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This site is wonderful. I wish we had a similar program down here in sunny Florida with all the seniors complaining that aside from Mah Jongg , Canasta and golf, there's nothing to do to stimulate their brains. How about opening a branch of OATS in Southern Florida? I know there are lots of museums, art galleries and local theater productions that seniors would love to go to (especially the free or low cost ones). Most are unaware of them. Another thing that would interest many of them is learning to use a computer. The libraries offer free access but they lack classes.

I was fortunate to be awarded an academic, four year scholarship to West Virginian University way back in 1947. The scholarships, entitled Board of Governors Scholarships, also carried with them first dibs on campus jobs. My Father, practical man that he was, told me to apply to the University Cafeteria, that way I wouldn't go hungry. He was so right, as always, in his usual good advice.

I began as a dish washer but by my sophomore year I was one of the cashiers and in my senior year I also was working as a clerk in the cafeteria office which carried the weekly stipend as well - a tremendous help to me. The student staff, kitchen help, bus boys, cashiers, etc. always were the last to eat at any meal, followed by the dietician, Blanche Price. Miss Price was just that - priceless. A graduate of West Virginia University (as were her father and sister) she was a formidable presence in her lacy, black dresses and endless strand of pearls.

Schools, including many colleges and universities, were still segregated at that time. West Virginia University allowed enrolled black students who were residents of the state and were in graduate and professional programs not offered at the two black colleges, WV State and Bluefield State. Factual data has been difficult to find for this particular time period but I have been told that it was not unusual for black students who attended classes to be denied the use of any other facility like restrooms.

On the first full day of classes in the fall of 1950, my senior year, about five or six black students appeared to dine at the very last moment for their evening meal. I have always thought on that first venture into a segregated dining room, they were watching to time their entrance to be the very last - not knowing what kind of greeting they might receive. The black students were served, paid their tabs and moved together to the very back of the cafeteria. Miss Price, observing this, got her meal and approached several of us student workers and said, "Won't some of you join me in helping make these folks welcome?" Several of us quickly picked up our trays and followed Miss Price to greet the black students. She paused when she reached their table and said, "May we join you?" The blacks, somewhat taken aback at the request, invited us to their table. We pushed two of the long dining tables together and that was the end of segregation in the West Virginia University cafeteria. The very next day, to the best of my memory, at whatever meal and for the remainder of my senior year, the black students, who had made friends in their respective classes, dined with them and sat anywhere they chose in the dining room. To those of you who don't remember, the Supreme Court did not end segregation until 1954 with the Brown decision.

The kind, Christian act of that gracious lady, Blanche Price, remains strongly in my memory as we face a national election which is offering, as one choice, an extremely gifted black man as a candidate for President of the United States of America.

SeniorPlanet is pleased to host an on-camera discussion with New York City Department for the Aging Commissioner Edwin Mendez-Santiago. DFTA is leading an effort to modernize services for older adults throughout New York City. A large part of this effort will be the revamping of senior centers. The discussion, hosted by OATS Executive Director Tom Kamber, will feature Commissioner Mendez-Santiago and several SeniorPlanet members discussing the specific needs of older adults with regard to senior centers in New York City.

You can get involved with the discussion by submitting your own question here! What do you want to ask Commissioner Mendez-Santiago? What do you want to see happening at your local senior center? Add your comments below. The show will take place on Wednesday, July 23rd and the video will be posted here on SeniorPlanet.

We're hoping to start a senior co-op community on our SC homestead. There are 100 + yr. old flowers and shrubs. Our 145+ yr. old home is the original farm house for this area. As the 4,000acres around us is heir property, there's no problem with any developing it. We offer , to be built for you, 6 cottages and 4 lovely new rooms w/ activity room onto the farm house. All of our "farming " is organic with vegetables, herbs, eatable flowers, meat rabbits, chickens, deer in season. There's fishing, hunting in the area. Bird watchers paradise! Miles of walking, riding bikes, 4 wheelers, horses, etc... Peace, quiet, clean air. Go to our web site www.countryhavenco-op.com for pictures and more info and send for brochure. We have a lovely recycled, country victorian guest room for your visit. Trisher and JIm myzarahemla@msn.com

“You can cut it with a knife!” says Mario Escalera, a music professor at a prominent New York City university. He is talking about the overwhelming sense of discrimination that many older workers experience in today's workplace.

Mario is one of a group of seniors who came to the Prospect Park YMCA last week to talk about the challenges confronting older adults as they seek to continue working or find new jobs in today's economy. The forum, organized by SeniorPlanet, was the first of three meetings set to take place this summer, leading up to a formal report which will be presented to the city council.

"Older workers have a lot to contribute to the local economy," said OATS Executive Director Tom Kamber, who moderated the session, "but policy makers need to do a better job of helping them succeed and break through the barriers of discrimination, inadequate training, and financial constraints."

One potentially big issue is the cost difference between older and younger workers. Mr. Escalera is a perfect example; as a veteran professor he makes two or three times as much as a new hire would, and he is feeling the pressure to move on. “You know the Vonage commercial where that guy keeps getting pushed off the screen?” asks Mr. Escalera, “Well I’m that guy getting pushed off.”

Lester Johnson retired from the Federal Reserve bank after 30 years of service. He faced a different challenge when he decided, after several years, to return to the workforce . “I was interviewing for a position and the woman said to me in, in essence, ‘You need to go home and sit in your rocking chair.’”

