The following specific activities will be undertaken in pursuit of these common objectives: 1. HUD and AOA will promote programs designed to bring about maximum coordination of planning and program activities at the headquarters, regional, State, and local levels. AOA will communicate with State and area agencies on aging urging them to: (a) Designate staff to coordinate the activities of the agreement; (b) Share data and information on the status and needs of older persons with their housing counterparts; (c) Share information on the status of title III and title VII activities; (d) Consult with housing counterparts prior to the development of annual State and area plans on aging; and (e) Work with housing counterparts on regulations, guidelines or other material prepared by HUD related to the special needs of the elderly. HUD will communicate with regional and field offices urging them to: (c) Work with AOA on regulations, guidelines, or other material prepared by AOA related to the special housing needs of the elderly. 2. Encourage the development of comprehensive, coordinated services to older persons through the HUD's sections 202/8 and the AOA's titles III and VII programs. The AOA will communicate with State and area agencies urging them to: (a) Develop written agreements with housing counterparts to coordinate services to older persons; (b) Work with housing counterparts to assure that services supported or coordinated under the Older Americans Act will be made available to occupants of section 202/8 housing; and (c) share annual State and area plans on aging for comment with housing counterparts prior to public hearings on these plans. HUD will communicate with regional and field offices urging them to: (a) develop written agreements with State and area agencies to coordi nate services to older persons; (b) inform State and area agencies on aging of available community space and facilities that can be made available for services supported or coordinated under the Older Americans Act, and (c) involve State and area agencies on aging in the review of section 202/8 applications to assure that older persons' needs for social services are met. 3. Encourage the involvement of elderly citizens in the planning of projects proposed under sections 202/8. AOA will communicate with State and area agencies urging them to: (a) Notify regional and field offices in advance about the time, date, and location of public hearings on State and area plans, and solicit their participation; and (b) Work with housing counterparts to assure the involvement of elderly citizens in the development of section 202 projects. HUD will communicate with regional and field offices urging them to: (a) Notify State and area agencies in advance about invitations for section 202 fund reservations, and solicit their participation; and (b) Work with State and area agencies to assure the involvement of elderly citizens in the development of section 202 projects. The Administration on Aging and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will share at regular intervals information on progress in implementing these activities. Signed in Washington, D.C., the 13th day of July 1976. ARTHUR S. FLEMMING, Commissioner on Aging. JAMES L. YOUNG, Assistant Secretary for Housing Federal Housing Commissioner. OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS Mrs. Virginia H. Knauer serves as the Special Assistant to the President for Consumer Affairs and as Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) assures that the consumer's interest is reflected in Federal policies and programs, cooperates with State agencies and voluntary organizations in advancing the interests of consumers, promotes improved consumer education, recommends legislation of benefit to consumers, encourages productive dialog and interaction between industry, government and the consumer, and provides continuing policy guidance to the Consumer Product Information Coordinating Center. Its major activities, however, fall primarily within these categories: (1) Consumer advocacy, (2) consumer education and information, and (3) planning and analysis. While these activities in general are initiated on behalf of all consumers, it should be noted that the elderly consumer shares fully in the benefits of OCA programs. Highlighted below are major activities in each of these categories with special emphasis on those having the greatest impact on older Americans. 1. CONSUMER ADVOCACY INTERAGENCY COMMITTEES Mrs. Knauer is a member of the Domestic Council Committee on Aging which has been charged with responsibility for developing, coordinating and presenting both short-term and long-range policy issues in this area. Through a task force of the committee's interdepartmental working group, OCA participated in the development and signing of an interdepartmental working agreement on information and referral services for the elderly and has continued to work toward its implementation. Mr. Knauer also serves as a member of the Council on Wage and Price Stability and the Domestic Council's Committee on the Right of Privacy. Consumer input at these levels is essential to broad policy development and has special significance for the elderly consumer. The inflationary impact of the energy crisis on the elderly in particular has been consistently taken into consideration in OCA's ongoing active participation in such top level interagency task forces as the Energy Resources Council (and its predecessor, the Committee on Energy), the National Power Survey, and the Federal Power Commission's Task Force on Natural Gas Curtailment. LEGISLATIVE COMMENTS AND CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT OCA has acted on behalf of the elderly primarily through its comments in support of various legislative and regulatory proposals that would have a significant impact on elderly consumers. Three efforts throughout 1976 have a direct impact on the welfare of the elderly. In comments on H.R. 10612, The Tax Reform Act of 1976, OCA strongly supported section 504, which when fully effective, raises the retirement income credit allowable to the elderly by increasing the section 37 amount from $1,524 to $2,500. OCA also recommended to the President that he approve enrolled bill H.R. 6516, an act to amend the Consumer Protection Act to include within its prohibitions discrimination on the basis of age. OCA also encouraged the Federal Trade Commission to adopt the proposed trade regulation rule on funeral practices in order that consumers may have sufficient cost information so as to maximize their choice