Latest Coverage
Find the latest stories, research, and insights on policies, programs, and ideas shaping the national conversation on poverty and economic mobility.
Subscribe to our newsletter for daily insights
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity leads research and consulting initiatives that identify and address barriers to economic well-being.
Type
State
Issue
Star-Gazette, September 14, 2009: $10M senior housing complex coming to Horseheads
"Redder said company research has determined there are adequate housing opportunities for senior citizens in the low-income and high-income brackets. Those in the middle brackets, however, represent an underserved population."
The New York Times, September 11, 2009: (Editorial) A Clear Responsibility
"An aging population made more people eligible for Medicare... And deepening poverty rates made more people eligible for Medicaid, a joint federal-state program to cover the poor."
Spotlight Webcast: Poverty and Education with Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond
The Associated Press, September 5, 2009: New formula puts more elderly among the impoverished
"The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living."
USA TODAY, September 2, 2009: COLA isn't a luxury
"The oldest seniors with the highest medical expenses and low-income seniors with few additional resources are likely to suffer the most from flat or diminishing income."
The New York Times, August 31, 2009: Invisible Immigrants, Old and Left With 'Nobody to Talk To'
"In 2007, according to census data, about 16 percent of immigrant seniors lived below the poverty line, compared with 12 percent of native-born elderly... Another 24 percent of immigrant elderly are the near-poor... sitting on the edge of a cliff.'"
The New York Times, August 30, 2009: (Op-Ed) Obama's Mixed Messages
"[Mr Bush] also could have focused on low-income workers, as Social Security's central role is to be a safety net for seniors. He could have done this by supporting a higher benefit for low-income workers than their record of contributions might offer..."
The Washington Post, August 30, 2009: Seniors Leaning on Credit
"Average credit card debt among low- and middle-income Americans 65 and older carrying a balance for more than three months reached $10,235, up 26 percent from 2005... It was the fastest increase of any age group. "
Los Angeles Times, August 30, 2009: State cuts imperil program to preserve farmland
"...[It's] a poor region, where almost a quarter of residents live in poverty and the median income is $34,000. An older population of established farmers, many of them descendants of Dust Bowl refugees, is slowly being replaced by younger and poorer families with low-paying jobs..."
The Miami Herald, August 29, 2009: Seniors helping seniors: Volunteers provide a vital link
"The clients are referred by social services agencies, and the volunteers are low-income seniors `who are a little more outgoing and willing to share,' says Diane Smith, vice president of development for Broward's Senior Volunteer Services. `They tend to be gregarious.'"
Sun-Sentinel, August 26, 2009: Knowing your true property value can save money
"Tax credits, discounts: Also, check the property tax appraisers websites for other credits available such as low income senior discounts, widow exemption, disabled veterans credit and more."
The New York Times, August 26, 2009: Waxman Takes On Drug Makers Over Medicare
"He said that a study paid for by PhRMA had concluded that imposing rebates to benefit the low-income dual eligibles would make drug coverage 25 percent to 50 percent more expensive for the rest of the Medicare population."
