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BOSTON, Oct. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- As the race for Massachusetts governor heats up, older voters weigh in, saying the candidates' positions on key issues will influence how they vote. New research, "Massachusetts Election Issues: Opinions from AARP Bay State Members," finds long term care and prescription drug affordability top concerns for older voters. AARP will focus on these issues -- as well as economic security for older workers -- in its nonpartisan voter education campaign, a statewide, grassroots effort, which launches today.
"It's a well-known fact: Older people vote in greater proportion than any other age group," says AARP Massachusetts State Director Deborah Banda. "They vote out of a sense of civic obligation and they vote based on issues as opposed to sound bites or slogans." According to AARP's new research, the majority (67 percent) of AARP members in Massachusetts report always voting, with 23 percent sometimes missing one election. AARP represents more than 800,000 members age 50 and over in the Bay State, about 50 percent of the commonwealth's 50-plus population.
As part of its campaign, AARP asked the major candidates for governor-specific questions about three issues: prescription drug affordability, economic security for older workers and long term care. Responses from Kerry Healey (R) and Deval Patrick (D) appear in the AARP Voters' Guide for Massachusetts Governor, available today. Christy Mihos (I) chose not to respond (see note one below). In addition, Healey, Mihos and Patrick are confirmed to participate in a candidate forum, sponsored by AARP, on Oct. 19 at Faneuil Hall in Boston; more than 500 AARP members will attend.
"The goal of our voter education campaign is to help voters get to the real substance of issues," explains AARP Massachusetts State Director Deborah Banda. "Even though the vast majority of our members in Massachusetts (89 percent) now have prescription drug coverage, they continue to be worried about affordability, and would vote for candidates committed to expanding Prescription Advantage so that the program includes all prescriptions not covered by Medicare. That said," she continues, "this year, long term care is also a top concern, and is taking on more universal importance."
AARP's Election Issues research finds that nearly all AARP members (94 percent) want to stay at home as long as possible when needing long term care, and 75 percent would be more likely to vote for a candidate who can help them achieve that goal. "AARP members who are age 50 to 64 rank the issue as a priority, perhaps because they are caring for an aging parent," Banda remarks. "At the same time," she adds, "AARP members who are 75 and older express significant concern as they struggle with planning for their own care needs."
AARP member Jim Muse, 68, of Salem says long term care is a big concern for his family. Muse and his wife have been helping to care for their disabled granddaughter for eight years. While MassHealth helps pay for health care and medication costs, other necessary expenses are the family's responsibility, including a lift chair ($32,000) and specialized van ($35,000). "Whether you are eight or 80 years old, the costs can be overwhelming," says Muse.
Not surprisingly, most AARP members (63 percent) lack confidence that they could pay for long term care on their own and at least three-quarters (74 percent) do not have long term care insurance to help. Instead, seven in 10 (70 percent) strongly support improved access, affordability and quality of long term care insurance and would be more likely to vote for a candidate who worked to accomplish this.
"Longevity is in my family, and I can't afford $2,000 a year for long term care insurance," says AARP member Antonina DiPaolo, 79, of Duxbury. "Every day I worry about what is going to happen next." DiPaolo has first-hand experience with long term care, having spent nine years taking care of her ailing mother. As a widow working full-time with no pension and a mortage to pay, DiPaolo could not afford full-time care for her mother. She hired a health-care aide to visit during the day, but, in the end she couldn't afford to buy the equipment to keep her mother safe at home.
Other highlights from AARP's Election Issues research include:
-- 96 percent of AARP members support legislation to improve affordability of prescription drugs.
-- 81 percent of AARP members support legislation that would increase funding for Prescription Advantage.
-- Two thirds of AARP members (66 percent) would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported coverage of all prescriptions through an expansion of Prescription Advantage.
-- Three quarters of AARP members (75 percent) support funding for older worker training and retraining programs.
-- Nearly half of AARP members (46 percent) would be more likely to vote for candidates who supported older worker training and retraining programs.
