1984-01 January IBEW Journal.pdf - International Brotherhood of ...

"The elderly arc victims 01 the
same tnflatlonary spiral that has
gouged all health care consumers in
recent years," explains Hutton. "The
problem wHh Medicare IS symptomatic
of the problems 10 the whole
system_ What is needed is a program
of system-wide cost controls thai
Will put the responsibility of hold 109
down costS on those who determine
the nature and extent of health care
• scrvlces-the prOViders," says Hutton.
Although the baltle for health care
COSt Contamment IS NCSC's No. I
legislative goal, the orgalllzation IS
• also active on many other fronts.
One of its most significant achievements
over the years was passage of
the amendments to the Older Amer­
Icans Act, won as :I direct result of
Ncse activity dunng the 1971 While
House Conference on Agll1g.
These amendments provided for
'. nutrition sites offering daily hot
lunches, meals-an-wheels for the
confined or disabled, legal services,
transportation for medical appointments
and grocery shoppll1g, and sen­
• Ior centers offenng a vancty of physical,
recreational, and social services
III a neighborhood sC Hlng.
,
-
The NCSC IS the largest non-proAt
developer of federally funded Section
202/8 houstng for the elderly and the
handicapped. The NCSC IS the sponsor
of over $100 milliOn worth of
housing for SCllIors, with 18 prolects
contailllng more than 2,000 lInltS
completed o r under way. The Council
nOt only co-sponsors SCllIor Citizens
houstng. along with a local affiliate
10 each community, but It also
manages the bulidmgs once they arc
completed_
Areas 10 which the Council IS currcndy
co-sponsoring SC nl or citizens
housmg Include Miami Beach, Florida;
Brooklyn, New York; Jackson­
Ville, Arkansas; Fontana, California;
Marlow Heights, Maryland; and Bayamon,
Puerto Rlco_ In addlllon, NCSC
IS managing severa l other prOlectS,
many for state diviSIOns of the AFL­
• ClO. AU these Pro1ccts have scvcral
things In common-they wcre all
built with 100 percent umon labor
and materials, and they were all de­
-.
Older Americans Act
Housing
Signed to accommodate the umque
needs and problems of seniOr CHIzens.
•
The NCSC IS committed to the
belief that housll1g needs of the elderly
and the handicapped arc special
and diverse. As Ihe la rgest developer,
the Council has the specialized
'knowledge and experience It takes
to Improve the housing situation for
the elderly III thiS COUntry. Funds for
the buildmgs arc proVided under Section
202/8 of the NatIOna l Housll1g
Act, which grants long-term, low­
IIlterest loans to non-profit o rgalllza
ll ons In order to develop housll1g
that meets these speCial needs of
older people
Other Services
In add ilIOn to ItS legislative efforts
on behalf of the elderly, the Council
offe rs a vanety of other services to
ItS members. Gold Card members
arc eilglble for low-cosl rates for
travel, low-cost health II1surance to
supplement Medicare, low-cost auto
Insurance, motel and car rental discounts,
a preSCrlpllon drug serVice,
and a national neWSpaper, Semor CIt­
Izens News. The NCSC's nationwide
servlcc corps, Seillor AIDES, places
thousands of semor citizens 111 commUlllty
servlcc employment. Also,
the Coum:iI sponsors the NurSing
Home Information Scrvlce, which
coll ects data on nursmg home facilities
and advises individuals about
the type of care provided.
In Its first two dl'Cades, the NCSC
has accomphshed many of its goals.
But the need remall1S for an effective,
In July. 1963.lhousands 01 senior citizens galhered
in WaShington, 0 C, 10 prolest rising
health care costs
committed orgamzatlon to fight tor
the TIghtS of those who have worked
for and bUilt thiS country, and who
rcqUlTC special housmg, medicaJ care,
and other services. The National
CounCil of Semor Clllzens IS lust
such an orgalllzatlon.
For more information about the
National Council, wnte: Membership
Services, Nallonal Council of
Senior ClIizcns, 925 15th Street,
N.W., Washll1gton, D.C. 20005.
These NCSC members 8re vis/ling a Capllo1 Hill coogresslonal o"l