Climbing the Alps Together

   Like many who spend an immense amount of time immersed in books, I am an inveterate collector and cataloger of pity quotes and maxims. Currently, I am using two of my favorites as alternating Screen Savers:

• "Learn as if you're going to live forever; live as if you're going to die tomorrow," and
• "Growing old is mandatory; growing up is purely optional."

 Truth to tell, I don't have the slightest idea who first penned these gems.  What I do know is that they are both demonstrably true.  As Adjunct Professor in three different university "Lifelong Learning" departments, I am in almost daily contact with a marvelously unique subculture:  perpetually young senior citizens.  The courses I teach -- everything from Current Events and "Great Decisions" to Biography and Foreign Cinema -- are attended by hundreds of men and women in their 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's.  That they continue to attend university classes even in their advanced years is testament to their vitality; that they have such intriguing insights and ask such searching questions is testament to their eternal youthfulness.   In my experience, they are as bright, questing and fully engaged -- perhaps even more so -- as any undergraduates I have ever known or taught.

   These "Lifelong Learners" bring with them thirsting minds, vast experience and indomitable spirits. Indeed, it is often impossible to figure out who is learning the most -- the students or their professor.  In matter of fact, the seeds for many of my Blog articles have been planted by my students through class discussions.

   I also come from a family which, fortuitously, "suffers" from" what I like to call "terminal longevity."  My father Henry enjoyed life until his latter 80s. My mother Alice, now proudly in her eighties, is just about the youngest most engaged, political savvy person I know.  She is the still the embodiment of Dylan Thomas' elder who "rage[s] against the dying of the light."  Our cousin Mitzi, a year older than Mom, is another family member who won't sit back and watch others idly bleed.

    In reality, these are the fortunate minority; folks who have the physical, financial and psychic freedom that enables them to continue living independent lives.   For far too many however, the so-called "golden years" are tarnished with poverty, loneliness, abuse and victimization. 

    According to the most recent figures, nearly 5 million senior citizens are abused in this country every single year.  Reported abuses range from assault, battery and fraud, to identity theft and even rape.  Many of these abuses occur in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals.  Even more shockingly, many of these abuses occur at home. 

   Frequently the most dangerous and demeaning abuses are perpetrated by nursing home workers who were never properly screened before being hired.  Amazingly, few states have laws on the books that mandate background checks on those who care for the elderly.  Then too, there are no federal laws that make the abuse of elderly Americans a crime.  We have laws that make animal abuse a crime; why not the abuse of our revered seniors?

    Why indeed!

    Crimes against the elderly are epidemic in America. Not only are our senior citizens being robbed, raped and ripped off; they are being ignored, humiliated and debased.  And where most people find both compassion and revulsion when our dogs, cats or horses are abused, few find the strength to do anything about crimes against the elderly.

    Its about time for a change.

    For the past five years, there have been two bills wafting through the halls of Congress that would make abuse of the elderly a Federal crime with severe federal penalties.  The Senate version is S. 1070; in the House, it is H.R. 1783.  Sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch [R-UT], Blanche Lincoln [D-AK], Herb Kohl [D-WI] and Gordon Smith [R-OR], and Representatives, Rahm Emanuel [D-IL] and Peter King [R-NY], the Elder Justice Act would:

• Amend the Social Security Act to enhance the social security of the Nation by ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. . ."

   

Specifically, the Elder Justice Act would:

• Create an  Office of Elder Justice within the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services,
• Secure funding for adult protective services at the federal level,
• Create an "Elder Justice Coordinating Council" to assure cooperation  of efforts at all levels, and
• To fund and assist such entities at the state and local levels.

    

   Most importantly perhaps, the Elder Justice Act would increase the capacity of prosecutors throughout the country to bring elder abuse charges.

    Not surprisingly, both bills have the overwhelming bi-partisan support of both houses of Congress.  Not surprisingly, there are no known opponents of this legislation.  Shockingly however, neither bill has yet to make it out of committee and come to the floor for debate, much less passage.   

    The question is "why?"

    Interestingly, the answer is not what one might expect. 

    It is not that "the enactment of this legislation will cost too much."  In fact, the Elder Justice Act calls for the allocation of a mere $650 million a year for the seven years of the bill.  Currently, the federal government funds child abuse programs to the tune of $7 billion a year.

    It is not because nursing home and assisted living facility owners are balking at the added cost of screening all prospective employees.  An amendment by Senator Kohl provides that criminal background checks may be included in a facility's federal reimbursement.  Another proposal -- by Delaware Senator Joseph Biden -- would create a background check center for volunteers with a "dedicated stream of funding."

   It is not even the fact that more conservative legislators are grousing about adding "another level of needless bureaucracy."

   So what is the problem?  Who is to blame?

   The simple answer is "we are all to blame."  Specifically, members of Congress can be blamed for spending too much time in front of cameras and microphones holding forth on such "hot" topics as  as Terri Schiavo, Media Matters for America, Rush Limbaugh and Senator Hillary Clinton.

    Then too, Congress is to blame because it does not understand that those who prey on the elderly are also terrorists.

    We, the citizens are to blame for not lobbying or exerting sufficient pressure on our elected representatives.  Seniors represent one of the most powerful voting blocs in this country.  The most recent statistics show that approximately 65% of all people over the age of 60 voted in the last presidential election.   Compared to an overall national average of not more than 50%, and you have one powerful faction.

    One of the great lessons many of us learned back in the sixties was about the power and efficacy of community involvement. Many of the most epochal events of the past 40 years came about through the concerted efforts of we the people: think the end of the Vietnam War, the eighteen-year old vote, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.  In each case --and dozens of others -- change occurred because enough citizens saw that they had both a vested interest and power.

    Might I suggest that if each of us would make the adoption of the Elder Justice Act a cause for ourselves, our organizations and our communities, we could see it enacted?  Every senator and representative has an elder constituency.  Every senator and representative is painfully aware of how many votes they cast.  No senator or representative is so tone-deaf as to ignore the voice of the public.

     For anyone interested in joining this crusade, might I suggest that a good starting point would be  the "Elder Justice Coalition"  website.  You can log on at www.elderjusticecoalition.com    It is the single-best source for information and tips on how we can help to insure passage of this vital legislation.

    130 years ago, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow noted in a letter to a friend that "To be seventy is like climbing the Alps.  You reach a snow-crowned summit, and see behind you the deep valley stretching miles and miles away, and before you other summits higher and whiter, which you may have the strength to climb, or may not.  Then you sit down and meditate and wonder which it will be."

    I may not be seventy, but I too have "meditated" and wondered, "which it will be."  And I have concluded that passage of the Elder Justice Act is essential. 

   Now.

   Let's climb the Alps together. . .

 

©2007 Kurt F. Stone

Comments

[Alan Weiss]

I spent 25 years in the hearing aid industry. Over 95% of my practice consisted of elderly patients. They are definitely set in their ways, but they are wise, funny and have seen it all. We must help them!

[Art G]

Isn't it amazing that the two things that are "forgotten" by many is the young, specifically, a pre-college education system that is woefully inadequate and the elderly, whom not enough of society cares about. Let's take the step and get the Elder Justice Act on the books. Remember, some day you will be elderly too.