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"While Social Security keeps most seniors above the poverty line, there are a substantial number near poverty 'who are just getting by,' said Richard W. Johnson, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. Many economists say it is good that Americans are working later in life..."

'''The fact that this is an 18-year-old, rather than a 12-year-old -- there's a lot more clarity,' she said. She added: 'I don't care about sob stories, bad background, poverty -- none of that. As an adult, you know the difference between right and wrong. You have a choice...'"

"Chelmsford is among 10 communities selected to receive federal stimulus funds totaling $50.3 million for affordable housing projects that were halted as low-income-housing tax credit markets lost equity in the slumping economy..."

"Such widespread poverty forced people nearly out of the cash economy. As the late Benjamin Roth... wrote in his recently published The Great Depression: A Diary, 'In most cases the people moving to the farm feel they will at least be sure of plenty of food for their families.'"

"Nearly 24% of Americans older than 65 have incomes below the poverty threshold... And the United States, Ireland, South Korea and Mexico have the highest old-age poverty rates among the 30 OECD countries."

"Yes, they have lost equity in their homes and money in their retirement accounts; so have other Americans, many of whom face higher costs and more uncertain income than seniors. One measure of seniors' relative economic status: Children are twice as likely to be living in poverty."

"The RTA board favors limiting free rides to low-income seniors. Reducing the number of free rides would produce $37 million in new annual revenue for the CTA, Metra and Pace, officials said."

"Since its origins in the Great Depression, Social Security has been a significant buffer between older Americans and poverty. It also provides subsidies to people who are disabled or who are survivors of workers who die prematurely"

"By empowering older adults to remain safe, happy and healthy in their homes, the city helped reduce the risk that seniors or their families would end up homeless or institutionalized. This year, funding is being redirected away from seniors..."

"Two programs in the Bluegrass hope to answer those questions. One is geared to low-income job seekers 50 and older, and the other is open to any older job seeker who is computer-savvy."

"Medicare pays for the first 100 days of an elderly person's stay in a nursing home. After that, Medicaid becomes the only source of payment for the low-income elderly. Indiana spends about $1 billion a year on nursing home costs for the elderly through Medicaid."

"They also talked about community-based mental health alternatives to nursing homes for residents who now funnel in from psychiatric wards, jail cells and homeless shelters."