President’s Message … Margaret Schieck

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter and Joyous Passover.  I am keeping this short this time, as I wanted to leave room for Joy to put in an article for the youth & seniors telephone project.

RYDE (Reach Your Destination Easily) has received a grant to expand its services.  RYDE is a curb-to-curb transportation service for seniors over 65. Fees are based on income and distance.

RYDE previously served Saratoga, Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno. The grant expands service to the following San Jose zip codes: 95118, 95119, 95122, 95123 and 95139.  The average user is 81 years old.  For more information, call 408-892-9739.

See you at our virtual meeting.

Calling All Seniors … Joy Walsh

A very nice young man from The Harker School (a junior) and some of his friends (and parent sponsors) have formed a volunteer group to call seniors weekly, bi-weekly or monthly to:

(1)  Find out how you are doing.

(2)  See if you have any needs, i.e. grocery shopping, pick up medication/s.

(3)  Find out if you have any problems they could get help for.

(4)  Just chat if you’d like.  It can be about your life and experiences, his life, life in Santa Clara County, or where you lived before, etc.

Many people in our community do not have family or a support group to chat with, and the phone calls can be a way to get connected to other people.  This can be an engaging experience to bring you and the youth a sense of fulfillment through these friendly calls.  You never know when angels are sent into your life.

If you think you may enjoy chatting with one of these young people, please contact Joy Walsh. There is no obligation to continue if you do not wish to do so. Just tell the young man or contact Joy.

AARP April Program … Paul Levine and Marilyn Clough

The speaker for our April 20, 2021, general meeting will be Jose Benitez, representing Sourcewise (formerly the Council on Aging).  The mission of Sourcewise aims to inform, educate, and prepare all adults (seniors, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities) within Santa Clara County to better navigate their health and life options by offering direct services and programs, such as Information & Awareness, Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy, Care Management, Meals on Wheels, Senior Employment, and Public Authority Services.

Jose has a degree in Legal Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz.  He finds joy in helping others; and, since joining Sourcewise in 2019 as a Community Resource Specialist, has developed a passion for and pride in working for an organization that focuses on educating and providing community members with important information on support services.

Legislative News … Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

The California Legislature is in session, and AARP is still backing the following bills.  (Let your Representatives and Senators know you want them to back them, too.)

AB 458 – CA Affordable Drug Importation Act – Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop and implement a prescription drug wholesale importation program to allow for the importation of safe, affordable drugs from Canada.

Allows for the expansion of the Canadian drug importation program to include prescription drug suppliers from other major nations upon the enactment of federal legislation authorizing such practice.  Many of the manufacturers producing these drugs have already been approved by the FDA to sell pharmaceuticals on the U.S. market; and currently, at least 40% of the prescription drugs used in the U.S. are manufactured abroad.

DHHS will establish eligibility criteria for the types of drugs that may be imported.  Eligible drugs are those that will result in the greatest cost savings, such as expensive specialty and rare-disease drugs.

In addition to lowering costs, this bill protects patients who are currently forced to mail-order unregulated drugs by making sure that imported drugs are safe and effective.  Safety standards regulated by Health Canada and the European Union are as tough as FDA standards.

AB 911 / SB 515 – Long-Term Services & Support – Creates the framework & governance structure for a future Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS) benefit.  Established the California LTSS Board. 

Requires the LTSS Board to manage and invest revenue deposited in the California Long-Term Services & Supports Benefits Trust Fund.  Would, upon appropriation, finance long-term services and support for eligible individuals.

AB 84 – Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Extends paid sick leave up to 80 hours for most California employees who do not receive PSL through their job for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.  They must work for an employer with 25 or more employees for this to apply.

Allows individuals to take Paid Sick Leave to care for someone diagnosed with COVID-19.  Allows individuals to take Paid Sick Leave to care for a loved one whose place of care, such as adult day care, is closed due to COVID-19.

SB 650 – Nursing Home Reform: Financial Transparency – Requires an organization that operates, conducts, owns, manages, or maintains a skilled nursing facility, or facilities, to prepare and file an annual consolidated financial report. The report must include data from all operating entities, license holders, and related parties in which the organization has an ownership or control interest of 5% or more and that provides any service, facility, or supply to the skilled nursing facility.

Requires management companies and property companies that are not related by ownership or control to one of organizations, but that contract with or have entered into leases with one of those organizations, to file an annual consolidated financial report.  The bill would require the office to post those reports and related documents to its internet website.

Membership .. Shelly Schwartz

Just want to thank you all for renewing your membership for 2021 — and to wish you a happy and healthy spring.

Continue to keep safe and, if you haven’t had yours yet, make sure you get that appointment and get vaccinated.

Musings … Members

Special Horse Shelly Schwartz

A man needed a horse, so he went to a church and got one.  Before he left, the priest told him that it was a special horse.  In order to make the horse go, you say, “Thank God;” and for it to stop, you say, “Amen.”

So the man left; and a few minutes later, he dozed off on his horse.  Hours later, he woke up and his horse was racing him toward the edge of a cliff.  Just in time, he shouted, “Amen!” and the horse stopped a few inches from the edge.

“Whew,” said the man, “Thank God!”

Musings Lynda Martinez

It’s probably my age that tricks people into thinking I’m an adult.

It’s weird being the same age as old people. When I was a kid I wanted to be older.  This is not what I expected. 

I’m at that age where my mind still thinks I’m 29, my sense of humor suggests I’m 12, while my body mostly keeps asking if I’m sure I’m not dead yet.

We don’t do nice things for people because they are nice, we do them because WE are nice.”

More Musings Marilyn Clough

When you’re young, you sneak out of the house to go to parties. When you’re older, you sneak out of parties to go home.

And More ,,, Joy Walsh

If you drop something when you’re younger, you just pick it up. When you’re older and you drop something, you stare at it for a bit, contemplating if you actually need it anymore