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obtaining employment are drastically reduced. Regardless of their abilities, they are forced to stay at jobs which may be less than satisfactory, because no one will consider them for other available positions. Second, it is clear that retirement should not be forced. It should be a matter of choice. Many of our older citizens are able to work, should work and, because of economic necessity, must work.

The experience and skills of our elderly workers, acquired over years of diligent labor, should be put to use for the good of all.

RAPID INCREASE IN POPULATION OF AGING

While the aged, to some extent, have always had difficulties with housing, health care, and employment, these problems have become of acute national concern in recent years because the number of older Americans has risen sharply, and continues to rise.

According to census statistics, the population of the United States has increased 212 percent since 1900. At the same time the population of those 65 years old and older has increased six times.

It is estimated that the number of persons over 65 increases by 1,000 each day. By 1980 they will number nearly 25 million.

My own State of Wisconsin provides an excellent example of projected increases in this segment of our society. In 1961 there were some 412,000 persons over 65 in Wisconsin.

In 1970, according to estimates, there will be 482,000 such persons in the State, marking a 20-percent increase in just 10 years.

These figures indicate the danger that existing programs to assist the aged soon may become inadequate or outmoded.

EXISTING PROGRAMS

Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the advances which have already been made toward assisting the aged.

Probably the most significant accomplishment was the enactment of social security, which has given some security and dignity to the elder years of millions.

Since its enactment under a Democratic President and Congress during the great depression, social security has become firmly entrenched as part of the American way of life.

Recognizing this, Congress has continued the program, expanded its coverage and improved the level of benefits.

Moreover, Congress has enacted other measures designed to assist the aged. These range from grants to nursing homes and similar projects, to the program of special housing for the aged approved in the last Congress, to special tax exemptions.

Pertinent to this latter category is a provision in the tax reduction reform bill before Congress which would allow persons 65 years old or older an exemption from reporting gains realized from the sale of their homes.

I am proud to have been an original sponsor of this provision, and expect that it will be enacted into law.

But inspite of what has, and is, being done to assist our senior citizens, many tasks remain. It is for that reason that your committee study is performing a valuable service.

It is for that same reason that I have sponsored the Senior Citizens Act of 1963.

THE SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 1963

The Senior Citizens Act, in my opinion, is a modest start toward solving some of the problems which beset our aged.

This legislation authorizes Federal project grants to the States, to local communities, and to private nonprofit groups for the study and improvement of programs intended to assist older persons in securing

Proper medical care and nutrition.

Equal opportunity to find gainful employment which they are physically and mentally able to perform.

Adequate housing within their means.

Retirement planning and counseling and, where necessary, rehabilitation and assistance.

Assistance in achieving fuller, richer lives through participation in the life of their community.

My bill appropriates $10 million for each of three succeeding years for these purposes.

A WORD OF CAUTION

At this point, however, I would like to emphasize that I do not believe that the Senior Citizens Act is the only way-or necessarily the best way to alleviate the problems of the aged.

Many bills have been introduced which deal with these same problems. I know that the subcommittee, with its characteristic thoroughness and skill, will study these measures closely and carefully in order to be able to recommend the best possible legislation to Congress. As you set about that task, I am confident that the committee will bear in mind that every care is taken to prevent duplication of effort with existing Federal programs.

As you know, Mr. Chairman, in some areas there may be no need for Federal action; in others, there may be enough being done already.

Secondly, Federal efforts to aid our older citizens should not work to supplant or undermine the basic principle of family responsibility. Further, there should be no infringement on any persons' obligation for self-help, or upon his right of free choice.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I believe that now is the time for a comprehensive evaluation of the problems which advancing years bring to our citizens. It is time to evaluate past and present efforts in order to determine what lines our future actions should take.

The human skills and resources represented in our older population are too valuable to be wasted. Action must come soon.

I know, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, that you will give thorough consideration to the measure which I have cosponsored, and to all the measures before you. Thank you again for giving me this opportunity to appear before you.

Mr. DENT. Congressman Zablocki, thank you for your testimony. At this time the hearings on this legislation will come to a close. Any person wishing to add to, or contribute to, the record may do so within a period of 10 days and during that period we, the committee,

of course, will study all the testimony and hope to come out with legislation that may not necessarily be universally accepted but hopefully accepted by the majority, and this is the best, or most, any legislature can do.