"Most of our members who are employed work for economic reasons, and don't plan to fully retire when they reach 65," says Banda. "As the leading edge of the 76 million-strong Boomer generation nears traditional retirement -- and fewer younger persons enter the workforce -- keeping older workers on the job and up to speed with current skills will become increasingly important." In Massachusetts, 1,235,287 workers are age 45 and over.
Through Nov. 7, the AARP Voters' Guide for Massachusetts Governor will be available on line at http://www.aarp.org/ma or by calling AARP at 1-866-448-3621. It will also be available in public places across the commonwealth, including senior centers, Councils on Aging and libraries, as well as at local AARP chapter meetings. Further, AARP is mailing the guide to the homes of 200,000 members, and the state's mature market newspaper, "the Fifty-Plus Advocate," publishes the guide this week. For AARP members and their families interested in attending the AARP Candidate Forum on Oct. 19, pre-registration is required; call 1- 866-448-3621 or email ma@aarp.org
The survey of 1,545 AARP members in Massachusetts was conducted, by mail, between July 14 and Aug. 11. The survey has a sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percent.
AARP is nonpartisan and does not own a political action committee (PAC), endorse political candidates, or contribute money to political parties or political candidates' campaigns. AARP represents more than 37 million members, age 50 and over, nationwide; more than 800,000 in Massachusetts.
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Notes
(1) Grace Ross (Green-Rainbow Party) was not asked to participate because she did not meet AARP's voter education third-party candidate criteria.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
Campaign is first of its kind to Target African American Men and Women
Boston, MA - (8/28/03). The month of September is officially proclaimed "Prostate Cancer Awareness Month," and prostate cancer survivor, Thomas Farrington is intent on getting the awareness message to men with the highest prostate cancer risk and death rates of any others in the world- African American men. Having lost his father and both grandfathers to this disease, Farrington wrote a book about prostate cancer entitled, "Battling the Killer Within." Most recently, Farrington founded the Prostate Health Education Network, Inc., (PHEN) a non profit organization with a focus on providing education and awareness to African Americans. "Black men and women need to be educated about prostate cancer, because knowledge of this disease and early detection can lead to a cure," said Farrington. As more people begin to understand that Black Americans die at a rate more than twice that of any other men in this country, including Whites, Hispanics, Asians and Indians, they understand the urgency and mission of PHEN's education and awareness efforts.
PHEN kicks off its awareness campaign in nine cities in September, using a combination of advertising on bus and subway systems, radio public service announcements and the Internet. These cities include: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. The message is straight to the point: "African American Men Have the World's Highest Prostate Cancer Risk" and "Prostate Cancer Kills! - But, is Curable with Early Detection."
With a projected audience of 50 million people on the transit systems alone, the messages urge men to begin testing their Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) by age 45 to check their risk levels. While all African American men are at high risk for the disease, some are even higher, depending on their family history.
PHEN's website, www.ProstateHealthEd.org serves as a major educational resource. Men are able to use the website to check their prostate cancer risk level and to learn about screening guidelines. They can even identify screening and treatment centers, as well as support groups, within their specific city, because the website focuses on 25 cities, each with its own webpage.
The website also serves to build a community for PHEN's 25 focus cities and their respective states by showcasing the efforts of others working on the prostate cancer education and awareness needs of African Americans.
Farrington believes that enhanced visibility of the contributions made by others will spark a national momentum that will evolve and change what he terms, "The African American Prostate Predicament."
"Realizing that men's lives can be saved through education and awareness initiatives is what prompted me to found PHEN," said Farrington. "I recognize this is a major challenge, but I have been able to attract others to get behind this effort, especially fellow prostate cancer survivors, doctors and medical centers."
Doctor Bruce Chabner, Clinical Director of Mass General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, Massachusetts, is an active member of PHEN's Boston Advisory Board. "The work that PHEN is undertaking is important in Boston and throughout the country," said Dr. Chabner.
"It's incredible," said Farrington. "I released my book in 2001, and today prostate cancer survivors around the world thank me for saving their lives. It was the book that prompted them to take personal action leading them to early detection and a chance to be cured," he said.
