Seniors need aid in many ways

As an advocate of welfare reform legislation in America, for the past decade, Catholic Charities has addressed issues such as housing, the working poor and hunger in annual policy papers. This year's document, "Honor Your Father and Mother," draws on our experience of assisting 300,000 seniors annually.

As baby boomers retire, more older adults than ever before will experience obstacles that traditional services cannot address. Emerging needs require new models of service, with better planning among government, the private sector, individuals, and service groups.

What we learned in preparing the document surprised and sometimes shocked us.

Although seniors comprise 12 percent of the U.S. population, people 65 and older accounted for 16 percent of suicide deaths in 2004.

People 50 and older who entered treatment for heroin abuse rose from 7,000 to 27,000 between 1992 and 2002.

Nationally, 2.4 million grandparents report that they are responsible for grandchildren living with them.

Nationally, between 1 and 2 million seniors are victims of elder abuse.

In Illinois, 44 percent of elderly homeowners and renters pay more than 50 percent of their incomes for housing costs.

For individuals 65 to 74, health care represents 30.6 percent of potential spending. That number is 52.5 percent for retirees 75 and older.

By 2030, Alzheimer's Disease alone will cost Medicare $400 billion annually, nearly the amount of the total current Medicare budget.

As Catholic Charities celebrates 90 years of serving people, we call upon everyone who learned values, knowledge and skills from older people to assist us in serving seniors, particularly those living in poverty. Volunteer your time to enrich the lives of those who are alone. Financially support programs that address seniors' needs. Communicate with your elected officials in support of policies that help the elderly. Regard elders with dignity and understanding.

One of the hallmarks of a civilized society is how we treat our elders. With the dramatic growth of the older population, government cannot be expected to address the needs of the poor elderly; we must all recognize the issues and join in solutions.

The Rev. Michael Boland

Administrator

Catholic Charities

Chicago