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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2011)
Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, August 17, 2011 Report says family caregivers doing more EPA works with states to protect by Chris Thomas, Oregon News Service Despite a boom in assisted living and elder-care services, family members still handle most of the daily care-giving for older relatives. These “jobs” are worth $5.5 million in Ore- gon and $450 billion nation- wide, according to a new report from AARP, affecting care- givers’ health and financial se- curity as they juggle these re- sponsibilities. About 90 percent of the in- home care needed by older adults is provided by family members, according to the re- port, which adds that as people live longer and families are smaller, there are fewer rela- tives to pitch in. And those who do often neglect their own needs, says study co-author Susan Reinhard, AARP senior vice president for public policy. At midlife, she notes, many people quit their jobs or go part-time to care for older rela- tives, “We know that their re- tirement security is in jeopardy. This is true for both men and women that provide this kind of care: An average of over $300,000 in lost income and benefits over the caregiver’s lifetime.” In Oregon, the report esti- mates 463,000 people are fam- ily caregivers, providing servic- es that would otherwise cost more than $12 an hour. It sug- gests more support in a num- ber of areas, such as better fol- low-up after hospital visits, flex- time policies on the job, and fi- nancial assistance and respite care for caregivers. The average unpaid care- giver, the report says, is a 49- year-old woman, putting in about 20 hours a week – but that’s just an average. Vicki Schmall, professor emeritus of gerontology at Oregon State University, says caregivers come in all ages. What they have in common, she says, is that most don’t have the train- ing or the support network to help them with their family member’s health conditions, “We have caregivers that are in their 80s and 90s, providing care to a spouse. And then sometimes, may have a 20- year-old or a teenager that is providing care to a family mem- ber.” Having an outside expert as- sess a family’s situation and make recommendations about the kinds of help available is a good start, Schmall says. The state has an Aging and Disabil- ities Resource Connection website at adrcofor.org for caregivers. The AARP website, aarp.org, also contains infor- mation. The report, “Valuing the In- valuable: The Growing Contri- butions and Costs of Family Caregiving,” is online at www.aarp.org. What is real price of carbon pollution? by Chris Thomas, Oregon News Service If everything in life has its price, the price of carbon is $21 a ton, according to the federal government. This means every ton of carbon emissions from car tailpipes, power plants and manufacturing causes about $21 worth of damage to people and the environment, or about 21 cents for every gallon of gasoline burned. A new study from a Port- land-based think tank made up of 200 economists nationwide says that figure is far too low. Economists at Tufts University who are members of the Eco- nomics for Equity and the Envi- ronment (E3) Network say a more realistic estimate would be from $264 to $893 per ton. Kristen Sheeran, director of economics for E3 Network, ex- plains that putting a “social cost” on carbon is one way to help people understand the ef- fects of climate change pollu- tion – and not only on the envi- ronment, “We think about it as a change in ecosystems; we think about it as affecting polar bears. Relatively few people think about what climate change will mean to the quality of their life in the future, to the quality of their children’s lives, and what all of those changes will mean, in dollar terms.” Sheeran explains that the social cost figure is important because it could be used for setting rules about fuel econo- my, power-plant regulations and more. If it is flawed or out- dated, relevant federal or state decisions about curbing carbon emissions could be, too, she warns, “What these numbers suggest is that the current esti- mates we may be using to af- fect policy decisions are many orders of magnitude off. So, which side do you want to err on? The kinds of risks and im- pacts that scientists are talking about from climate change are potentially irreversible.” The report does not suggest that the government impose a carbon tax of hundreds of dol- lars per ton on industry, Sheer- an says. Rather, it points out that $21 per ton is so low, it sends a message that climate change is not much of a prob- lem, when even government scientists agree that is not the case. The report, “Climate Risks and Carbon Prices” is available at www.e3network.org/social_ cost_carbon.html. State Farm ® Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710 Bunny Girt, Agent 503-901-1705 1229 N. Adair PO Box 543 Cornelius, OR 97113-0543 Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667 bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com beachgoers from water pollution Pacific Northwest and Alas- ka beaches will be safer for swimming thanks to $717,000 in beach monitoring grants to the states of Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and to the Makah Tribe on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. The grants, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will boost water quality monitoring efforts, make warn- ings or closure notices more timely and protect swimmers and beach users from pollution. Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Makah Tribe will use the grant funds for collecting and reporting water quality data such as harmful bacteria, and notifying the public of any water quality concerns. The grants will go to: State of Alaska, $154,000, Oregon Public Health Authority, $236,000, Washington State Department of Ecology, $277,000, Makah Tribe, $50,000. “Our goal is to keep all beaches safe for recreation,” said Mike Bussell, EPA’s Direc- tor of the Office of Water and Watersheds in Seattle. “These grants help our state partners keep a close watch on coastal water quality, giving beach- going families the protection they deserve.” Nationwide, EPA is providing almost $10 million this year in beach grants to 37 states, terri- tories, and tribes to help protect swimmers and beachgoers at America’s beaches. State and local monitoring and notification programs often differ across the country and provide varying levels of swim- mer protection. EPA beach grants are intended to ensure that the public receives better protection when traveling to beaches across the country. The program is authorized by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) of 2000. EPA estimates that Americans make a total of 910 million trips to coastal areas each year, spending about $44 billion. Columbia County Domestic Abuse Mental Health Hotline 800-294-5211 503-397-6161 ----------------- or Suicide Hotline 866-397-6161 1-800- ----------------- 784-2433 or 1-800-273- TALK(8255) Military Helpline 888-HLP-4-VET (888-457-4838)