PHEN's September kick-off campaign is designed to provide education and awareness and also to gain national visibility and recruit others to the effort. "This is not just a one month campaign, but the beginning of an on-going effort to save lives, and to eliminate the African American disparity as the long term goal," stated Farrington.
PHEN's website is www.ProstateHealthEd.org. Those interested in joining, may do so online.
PHEN was established to increase prostate health education and awareness among men at high risk for prostate cancer. African American men have the highest prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world; accordingly these men and their families are a primary focus for PHEN. Programs and initiatives include: Public events to heighten prostate health education and awareness, Outreach efforts to make men aware of their prostate cancer risk profile, Education on early detection guidelines, Seminars and workshops to educate families, Education about prostate cancer treatment options. Highlighting the efforts and works of other individuals and organizations, Identifying practices that can be emulated, Support of screening and testing programs, Fundraising to support PHEN programs.
(distributed through
BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com)
Cambridge, MA - (8/26/03). Whether you're a student or the parent of a student, back to school is a time of excitement, anticipation and new beginnings. But beyond the new lunchbox and backpack, going back to school also raises new challenges and questions, especially for African American students and families: Is my child getting the best education she possibly can? How will I ever be able to send him to college? Is a black college the right choice for me?
Here at Africana, we understand these concerns. And to help you navigate the educational wilderness - whether for yourself or your child - we present Africana Back to School, a series of stories and resources to help you make the right choices.
Africana's Back to School content package - found on http://www.africana.com/specials/packages/BTS2003.asp -- includes
Along with our Back to School content, Africana is launching a new "Heritage" channel to aggregate and present our rich resources in black history content. To that end, Heritage will launch with our most popular resource centers - on Rosa Parks, Slavery, the Harlem Renaissance and Buffalo Soldiers - and will debut a new resource center on the March on Washington, published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of that great event.
Come to Africana for a complete listing of our historically black colleges and universities, and for a handy guide to scholarships benefiting African American students. Stay to browse our new Heritage channel, a rich educational resource compiling all the best of African's black history offerings. And interact on Africana's TalkBack message boards and Open Source community blogging tool.
Summer's over. So roll up your sleeves, sharpen your pencils, and come back to school with Africana.
(distributed through
BlackPR.com/BlackNews.com)
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by Raynor James
Massachusetts is a state overflowing with history and yet oddly modern. Massachusetts real estate prices are very pricey.
Massachusetts is an incredible mix of history and bustling modern influences. Historically, the state took in many of the initial European immigrants and was the location of crucial battles in the Revolutionary War. Throw in events such as the Boston Tea Party and you have a state with a heritage. While appreciating the past, Massachusetts also pays homage to changing times and is a hot bed for education, business and sports.
Tiny city. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? From colonial architecture to modern skyscrapers, Boston is an amazing city that deserves your attention. A favorite big city, Boston is unique for placing the old with the new. Statutes and old colonial influences sit below modern amenities such as the financial district. People watching is a prime hobby at places such as the Quincy Market and Boston Common. College influences can be found around Harvard University, Boston College and Boston University. Loafing, exploring and sailing are rife in Boston Harbor and the Charles River, not to mention crab caked galore.
If sports are your thing, Boston will be heaven. The Boston Marathon needs no introduction. For professional sports, you have the Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics and, just out of town, Patriots. Throw in a major college basketball, hockey and football influence and you have a town with a major sports passion. Winters are cold, but spring, summer and fall more than make up it. Boston is an absolutely great place to live.
Nantucket is the home of old colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and seaboard beauty. An island, the town of Nantucket is surprisingly bereft of cars, but does get packed with tourists during the summer. You’ll find the town full of funky little shops, museums and art galleries galore. Nantucket is a great place to spend a weekend as prices are outrageous. Make sure to take in a sunset at Madaket Beach.
A fishing town through and through, New Bedford has a history as one of the pre-eminent whaling towns in the country. Whaling is off limits today, but the town still bustles with a major fishing industry. While the town has lost some of it’s charm because of development and a coastal highway, there is a definite feeling of stepping into the past if you move here.
