Munson, Cecil, National Rehabilitation Commission, the American Le- STATEMENTS Page 275 287 Brown, Newell, Assistant Secretary of Labor.. 103 Prepared statement_. Caliver, Ambrose, assistant to the Commissioner of Education and Chief, Clague, Ewan, Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Cohen, Dr. I. J., Assistant Chief Medical Director for Planning-- Fitch, William C., Director, Special Staff on Aging, Office of the Secretary, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare... Garrett, James F., Assistant Director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation_ Golden, Clinton, former international vice president and now part-time consultant, United Steelworkers of America... Haldeman, Dr. Jack, Chief, Division of Hospital and Medical Facilities__ Hunt, Dr. G. Halsey, Chief, Division of Medical Sciences, National In- Javits, Senator Jacob K., a Senator from the State of New York_ Kerby, Austin E., administrative assistant to the director, National 104 280 Larrick, George, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration__ Leach, Paul R., former chief of the Washington Bureau, Chicago Daily 50 2 Merriam, Mrs. Ida, Director of Research Program Assistant. Mitchell, William C., Commissioner, Social Security Administration__ Munson, Cecil H., National Rehabilitation Commission, the American Panunzio, Constantine, president, American Association on Emeriti_. 216 222 Price, Dr. David E., Chief, Bureau of State Services, Public Health 85 Schaffner, Dr. Isabel, Acting Chief of Geriatrics, St. Elizabeths Hospital_ 53 250 Stahl, O. Glenn, Director, Bureau of Programs and Standards, U.S. Civil 138 U.S. Civil Service Commission, statement entitled, "Employment of Older 145 226 Articles entitled: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION "Programs of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Page "Outline of Retirement Planning Seminar”. "Preretirement Counseling," Department of Insurance, Veterans' "Retirement Counseling," Circular No. 1, Veterans' Administration, dated January 3, 1956. Excerpt from "New York City Budget for an Elderly Couple". Objectives of act which set up White House Conference.. Explanation of how White House Conference will operate.. Statement referring to income maintenance. Editorial entitled "Old Man's Death Points to Shame of Our System," from the Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette of July 1, 1959. Names of organizations working with special staff Excerpts from letter of John J. Corcoran, Director, National Rehabilitation Statistics illustrating ways in which rehabilitation program has been 26 277 28 "Housing and Home Finance Agency and Its Role in the Field of 289 "Monthly Cost Standards for Basic Needs Used by States for Assist- ance Budgets, Old-Age Assistance, and Aid to Dependent Children, Letter from- Merriam, Robert E., deputy assistant to the President, dated April 18, CHARTS AND TABLES Chart I. Living veterans by wars. Chart II. The aging veteran population-all wars- Chart III. The aging veteran population-World War I. Chart IV. The aging veteran population-World War II. Chart V. Future hospital demand of the entire veteran population.. are receiving care from VA increases with advancing age_ Chart VII. Number receiving benefits.. Chart VIII. Years of life expectancy remaining at each decade of life- Table 1. Old-age assistance: Monthly cost standards for basic needs for men living alone and keeping house, and effective monthly_maximum on money payments for basic needs for such a case, by State, July 1958--. Table 2. Aid to dependent children: Monthly cost standards for basic needs for family consisting of mother (35), boy (14), girl (9), and girl (4), and effective monthly maximum on money payments for basic needs for such a family, by State, July 1958--- Table 3. Percentage that State's effective monthly maximum on money payments for basic needs is of its cost standards for total basic needs for specified types of cases, States with maximums and/or other method of reducing payments, July 1958... Table 4. U.S. Department of Agriculture low-cost food plan, public assistance food cost standards, and percentage that food cost standard is of State's effective monthly maximum on money payments for basic Table 5. Estimated expenditures for medical care under public assistance FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGED AND AGING THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1959 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON PROBLEMS OF THE AGED AND AGING OF The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 4232, New Senate Office Building, Senator Pat McNamara (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators McNamara (presiding) and Randolph. Subcommittee staff members present: Sidney Spector, staff director, and Dr. Harold Sheppard, research director. Committee staff members present: Stewart E. McClure, chief clerk; and Raymond D. Hurley, minority