regarding funeral services. In the course of analyzing a wide variety of subjects for consumer impact, several topics were of special interest to the elderly. Those included: Over-thecounter drug advertising; ingredient labeling in over-the-counter drugs; ophthalmic goods and services; hearing aids; and retail prices of prescription drugs. There are several other areas that OCA continued to monitor and promote the interests of consumers whenever possible during this past year. The elderly oftentimes have been disproportionately involved in these activities and therefore OCA has indirectly articulated their concerns. For example, retired citizens frequently have the time and inclination to do extensive traveling. OCA has consistently urged the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to liberalize the charter rules so as to make this less-expensive mode of travel available to a wider spectrum of people. OCA endorsed and the CAB subsequently adopted a rule allowing advance booking charters this fall. This represents a major advance for travelers because ABC's provide air transportation only and no ground package is required. Likewise, our comments have repeatedly asked for more readable and comprehensible disclosure documents when consumers are buying retirement homes through interstate land sale promotions and when they are financing mobile home lots loans. The first major step in the evolution of electronic fund transfer systems was the direct deposit of social security checks initiated by the Social Security Administration. The reactions, hopes, fears, and concerns, of the elderly who have been the "guinea pigs" in this experiment have been voiced over and over again by this office and Mrs. Knauer to the computer and banking communities. FEDERAL CONSUMER REPRESENTATION OCA at the direction of the President, joined with the Office of Management and Budget to coordinate a major effort to increase consumer representation in the Federal Government. With OCA's guidance, each of the agencies under the executive branch developed a proposed consumer representation plan individually tailored to its own circumstances, but in each instance providing measures whereby consumers could be effectively represented and participate in consumer related policies and actions. In addition to giving guidance to other agencies, OCA conceived, drafted, and coordinated development of HEW's consumer representation plan. Special mailings of the plans went to organizations representing the low income and elder consumers in order to get their input and written comments. Representatives of these groups were also invited to participate in the regional public hearings held in 10 cities. Noteworthy among individual agency plans is one from the Social Security Administration which is especially significant for senior citizens living on social security. The Social Security Administration has developed a pilot project to test the desirability of establishing a social security ombudsmans. The ombudsman is available to persons experiencing problems in social security matters. The consumer representation plans were substantially revised to reflect the comments from the public and published in the Federal Register September 28, 1976. The President has designated OCA to have continuing responsibility for monitoring the extent and effectiveness with which departments and agencies carry forth the policies embodied in the consumer representation plans. STATE AND LOCAL CONSUMER PROGRAMS OCA through day-to-day liaison continued to encourage and assist State and local governments in their responsiveness to consumer problems, including those of the elderly. Currently there are 135 State consumer offices, 158 county offices and 69 city consumer offices. A growing number of these offices now have or are considering, special information and education programs for the aging and for concentrated enforcement efforts against frauds and deceptive practices which are directed toward the elderly. OCA's "Directory of State, County, and City Government Consumer Offices" includes a listing of toll-free telephone lines in operation to help facilitate consumer contacts with these offices. The 1976 directory also includes a listing of Federal Information Centers, Federal Consumer Information Centers and State public utilities commissions. These will insure that the directory is of special assistance to the homebound and/or handicapped consumers. The directory is available to the general public through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. OCA's "Guide to Federal Consumer Services" has a listing for older Americans which is free from the Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colo. 81009. VOLUNTARY CONSUMERS DIRECTORY The Office of Consumer Affairs published a "Directory of Consumer Organizations." More than 400 international, national, State, and local nongovernment consumer organizations are identified. These listed are groups which derive funding support from voluntary memberships and include many low income, elderly and minority organizations. The directory was compiled in order to encourage more interaction among these groups. OCA sees the directory as being of special assistance to the homebound and/or handicapped consumer. TELEPHONE/HEARING AID As a result of OCA efforts to focus public attention on and seek resolution to the incompatibility problems associated with hearing aid devices and certain telephones, the following has taken place. OCA has obtained commitments from telephone companies in the Bell System to disclose in their advertisements noncompatibility between hearing aids and certain telephone models. The ads also describe the availability of special equipment for the hearing impaired. 