Author Archives for Herb Weiss

GAO Report, Congress, Urge Better Disaster Response to Seniors and Disabled

Published in the Woonsocket Call on June 23, 2019

Following a newly released 75-page report on the nation’s disaster response from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), and after an outbreak of destructive tornadoes in the Midwest and the start of the 2019 hurricane season, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, throw a bill into the legislative hopper to assist seniors and disabled persons before, during and after natural disasters strike.

The Casey-Collins legislation, S. 1755, titled the “Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion (REAADI) for Disasters Act” would support the development of preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation plans that are inclusive of seniors and people with disabilities. The legislation would also ensure that these individuals would have a voice in creating emergency plans that directly affect them. Senators cosponsoring the bill include Doug Jones (D-AL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Another bill, S.1754, titled the “Disaster Relief Medicaid Act” (DRMA), sponsored by Cassey, would ensure Medicaid services are consistently available for individuals forced to relocate to another state due to disaster or emergency. It would protect those residing in an area covered under a presidential disaster declaration as a “Relief-Eligible Survivor,” and grant them the support needed to easily access or apply for Medicaid services in their host state. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are cosponsoring this bill.

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) plan to introduce the House companion measure of REAADI Act. Congresswoman Donna Shalala (D-FL) will introduce DRMA in the House chamber.

Inadequate Disaster Planning Can Result in Death

“Inadequate planning for disasters can mean life or death, so it is critically important that every
community is prepared to meet the needs of all citizens—including older adults and people with disabilities—before, during and after a disaster strikes,” says Casey in a June 11 statement announcing the introduction of REAADI, calling for seniors and people with disabilities to be actively involved in developing emergency preparedness plans that will keep them safe.

In this statement, Collins adds, “As we have learned from natural disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, some of our neighbors – especially seniors and individuals with disabilities – face many obstacles during a crisis. We must focus on the attention they may need. The bipartisan legislation improves training and coordination to help ensure that local, state, and federal officials are adequately equipped to care for the most vulnerable in their communities during a natural disaster.”

“As someone who lives with a disability, I take this issue to heart. The REAADI for Disasters Act will help eliminate barriers faced by people with disabilities and older adults during disasters by providing them a greater role in the policymaking process,” says Langevin, co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, stressing the importance of passing the DRMA to continue Medicaid support services to America’s disabled and seniors.

GAO Report Gives Roadmap to Integrating Assistance During Natural Disasters

Released June 5, GAO’s Report, titled FEMA Action Needed to Better Support Individuals to Better Support Individuals Who Are Older or Have Disabilities, examines the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster response to three sequential hurricanes – Harvey, Irma and Maria – that affected more than 28 million people in 2017. According to FEMA, seniors and persons with disabilities faced challenges in these natural disasters when evacuated to safe shelter, accessing medicine and obtaining recovery assistance. In June 2018, FEMA began implementing a new approach to assist individuals with disabilities.

GAO’s report addressed the challenges FEMA partners reported in providing assistance to seniors and the disabled and took a look at the challenges such individuals faced accessing assistance from the federal agency and the actions FEMA took to address these challenges. The federal study also examined the FAMA’s new strategy to assist persons with disability.

Here are GAO’s seven recommendations to FEMA:

The federal agency, charged with providing auditing, evaluation and investigated services to Congress, called on the FEMA Administrator to develop and publicize guidance for partners, during the data sharing process, who are requesting individual assistance data from seniors and persons with disabilities during natural disasters.

The GAO report also called on the FEMA Administrator to implement new registration-intake questions to improve FEMA’s ability to identify and address survivors’ disability-related needs, by directly soliciting survivors’ accommodation requests.

GAO also suggested that the FEMA Administrator improve communication of registrants’ disability-related information across FEMA programs, by developing an alert within survivor files that indicates an accommodation request.

As to the federal agency’s new strategy to specifically assist persons with disability, GAO urged the FEMA Administrator to establish and disseminate a set of objectives for the federal agency’s new disability integration approach.