Thank you very kindly.

(Whereupon, at 1 p.m., the hearing adjourned.)

(The following material was submitted for the record:)

STATEMENT OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN, INC., NEW YORK, N.Y.

The National Council of Jewish Women, an organization established in 1893 with 123,000 members in 329 affiliated local units across the country, has long concerned itself with the growing needs of older adults and welcomes this opportunity to express its views on the proposed legislation.

Based on our intensive programs of service and action for older adults over a period of many years, we know how great the needs are and feel the proposed legislation will help in metting them. Despite the growing awareness of problems and the numerous programs that currently exist, many more services are necessary to provide the facilities and opportunities essential to the well-being of older adults.

The National Council of Jewish Women's history in this field dates back to 1946 when several of our local groups opened the first Golden Age Clubs. In 1950, the National Council of Jewish Women initiated a nationally directed program and became the first national organization to establish and work with a professional advisory council on the aging. Our program has expanded to the point where, today, 30 percent of NCJW's volunteers are working on 200 projects for older adults.

Despite our continually expanding program, we believe that the commitment made to older adults over 15 years ago has yet to be fulfilled.

In 1961, at our national convention, our delegates expressed the need for even more constructive services for older adults, particularly in terms of creating opportunities for them to remain part of the community.

In accepting this challenge we have proposed the newest project of the National Council of Jewish Women-the Senior Service Corps. It is based on an idea that is starkly simple, yet almost revolutionary in our culture. We believe that older adults can utilize their knowledge and skills, accumulated in a lifetime of living, to make a vital and important contribution to society instead of living outside of it.

Thus, the Senior Service Corps is the result of a long history of experience and learning in working with older adults. It is still another step in achieving our goal. As a volunteer organization, experienced in recruitment and training and with a natural concern, too, for our own volunteers reaching “older adult" status, our interest in the question of volunteer services was inevitable.

Our program has been recognized in national publications-in Look magazine, August 12, 1963, issue, and in the summer issue of Woman's Day. The response evoked from individuals who want to give volunteer service and from agencies and governmental groups is indicative of the interest in the program proposed and of the gap that exists in finding meaningful activity.

It is because of these experiences that we speak in favor of the proposed legislation. We are particularly impressed by one of the objectives stated in title I, namely, "Pursuit of meaningful activity within the widest range of civic, cultural, and recreational opportunities." We feel this can be implemented through the contractual provisions proposed to make grants available to "any public or nonprofit private agency, organization, or institution." Without this kind of help, the scope and variety of programs needed will undoubtedly not be attained. With this help programs such as the Senior Service Corps, requiring professionals and volunteers, provision for training, establishment of offices, all these would directly benefit from, and in fact might not be possible without the availability of sufficient funds to initiate and maintain them.

We therefore respectfully urge favorable consideration of the Older Americans Act of 1963.

Hon. JOHN H. DENT,

STATE OF UTAH,

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE,

Chairman, Subcommittee on Education,

House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSION,

Salt Lake City, September 26, 1963.

DEAR REPRESENTATIVE DENT: The Public Welfare Commission has carefully reviewed H.R. 7957, the "Older Americans" bill and H.R. 5840 and S. 1357, the "Senior Citizens Community Planning and Services Act" and desires that the following statement be included in the record of your subcommittee:

The Public Welfare Commission of the State of Utah is opposed to the enactment of H.R. 7957, "Older Americans" bill for the following reasons:

1. Duplication. The present welfare administration is structured to enable rendering of any additional services required by the aged population, both indigent and nonindigent.

Creation of a new unit of Administration of Aging would duplicate many basic functions of the Welfare Administration because it is impossible to divorce the problems of aging from any welfare program.

2. Segmenting the problems of aging.-By segmenting the Administration of Aging and treating the total problem in parts, a now nonexistent need for coordination and cooperation is created. The strength of the present program lies in the fact that it is administered through a single unit and is therefore well integrated.

3. Additional expense.-The Public Welfare Commission can see no need to increase administrative expenditures for an entirely new administrative operation. Creation of such an Administration of Aging will not eliminate within the Welfare Administration the need for an office of aging or a similar activity within the welfare program. The contemplated Administration of Aging would merely add one more expense which in our opinion is completely unnecessary. 4. Emphasis is detrimental to aged and others.-Public Welfare services are a reflection of social conscience which places responsibility for problems of human need upon structured social service administration fully supported and sanctioned by legislation.

