Recently in Senior Issues Category
JANE RICE
Meredith News October 16th, 2008
The menu for the Moultonboro,
Meredith News September 11th 2008
LAKES REGION — Today’s Senior Centers are reflecting an empowered vision of aging. Senior Centers are a resource for wellness, lifelong learning, access to benefits and meaningful opportunities. They serve the entire community with information on aging and develop innovation approaches to addressing aging issues. The older adults who participate in Senior Centers share their diverse skills and talents through their participation and volunteerism. Monday, Sept. 15 - Friday, Sept. 19 is Senior Center Week. On Thursday, Sept. 18, eight Senior Centers of Belknap and
of eight Senior Centers, two Meals-on- Wheels Outreach programs, and a senior resource center at
Horseshoe
By TIM GRANT
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Sunday, Jul. 20, 2008
These are tough economic times for people of all ages, but few are affected more than senior citizens living on pensions and Social Security, and juggling medical bills, credit card payments and mortgages along with soaring food and gas costs.
Americans age 55 or older experienced the sharpest rise in bankruptcy filings during the 16-year period between 1991 and 2007, according to a report released by AARP, "Generations of Struggle." The rate of personal bankruptcy filings among those ages 65 or older grew by 125 percent, while the bankruptcy rate of seniors ages 75 to 84 jumped a stunning 433.3 percent.
"It's frightening. It's a horror story in the making. It will not get better. It will continue to get worse," said Thomas Mackell, chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of
The Meredith News June 26th, 2008
To the Editor:
The Moultonboro Seniors Group has been formed to be a resource for Moultonboro
seniors to help them address their concerns and needs.We will refer seniors to services
available in this area and thus we intend to function as an information highway for seniors. Also, we will have a monthly calendar that will list events of interest to seniors and they may pick up their copy at the library every month.The calendar will also list other helpful information. For information, please call Joanne Farnham at 476- 5556.
Joanne Farnham
Moultonboro
The Laconia Sun May 12th, 2008
To the editor,
I would like to know why the seniors of Moultonborough are not getting there needs met like they should. Seems everything is about the KIDS KIDS KIDS. I love kids like everyone else does. But enough is enough! The seniors seem to be left out and put on the back burner. They are not looking for a free ride only respect of what they have brought to the community. They need stimulation of other people. When the school is empty why not have something going on there for the seniors. Isolation is a bad thing. I know many that are alone and no one has checked on them. They deserve more then what they are getting. I am not talking about the recreation center. That is geared more for the kids and a country club for some people. You know who I mean. Don’t get me started on that one — another time maybe.
Anna DeRose
Moultonborough
To the Editor:
After so much rhetoric back and forth, there comes a time for some sensible dialogue.Sometimes as I have said, reasonable people can disagree. Sometimes those same disagreeably reasonable people can agree. Here in lies the starting point for a new tone of discussion as to the whole recreation project and meeting the needs of those seniors that deserve some long overdue attention. Don’t think I am appeasing or placating those folks that have been the object of my barbs on these pages. I am not. I will attempt however, to begin a dialogue in the spirit of controlled spending and moving forward with a reasonable solution to two challenges that need to be looked at… individually. I can accept that there may be some need for more recreation space. However I need to hear from someone out there that there is an equal or greater (or more urgent) need for space and programs for our senior citizens. I am defining seniors as they have not been defined in the past at least as far as the RSPT has defined them in Moultonboro. There are seniors that are maybe 60, 75 or even 90 that
are active enough for tennis, basketball, jogging or calisthenics. Good for them and God bless them for their fitness and gift of good health. These good folks are not the seniors of which I speak. These active adults are probably already part of the recreation department. I am concerned for those folks that have needs for a place to walk (not run), gather to network as to who their favorite orthopedic MD is, have a low cost meal
at midday, have a place to be cared for while their “Family Caregiver” is working (yes, adult daycare) or have help with personal needs like writing checks and finding help with oil bills or just plain intellectual conversation. There are those that are well enough to live at home but may need a ride to the store or the doctor. I have not heard much of these seniors from those that would be combining senior needs and recreation into the single venue of the so-called “Community/Senior Center.” Presently, the Recreation Department has little or no time or space for these types of programs. Nor should they… and here is where we need to look at a split. In a recent conversation with Tom Howard, head of the RSPT, I believe we found some common ground. I will not attempt to quote him here for fear of misquoting or misrepresenting his thoughts. However, I was able to make the suggestion that these two venues be administered by different departments and for the most part occupy separate space. I would further suggest that we address our seniors’ needs and services prior to an expansion of the present recreation department. Those that run the recreation do a fine job designing and managing sports programs for youth and adults. They are not qualified for the needs of those seniors of which I speak. The fine job that the meals program does in administering both eat-in, and ‘meals-on-wheels’ should be continued and enhanced. The Lions Club building is not functionally obsolete, but does need updating and upgrading. I urge those “powers that be” to support the Senior Needs Committee as a stand-alone department that would deal with these critical needs for our aging seniors. I would further suggest that the “fix” for the recreation department be on a gradual scale with a large percent of the focus being on much more restrained and reasonable spending.
Rick Heath
Moultonboro
The Citizen May 6th, 2008
Editor, The Citizen: Concerned Moultonboro seniors met on April 30th from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Public Library Program Room. Nineteen seniors participated expressing the ideas they find to be of the utmost importance. There was much discussion of several items such as helping seniors cope with everyday living, financial forms, knowledge of how to deal with insurance companies, Medicare, etc., and handling junk mail; what to save and what to throw out. Who exactly are the agencies that are out there to help seniors and what exactly do they offer?
It was clear from this group that recreational activities are not a priority. The group identified about 20 local organizations providing recreation and social activities that we want to consolidate and communicate, not duplicate.
Our next meeting will be on May 7th at the Moultonborough Public Library from 10-11:30 a.m. Moultonborough seniors are welcome. Bring your ideas and a friend. Afterward, plan to scoot over to the senior meal at the Lion's Club at noon (chicken breast, potato and vegetable). Any questions, please call Joanne M. Farnham at 476-5556.
Joanne Farnham
Moultonboro