The GAO report also recommended that the FEMA Administrator provide a written plan for implementing its new disability integration staffing approach to Regional Administrators and Regional Disability Integration Specialists. The plan would be consistent with the new objectives established for disability integration. It would also include an implementation timeline and details on staff responsibilities, which regions could use to evaluate staff performance.

Additionally, the GAO report recommends that the FEMA Administrator should develop a plan for delivering training to FEMA staff that promotes their competency in disability awareness. The plan should include milestones and performance measures, and outline how performance will be monitored.

Finally, the GAO report suggests that the FEMA Administrator develop a timeline for completing the development of new disability-related training that the federal agency can offer to its partners that incorporates the needs of individuals with disabilities into disaster preparedness, response and recovery operations.

For a copy of the GAO report, go to http://www.aging.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/GAO%2019-318%206-3-19.pdf.

Some Tips to College Seniors

Published in t he Woonsocket Call on June 2, 2019

Throughout May and June, robed college graduates at Rhode Island’s 11 Colleges and Universities listened to commencement speeches delivered by well-known lawmakers, judges, television personalities, actors, and chief executive officers of businesses. These included: former congressman Patrick J. Kennedy at University of Rhode Island; Bryan Stevenson, a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer, at Rhode Island School of Design; and actor and director John Krasinski, at Brown University. Many of the orators advised the young adults on how to create a more rewarding personal and professional life in their later years.

Members of the Association of Rhode Island Authors (ARIA), from their life experiences, also have insightful tips on aging gracefully in a very challenging and constantly changing world to give to the Class of 2019, and some of what the authors would have said if they had been invited to speak follows.

Co-authors Victoria Corliss, (a resident of Cumberland) and Leigh Brown, (from Warwick) have written three books. The newest book, “The Pendulum’s Truth,” published in 2018, is a story of Ava Dell, a protagonist with a twist. Like many people, Ava firmly believes that everything happens for a reason; but unlike her friends and family, she also believes she knows why they happen. She happily shares her intuitive insights with the people she loves providing them guidance and affirmations until the day her awareness fails her. When tragedy results, Ava suddenly finds herself in a moral and emotional dilemma. For Details, go to http://www.browncorlissbooks.com.

Commencement Tips: “Sometimes, when you think things are falling apart, they’re really just falling into place. So, in times of chaos, of which there will be many, take a deep breath, a step back and be still; it will help you to see the sense of things. One more piece of advice: ‘It’s not what happens to you that matters most, but how you react to it.’ Taking things in stride is a skill that keeps on giving.”

Dana Gambardella, 42, a Reading Specialist, resides in North Providence. She has written two children’s books, “Mama Bear’s Magic” and Grandma’s House,” published in 2018. In “Mama Bear’s Magic, Tiny Bear realizes that bath time is “bear” fun! This humorous, truth-telling tale illustrates how Mama Bear embraces Tiny Bear’s process so he can overcome his apprehension for the bath and discover that bathing is enjoyable. With brother Bear’s modeling and Mama Bear’s clever approach, it’s like magic! Savor the sounds, tastes, smells and feelings that come alive only at “Grandma’s House.” The illustrations in this book replicate the author’s grandmother’s house that still stands in Providence, Rhode Island. Vivid memories come alive through the light, impressionistic watercolor techniques on each page that evoke feelings of nostalgia for readers of all ages. For details, go to http://www.literacychefpublishing.com.
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Commencement Tips: “Always savor your own story. It’s made up of the best ingredients. My two passions, literacy and culinary arts, have nurtured my story since graduating college. Being a reading specialist educating the highest priority reader is not that different from being a chef enthusiast. Experts in both areas must combine the right ingredients and practices to create a successful recipe that reaches many individual learners and palettes. Embrace Literacy. Live to Learn. Love Your Process.”

Gledé Browne Kabongo, 45, author and marketing consultant, living in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. She has written four novels, the latest, the award-winning “Autumn of Fear,” published in 2018. In her tome, College student Abbie Cooper’s dream of becoming a surgeon is shattered when she wakes up in the hospital after a violent assault with no memory of the attack. To uncover the truth of what happened that night, Abbie must confront a stunning web of lies that stretch back decades, and a vicious predator who is willing to kill to protect his secret. For details, go to http://www.gledekabongo.com.