Massachusetts real estate prices are very high. There is simply no way around this fact. A single-family home in Boston proper will set you back a million dollars, while prices vary throughout the state. Unless you’re ready to commit to a $500,000 price, you’re going to be disappointed with the options.
Massachusetts real estate has a solid, but unspectacular appreciation rate. For 2005, property appreciated at rate of a little below 12 percent, just under the 13 plus national average.
Raynor James is with FSBOAmerica.org - a FSBO homes for sale by owner site. Visit our "Sell My Home" page to list your FSBO Home or visit our home buying page to see homes for sale.
Raynor James may be contacted at http://www.fsboamerica.org
by Cliff Calderwood
This is my favorite Massachusetts scenic drive, but especially during the fall foliage season.
Stretching for 63 miles from the Massachusetts-New York border to Millers Falls on the Connecticut River is a stretch of road known as The Mohawk Trail. It offers one of Massachusetts most beloved and popular fall foliage scenic drives area.
Attractions in the region of the Mohawk Trail are Mount Greylock, The Bridge of Flowers, Glacial Potholes, a natural marble bridge formed by erosion, state forests, old Indian hiking trails, and a plethora of country inns, gift shops, and arts and craft attractions.
The trail more or less follows the footpath trade and travel route used by the peoples in this part of the northeast since postglacial age. The path was well trodden and used to move between the Hudson and Connecticut River valleys.
Anytime of the year traveling this same path by road through this part of the Berkshire Hills is relaxing and inspiring… but especially during fall foliage season when everything is cloaked and carpeted in vibrant autumn colors.
This fall foliage scenic drive covers most of the major attractions and plenty of time for stopping and admiring the view or picking up an antique or two. The drive is approximately 65 miles but you should allow all day for viewing in an unhurried and gentle manner.
Start on Route 7 in Lanesborough, just south of Route 2. Follow Lanesborough one mile north to Rockwell Road on the right. This road leads to the summit of Mount Greylock.
The trip to the summit offers splendid view of the valleys and other peaks in the area. A few miles on Rockwell Road is the Mount Greylock Visitor center. Here you can get trail maps and general information about the area.
At the summit is the War Memorial Tower. The climb to the top of a 92-foot-tall tower at the summit provides magnificent views of five states. Once your summit viewing is complete take the Notch Road down to meet the Mohawk Trail on Route 2 in North Adams.
North Adams celebrates the autumn season with the North Adams Fall Foliage Festival and Parade. This is usually the last weekend of September or the first weekend of October. In North Adams is the Western Gateway Heritage State Park, which features an exhibit on the building of the Hoosac Tunnel. Close by east of North Adams off Route 2 and 8 is Natural Bridge State Park.
Follow Route 2 east out of North Adams ascending the Hoosac Mountain Range until Hairpin Turn and then onto the Western Summit. Here you can stop and admire the vistas of Mount Greylock, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and the valley below.
How fast or slow you take the next part of the journey depends on time. Continuing on Route 2 east takes you though Charlemont where the famous “Hail to the Sunrise” statue stands in Memorial Park.
The eastern end of this scenic drive on the Mohawk Trail on Route 2 takes you out to Shelburne Falls where you can view The Bridge of Flowers - a transformed trolley bridge - and the Glacial Potholes below Salmon Falls, where time has produced interesting geological pools.
Scattered throughout this drive are state parks, hikes along ancient trails, scenic views, and of course specialty shopping and dinning opportunities. So as you wind your way around on this tour take time to enjoy this area of a window into the area’s heritage.
Look for other articles in this series of fall foliage scenic drives. Or if you can’t wait you can pick up the complete scenic drive free report containing these and other New England scenic drives, along with detailed route coverage and attractions, at www.new-england-vacations-guide.com.
Cliff Calderwood is the owner and contributing writer of www.New-England-Vacations-Guide.com/ He's lived in New England for 24 years. Get more great info. on New England vacations at http://www.new-england-vacations-guide.com/
Cliff Calderwood may be contacted at http://www.New-England-Vacations-Guide.com/
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