A new National Council on Aging (NCOA) program, One Away, helps to show the real-life situations of many American seniors. Many of those seniors, according to a recent NCOA study, are experiencing economic hardship that leads them to choose between paying for food, housing, utilities, or out-of-pocket for medication costs. More than 13 million live on $21,780 or less annually, the study showed.
The One Away program uses video to allow older adults to tell their own stories, in their own words. One Away videos and stories can be viewed at www.OneAway.org.
“We are already receiving real stories of seniors who are struggling,” said Sandra Nathan, senior vice president for economic security at NCOA. “It’s clear that vulnerable older adults are in desperate need of help and want to be heard.”
As part of the video campaign, a Harris Interactive poll found that almost two-thirds (63%) of adults aged 18+ said they or an older adult they know is struggling to make ends meet in today’s economy. A majority (62%) also know one out of three older adults that relies on Social Security for over 90% of their income. In addition, almost three-quarters (72%) either underestimated or did not know that nearly 6 million seniors are at risk of going hungry every day.
“The struggles seniors are facing are all too often overlooked or dismissed,” said James Firman, president and CEO of NCOA. “This campaign is about elevating their voices, and we need Congress to catch up to the realities of their constituents and develop concrete solutions to make life better for our seniors.”
Visit One Away.