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From Our Inbox
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Why older women have it harder in job searches-and what they can do about it
In a recent Dallas News article, OWL Board member, Carol Gardner and others offered advice for older women who are seeking employment:
Don't rely on computer job searches alone.
Do something every day
Trumpet your age as an asset, not a liability
Make yourself stand out from the competition
Update your wardrobe
Get comfortable with video interviews.
Carol was quoted in the article, giving more specific advice that could come in handy: "Go in and don't apologize for your age. Brag about it and say, 'At my age, I've learned a lot. I'm great at time management.' Be really positive about your identity and who you are. That will excite employers. Do research about a company and the industry. Think of who your competition is [for the job]. What one thing can you do that is daring and different and smart and that will get the attention of whoever is hiring you?"
Read the full article here.
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Want to learn how you can help make the labor market in the U.S. a better place for all workers?
The White House, Department of Labor, and Center for American Progress are working together to help the many men and women who are living from paycheck to paycheck-bringing businesses, economists, labor leaders, policymakers, advocates, and ordinary citizens together to talk about solutions and policies that can make a real difference.
Join the White House Summit on Working Families, which will be held on June 23 in Washington, DC.
Visit the websites for more information:
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Older Americans Month: May 2014
As a result of a meeting between the National Council of Senior Citizens, May 1963 was designated by President John F. Kennedy as Senior Citizens Month. This month was deemed as such to encourage the U.S. to pay tribute to older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation to change the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.
As a tribute to this month, the Census Bureau is highlighting the state of aging in the country through various statistics such as:
- 14.8%: the percent supplemental poverty rate for those 65 and older, equating to 6.4 million people. Excluding Social Security would leave the majority of this population (54.7 percent or 23.7 million) in poverty.
- 71.9%: the percentage of those 65 and older who reported casting a ballot in the 2012 presidential election.
For more of the interesting facts, click here.
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Not Your Mother's Retirement
There is a great new book on retirement for women:
Not Your Mother's Retirement. This book is a user-friendly collection of essays aimed at women in their 40s and 50s. The book includes an essay from Cindy Hounsell, "No Pie in the Sky," which outlines five tips to help women prepare for a successful and financially secure retirement. Royalties from the sale of the book will benefit cancer research and prevention.
Learn more from experts on how to start preparing for retirement here.
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Remember Rosie the Riveter?
Spotlighting the benefits of apprenticeships
A recent Bloomberg article featured a view into the world of apprenticeships-of which there are more than 375,000 in the U.S. according to the Department of Labor. However, according to the article, only 6% of these apprentices in training were women in 2012. The article goes on to describe the benefits of apprenticeships, such that "increased participation of women in such training is one way for them to become more employable and earn higher wages."
What are apprenticeships? What can they actually provide to women? Read the article here.
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Life After Caregiving...Now What?
Join the Alzheimer's Foundation of America for a Care Connection Teleconference: "Now What? Life After Caregiving" This free teleconference will be held on April 10, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (ET) and is designed for both family caregivers and professional caregivers of individuals with dementia.
For more information, click here.
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Welcoming OWL's newest board members to the team!
Peggy Wrightsman Parolin
For the past 29 years, Peggy
Wrightsman Parolin has helped people connect and communicate. As the Director of Licensing Acquisitions-Editorial for Hallmark Cards, she has partnered with Disney, Warner Bros., Peanuts, Marvel, DreamWorks, Lucasfilms, The Simpsons, Garfield and other clients to bring relevant, meaningful content to social expression products that evoke laughter, tears and memories, reminding millions what it means to be human.
But it wasn't working with characters that first attracted Wrightsman Parolin to Hallmark; it was a question in an advertisement she encountered while teaching high school in St. Louis, MO.
So you think you're funny? Can you write like this...?" The answer turned out to be a resounding "yes".
Wrightsman Parolin left her teaching career and accepted a position as a writer and editor at Hallmark where she became one of the original writers for Shoebox humor, one of the nation's most recognized humor brands. Throughout her career at Hallmark, Parolin enjoyed titles such as Director of Humor, where she was responsible for strategic funniness; Idea Exchange Leader, where she was challenged with maintaining a non-corporate environment for the criminally creative, and Creative Product Director for both Season and Everyday Greetings. Parolin found success by sharing what came naturally: her wit, wisdom and way with words. And her humor. Her quirky sense of humor.