professional staff member. Senator MCNAMARA. The hearing will be in order, please. Starting today, and for 7 days of hearings after today, this subcommittee will be attending to the activities and policies of the various Federal Government agencies, and of a number of national organizations, all of whom have an interest in the problems of the aged and aging in the United States. The Senate resolution which created this subcommittee specified that a study should be made of the role of the Federal Government in dealing with problems of the aged, and of any additional Federal programs which should be initiated to help solve the problems of the aged. In accordance with that resolution, therefore, we welcome the opportunity to discuss the problems of the aged with officials of such agencies as Health, Education, and Welfare, the Department of Labor, Veterans' Administration, the Civil Service Commission, and the Housing and Home Finance Agency. As I stated at the beginning of our first series of hearings with national experts last month, this particular problem, the adjustments that individuals and society must make to the major population change taking place in America, is one of the greatest challenges facing our Nation. Health and health costs, income maintenance, a suitable place in which to live, employment if willing and able, adequate community services, and a meaningful status in later yearsall of these, and more, are what our older citizens deserve and seek. Sean O'Casey, in the August issue of Harper's magazine, has written "The Delicate Art of Growing Old." Mr. O'Casey, himself nearly 80 years old, points out that the young can't be bothered with the old: "They have their own problems, and can't give much time to trying to lift the old out of theirs." He goes on to say that the aged must not resent the thoughtlessness of the young for they are, as we were once, full of themselves; and so they must be if they are to become useful and sensible citizens of their nation. 1 Far be it from me to correct or qualify one of the greatest authors of Ireland, but it seems to me that being a useful and sensible citizen today includes a concern for the growing population of older fellow citizens. And it is the purpose of our own subcommittee, here in the Senate, to create and direct that concern. In a moment we will have the pleasure of hearing from the Under Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Miss Bertha S. Adkins, and other representatives of that important agency. However, before we do, I am sure we will all want to hear from Mr. Paul R. Leach, who is with us today. Mr. Leach is the widely respected newspaperman who retired in 1956, after long service with the Chicago Daily News and, in particular, as chief of that paper's Washington bureau. I am sure that many of us remember him as president of the Gridiron Club. I had the honor and distinct pleasure of being his guest at the 1955 Gridiron Club dinner. Since 1956, although officially retired, Mr. Leach has still kept up an active life, especially as a keen observer of retired people in all parts of the United States. It is for that reason that we have asked him to talk to us today about this delicate art of growing old. Mr. Leach. STATEMENT OF PAUL R. LEACH, FORMER CHIEF OF THE WASHINGTON BUREAU OF THE CHICAGO DAILY NEWS Mr. LEACH. I am very much flattered by your introduction, sir. I still keep up numerous contacts with Members of both Houses of Congress as well as the people down the other end of the avenue and across the river and I have a lot of fun doing it. Senator MCNAMARA. I am sure you do. Mr. LEACH. Some of my former newspaper colleagues, who are nearing age 65, regard me as their personal guinea pig. I am retired and like it. They are wondering how well they can do likewise, and are keeping an eye on me. I retired in January 1956, after nearly 46 years on the editorial payroll of the Chicago Daily News, almost half of that time as chief of Washington bureau; latterly also for the Detroit Free Press, Akron Beacon Journal, and Miami Herald. In these last 311⁄2 years, I have been talking with retired people all the way from Honolulu to Key West. Hence, I am very much interested in your inquiry into the affairs of the aged and aging. Their problems are not easily solved-some must be solved by older people themselves-before they are older people. Our population over 65 is constantly increasing-15 million now, 20 million 6 years from now. It is essential that for them retirement be made respectable, attractive, interesting; see what can be done about assured income for decent living; meanwhile giving a close look at the business of encouraging some sort of work for those who want to work, or must, and who are mentally and physically capable of working. I am among the more fortunate of retired men. Some of my bosses wanted me to stay on after 65, when our protection plan provided retirement income. They feared that after I had been in the middle |