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Senator Santorum in Dunmore to Discuss Long-Term Care for Aging Pennsylvanians and His Legislation to Guarantee Social Security
September 23, 2005
For Immediate Release September 23, 2005
Contact: Robert Traynham (202) 224-0610
Dunmore, PA - U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today met at the Dunmore Health Care Center with administrators and staff from personal care facilities, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, and senior service providers throughout Lackawanna County to discuss long-term care and his legislation guaranteeing that those born before 1950 will receive their Social Security benefits.
“Caring for our loved ones as they grow older is something that each of us will face at some point in our lives, and we must be prepared to accommodate and provide quality care for them,” said Senator Santorum. “As I travel throughout our state listening to the concerns of those who care for Pennsylvania’s seniors, I hear the significant concerns that the standards of the long-term care industry must be raised, while individuals need greater options in planning for their long-term care needs, so that they will be able to choose the care setting that best matches their needs.”
Pennsylvania has the second highest number of seniors in the nation, and the number of Pennsylvanians age 85 and older are projected to increase by thirty-eight percent between 2000 and 2015. Long-term care needs are typically triggered by the need for assistance with daily activities such as bathing, eating, and dressing. Long-term care can range from basic help with chores and activities in the home, assistance with activities of daily living in an assisted living facility, or highly skilled care in a nursing facility.
Senator Santorum also discussed legislation he introduced in the United States Senate yesterday, the Social Security Guarantee Act of 2005, which if passed, would require the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a written guarantee of a monthly benefit to each Social Security recipient, along with a guaranteed annual cost-of-living increase, to any individual born before 1950. In 1960, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Fleming v. Nestor that Americans have no legal right to their Social Security benefits. The Social Security Guarantee Act would create a legal right for seniors to receive a monthly Social Security check.
“It’s important to let our seniors know that the benefits that they worked so hard for will not change and will be there for them – guaranteed. By guaranteeing benefits to seniors and eliminating fears that seniors’ benefits are in jeopardy, the larger debate can focus on ensuring our children and grandchildren’s retirement security,” said Senator Santorum. “I will continue to work on behalf of Pennsylvania’s seniors to ensure that they can age with the dignity they deserve.”
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