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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Police seek man suspected of stealing wallet, using credit cards Guide promotes better food system Democratic contender not conceding victory to Walden Gas prices are dropping 10 things to know for Monday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Police seek man suspected of stealing wallet, using credit cards Emergency services Shots fired into Medford home Wind pushes tree over onto Grants Pass woman's car Elderly woman's kidnapper sentenced to 15 years Politics and Elections Democratic contender not conceding victory to Walden Fire chief has sheriff's back Phoenix council races draw a crowd — and debate Winters worn down by criticism Eagle Point might get on the bus Education Kids Unlimited Academy awarded $450,000 grant County helps fund RCC job training SOU student says free speech issue overblown SOU interim president leads in a different direction Medford school officials consider costs of full-day kindergarten Environment Ashland council calls for divestment from fossil fuel Reintroduction of McCloud River salmon inspires film, tribe Rite Aid bear cub may be released into the wild in spring Rite Aid cub well, could come back to southern Oregon Neighbors smell trouble in proposal to spread waste on Sams Valley farmland State news Nation - World Obituaries Donna Lee Norvell Faith Ann Honer Sherry Nell Bean Pat V. Cutler James Luther Hinds, Jr. Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories One to Go Ashland splits at South Salem Classic Wilson leads Seahawks over Panthers again, 13-9 Earnhardt wins at Martinsville Speedway Streb wins McGladrey Classic in a playoff Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers’ defense wilts in loss Ducks do a lot of bending in victory Victory puts Raider netters atop standings Beavers fall flat OSU’s pass defense gets failing grade Pro Sports One to Go Wilson leads Seahawks over Panthers again, 13-9 Streb wins McGladrey Classic in a playoff New season looks like it’s can’t miss North Carolina coach Williams ‘dumbfounded’ by report Community Sports LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL RESULTS Business Latest Stories Volvo V60 R-Design is all work, all play Southeast Village Center inches closer to reality Winco to build Grants Pass store Business briefs Blog: Let's Celebrate! Real Estate News New I-5 interchange puts south Medford on fast lane to fast food Lithia buys Clovis dealership Rental vacancies increase Jackson County real estate sales, prices continue rebound Pallet Wine Co. expands in downtown Medford People In Business People in Business Transportation Frontier Airlines to end Eugene-Denver service Business Resource Fair has answers Erickson's Navy contract extended Lithia buys Clovis dealership Agriculture Hundreds look for work at Harry & David hiring fair Umpqua Holdings more than doubles net earnings Harry & David will hold hiring fair Thursday Ranchers offer livestock exchange 1-800-Flowers CEO: Labor shortage an issue for Harry & David Opinion Latest Granlund cartoon: Midterm elections Granlund cartoon: Voter discontent Granlund cartoon: Voter apathy Letters to the Editor, Oct. 27 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 26 Editorials Our View: Cost is a poor excuse for local pot tax Don't bet on pot windfall for schools Our View: SOU's 'free speech zone' constitutionally questionable Our View: Kitzhaber is still the best choice Our view: Merkley-Wehby race leaves us unconvinced; Walden seems destined for permanent position Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Oct. 27 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 26 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 26 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 25 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 24 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Common Core testing sets math students up for failure Guest Opinion: Campaigning and voting 'the Oregon way' Guest Opinion: A glimpse into the reality of our elections Don't overlook importance of Jackson County commissioners race Measure 92 misleads rather than enlightens Lifestyle Latest stories Kitchen Call: A cookbook by its cover It Is What It Is: I feel pretty, oh, so pretty Jeff Vrabel: Daycare not a fan of Halloween Volvo V60 R-Design is all work, all play Get A Life: Let your facial expressions show Food Kitchen Call: A cookbook by its cover Community blog: Quick breads take well to gluten-free ingredients Community blog: Barrel Aged and Sour Beers Ledger David Cellars has a new winemaker and big plans Community blog: There's a method to mix, match alternative grains Home and Garden How to live and work in a tiny home Dear Monty: Rent-back clause prevents financial disaster​ Recycle plastic at The Expo Friday and Saturday How to know when trees and shrubs need to go Dear Monty: Is your real estate agent a secret agent? Health Community blog: Finding My Roots Dr. Jeff Hersh: Controversy over breast cancer screening Dr. Murray Feingold: Choose a diet best for you Community blog: The Crowd And The Win - Better Health Joan Endyke: The importance of a healthy diet when pregnant Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs Religion Briefs Religion Briefs Religion Briefs Milestones and Achievements Guide promotes better food system Engagement Wedding: Potter-Hazel Wedding: Martin-Berg Wedding: Hale-Lombardi Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Patty Griffin plays the Historic Ashland Armory Puss 'N' Boots Costume Ball and Auction Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present harmonious voices, dissonant notes Beekeepers Ball is one sweet soiree Scottish music duo plays highland magic Theater Review: Funny 'Lion in Winter' roars to life at Camelot Theatre Camelot presents 'The Lion in Winter' 'Carnage' is short, smart, darkly funny Music Patty