Commencement Tips: “If you live for the approval of others, you will die by their criticism. So, take your time and figure out who you are and what you want in life. It’s OK if it takes a while, the journey is as important as the destination. You will have many failures and make many mistakes. Don’t hide from them. It’s part of the journey. Be kind to yourself and others. Kindness is powerful and can change the world.”

Sheryl Lynn Kimball, 51, a resident of North Smithfield and owner of Kimball Property Maintenance. In 2019, she published “The Witches’ Antidote: Abigail’s.” In this book, when best friends Evan and Valarie hear that a tiny island on the Blackstone River is haunted, they have to see it for themselves. Once there, they discover an enchanted book instructing them how to put Salem Witch Trials victim Abigail Carver to rest. The teens will have to draw on all their strength if they are to survive the night and bring peace to a tortured soul. For details, go to http://www.Amazon.com.

Commencement Tips: “Follow your dreams. Many things will come along to throw you off your intended path. You’ll tell yourself you’re only taking a short detour but suddenly you’ve become just another hamster on the wheel. Understand that a few tiny steps in the direction of your heart are so much more valuable than any strides you make that go against your grain.”

Richard T. Rook, 71, a lawyer from Wrentham, Massachusetts. The basic plot of his book, “Tiernan’s Wake,” is a real-life historical mystery. An unlikely team apply their different skills to locate the only identifiable portrait, and maybe the missing treasure, of the iconic 16th-century Irish Pirate Queen (and political operative) Grace O’Malley. But it’s also a story of damaged adults confronting their mortality and looking for the “missing portraits” of themselves. Sometimes the important messages are delivered by ancestral spirits, if we’re smart enough to listen. For details, go to http://www.richardrook.com.

Commencement Tips: “Advice: Congratulations! You’ve accomplished a great deal, but not enough. Savor it, then start thinking about your obituary. By that I mean your legacy, how you want to be remembered. If you’re not careful, life will eat your dreams one small bite at a time, and you won’t even notice. I put off writing for 50 years, one day at a time. Be smarter. Draft your legacy now, then go make it happen.”

Angelina Singer, 22, an entrepreneur and crochet artist, lives in Boson, Massachusetts. She is author of “The Sorting” (Book 1 of the Upperworld Series), published in 2017. When asked to describe her book, Singer says: “Who decides where we are born and who we love? Luna is an immortal entity in the Upperworld learning how to assign human souls to bodies. Everything goes well until Luna’s friend makes a major mistake and Luna is sent to Earth after covering for her. For details, go to angelinasingerauthor.wordpress.com.

Commencement Tip: “Life is a lot like writing a book. Even if you haven’t formally published anything in the literal sense (or even want to), everyone has the power to write their own life story. This is both equal parts exciting and scary, but that’s why I write – to make sense of everything I can’t understand or even to get a second chance at something I’d like to redo.”

Dana Vacca, a college instructor, residing in Narragansett. Her historical fiction tome, “A Civil War Slave Escapes by Sea,” was published in 2018. When asked to describe this book, she says: “A storm at sea, a voyage aboard a whaling ship, the battlefields of Virginia, the Great Dismal Swamp, perilous escapes, a forbidden romance, – change the life of a run-away slave, forever. This epic journey to freedom in the midst of the Civil War is an unforgettable story of strength, determination and love. Historically accurate, action-packed adventure.” For details, go to http://www.amazon.com.

Commencement Tips: “You have come of age with purpose, with desires, with resolve and probably, also with fears. Do not be ashamed of those fears. Do not merely react to them letting them dictate your journey or paralyze you into stasis. But, do not expect to find a magic potion to make them disappear. Instead, dominate fear; – take up the reins and steer your life, in spite of it. The face of fear may change with age, but it will always be your traveling companion. If you keep your eyes on what is honest, what is just and forge ahead, you can be its master.”

