Big issues are all about people: Seniors

Ed Koch and J. Patrick Coolican

Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006 | 8:06 a.m.

Many seniors, who are living on fixed incomes, struggle just to keep the power on. Other seniors sit on nice nest eggs after selling their homes in inflation-bloated markets, moving to Las Vegas and buying similar homes at lower prices.

"It's hard to generalize with any segment of the population, but with many seniors affordable health care probably is No. 1," said Carol Vilardo, executive director of the Nevada Taxpayers Association and a senior.

"Yet, not all seniors view health care the same way."

But whether wanting or wealthy, those over 65 - many of whom grew up during the Depression and learned to be frugal - desire pretty much the same thing: affordability, whether it's prescription drugs, housing or utilities. And they say that should be political candidates' top concern.

"Everybody's biggest concern is the affordability issue," said Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who is seeking his second six-year term.

"Folks are worried about whether their doctors will be able to afford to continue to see Medicare patients."

Jim Gibbons, a five-term Republican congressman and the GOP's candidate for governor, agrees that many of the top concerns among seniors are preceded by the word "affordable." He says they include housing, taxes, prescription drugs, transportation and health care.

Seniors segment growing

Since 2000, almost 50,000 people older than 65 have moved to Nevada. Seniors make up about 11 percent of the state's population, and that percentage is likely to increase as Baby Boomers reach retirement age.

An estimated 70 percent of seniors nationwide vote, making them a prime target of office-seekers.

Jack Carter, Ensign's Democratic opponent, recognized that by kicking off the morning of his primary Election Day activities at an assisted-living facility.

"Give me 100 seniors over 100 college students any day," he said. "What older Americans want most is for people to listen to them."

One of the things seniors are talking a lot about is Medicare Part D and whether prescription drugs are any more affordable because of it.

Ken Mahal, president of the Nevada Seniors Coalition, says many older people have complained that it is a confusing and incomplete plan.

"In addition to Medicare Part D, the state government should take a look at instituting a low-cost drug program where any retiree could buy in," Mahal said. "We need a state-sponsored buyers cooperative for prescription drugs."

Tessa Hafen, the Democratic candidate for the District 3 congressional seat held by Republican Jon Porter, said she would "close the doughnut hole" in Medicare Part D by allowing "the federal government, with its enormous buying power, to negotiate for drugs, which was prohibited under this legislation."

Part D not good for everyone

Deborah Moore, spokeswoman for the AARP of Nevada, says Medicare Part D "is working for a lot of seniors, but is not working for everyone." With any new program, she says, there are challenges in implementing it.

Porter agrees that recent changes to Medicare have resulted in red tape that has been difficult for some seniors to navigate.

But there are successes, Porter said. Nearly 300,000 of Nevada's seniors now have prescription drug coverage through Medicare - about 90 percent of the eligible population, he said.

Because many seniors don't have access to computers, Porter said, it's not enough to streamline the program's online materials. Community meetings, like the one he attended several weeks ago at a Henderson senior center, gave people the opportunity to ask questions , Porter said.

"It's a huge change, there are going to be some initial glitches," Porter said. "But we need to make it as easy as possible."

Ensign said he voted against the prescription drug package because "I had my own. I thought my bill was superior to the president's (because) it targeted the seniors who needed help the most and was more fiscally responsible."

Carter says he is concerned that some senior military veterans are not getting the treatment they need.

"In rural Nevada, access to a VA (Veterans Administration) facility is very hard to get," he said. "Many drive four hours to get to a VA hospital."

"A solution in rural areas might be to have the VA institute a voucher system so veterans can go to a local hospital, then place a claim to the VA."

Affordable utilities and housing also are of great concern for seniors.

"A lot of seniors are using fans and finding ways other than turning on air-conditioners to keep cool," she said, adding that there needs to be more programs like Nevada's Universal Energy Fund that helps pay utility bills.

In the past fiscal year, 17,255 Nevadans were assisted with that program, Moore said. According to AARP , 18 percent of Nevada seniors 65 to 74 and 27 percent of seniors 75 and older have a household income of less than $15,000 per year.

Gibbons said he would support spending money on renewable energy .

Low-cost housing proposed

Mahal said building low-cost housing for seniors is not the daunting task that some politicians make it out to be.

"Seniors do not need a lot of space or land," he said. "They need small, simple units, especially the growing numbers of homeless veterans."

Crime also is high on the minds of many seniors. Mahal said more police patrols in neighborhoods would be a good start.

Sheriff candidate Doug Gillespie, a current undersheriff, said continuing education is important to teach seniors "what to be careful for and not become a victim."

Gillespie said he also would like to encourage more senior volunteers at precincts throughout the area .

His opponent, businessman Jerry Airola, in a written response to questions from the Sun , said the issues seniors have told him are their greatest concern include traffic, better response times, volunteer programs and gang violence.

Airola said he plans to start a reserve police officer program and an Auxiliary Police Officer Program that will work to address senior issues.

Hearing seniors' voices now

Titus is concerned that if seniors are not listened to now, their voices will be heard at the polls down the road. She noted that Southern Nevadans will be asked to raise their taxes by $3.8 billion to pay for roads at the same time they will be asked to raise their taxes for schools. "It's a serious challenge, as seniors may choose roads over schools," she said.

The survival of Social Security also is a high priority senior issue, but a number of candidates do not support privatizing the system.

"Absolutely not," Porter said. "Privatization is like selling the retirement system to the private sector. It's actually one of the more successful programs helping seniors in their later years. We just have to make it more self-sustaining."

The AARP also opposes privatization, but recommends that Baby Boomers who are approaching retirement do more investing.

"Maybe the retirement age could be increased to make sure the program is solvent in the coming years," Moore said.