Griffin plays the Historic Ashland Armory Live Music in Local Clubs Southern Oregon Repertory Singers present harmonious voices, dissonant notes Beekeepers Ball is one sweet soiree Scottish music duo plays highland magic Community Events Puss 'N' Boots Costume Ball and Auction Theater's haunted house not for faint of heart Third Fridays in downtown Medford Works in progress Southern Oregon Pride Festival celebrates diversity Dining Back Porch Bar & Grill Yu's Yummy Yan's offers great take-out Agave offers tasty tacos Asian cuisine for all seasons at Misoya Bistro Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Police seek man suspected of stealing wallet, using credit cards ... Guide promotes better food system ... Democratic contender not conceding victory to Walden ... Police seek man suspected of stealing wallet, using credit cards ... Guide promotes better food system ... Democratic contender not conceding victory to Walden ... Restore the Older Americans Act May is Older Americans month. Why should that be important to our Rogue Valley? By Dave Toler MailTribune.com By Dave Toler Posted May. 18, 2014 @ 2:00 am By Dave Toler Posted May. 18, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Social News May is Older Americans month. Why should that be important to our Rogue Valley? Well, first of all, our Rogue Valley features some unique demographics. The Rogue Valley has twice the proportion of residents 60 and older nearly 30 percent of our total population — than the rest of Oregon itself, a relatively gray state. Not only is the 60-and-older crowd an unusually large one in our valley, but perhaps more significant is that they wield a powerful economic impact on our local economy. For example, while home ownership is about 64 percent across the valley, the home ownership rates for our residents 60 and older is nearly 80 percent, a real boon to the housing and real estate sectors. And U.S. Census figures also reflect that older residents of the Rogue Valley are much more likely to be contributors to tax-supported programs than recipients of such programs. While the poverty rate for residents 18-64 years old in the two-county region is approximately 23 percent, it is a mere 7 percent for people 65 or older in our area. As our communities continue to gray, aging issues will become more and more relevant. Not just to the aging population, but to the adult children who will find themselves playing the role of caregiving. And to the employers of those adult children who must realize that for their employees, caring for their aging parents is just as important to them as was raising those children that have finally left the house. Despite the impact the aging population has on our community, we don't read or hear a lot about aging issues in the media. Let's face it, our culture is one that prizes youth and does its very best to ignore aging. It's a message we see in the media, in Hollywood, and that we hear in our music. Even from our U.S. Congress in Washington, the issues that face older Americans play a back seat to most other domestic issues. A really good indicator of this congressional apathy toward our aging population is the current status of the broadest, most sweeping piece of federal legislation supporting aging Americans: the Older Americans Act. Approved the same year as the Civil Rights Act —1965 — the Older Americans Act provides a wide breadth of services to our most vulnerable seniors. Administered locally by the Rogue Valley Council of Governments' Senior & Disability Services, the Older Americans Act provides funding for the Aging and Disability Resource Connection. The ADRC provides free information and assistance to anyone looking for resources for themselves or a loved one they may be caring for. The ADRC provides one-on-one counseling in your home and assistance to family caregivers caring for an elderly person they love — all of this for free. The Older Americans Act also supports our local Meals on Wheels program, Food & Friends, as well as healthy promotion programs such as Living Well, a self-management program for those with chronic disease or chronic pain — and there are many other services for seniors that the Older Americans Act supports in your community. You often hear that when it comes to federal programs, "the budget just seems to grow and grow, no matter what the actual need." But when it comes to the Older Americans Act, that would not be true. In fact, for the decade from 2004-2013, total funding for the Older Americans Act was virtually flat. Meanwhile, the number of seniors increased during that same period by 30 percent. As the senior population continues to grow at a rapid pace, there are more and more seniors who have worked hard all their lives, are now home-bound due to health issues, and now look to Congress to fund critical programs such as Meals on Wheels. So far, the response from Congress has been dismal. Congress has failed to re-authorize the Older Americans Act for several years now. Then in 2013, Congress took the flat-funded Older Americans Act and delivered an 8 percent cut in funding, known as a sequester. That sequester continues in this year's budget. Older residents of the Rogue Valley contribute greatly to our community in many ways. It seems only fair that those in need should get a minimal level of support. Are you 60 or older? Do you have parents or grandparents that are 60 or older? If your answer is yes, maybe you can celebrate Older Americans Month by picking up your phone and letting Congress know what you think about a shrinking level of support for some of our most vulnerable. My bet is, you'll be glad you did. Dave Toler is director of senior and disability services for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. By Dave Toler MailTribune.com By Dave Toler Posted May. 18, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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