Mary Catherine Volk, over age 55, is a life coach residing in Narragansett. In her book, “Believe in Forever: How to Recognize Signs from Departed Loved Ones,” published in 2015, she details firsthand experiences of people being contacted by their deceased family members and friends. She says that the humorous and heartwarming stories will give you chills as they touch your heart; teaching you to trust your own intuition. It was not just your imagination or an odd coincidence. Our loved ones are near shortly after passing to help us with our grief and to let us know their consciousness and love for us is eternal. For details, go to http://www.marycatherinevolk.com.

Commencement Tips: “What did you enjoy playing as a child in the third or fourth grade? What gave you Joy? Your answer holds a valuable key to your unique gift. Embrace your uniqueness! Follow your dreams, you will have support along the way, it’s all part of the journey to discover you and your special gifts. Don’t be afraid to share your gift with the world. Humanity needs you!”

For more information about the ARIA go to http://www.riauthors.org.

Student Loan Debt Takes a Huge Financial Toll on Seniors

Published in the Woonsocket Call on May 26, 2019

As the 2020 presidential campaign heats up, Democratic candidates are zeroing in on a key domestic issue for 44 million voters, carrying $1.5 trillion in student-loan debt. Their proposals range from free-public college for anybody, forgiveness of all college loans up to $50,000, free community college, to refinancing college loans.

With the national political spotlight put on student-loan debt, many are assuming that this issue impacts only younger Americans. That is not the case. A newly released AARP Public Policy report says it’s a skyrocketing problem impacting multiple age groups. Over recent decades, the report highlights the important role that older Americans play in financing college education for their children, grandchildren and other family members.

Federal Reserve data show that Americans owed $1.5 trillion in student loan debt as of December. An updated analysis shows people aged 50 and older owed 20 percent of that total, or $289.5 billion, a more than fivefold increase from $47.3 billion in 2004.

According to the PPI findings, of those age 50 and over who helped pay for ‘someone else,’ 80 percent helped a child, compared with 6 percent who helped a spouse or partner; 8 percent, a grandchild, and even smaller percentages ‘who helped other relatives or friends.’

Student Loan Debit Hits Seniors Hard in their Pocketbooks

“It is stunning that more families are taking on such sharply greater amounts of student debt than in the past,” says Lori Trawinski, director of Banking and Finance at the AARP Public Policy Institute, in a May 15 statement released with the report, “The Student Loan Debt Threat: An Intergenerational Problem.”

“For younger families, this burden impedes their ability to save for other purposes, such as for a home, their children’s education or for their own retirement,” adds Trawinski, who warns that the long-term financial security of seniors can be threatened by student loan debt.

The researchers noted that most older borrowers hold loans taken out for their own education, and the percentage of borrowers aged 50 and older in default is much higher than for younger borrowers. Data also show that Parent PLUS (direct federal loan) borrowers aged 65 and over are facing higher rates of default than younger age groups, they say.

The 10-page PPI report includes survey results that focus on the key role played by age 50 and older Americans in helping “someone else pay for college and other post high school education.”
(The survey specifically included only those individuals who have not yet fully paid off the debt or who have paid it off within the past five years.)

Of those 50 and over who helped “someone else,” 80 percent helped a child, compared with 6 percent who helped a spouse or partner; 8 percent, a grandchild and even smaller percentages “who helped other relatives or friends.”

One interesting finding of the PPI report was that the most common involvement by people aged 50 and older was cosigning a loan (45 percent), while a smaller percentage (34 percent) ran a balance on a credit card and 26 percent took out a Parent PLUS loan.

Among those who co-signed a private student loan, nearly 49 percent made a payment on the loan, often because they wanted to proactively assist the student borrower. Twenty-five percent said they had to make a payment after the student failed to do so.

The survey asked the one quarter of survey respondents who had taken out a Parent PLUS federal loan, and who had made a payment over the prior five years, whether they ever had any difficulty making payments. Nearly a third 32 percent did have a problem with at least one payment. The breakdown by race/ethnicity for those having a problem with a payment was: African-American/Blacks, 46 percent; Hispanics, 49 percent and whites, 29 percent.

