All Posts in "The Senior Scene"

With most seniors out of the workforce and living on fixed incomes or retirement savings, the rapidly rising cost of living the past two years has put a financial strain on older households.

Beyond inflation, however, seniors need more money than ever to live comfortably in retirement. And while they are living longer, they also face greater health issues than the rest of the population, which comes at a high cost. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that per-capita healthcare spending for seniors is nearly three times as high as that for the working-age population.

Faced with these circumstances, Americans 65 and older are staying in the workforce longer. Researchers note that in 2000, just 4 percent worked full-time, while in 2021, 8.6 percent did. And the U.S. has nearly 23 million more seniors now than in 2000 due to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, meaning millions more are choosing to extend their careers.

Working seniors have benefited from steadily rising wages as they have become a larger part of the workforce. In inflation-adjusted dollars, the median wage for a full-time working senior has grown from $41,715 in 2000 to $55,000 in 2021. And within the last decade, the median wage for seniors surpassed the median wage for the rest of the working-age population, whose wages have largely been stagnant. Today, the typical full-time working senior earns $3,000 more annually than the typical worker aged 16 to 64.er into life. Analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that seniors employed full-time in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area earn an adjusted median wage of $54,116 annually, compared to the national median for working seniors of $55,000

The Senior Scene by — November 22, 2023 in Personal Finance/Consumers
Birthday wishes for an ex-governor, now 98

Befitting someone with such a distinguished career in public service, Dan Evans’ 98th birthday was marked during a meeting of the King County Council in October.
The meeting on Oct. 17 was one day after his birthday, but that didn’t stop the council and others in attendance from saluting Evans, who was on hand for the formal recognition that was initiated by council members Pete von Reichbauer and Jeanne Kohl-Welles.
Evans, who was Washington’s governor from 1965 to 1977, was instrumental in creating the first state-level ecology department in the United States, as well as co-founding the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition and creating councils advancing the status of women, Native Americans, and Asian Americans.
Evans went on to serve as a U.S. senator for Washington, part of a legacy of effective governing, von Reichbauer noted.
“I would be hard-pressed to find a better example of the good in politics and public service than Dan Evans,” von Reichbauer said. “I was fortunate to serve in the state Senate while he was governor and to see his work firsthand. Today we live in an era of division at all levels of government, but when Dan served, he was a master” of bipartisanship.
After his political career, Evans filled prominent roles in education as president of Evergreen State College and later as a regent for University of Washington, which named its School of Public Affairs after him.
Before entering politics, he was a lieutenant in the Navy and was an admiral’s aide during the Korean War peace negotiations.

The Senior Scene by — November 15, 2023 in Food, People
Hybrids are a turn away from gas

With gas prices surging and broadening efforts to reduce carbon emissions, you may be eyeing car models that promise to reduce or even eliminate your reliance on gas. However, depending on your lifestyle, location, finances, driving habits, and other factors, you may not be ready to go fully electric just yet. The good news? A hybrid is a transitional vehicle to put you on the path to more sustainable driving now.

Hybrid vehicles, which combine smaller gas engines with battery-powered electric motors, make it possible for anyone to contribute to the fight against carbon emissions and reduce their gas expenses. In fact, today’s hybrids achieve 20 to 35 percent better fuel economy than conventional internal combustion engines, according to Green America. In the short term, hybrids are a cost-effective option compared with most all-electric vehicles currently on the market. While a battery-powered electric vehicle will save even further on fuel costs down the line, the average transaction price for one of these rides is above $60,000.

A hybrid is also a key alternative to electrics for drivers who live where the current electric vehicle infrastructure doesn’t support everyday use, or for those who can’t charge a vehicle at home. With greater fuel economy than a traditional internal combustion engine, and requiring no lifestyle overhaul to operate, hybrids are one way to reduce carbon emissions today.

Given these varied benefits, and the rising number of available vehicles with a hybrid powertrain, it’s no surprise that annual hybrid sales in the United States have more than doubled since 2019. Prices are leveling, and budget-conscious buyers can find options under $30,000, including the Toyota  Corolla Hybrid and the all-new Prius. Boasting all the latest safety and multi-media features, along with sleek exterior design, you won’t have to compromise on style or performance in the quest for efficiency.

Source: StatePoint Media

The Senior Scene by — November 15, 2023 in Personal Finance/Consumers
Turkey, please, but hold the politics

Favorite leftovers and preferred dinner conversations are among topics in a survey of people who observe Thanksgiving with traditional meals.

The survey by Betohio.com of 3,000 Americans included Washingtonians. The latter rated turkey as their favorite leftover dish by a wide margin over the second and third-most popular leftovers—stuffing and mashed potatoes.

When asked “What are the conversations you don’t want during Thanksgiving?”, politics was at the top of the list, followed closely by family disputes. Controversial news or current events were a distant third.

And as for the approximate time their Tnanksgiving dinner is served, 2 to 4 p.m. was the most popular, followed by 4 to 5.

Nationally, the top three leftovers were the same as in Washington. So was the general time for dinner. But family issues were the main dinner discussion topic to avoid.For the survey, 42 percent of the people polled were 55 and up in age, the largest group by age. The participants were evenly divided between men and women.

The Senior Scene by — November 15, 2023 in Food, People