To deal with the aging population as a select group is contrary to the purpose for which funds are appropriated and to the philosophy of the American people— that social services shall be extended to all persons in need, regardless of age, and shall be administered in a well structured, orderly, impartial manner. Support of "Senior Citizens Planning and Services Act"—H.R. 5840 and S. 1357 The Public Welfare Commission of the State of Utah strongly supports H.R. 5840 which provides needed grant features but no change in administrative or organizational structure.

It is the opinion of this Commission that new grant programs can be administered more efficiently and effectively through the present administrative structure.

We respectfully urge your consideration of the facts herein set forth concerning this most vital legislation.

Sincerely yours,

Miss LORRAINE COOK, Commissioner.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF HOMES FOR THE AGING,
New York, N.Y., September 12, 1963.

Hon. JOHN DENT,

Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.

DEAR MR. DENT: The American Association of Homes for the Aging is the national membership organization of nonprofit voluntary and governmental homes for the aged. It provides its members with a means of identifying and solving problems of mutual concern and thus protects and advances the interests of the individuals they serve.

The association has sprung from a genuine need for exchange of experience, technical assistance, help with staff training and education, and representation on the national scene so that homes for the aged can more effectively serve the growing number of older men and women in need of residential care.

We are grateful for the opportunity to write in reference to House bill H.R. 7957. While this association has not taken a position in support of or in opposition to this bill, our goals and program and concern for services to older people may be of assistance to the Congress in illuminating some aspects of the bill. Consonant with this association's program we would support in principle the declaration of objectives as outlined in the bill. The growing concern for improving standards of service for people in nonprofit institutions calls for many of the proposals covered in this bill. The aspects of the bill which provide for grants for community planning, training of personnel, and conducting research activities, will be validly welcomed by nonprofit homes for the aged. There is much need for study, cooperation among many community resources, and development of demonstration projects which these aspects of the bill could provide. For example, pressing need for activity in the following areas has frequently been brought to the attention of this association from various parts of the country: a study of the relationship between nonprofit homes and other community resources available to older people; a definitive study of the care of senile residents of homes for the aged; the development of a sound and uniformly accepted system of computing the costs of institutional care of older people; an imaginative program of personnel recruitment and training for the evergrowing professions in the field of institutional care.

Since some aspects of the bill's provision for grant payments are relatively untried, it may well be that methods used will be crucial. We would suggest serious consideration of close cooperation between voluntary organizations and public agencies. Sound cooperation between governmental and voluntary agencies is a basic goal of communal planning. The American Association of Homes for the Aging supports such cooperation as an effective instrument in improving services to residents of nonprofit institutions for the aged.

Sincerely,

Rev. Canon HERBERT C. LAZENBY, President.

Hon. JOHN H. DENT,

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,
Chicago, Ill., September 23, 1963.

Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN DENT: On behalf of the American Medical Association, I would like to present our views with respect to H.R. 297 and related bills of the 88th Congress, concerned with the creation of a separate Federal Office on Aging. We understand that these proposals are now under consideration by your subcommittee.

Many departments of the Federal Government, in their own particular area of interest, now participate in or stimulate State and local programs for the aging in such areas as health or medical care, housing, recreation, adult education, and retraining. These activities by Federal agencies are already being coordinated by the Office of Aging of the Welfare Department-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, or the President's Council on Aging.

In view of these already existing Federal mechanisms to coordinate activities in this field, no need exists for a new and separate Federal bureau or agency on aging.

I appreciate this opportunity to present the views of the American Medical Association on this most important subject, and request that this letter be made a part of the record of your hearings.

Sincerely,

F. J. L. BLASINGAME, M.D.

STATEMENT OF WILLIAM BECHILL, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, AND MRS. A. M. G. RUSSELL, CHAIRMAN, CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AGING, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

INTRODUCTION

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I appreciated your invitation to testify before you today and regret that I could not submit this statement in person. This is important legislation for California if you consider that 1 out of every 11 older Americans lives in California. Today, there are more than 1,500,000 Californians age 65 and, by 1980, their number will increase to 2,450,

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