February is American Heart Month, an annual tradition that began in 1964. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women (and men) in the U.S. For steps you can take to lower your risk, visit Fight the Lady Killer's website here.



The Smithsonian Institution announced early this month that they will open the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Sept. 24 in Washington. President Obama will cut the ribbon to open the doors to the public and commence a week-long celebration.

 

 In June, the Social Security Administration expects to publish the fourth edition of their plan--"Open Government 4.0" as a commitment to remain open and transparent. As SSA begins to prepare to update their current plan, they invite you to provide your ideas and suggestions at the Open Government 4.0 idea page by clicking here


AARP is seeking six individuals to serve on the National Policy Council, a volunteer group of 25 members appointed by AARP's board of directors. The council recommends positions on public policy issues that are based on policy analysis and member input. Once approved by the board, the policies form the basis for AARP's advocacy efforts. To learn more and apply online, click here



 IWPR has released a follow- up to last year's national Status of Women in the States report: Status of Women in the South. OWL is a member of National Advisory Committee for the project, which is the first to provide a comprehensive portrait of the status of women, particularly the status of women of color, in the southern states.



Disruptive Women in Health Care invites you to attend the latest event in their ongoing series: Aging Audaciously. The March 16th event, 'Prevention Wisdom Kicked up a Notch', will focus on nutrition, exercise and housing and their roles in preventing disease and injury. To register, click here

 

The National Patient Advocate Foundation released its 2016 Policy Principles report. To see how they plan to advocate for more affordable, accessible, and quality health care for patients, click here.


In a new report, NCOA found that senior debt has doubled in the last decade. The study shows that senior household borrowing has increased significantly in the past decade, with median total debt almost doubling. Click here to read the report. 
Full Court Press

Latest Huffington Post Article from OWL Executive Director Bobbie Brinegar: Congress Should Fulfill Its Constitutional Obligation on SCOTUS Vacancy

In Section 2, Clause 2 of our Constitution -- known as the Appointments Clause -- our founders laid down clear instructions in the event of a Supreme Court vacancy: the President has the responsibility to appoint a justice any and every time there is an opening on the bench. And because of our system of checks and balances, that nominee must be confirmed by the Senate.

The passing of Justice Scalia has placed this constitutional responsibility on President Obama, and he has pledged to fulfill it. The Senate must also fulfill its responsibility to grant his nominee a fair hearing and a timely vote.

If we look at the historical record since at least 1900, there is no evidence of a president failing to nominate and/or the Senate failing to confirm a Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year due to an impending election. In fact, in that time period, six justices were confirmed in presidential election years, the most recent being Reagan-appointee Justice Kennedy in 1988.

In urging Congress to consider his nominee, President Reagan said: "Every day that passes with the Supreme Court below full strength impairs the people's business in that crucially important body." If Congress fails to act, the Supreme Court could - for the first time - have an empty seat for the better part of two terms, leaving us with a weakened judicial system. There are consequential issues coming before the Court, and any 4-4 decisions would have no value in establishing legal precedent on which future decisions and lower courts could rely.

Read the full article at Huffington Post.
 
Social Security Spotlight: What Happens If I Work and Get Social Security Benefits? 


Do you know everything you should about Social Security's programs and procedures? If not, it's important to brush up on such topics as Retirement, Disability, and Supplemental Security Income, especially in the start of a new year. 

One of the most frequently asked questions on the Social Security Administration's website is: What happens if I work and get Social Security benefits? For those who need or want to start accepting benefits before they reach the retirement age (which is currently 66, but gradually increasing to 67), here is some crucial information from SSA: 

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefit. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.
  • We use the following earnings limits to reduce your benefits: If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit.
For 2016 that limit is $15,720.
  • In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit, but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age.
If you will reach full retirement age in 2016, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $41,880.

Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, you can get your benefits with no limit on your earnings.

Use our Retirement Age Calculator to find your full retirement age based on your date of birth.

Use our Retirement Earnings Test Calculator to find out how much your benefits will be reduced.

You can learn more about this topic and others through SSA's Frequently Asked Questions page. Click here to get the answers to your Social Security questions.

Single Women in Solitude: A Slippery Slope


Recent Huffington Post Article from OWL Executive Director Bobbie Brinegar: Living alone can lead to poor mental health. A stronger safety net is needed.

Today's older adults are more likely to live alone than previous generations. Millions of women 65 and over -- a full 36% -- live alone. The number climbs to nearly half for women 75 and over.

The reasons are varied. Women often outlive their spouses or partners, or see their children move away. Once widowed, older women are more likely to remain unmarried because men tend to marry younger women. There's been a steep decline in elders living with adult children or other relatives. And 90% of seniors say they prefer to age in their own homes.

With this increase in solo living comes an increased risk of social isolation. As we age, social contacts tend to decrease due to changes like retirement or the death of friends and family. Declining heath, limited mobility, fixed incomes and the challenge of making new friends can deter us from staying active in the game of life.

Social isolation has been shown to have a positive correlation with loneliness, a serious concern for older women. Feelings of loneliness are linked to poor cognitive performance, quicker cognitive decline, and risk of dementia.

Seniors who feel lonely and isolated are more likely to report having poor mental health. And loneliness is a major risk factor for depression: adults who live alone have an 80% higher chance of having depression than those who live with other people.

Read the full Huffington Post blog here
 "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be un-lived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."
-Maya Angelou

What makes OWL unique is our sharp focus. We are the only national organization that works solely on the economic security and quality of life issues impacting women 40+, who account for almost one-quarter of the U.S. population. Our vision is of a society where women are financially secure and able to live long, healthy and independent lives. Nonpartisan, pragmatic and focused on solutions, OWL makes sure the challenges specific to this demographic are heard and understood when policy is being made. 

www.owl-national.org

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