Rhode Island Lawmakers Put Student Loan Debt on Radar Screen

Over a week ago, the Senate Finance Committee took testimony on S 0737, titled the Student Loan Bill of Rights. The legislative proposal, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer (D), a lawyer representing parts of Newport and Jamestown, would protect student loan borrowers and establish oversight of student loan services operating in the Ocean State. House Health, Education and Welfare Chairman Joseph M. McNamara has introduced the companion measure (H 5936) in the lower chamber.

“The heavy burden of student debt is challenging enough for the majority of college graduates. Incompetent, inefficient or even deceitful loan servicers should not be allowed to exacerbate their struggles. Student loan servicers must be held accountable to ensure that they are providing honest, reliable information and services to their borrowers,” said Senator Euer (D-District 13, Newport, Jamestown), in a Senate press release announcing the held Senate Committee hearing.

According to a press statement, more than 133,000 Rhode Islanders, including 16,000 senior citizens, have a combined $4.5 billion in student loan debt. Over $470 million of Rhode Islanders’ student loan debt is delinquent.

S 0733 would set standards for student loan serving, both prohibiting predatory behavior and providing best practices for protecting consumers’ rights. It also requires student loan servicers register with the state and allows state regulators to examine servicers’ business practices. Additionally, the Senate bill allows both the Attorney General and department of business Regulation to penalize servicers who violate borrow rights and to seek restitution on behalf of borrowers in Rhode Island. It would also require better communication from lenders to borrowers about any transfer of their loans to another institution and about any alternative repayment or forgiveness program for which the borrower may qualify.

Borrowers in Rhode Island report being double-charged or incorrectly marked as delinquent in payment, with loan servicers taking months, or ever years, to correct mistakes. Additionally, many student loan borrowers eligible for the national “Public Service Loan Forgiveness” program have received incorrect and contradictory information from their loan servicers, leading to improper denials of loan forgiveness.

Calling for Passage of Rhode Island’s “Student Loan Bill of Rights

Bill sponsors Euer and McNamara were joined by Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Attorney General Peter Neronha, Commissioner of Postsecondary Education Brenda Dann-Messier and department of business Regulation Director Liz Tanner, on March 28 at the statehouse to push for legislative fix to protect Rhode Islanders who are shouldering crushing student loan debt.

“By several measures, student loan debt has increased greatly in the last 10 years,” said McNamara at the news conference. “It has surpassed the amount households owe on auto loans, home equity loans and credit cards. This legislation will help to address the crisis by establishing oversight of the student loan process and prohibiting predatory practices,” he noted.

Euer added, “The heavy burden of student debt is challenging enough for the majority of college graduates. Incompetent, inefficient or even deceitful loan servicers should not be allowed to exacerbate their struggles. Student loan servicers must be held accountable to ensure that they are providing honest, reliable information and services to their borrowers.”

Treasurer Magaziner threw in his two cents. “Too many Rhode Islanders are vulnerable to deceptive and predatory practices by their student loan servicers, who make it hard for borrowers to keep their loan payments affordable.” He added, “Too often, borrowers aren’t receiving accurate information about their loan, which can result in higher interest, leave them in debt longer, and make them more likely to default. This legislation will hold student loan servicers accountable and help Rhode Islanders choose the options that are best for them.”

Finally, Attorney General Neronha touted the importance of passing the Student Loan Bill of Rights. “If and when borrowers have issues with their loans or loan servicers, this legislation provides them with a place to go to address those issues. While our primary focus will be on helping Rhode, Islanders get the information they need to solve their student loan problems, my office will be ready, on behalf of mistreated borrowers, to investigate and enforce violations of the student loan standards outlined in this bill.”

If Congress can’t tackle the student loan debt crisis, in a timely fashion, it is now time for Rhode Island lawmakers to offer assistance to Rhode Islanders faced with crippling student loan debt. The Rhode Island General Assembly should pass Euer and McNamara’s “Student Loan Bill of Rights.” and the legislative proposals should not “be held for further study. It’s the right thing to do.