RICHMOND, Va. - At the ripe old age of 79, Social Security is helping West Virginia residents and the economy.

While pensions have changed, jobs have been lost and homes have lost equity, one in six folks in the state rely on Social Security benefits. As the program celebrates another birthday, federal figures show it brings almost $20 billion a year to Virginia - nearly 5 percent of the state's total income.

Ginger Thompson, communications director for AARP Virginia, said it's enough to keep hundreds of thousands out of poverty.

"Thirty-eight percent of the state's population over the age of 65 would have incomes below the poverty line if they did not receive Social Security," she said.

Despite concerns about the program's solvency, Thompson said it's facing only a modest shortfall in the future. This year's Social Security Trustees report projects the program can pay all benefits in full for nearly two decades, and three quarters of benefits after that.

Some Republicans in Congress are pressing to dismantle the program, citing the future shortfalls. But Eric Kingson, a distinguished fellow at Syracuse University and co-director of the group Social Security Works, said some of the fears are overblown. He said it really only needs minor changes - and likens it to road repairs.

"Like our highway system - occasionally you run into some bumps in the road, but you don't start talking about ripping up the system," he said. "But the folks who want to destroy it, who want to pull it part, they do start talking about, 'The sky is falling.' "

The wealthy only make Social Security payroll contributions on their first $117,000 of earnings. Thompson said raising that cap is one of many options for shoring up the program. She said they want people to get connected to the debate over Social Security's future and let their leaders know what they want.

"Have a conversation about the future of Social Security," she said, "and take that conversation out of Washington and into the communities."

A report from Social Security Works is online at socialsecurityworks.org.


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Indiana ranks closer to the bottom of U.S. states where you will find healthy seniors living than the top, according to a new report. UnitedHealthcare's 2023 Senior Report provides a portrait of health and well-being of older adults across the United States. The report marks the second consecutive year for the Hoosier state at the 35th spot. Only nine states fare worse than Indiana for early death.

Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer with UnitedHealthcare, said the premature death rate - which means years lost before age 75 - has increased four percent in the nation.

"The percentage of people over the age of 65 has had a decline because of that - we still have more people turning 65 and having that birthday into their Medicare years," she said. "But it's concerning that we're losing such a significant amount of our nation's greatest treasure - right? Our seniors."

Randall added the report consists of 52 different measures of senior health across five different categories which include: socioeconomic factors, the physical environment where seniors live, the clinical care received, plus behaviors and health outcomes.

Findings suggest Indiana faces challenges with its high prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. However, one of the state's strengths is avoiding care due to cost. Randall said this year's report finds recent shifts in long-term trends, and highlights disparities in the health of older Americans.

"This is the 2023 edition of America's health ranking Senior Report. It's the eleventh time that the United Health Foundation has published a report specifically on the health of older Americans. It's built on over three decades of America's health ranking data," she added.

Some Illinois senior centers aren't just focusing on the 65+ demographic but are beginning to include people aged 50+.

The U.S. Census indicates the population aged 45 and older accounts for 42% of the total population, up from 27% in 1940.

Tracey Colagrossi, senior center manager for the Village of Arlington Heights, said the aging population in Illinois is changing and people are looking for more engaging community involvement.

"As people want to age in place, the majority of us will not go into nursing homes," Colagrossi explained. "It is not the norm to go into communal living. So just as you go to schools when you are younger, there is school for that and then there is work, and then senior center is that third place where people still have that opportunity to gather and learn."

Some senior centers across the country such as The Village of Arlington Heights in the Chicago area offer free drop-ins. Colagrossi noted people aged 50 and older receive priority registration for programs and special events, while persons younger than age 50 may register at no additional fee, provided space is available at the center.

Aging in Illinois can have its perks too. Many older adults can take advantage of discounts and free services offered by the Illinois Department of Aging and also services offered by volunteers at senior centers.

Colagrossi pointed out her facility offers many options for older adults to get resources and help in their day-to-day life, but also offers so much to the slightly younger population to be more involved in the community.

"We should be talking about Gen X, frankly," Colagrossi acknowledged. "That is a population who's 55 and growing older. That opportunity to give back is appealing for Gen X as well as more active ways like kayaking, hiking, indoor sky diving so more of like adventurous types of things like that, and it breaks the mold of what you think a senior center is."

The Village of Arlington Heights Senior Center offers ways for individuals to give back to the community. In 2022, more than 1,600 people volunteered a total of more than 14,000 hours.


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As the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, senior centers in Virginia are welcoming back their participants, and one in particular has shifted some of its focus to the environment.

A National Council on Aging survey found senior centers provide a sense of connectedness for older people who might otherwise face barriers to making friends and being part of their community.

Charlottesville's Center at Belvedere offers myriad services and programs, but has taken a keen focus on environmental wellness.

Peter Thompson, executive director of the Center at Belvedere, said the programs have become a staple of the center's activities.

"Environmental wellness is a part of our mission," Thompson explained. "It's part of our program model that environmental wellness is important, just as spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, etc. It's long been a part of our history."

The Center has partnered with the Piedmont Master Gardeners to develop a horticulture club. The club helps people become better home gardeners and help work on a pollinator garden. Other programs in the same vein include bird watching.

Thompson pointed out reaction to the programs has been favorable. He noted the Center's mission is to ensure people have access to information, and then trust they will do the best they can with it. He describes how people have taken this information into their own lives.

"Our participants approach us and say, 'I want to learn more about this,'" Thompson observed. "They trust us to be a neutral source of, you know, 'Here's the information.'"

He added the Center itself is also working to become more environmentally conscious. In partnership with the Community Climate Collaborative's Green Business Alliance, they have established their own climate goals. They are working to reduce operating costs by "greening" their energy use and using solar and other renewable forms of power.