 12 Apr 2006 9:44 AM PDT
LITTLE ROCK Governor Huckabee today announced an initiative to attract senior citizens to Arkansas’ workforce.
The labor force in Arkansas and across the country will experience a shortage of qualified workers as the Baby Boomers begin to retire. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2004 and 2012 up to 43 percent of the current workforce will be eligible to retire in the next 10 years. Two following generations are 15 percent smaller, each. Also, 61 percent of entrants (age 16 to 25) to the workforce are not fully qualified.
To help solve this shortage, the national AARP office launched the Arkansas Workforce Initiative to link featured employers with mature job seekers. Arkansas was chosen as a pilot state and Gov. Mike Huckabee sel
New policies to check abuse of senior citizens
Yahoo! India News Wed, 12 Apr 2006 1:58 PM PDT
AROUND 50 per cent of the 720 cases that sought help through the telephone help line set up by the Family Counseling Centre a joint venture of International Longevity Centre- India (ILC- I), Athaashri Foundation and the police commissionerate of Pune, were identified as cases of abuse against senior citizens. Strangely, 70 per cent of callers were male. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs,
Bloomfield Library hosts senior citizens’ seminars
Dexter Daily Statesman Wed, 12 Apr 2006 11:31 AM PDT
Issues facing today’s senior citizen can be confusing. Between struggling with a small budget and finding a way to pay for needed prescription drugs, many seniors in Stoddard County may be neglecting other areas of their life or may not even know what benefits are available to help them.
Senior Center programming goes live online
Press-Citizen Wed, 12 Apr 2006 2:07 PM PDT
The future of television is coming to Iowa City, and the effort is being spearheaded by what may seem an unlikely source: senior citizens.
The future of television is coming to Iowa City, and the effort is being spearheaded by what may seem an unlikely source: senior citizens. Beginning April 21, Iowa City Senior Center Television, or ICSC TV, will stream its content on the Internet, making the programming available worldwide at anytime.
The Intermedia|Iowa City Senior Center Television Online Initiative
Senior Center programming goes live online
By Gregg Hennigan
Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 11, 2006
Video Telephony: New Homecare Option For The Elderly
Medical News Today Wed, 12 Apr 2006 11:19 AM PDT
Video telephony allows immediate contact with people at home, enables them to continue living at home and relieves pressure on care-providers by reducing physical journeys. It was first tested in Europe in the early 1990s using analogue cable. Though costly and bulky, these pioneering systems were shown to be helpful for elderly people who also liked using them.
Under the project IST@HOME, researchers developed an affordable and usable video-telephony system that built on work done in a series of European Union-funded projects to design home and care-provision systems for elderly people. It comprises a small movable camera, a set-top box for a TV and a handheld service pad. Together, these components enable users to see, talk to or seek assistance from professional carers in real time, over the Internet.
IST@home is an IST project with the aim to develop affordable, reliable and flexible technical components enabling broadband video-based services to be delivered into client homes, which also meet the service needs of organisations providing Tele-care, Tele-Assistance and tenant services.
Financial Abuse of Elderly Grows
The Herald-Sun Tue, 11 Apr 2006 8:59 PM PDT
As the U.S. population ages, the elderly are becoming a prime target for financial abuse. Sometimes the thief is a stranger who befriends a lonely senior. Other times it’s a caregiver with sticky fingers. In still other cases, it’s a telemarketer with “found money” to share, or even a member of the senior’s own family who takes advantage of his or her declining mindfulnes