As Temperatures Rise, BenefitsCheckUp® Helps Low-Income Older People Stay Cool
It's another hot summer and many older people are trying to figure out how to pay for air conditioning, food and medicine.
Washington, D. C. (PRWEB) July 28, 2008
Throughout most of the country, it's another hot summer and many older people are trying to figure out how to pay for air conditioning, as well as food and medicine. And when the seasons change, millions of these same seniors will probably need help staying warm, with home heating oil costs expected to reach record highs.
For many older people this can be a life or death issue. This was tragically revealed during the heat wave of 1995, when 485 people died in a major Midwestern city in one week, the vast majority of whom were poor older people who could not afford to pay the utility bills to cool their apartments or were without air conditioning altogether.
BenefitsCheckUp® can help seniors with their energy costs (http://www. benefitscheckup. org/moreprograms. cfm? partner_id=0). Developed and maintained by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is a free online service that helps older Americans find and enroll in benefits programs that help with vital needs including heating bills, housing, prescription and medical costs, meal programs and tax relief. By simply visiting www. BenefitsCheckUp. org, seniors with limited means can find out if they are eligible for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (http://www. benefitscheckup. org/moreprograms. cfm? partner_id=0), which helps people with limited income and resources pay for their utilities, and get help applying for the program.
"Older people are especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures, making both adequate air conditioning and heat critical," said Stuart Spector, NCOA Senior Vice President. "Millions of older Americans on fixed incomes qualify for energy assistance and are not taking advantage of LIHEAP. BenefitsCheckUp can help seniors find out if they're eligible for this essential help."
According to findings of a comprehensive survey in 2005 by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), 92 percent of the elderly consider LIHEAP very important to helping them meet their energy costs. Today, with costs escalating on all fronts, the urgency for LIHEAP is growing, with members of Congress calling on President Bush to release funds for the program.
BenefitsCheckUp is free and confidential and can be used by seniors, their adult children, caregivers or local organizations to determine their eligibility for LIHEAP and get assistance in applying - all by filling out a simple questionnaire online. Since its launch in 2001, BenefitsCheckUp has helped more than two million seniors and those who care for them find more than $6 billion in benefits. The free online service has more than 1,550 public and private benefits programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
About NCOA
Founded in 1950, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a non-profit organization with 3,700 members, and a national network of some 14,000 organizations and leaders. Our programs help older people stay healthy and independent, find jobs, access benefits programs, and discover meaningful ways to continue contributing to society.
Contact:
Georgiana Bloom
202-609-6935
Georgiana. bloom (at) ncoa. org
This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www. HRmarketer. com) on behalf of the company
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