Spotlight
‘Modest’ boost of Social Security benefits coming
Social Security benefits will 1.3 percent in 2021, an increase called “modest” but important for the approximately 70 million Americans who depend on the payments. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will begin in January 2021 and on Dec. 31, 2020 for Supplementary Security Income (SSI). The increase, which amounts to about $20 a month for individuals is tied to the Consumer Price Index as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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News
Online resources of libraries are wide open
The Pierce County Library System, hoping to help patrons reduce exposure to and spreading of COVID-19, is offering free online resources from the comfort of their homes and curbside service in their cars. At polariscatalog.piercecountylibrary.org/POLARIS/search/misc/esources.aspx, the public can learn from and enjoy topics from automobile repair to consumer information to genealogy. It’s all accessible 24/7
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A four-week statewide set of restrictions on business and personal gatherings in response to the recent rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in Washington and nationally is taking effect this week and is scheduled to continue until mid-December. The new restrictions, affecting indoor gatherings, fitness centers, restaurants and other retailers, were announced by Governor Jay
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Museums at 25 percent capacity better than nothing
On a recent afternoon, the National Nordic Museum stirred from a slumber that stretched nearly six months. Outside, a landscaper trimmed the greenery back into neat archipelagos. Indoors, registrar and collections specialist Kaia Wahmanholm whirled through the tall, fjordlike space, moving a ladder, turning on a video screen, adding decals to the floor to remind
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I am writing to make sure you are aware of a proposal by the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for the upcoming 2021-23 biennium state budget which will decimate eligibility and reimbursement for Medicaid residents currently receiving services today in nursing homes, assisted-living communities, adult family homes, and home-based care. By their
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Lifestyles
Take it from her: Women can avoid ‘old age traps’ As a 60-year-old retiree, Pat Garner reassures fellow women in her age group that they can “achieve their ultimate youthful potential in their retirement years instead of becoming fragile, little old ladies in the rocking chair.” Garner, an anti-aging and nutrition advisor, writes for Put Old on Hold Journal, where she and other writers spout
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Food
Mobile market gets around with free food The Tacoma Farmers Market spent this summer giving free food to people who need it, and not just in Tacoma. With the financial support of nearly a quarter-million dollars from the federal government, the Fresh Express Mobile Market visited three locations each week—Fridays at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center on South Tacoma Way and the
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Adventures
Vacations and getaways still possible during pandemic After months spent indoors at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s clear that many people are itching to get back out there and take a vacation. This is with good reason. Staying isolated for too long can take a substantial toll on one’s mental health and well-being, according to the American Psychological Association. If
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Health & Fitness
The clock’s ticking on Medicare enrollment In a year filled with unforeseen challenges and important decisions, people with Medicare have through Dec. 7 to select their Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan coverage for 2021. To ensure you have the right Medicare plan for you in place come January, it’s important to focus on these three key topics: • Navigating plan
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Personal Finance/Business
Boomers bullish on home ownership More than 40 percent of homeowners in Washington are older adults, reflecting a national trend in which baby boomers–the generation that owns the largest share of homes–are planning to stay put. A survey in 2018 by AARP found that 76 percent of Americans over the age of 50 prefer to remain in their current home
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