2. CONSUMER EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CONSUMER NEWS In addition to carrying articles in every issue of general interest to older Americans as to all consumers-Consumer News focuses on specific news of Federal activities of special concern to the elderly. A few examples: nutrition programs for the elderly; transportation programs for the elderly; prescription drugs; hearing aids, condominiums; high blood pressure and funeral homes. In addition, Consumer Register, which carries summaries of regulations of Federal agencies, includes material of special interest to older Americans, such as those dealing with social security, nursing homes, and prescription drugs. "DEAR CONSUMER" AND "HELP" "Dear Consumer" columns, which are provided as a public service to more than 7,000 weekly newspapers, occasionally deal with topics that primarily concern older Americans. Mrs. Knauer's 4-minute Public Service Radio program, "HELP," which is sent to over 1,200 radio stations, frequently has programs designed for the elderly. "HELP" and "Dear Consumer" have dealt with such specific topics as: retirement living, concerns for older women, pensions, Gray Panthers, nursing homes, and elderly taxpayers. At OCA's urging, the Division of the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress agreed to review Consumer News and "Dear Consumer" for possible inclusion in its bimonthly magazines Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review. Articles in the magazines are made available to the blind and physically handicapped in recorded form and in braille. A "Dear Consumer" column highlighted the services provided through the Division of the Blind and Physically Handicapped. CONFERENCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Besides providing information on an individual basis, OCA has participated in more than 20 national, regional, and State conferences and workshops designed to address issues affecting low income, minority, and elderly consumers. In addition to providing materials and information regarding possible funding sources and technical assistance, OCA has continued to alert these groups to proposed legislation, regulations, and policies that may impact on them. OCA has contributed to national senior citizen publications and has answered many requests by senior citizen organizations to plan and convene consumer education and protection seminars and workshops. The Office invited representatives of senior citizen organizations, business and the academic sector to participate in the July 19-20 National Conference on Care Labeling. Proper care of clothing and other textile products has economic importance to most consumers, but it has particular importance to consumers on fixed incomes. Among other things, conference participants discussed the need for clearer and more readily understandable instructions and alternative care labeling. OCA also invited representatives of senior citizen organizations to participate in the November 11-12 Consumer Education Catch-Up Conference and the December 8-9 Citizens Participation Conference. Workshops highlighting successful community consumer education programs were featured. Plans are underway for OCA to hold a conference on life and health insurance in February 1977. The conference will bring together consumers, government, insurance, industry, and academic representatives to discuss and develop approaches to meeting consumer needs in the area of life and health insurance, subjects of vital importance to the elderly. 83-524 O 77 - 9 NUTRITION EDUCATION OCA has received funding from the Office of the Secretary, HEW, to update and publish the publication "Food Is More Than Just Something To Eat." The booklet is particularly useful to the elderly and the Administration on Aging is using it in various food programs for the elderly. OCA also plans to develop and distribute a new advertising campaign aimed at increasing consumer awareness of the importance of nutrition to good health. OCA commented in some detail on the proposed Federal Trade Commission regulation which takes a very complex and label-like approach to nutrition information in food advertising. OCA proposed that government. industry, and consumers work together to develop a meaningful and more understandable method of communicating nutrition information to consumers. INFORMATION ON CONSUMER SERVICES OCA has obtained greater public awareness of the OCA/Consumers Union funded prototype for a local services comparability and rating system for consumers. The dissemination vehicle for this project is a quarterly magazine called Washington Consumers' Checkbook. The first issue of Checkbook was devoted to health services. Coverage of cost and quality of Washington area services should be especially helpful to older residents of the area. The second issue dealt with auto repair, another area of great concern to older Americans. 3. PLANNING AND ANALYSIS NATIONAL SURVEY OF CONSUMER ATTITUDES The national survey of consumer attitudes was designed by a distinguished professor of marketing research under contract to OCA. It will be the largest survey ever conducted by the Federal Government to discern consumers' attitudes toward their experiences in the marketplace (presale, point-of-sale, and postsale) with a comprehensive list of over 200 products and services. The survey will also have a larger-than-average sample base of over 3,000 people (Gallup uses 1,500) in order to get detailed information on the problems and complaints of special subgroups such as the elderly and the poor and to get as much information as possible on the nature of complaints people have with specific products and services. Pilot studies have indicated that less than 5 percent of all the people in the country who have consumer complaints will voice their complaints to governmental agencies and those who do may not be representative of consumers as a whole. OCA hopes the survey will provide the kind of comparison data the public sector needs to evaluate its own complaint data and to provide a statistically complete picture of the nature of all consumer problems with products and services. UNIFORM CONSUMER COMPLAINT CODE The proposed uniform consumer complaint code (UCC) was designed during the spring and summer of 1976 to enable OCA and any other consumer complaint office who wishes to adopt it, to compile more detailed and informative data on the types of consumer complaints received. The UCC is divided into two parts. Part I uses a multidigit numbering system to represent the product or service which is the subject of the complaint. Part II lists the issue involved or nature of the complaint. Thus, each complaint letter would be described by two or more symbols which give the type of product or services involved and the nature of the complaint about that product or services. INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT HANDLING Many of the approximately 30,000 complaints received by OCA during 1976 were from elderly persons. About one-fifth of these complaints were referrals from the White House, Members of Congress, and other Federal agencies. Each complaint is given careful consideration and brought to the attention of the appropriate Federal, State, county, or city government agency, trade association or business firm that can best offer assistance to the consumer. A special effort is made to be of direct help to senior citizens when it is possible. |