"My sense of humor has helped me survive, has enabled me to see obstacles as building blocks as opposed to stumbling blocks. I grew up with an invisible 'white picket fence.' Were we poor? I'm not sure. But, it wasn't until I was six that I discovered mildew was not a cologne and begging for groceries in small 'mom and pop' stores was not a commonplace childhood game."
Humor, education and a strong desire to make a difference set a strong foundation for Wrightsman Parolin's success.
During the few years she taught, Wrightsman Parolin initiated sports equality initiatives, assisted students in creating their first student-led publications and earned recognition as "Outstanding Educator" in the St. Louis, MO Public Schools.
An ardent supporter of education, Wrightsman Parolin holds advanced degrees in Marketing and Communication Studies, with undergraduate degrees in Spanish, Secondary Education, Social Psychology, English and Journalism-News Ed.
She remains active in her community, serving as the president of the Shade Tree Fund of Greater Kansas City, and is a past board member of the Kansas City Friends of Jung. She is a trained Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children and has volunteered countless hours across numerous organizations for the schools of her four children. She is a member of the Kansas City United Way Women's Leadership Conference and the recipient of a lifetime achievement award by her high school alma mater.
Now, it's simply a matter of figuring out what's next.
Krista Drobac
 Krista Drobac, Senior Policy Advisor at DLA Piper, provides strategic advice on a broad range of state and federal legislative and regulatory issues around Medicaid, Medicare, delivery system reform, the Affordable Care Act, public health, and other areas.Ms. Drobac has extensive experience in health policy at all levels of government. Most recently, she was the director of the Health Division in the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices, where she worked with governors' offices and other state health officials to share best and promising practices in the areas of Medicaid, insurance marketplaces, delivery system reform, health information technology, and public health programs.Prior to her work with the National Governors Association, Ms. Drobac was a Senior Advisor at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, both within the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) and the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). Previously, she was Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, where she advanced the governor's coverage and quality initiatives, including the electronic exchange of health information and pay for performance.Ms. Drobac also spent five years on Capitol Hill, where she was a health advisor to the Majority Whip in the U.S. Senate, Senator Dick Durbin, focusing on Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance, medical liability insurance, Social Security, FDA, prescription drugs, medical professions, patient safety and dietary supplements. She was also a John Heinz Fellow handling health care issues for Senator Debbie Stabenow.Please give them both a warm welcome!
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The Bionic Woman or just staying healthy?
Health technology at work in the 21st Century
Secretary, OWL National,
and President, The Arc Oregon
As we at OWL look forward to our Mothers' Day Report and event, and continue to think about the many facets of long-term services and supports, it occurs to me that growing older in the early 21st Century may not be as good as it is ever going to get. But, we certainly have the benefits of technology to thank for an easier time of it. We can now live at home with amazing levels of independence, almost irrespective of our condition or disability, not only because the availability of in-home providers of supports and services, but also because we can add any number of technologies to the mix.
Technology is already assisting us in ways no one could have predicted a couple of decades ago-from the common voice-to-text features of computers and smartphones that make it possible to write a letter, email, or text even if one has arthritis or poor motor function, to the portable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device that can be worn at all times to remain functional while controlling severe pain.
It was only ten years ago that the first tiny computer chip was approved for implantation in a person's arm to send constant information about a patient's medical condition to doctors and hospitals. With the pinch of a syringe, the microchip is inserted under the skin to silently and invisibly store and release patient-specific information on cue.
And just last week Toshiba announced the development of a mobile application that will offer a virtual practitioner. They are even calling it an Avatar! With mobile technologies and software that will enable health care professionals to deliver personalized interactions every day, the virtual practitioner will be able to provide care and coaching for those facing chronic illnesses and to guide them through complex processes. The software combines medical knowledge and information with the friendly interface of a virtual practitioner or virtual health assistant (VHA) to have interactive conversations with users on their topic of choice. VHAs are designed to connect with users in a very human-like way, empowering individuals to effectively manage their own health, anytime, anywhere and their in own way.
As with any 21st century endeavor, change is a constant in health care technology. Before we even learn the settings for the new remote thermostat in the bedroom, up-to-the-minute electronic health records will be in every doctor's office and clinic, and technology that extends medical systems into patients' homes-and even onto their bodies-will not seem as radical as it sounds, but will be just another way to keep people well at any age.
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