Page 11 - Demo

Senior Times - March 2026 Page 11As the region%u2019s leader in orthopedics, exceptional care comes naturally to us. It%u2019s in our bones.Exceptional Orthopedic CareSENIOR HOUSING GUIDE NUMBER OF UNITS INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING SKILLED NURSING ALZHEIMER / DEMENTIA RESPITE CARE ADULT DAY CARE PETS RESIDENT PARKING TRANSPORTATION PRIVATE PAY NURSE ON DUTY REHAB LONG TERM STAY SHORT TERM STAY MEDICATION DELIVERY LAUNDRY HOUSEKEEPING ACTIVITIES 100% MEALS 24 HOUR STAFFING LICENSED FACILITY SPECIFIC DIET PLANSLike to be added? Email Sherii Sherban at ssherban@scenepub.com.NORTHPOINTE WOODS ASSISTED LIVING700 North Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017Amanda Mekara, (269) 964-762550 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u271a %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022NORTHPOINTE WOODS - MEMORY CARE700 North Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017Amanda Mekara, (269) 964-762513 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u271a %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022NORTHPOINTE WOODS INDEPENDENT LIVING700 North Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017Amanda Mekara, (269) 964-7625100 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u271a %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %uf0c5 %u2022OAKS AT BATTLE CREEK706 North Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017(269) 964-465577 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022VILLA AT WINSTON COURT, SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY208 Winston, Marshall, MI 49068Dustin Burrett, (269) 248-622640 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022VILLAGE OF MILL CREEK300 Carl Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49037Jennifer Bouchard, (269) 962-060545 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %uf0c5 %u2022VISTA GRANDE VILLA ASSITED LIVING2551 Springport Rd., Jackson, MI 49202Jenny Lewis, (517) 787-022266 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022VISTA GRANDE VILLA INDEPENDENT LIVING2551 Springport Rd., Jackson, MI 49202Amanda Burzynksi, (517) 787-0222198 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022VISTA GRANDE VILLA SKILLED CARE2551 Springport Rd., Jackson, MI 49202Admissions Coordinator, (517) 787-022260 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022and that is true. But is it in danger of every going away completely? The answer to that is a resounding %u201cNo.%u201d Despite its current financial dilemma, Social Security will never go away completely. As long as Americans are working and contributing to the program, it will always be here to provide some benefits. But the more important question is, will Social Security be able to pay for all of its benefit obligations in the future? And the answer to that is %u201cNo, unless Congress acts soon to reform the program.%u201d You see, right now Social Security revenue (mainly income from working Americans) is less than needed to pay all benefit obligations. Social Security revenue in 2024 was about $1.418 trillion, but SS expenses were about $1.485 trillion %u2013 a deficit of about $67 billion. And that shortfall has been taken from Social Security%u2019s Trust Fund reserves in order for full benefits to be paid to everyone.The Social Security Trust Funds have supplemented the money needed to pay full benefits since 2021, which means the reserves in the Trust Funds have gone from about $2.9 trillion in 2020 to about $2.7 trillion today %u2013 a trend that will result in the reserves being completely depleted in about the year 2033 (this according to the Trustees of the Social Security program). If the Trust Fund reserves are fully depleted, Social Security can only pay out in benefits what it receives in revenue, which would mean about a 23% cut in benefits for every Social Security recipient.Since so many Americans rely on Social Security as a major contributor to their financial well-being, the result of a 23% cut to everyone%u2019s Social Security income would be devastating. It likely wouldn%u2019t make things as bad as they were in the 1930s preceding Social Security%u2019s birth, but it would nevertheless present a very serious problem which would thrust many more Americans into poverty. And that is the crux of the Social Security dilemma %u2013 cutting everyone%u2019s SS benefit to only 77% of what is now received would mean a return to high levels of American poverty. But it doesn%u2019t need to happen.Fixing Social Security %u2013 Congress has been aware of this looming Social Security issue for several decades but has chosen to %u201ckick the can down the road.%u201d Now, there is little time remaining to fix the problem. We are only a short seven years away from when the SS Trust Funds will no longer have money to supplement Social Security benefit payments. Therefore, Congress must act soon to restore this crucial program to financial solvency. And the longer it waits, the more difficult the problem will be to solve. Indeed, Congress, instead, recently exacerbated Social Security%u2019s financial dilemma by passing legislation which provided additional benefits to a segment of beneficiaries (see H.R. 82 %u2013 The Social Security Fairness Act). Regardless of the merits of that recent legislation, it added about $200 billion to Social Security%u2019s expenses over the coming decade, at a time when Congress should be seeking ways to reduce Social Security%u2019s costs.For its part, the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) recognized this looming Social Security issue years ago and developed a potential Social Security reform proposal. AMAC has promoted (and continues to promote) its Social Security Guarantee to Congress and, in fact, also to the new Commissioner of Social Security. AMAC%u2019s proposal provides common sense adjustments to the Social Security program %u2013 program adjustments which retain the poverty-reduction aspects of Social Security while still providing the full benefits all have earned from a lifetime of working. You can see a summary of AMAC%u2019s Social Security Guarantee proposal at https://amac.us/social-security-guarantee/. A link to the full proposal is provided there.This article is intended for information purposes only. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation%u2019s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). For more information visit amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory.Publisher%u2019s note: I invite you to read this possible solution. At the very least, intentional conversations with your elected officials to take action and develop a solution seems to be necessary. A risk for changes is looming over the next seven years and we need to work to insure the greatest long-term benefit for aging adults everywhere.