WOMEN OVER 65 AND LIVING ALONE

Since living in rural Texas for almost 5 months, I've been increasingly aware of women over 65, and in fact, well into their 70's, still working.  You see them everywhere...Walmart, supermarkets, retail stores, etc.  And...they're probably making minimum wage, all while standing for eight hours.  I wonder if I just never noticed before, or if it's because I've lived in urban areas since 1970, or if it's a 'Texas' phenomenon.  Or...perhaps it's because I'm inching toward 70 in a few years, and I feel guilty enjoying my retirement while many of my fellow females are still working.

I've been talking to a few of those women.  The two I've had extended discussions with are in their mid-70s.  One works full-time in a thrift shop, while the other woman operates her hair salon, a B&B business, and an apartment.  Both spend all day on their feet and go home in the evenings completely exhausted.  They'll tell you they love their jobs, but that kind of stress can eventually kill you.  Both are divorced, and while they also collect Social Security, it is significantly less than $1000.  Neither envisions retiring because they simply could not live independently on their Social Security check.  While one has children and could live with them, the idea is abhorrent to her.  The other has no children and no siblings.

Social Security is based on income earned before retirement. Women over the age of 65 receive from Social Security an average of $14,000 per year, while men in the same age group receive $18,000. Women's salaries have lagged behind men's wages by 70-80%.  They have been unable to contribute to retirement savings at the rate men do and often haven't at all. Many single women live from paycheck to paycheck, particularly single mothers.

According to recent data, 50% of women over 65 rely on Social Security as their only source of income. The percentages increase with advancing age. In comparison, only 23% of men rely on Social Security as their only source of income.

2.9 million women over 65 live in poverty compared to 1.3 million men.

Our new Secretary of HHS, Tom Price, has proposed a 13.8% decrease in Social Security payments.  This will increase poverty amongst the elderly and likely result in many deaths. If Meals on Wheels is reduced, as proposed by the President, many living alone will starve.  The new Secretary of HUD, Ben Carson, has been directed to eliminate or make drastic reductions in his department. This likely means that subsidized housing for the elderly will be destroyed or significantly reduced.  These actions will result in many elderly people starving and/or homeless. Have you ever been to third-world countries and seen elderly people begging while sitting on sidewalks?  What happens if my female friends over 70 still working become ill? They will likely lose everything they own. The President's budget and the healthcare bill proposed by Congress address Medicaid cuts.  Medicaid helps fund the elderly without assets to live in nursing homes.

These programs are being reduced or eliminated while giving tax cuts to the wealthy, increasing the military budget, increasing the profits of insurance companies, building a wall, and continuing to support the Trump family's lavish lifestyle in NYC, Palm Beach, and around the world, all while making business deals to make them even more prosperous.

This is no longer a political issue.  It is the direction our current government is heading.  Do you want to be an ostrich and hope it all goes away, or do you want to take action by voicing your concerns?  Perhaps you're okay with our country being a haven for the very rich while ignoring the elderly, the disabled, and disadvantaged children. I hope not.

How do you want to be remembered?

(Sources: National Women's Law Center, Social Security Administration, AARP, CNBC, American Association of University Women)