(Photo : John Moore)
Meals On Wheels Aids Seniors Enduring Isolation Of Harsh Winter
MONTAGUE, NJ - MARCH 12: Doris Murch, 85, writes after receiving a "meals on wheels' food delivery on March 12, 2014 in Lafayette, New Jersey. This year's harsh winter has left many seniors isolated in their homes due to heavy snow. Murch, a widow who lives alone, says she looks forward to her weekly church outings. The "meals on wheels" program in Sussex County, run by Catholic Charities, serves elderly, ill and at-risk citizens citizens hot food 5 days a week. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Many people in the United States start their retirement years with little or no money saved. As a result, their Social Security checks account for the majority, if not all, of their income.
According to the most recent data from the Social Security Administration, almost 12% of men and 15% of women rely on the benefit for 90% or more of their income. This can be difficult for a family to manage; in June 2021, the average monthly payment was merely $1,555.
Despite a higher-than-usual cost-of-living adjustment of about 6% this year, fast-rising housing and food prices have only added to retirees' anxieties about fulfilling their financial obligations and the future. Aside from Social Security benefit, there are a few other resources available to seniors:
1. Apply for Food Benefits
Many seniors aren't making use of all the food aid available to them. According to a 2015 survey, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was used by less than half of eligible seniors.
For seniors on a fixed income, the extra money may make a big difference, wherein a single person's monthly benefit is $250. The money may be used in grocery shops, online stores, and farmers' markets.
SNAP has limits on how much you may have in assets and how much you can earn to qualify for assistance, and Social Security benefits are taken into account. However, some expenditures, such as rent and child care, maybe deducted, and anybody who thinks they could be eligible should apply, according to experts.
Certain low-income persons over the age of 60 are eligible for a monthly food package that includes fruits, vegetables, cheese, and other foods from the US Department of Agriculture's Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
2. Use Health Insurance And Drug Costs
The expense of health insurance and prescriptions may consume so much of a retiree's pocketbook. According to Caitlin Donovan, a spokeswoman for the National Patient Advocate Foundation, which helps people access and pay for health care, some may be qualified for assistance with monthly payments through the Medicare Savings Program.
Individuals with Medicare Part D, which covers medicines, should also check if they are eligible for Extra Help. Your prescription prices might be reduced as a result of this initiative. Donovan said the annual benefit may be worth more than $5,000.
Several non-profit groups help seniors pay for their medical expenses. You may apply for funding at Copays.org, for example, to help with copays, premiums, deductibles, and over-the-counter prescriptions.
You may use the National Patient Advocate Foundation's financial resource list to look for local assistance for everything from dental treatment to end-of-life care, CNBC reported.
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3. Supplemental Security Income
Some retirees will be eligible for the Supplemental Security Income program, a means-tested program for individuals over the age of 65 or with a handicap, though they must be earning a very low income to qualify.
More than 2.5 million people received both Social Security and the supplementary benefit, which may be as much as $841 per month for a single person, in December 2021. You can apply online or by phoning the Social Security Administration at 1-800-325-0778.
You may learn about more than 2,000 options available to struggling seniors by ZIP code on the National Council on Aging's "benefits check-up" website. For more information on the most generous benefits that help older people with expenditures such as phone bills and property taxes, see the council's You Gave, Now Save guide.
4. Home Energy Assistance
The Home Energy Assistance Program is a government program that assists low-income seniors and residents pay for their cooling and heating expenses by providing utility assistance. The Home Energy Assistance Program is a federal program that provides utility assistance to low-income seniors and residents to help them pay for their cooling and heating costs.
5. Discounted Phone and Internet Service
This is a telecommunications subsidy program that makes it simpler for low-income seniors and families to purchase a landline phone, a bundled phone, internet, or even a mobile phone.
The Public Service Commission created it with the concept that families may benefit from a little more help connecting to a doctor, a school, or a community service lifeline. Depending on whose phone carrier the senior is using, this subsidy might be supported by the federal or state government, or a combination of federal and state subsidy.
There Are Various Benefits Seniors May Apply!
Even though Social Security and Medicare are the most popular programs, the Social Security Administration's entire aim is to make life simpler for seniors in retirement, and they provide a lot more than these two. Besides SSA, there are a number of other programs for low-income seniors run by the federal and state governments, as per Retire Fearless.
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