News & Alerts

 

May 1, 2015

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Dear Members, Followers and Readers,

Spring has sprung in New Hampshire and we are getting busier and busier at the Alliance!  We'll be holding events and visibilities and we'd like to invite you all to join us.  Keep your eyes out for Alerts.  And if you join us, we'd love to give you one of our shiny new buttons, complete with the union "bug" (the label that says the printer is unionized).   Looking forward to seeing you soon!  

 

Sincerely,

Lucy Edwards 

President, NHARA 
 


Thanks to Rich Crocker of the State Commission on Aging and Patti Drelick of the NH Association of Senior Centers for sending on this information about the impacts of the NH House budget on seniors in our state. 
This page has all the budget information for the Department of Health & Human Services ( DHHS ) since the beginning of the year.
DHHS BUDGET INFORMATION
Below are 2 documents which show the original Bureau of Elderly & Adult Services (BEAS) presentation to House Finance in March and then the Impacts of the final House budget passed in early April---see pages 16-27 and page 34 for final House budget impacts on seniors. Also, in the impact statements are the descriptions of the closing of 4 DHHS District offices--Claremont, Conway, Laconia and Rochester. 
BEAS PRESENTATION 
IMPACT
There's a lot of information here, but some of the "highlights" that you might want to talk about with your State Senator are:

  • The 50% reduction in non-Medicaid Social Services, such as meals (home delivered and congregate), transportation and in-home care. These are all programs that keep us at home as we age, if we don't have sufficient income to hire our own providers or family who can contribute to our care with time and/or money.  They are less expensive by far then providing care in nursing homes. These services were provided to 196,610 individuals in NH in the 2014 fiscal year.  These cuts would also have great impacts on the many private and non-profit organizations who provide the services, and results in layoffs at DHHS and at the providers. 
  • The complete defunding of ServiceLink in NH.  If you are not familiar with ServiceLInk, this is how our state provides the information that seniors and their families need to make long term care decisions. It's where all of us, no matter our financial resources, can get help with signing up for Medicare and Medicare D, finding home care for an aging relative who can no longer do housework or drive to appointments, learning about assisted living or other housing options, etc.  DHHS is mandated to refer consumers to this network of state wide agencies for the information they need, and if the funding is cut, either we go without this information presented in a way that is easily understandable by knowledgeable staff, or the state will need to find another way to get this information out. ServiceLink works very, very well, why would we want to get rid of it?
*** ACTION ALERT ***

Please call or write your State Senator and ask them not to cut these programs and others that provide help to so many NH citizens.  We are not a poor state, but here at the New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans we think we are a cheap state, and we hurt our economic future, never mind our people, by being so short-sighted.  After all, we all will grow old and need some help one day.  You can find contact information for your State Senator below. 

There will be a public hearing in Representatives Hall on Tuesday, May 5, at 3:00 pm where the NH State Senate will take public comments on their proposed budget. 
 

Tell the State Senate that this is definitely penny wise and pound foolish budgeting.
 
 







*** SAVE THE DATE ***

ATTEND OUR
REAL RETIREMENT SECURITY NOW FORUM

The nation is facing a looming retirement income crisis. Average retirees today are not well off. Tomorrow's average senior is likely to be in worse shape.
Instead of addressing this looming crisis, too many of the nation's policymakers and elites propose to make it worse.

Every generation should be able to retire with confidence that they will maintain the standard of living they worked to attain over decades.

Please join us for a brief power point presentation , followed by an open Question and Answer session. We want to hear from you.

There is no cost to attend. Lunch will be served.


Who: Current and Future Retirees


What: Real Retirement Security Forum


Where: 161 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett (in the large meeting room)


When: Friday May 29 : Registration 9:30 a.m.


Program begins promptly @ 10 a.m.


*** We need to know how many lunches to order. ***

Please RSVP:  


 


 

 

 

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Become a member of the 

New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans

 

To join us, send a check for $10 to our mailing address:

NHARA, PO Box 16154, Hooksett, NH 03106

along with your name, address, phone # and e-mail address. 

 

 

The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to strive for social and economic
justice, and civil rights for all citizens to enjoy lives with dignity, personal and family
fulfillment, and security. The Alliance believes that all older and retired persons have  a 
responsibility to strive to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights and 
that retirement provides them with opportunities to pursue new and expanded
activities with their unions, civic organizations and their communities.  

NH Alliance for Retired Americans
PO Box 16154
Hooksett, NH 03106
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