But seniors are not just sitting in their rocking chairs. They are taking a stand against discrimination and demanding that the city start taking action to improve the circumstances for older workers.

Here are four ideas that emerged for ways the City can help older workers:

• Help raise awareness of age discrimination and increase enforcement of laws against age discrimination
• Support employers who hire and retain older workers. Provide training, tax incentives, and other benefits for employers who hire older workers.
• Employer/Employee agreements. Help employers create flexible arrangements with older employees so they can stay employed with reduced hours and salaries, but continued productive employment.
• Rethink Medicare. Support legislation that would cover older workers with Medicare, instead of forcing employers to pay for costly coverage.

What do you think about these suggestions? Share your comments and suggestions with us by clicking on the link below that says “Add new comment.”

Guess what I spent seven hours doing yesterday? Installing a wireless router and back-up device for my two computers! The machine--called the Time Capsule--is produced by Apple and is supposed to be a cinch to install. Apparently not. It took the entire day, plus four calls to Apple, one call to Canon, two calls to Vonage, and dozens of Web searches before I got the whole thing figured out.

My data are now backed up, which is the important thing, but I did learn a few lessons:

• Even Apple machines can be a pain to configure at times. Apple has a reputation for simplicity (the Time Machine doesn't even bother with an on-off switch--they assume if you have it plugged in, you want it on), but in my case, things were not so simple. I was linking a MacBook Air laptop to an HP desktop (two different companies and technology platforms), and wanted to link in a Canon printer and Vonage telephone to boot. I seem to have everything working now, except I finally just gave up on the Vonage phone and cancelled the account. I use my cell phone 24/7 anyway.
• Apple tech support really is better quality. The difference in professionalism between the Apple tech people and the ones that picked up the phone at Canon and Vonage was night-and-day.
• Whenever you do anything to set up or configure a computer, printer, backup device, etc., assume a whole day on the phone. This seemed like a simple job but took three times longer than I expected--I can only imagine some of my senior friends dealing with all the troubleshooting and technical problems!

In the end, it was worth it. All my data backed up just fine once I got everything set up, and my wireless signal is stronger with the new device as well.

I hear about problems like this from the seniors at OATS all the time, and I always tell them just to expect hours and hours on the phone with tech support, but that things usually get working fine in the tend. For those of you going through similar aggravation, feel free to call us at the office. We might not be able to solve your specific computer problem, but we can definitely sympathize with how it feels to be on the phone with tech support all day!

I am sure there are many SENIORS, out there , who have disagreements , complaints , problems etc. Here is the chance to air those gripes. PLEASE SUBMIT WHATEVER MAKES YOUR BLOOD BOIL.

I am finishing the OATS class which I enjoyed and recommend highly.

Sunday's New York Times editorial offers a stunning example of the degree to which age discrimination is accepted in America today. Here's what the editors wrote:

"Senator John McCain is 71 years old, a survivor of an aggressive form of skin cancer. If elected, he would be the oldest man to become president. These factors are not disqualifying, but they impose on Mr. McCain a larger duty than usual to provide detailed, timely disclosure about his health." Read the full editorial here.

Certainly, Senator McCain's health--like that of any candidate for the presidency--is a legitimate topic for campaign discussion and voluntary disclosure, and the fact that he recently survived a bout with cancer is a fair question for public concern.

But the fact that the Times chose to conflate a discussion of the candidate's physical capabilities to do the job with an emphasis on his advanced age is offensive and discriminatory.

If Mr. McCain were an applicant for a job at the newspaper, they could legitimately ask if he knew of any physical limitations that might affect his ability to perform the required duties. But to ask him how old he is would be to invite a lawsuit under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act for illegal age-related discrimination. In essence, Mr. McCain is applying to the voters for a job, and the Times is encouraging us to use an illegal discriminatory standard to judge his fitness for the position.

Last year the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission received over 19,000 complaints of age-related job discrimination and collected $66 million in fines from offenders. Age discrimination in employment is epidemic in America. It's sad to see The New York Times setting such a bad example for its readers.

Older workers may be riding to the rescue of the American economy, but as yesterday's Wall Street Journal points out, we're not quite ready to accept their help. People who want to work past the traditional age of retirement face "financial time-bombs," according to the Journal: punitive Social Security taxes, reduced pension benefits, and loss of Medicare eligibility.

Seniors between the ages of 62 and 65 who receive Social Security are nailed with a 50 percent tax on their benefits if they remain in the workforce. And if their employers offer medical coverage, seniors who are otherwise eligible for Medicare can't take advantage of the public program--creating a major disincentive for businesses to hire older workers. Pension rules can be even worse, permanently docking older workers who shift to part-time positions in order to keep contributing on the job.

Make no mistake, we need these people participating in our economy. Donald Kohn from the Federal Reserve Board testified before Congress last year regarding the projected economic consequences of the growing portion of older individuals in our population. Federal Reserve models indicate an important link between workforce participation by older people and overall national economic productivity.

With the IRS poised to mail 130 million economic stimulus checks to American taxpayers next week, it's surprising that the critical role of seniors in our economy gets so little attention. And for seniors who spend more time in cubicles than on cruise ships, it's too bad we can't find ways to offer them support instead of "financial time-bombs."