Here’s help amid Social Security cutbacks

www.gvnews.com

Green Valley residents who depend on their monthly Social Security checks should prepare to tighten their purse strings in 2010 and 2011, but as they do, they won’t be without help locally.

No Social Security cost-of-living increases are expected for the next two years, the first time since 1975, the federal government said last week. The announcement cited the ongoing recession, which will cause the national retirement fund to pay out more than it takes in by 2016, a year sooner than had been projected.

“I’ll be very upset” by the lack of cost-of-living increases, Green Valley resident Carola Borden says. “It would really affect my life if all I had was Social Security” to live on.

Borden, a 75-year-old animal-lover, receives less than $1,000 a month from Social Security and has a pet-sitting business to earn extra money.

“I’ll have to work even harder,” she says, pointing out that she already puts in 13 to 14 hours a day for her pet business, her own housekeeping and helping her grandson with his school work.

She wishes the federal government would quit handing out money to failing banks and the auto industry.

“A lot of big businesses are over-extended and too top heavy,” she says. “They should pay the price for that.”

Tighter squeeze

Jim Macholl of Green Valley says the absence of the Social Security cost-of-living increases will have an effect on him and his wife.

“It will make a little tighter squeeze,” says Macholl, 83, who lives in an assisted-living community with his wife, Marie, who is 80.

Retirees on fixed incomes suffer when their living expenses rise, Macholl said. He predicts that many care home residents will have financial problems as a result.

Green Valley Assistance Services has seen an increase in the last 16 months in Green Valley households needing assistance to pay rent.

“People on fixed incomes find it harder and harder each month,” GVAS Executive Director Chris Kang said, noting that families from Sahuarita used to be the ones seeking the most help.

For 2008, GVAS saw a 72 percent increase in the number of seniors requesting help from the nonprofit agency’s case management program, which educates seniors about community resources and problem-solving so they can remain in their homes.

Requests for help rise

“The Temporary Emergency Monetary Assistance Program, which provides a brief, temporary lifeline to paying a senior’s rent or utility bill, has also seen increases,” Kang says. For 2008, GVAS granted more than $107,000 to 468 households, and the No. 1 area seeking assistance was Green Valley.

“For the first four months of 2009, GVAS has already granted 23 percent more in funds (predominately to help prevent evictions) compared to 2008 for the same time period,” Kang says. “And for the first time, we had to turn away over 20 individuals in April because we had no more funds to grant.”

Before seniors can qualify for a payment, they must complete a benefits check-up that can match them with such help as food stamps and utility-bill reductions to help save money.

GVAS last year began offering this national program provided through the National Council on Aging. In 2008, more than 182 people completed the survey, and the dollar value of savings for those who qualified is more than $895,000, according to Kang.

GVAS recently helped a 69-year-old widow living on $364 a month from Social Security and food stamp assistance. She does not pay rent, but she is diabetic, on oxygen and depends on friends to take her to the store.

GVAS helped her with her utility bills as well as with food vouchers because provisions from the food bank and food stamps don’t last all month.

“She is a caring individual who does not complain about her situation and talks about her friends giving her support,” Kang said.

Confidential counseling

At Green Valley’s Casa de Esperanza, a counselor is available around the clock to talk with those who are stressed about money and medical issues, says Bill McCreery, Casa’s executive director. Call the Casa Care Line at 520-625-CARE.

“We also have a counselor available to see at Casa,” McCreery said. “We hope these services can help people gain more control over how they feel about issues like this. At Casa, they have someone to talk to confidentially about money issues, which are not always easy to talk about with friends and relatives.”

The two-year absence of Social Security cost-of-living increases is the type of news that hits people hard, “especially folks trying desperately to make ends meet on fixed incomes,” McCreery says. “It means fewer dollars to purchase those services that are not covered by their health insurance plans.

“An example is adult day health care that is offered by Casa. This kind of service can be medically necessary for families in caregiving situations and it’s not covered by Medicare. I expect we will see more folks needing our sliding scale or fee waivers to afford adult day care,” McCreery says.

In addition, the Pima Council on Aging provides information and help for those concerned with Medicare issues, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Arizona Long Term Care System, and other programs, some which may be affected by lack of Social Security cost-of-living increases in 2010 and 2011.

PCOA offers a health benefits counseling service for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers and their families.

According to C.J. Karamargin, communications director for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., “Congresswoman Giffords is deeply concerned that Social Security recipients in Green Valley and across the country will not be receiving cost-of-living increases in 2010 or 2011. She knows that millions of seniors and disabled workers have come to depend on these increases as they struggle with higher costs for food, housing, medicine and utilities.

“This situation underscores the urgency of addressing the long-term solvency of Social Security. Republicans and Democrats need to put aside their partisan differences and begin working immediately to forge a consensus on this critical problem,” Karamargin says.

kwalenga@gvnews.com | 547-9739

How to get help

Seniors and their families with concerns may contact:

Green Valley Assistance Services, 250 E. Continental Road, Suite 102, Green Valley. Phone 520-625-5966 or online at www.gvas.org.

Casa de Esperanza, 780 S. Park Centre Ave., Green Valley. Phone 520-625-2273 or online at www.casacanhelp.org. Call the Casa Care Line at 520-625-CARE.

The Pima Council on Aging’s office in Green Valley is at the Pima Community College campus, 1250 W. Continental Road. It is open Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. until noon. Call the PCOA Help Line at (520) 790-7262 to schedule an appointment on Mondays for consultation about specific consumer issues, how to report a scam or to resolve personal budgeting or elder law issues.