OLDER VIRGINIANS' ISSUES TO HAVE DAY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 19, 1993                   TAG: 9301190129
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
OLDER VIRGINIANS' ISSUES TO HAVE DAY
George Thompson of Salem has a prior engagement and won't be able to join the approximately 500 older Virginians and aging advocates meeting with their local legislators for Older Virginians Day at the General Assembly. However, he's got a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Thompson, local coordinator of the American Association of Retired Persons Health Advocacy Services, in October helped conduct Health Care America, a local forum on health-care issues.
He said funding for long-term care, especially for research of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and for family care-givers, will be among several major concerns to be presented by AARP at the gathering Thursday in Richmond.
"Our position is that long-term health care demonstration projects already under way should be retained and evaluated for effectiveness," Thompson said.
He said there has been no increase in funding for Alzheimer's research since 1984. He said AARP is supporting a bill introduced in 1992 by Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk, to provide a voluntary state income-tax checkoff for money to go toward such research.
Under the long-term care umbrella, Thompson said AARP also is advocating an increase in the number of ombudsmen from eight to 17. He said a proposal to reduce the current number or even eliminate the office had caused some concern among aging advocates.
Thompson said AARP also will propose legislation to ensure access to health care and cost-containment for all Virginians, regardless of age. It will promote legislation to improve literacy and adult basic, primary and secondary education. And it will support creation of a statewide transportation system for the elderly and disabled. Because they are unable to afford public transportation, many of them can't get medical care.
Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and Secretary of Health and Human Resources Howard Cullum are expected to be among the legislators addressing Thursday's gathering, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
Virginia Power and the Virginia Department for the Aging also will announce the formation of the Virginia Energy and Aging Consortium - a coalition that will collect and share information about the needs and characteristics of older citizens and initiate public service programs and projects to help meet their energy-related needs.
Because of limited parking and space, participants are being encouraged to car pool to the state Capitol. Thompson, though he won't be going, is coordinating several local vehicles, some of which will leave Roanoke on Wednesday. People interested in attending the meeting may contact him at 389-2470.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB