About Us

Solutions Across Generations

June 1998
Volume 1, Number 1

On February 21, 1996, the Illinois Board of Higher Education convened a group of leaders representing education, aging, children, and family organizations to explore the potential for working together on common interests. "Dialogue," they said, "is preferable to conflict." "Solutions across Generations" is a result of the discussions and expresses a growing sentiment among young and old that we must work together to solve the most serious problems facing our society.

The history of our country is one of generations helping each other. This tradition will be put to a test during the early years of the new century as baby boomers need more services and at the same time, their grandchildren will increase the demand for education. It is imperative that we develop a pattern of working together to prevent divisiveness and intergenerational conflict."
Keith Sanders, Executive Director Illinois Board of Higher Education

We must focus on community participation for people of all ages and generations. Solutions across Generations is a good starting point as the basis for information, community forums, class discussions, and ultimately renewed momentum for civic involvement."
Wayne Sampson, Executive Director Illinois Association of School Boards

"Regardless of our age and place in life, we can help other generations. Solutions across Generations creates a strong case for the interdependence of all Americans."
Carole Aston, State Director American Association of Retired Persons

Begin with Dialogue!

Solutions across Generations gives a starting point for discussion that can lead to a better understanding of other generations. For example, grandparents watch as their grandchildren struggle to finance college and want to help. Young people see their friends or relatives fall prey to fraud. The middle generation may suddenly find that overnight their parents have become frail and need help. All of us must be concerned about the crisis in quality after-school care for our children. The first publication highlights four timely topics: affording a college education, telephone fraud, after-school care, and the challenges faced by frail elders. It is not meant to be a comprehensive account of each issue, simply a snippet of information with suggestions on next steps.

Issues in Higher Education Affording a College Education

A headline in the Chicago Tribune reads, "Tuition has gone ballistic." A recent report of the Committee to Study the Affordability of Higher Education warned that "To deny the opportunity for a college education to students entering this world is to irreparably harm them and our selves." Further, they note that in 20 years a college degree could be beyond the reach of as many as half the students who want and are qualified to seek one.

A recent article in the US News and World Report featured a ranking of colleges according to the amount of debt that students carry when they graduate. Students face a financial squeeze. They must find adequate funds to get through college. When they finish, they must find a job with a salary that allows them to repay their loans.

Students express their basic concerns about college as,
Can I get in?
Can I pay for it?
Can I get a job when I leave?

SOLUTIONS across GENERATIONS

STUDENTS:

1. Plan your academic career carefully. The less time you spend in school the less expensive it is.
2. Obtain information about financial aid. Illinois has a large scholarship and grant program.
3. Start planning early in high school.
4. Explore cooperative work-study programs.
5. Search for scholarships
6. Look into AmeriCorps

PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS:

1. Consider pre-paying tuition when children are very young
2. Invest in college savings bonds.
3. Attend financial aid seminars, and discuss options with financial planners at least two to three years before college
4. Learn more about affordability

UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES:

1. Make sure that there are adequate courses available so that students can finish in four years.
2. Strive to keep tuition and fees at moderate levels. Try four-year tuition plans, so that parents and students know what they will be paying.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Illinois Student Assistance Commission 1-800-899-ISAC for free brochures and financial information. Also try http://www.isacl.org
• Visit the financial aid office at your local university or community college.
• The U.S. Dept. of Education has a wealth of free materials, 1-800-USA-LEARN, www.ed.gov
• Try the web page: mapping-your-future.org
• Visit your public library for additional resources or assistance with internet.
• AmeriCorps 1-800-942-2677 www.nationalservice.org

Community Issues Telephone Fraud

Move over Exxon, General Motors, and IBM, fraud in America has become a $100 billion dollar business. Older Americans don't think of themselves as gullible, but they are dealing with smooth operators who have fine tuned the art of fraud among senior citizens. Telemarketing fraud alone is costing Americans about $40 billion a year. The FBI estimates that approximately 80% of the crooked telemarketing companies target seniors. Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan gives four reasons why older adults are targeted

First, some seniors fill empty hours by reading each piece of mail, eagerly taking phone calls, or receiving visits from strangers. Second, alone and sometimes in failing health, seniors may respond warmly to crooks who may be the only people to call or visit them. Third, many seniors worry about running out of money or not having any cash to leave to their children. Last, while seniors may not be at the top of the list in terms of yearly income, they may have money to spend.
 

SOLUTIONS ACROSS GENERATIONS

STUDENTS:

1. Learn more about telephone fraud. Invite speakers to come to the school and discuss telephone fraud.
2. Talk to your grandparents and older friends about telephone fraud.
3. Spend time with your elders--if they aren't lonely, they may not be as vulnerable

ADULTS AND OLDER ADULTS

1. Be alert to telephone fraud.
2. Spread the word among your peers.
3. Once you have been involved with a scam, you are likely to be called again.

EVERYONE:

1. Copy this information and share with relatives and friends.
2. Be alert when visiting older adults for frequent telephone calls, surveys, sweep stakes offers, or their descriptions of "good deals."

BEWARE of all telephone solicitation.
When strangers call, hang up quickly.
Hang up if they ask for;
credit card, bank account, or social security numbers, an immediate decision about their offer,
money from your bank or
money to receive you prize
Hang up if they offer to send a courier to accept your check, or if the deal seems to good to be true
Hang up if they persist after you say "no," or if they refuse to send information by mail, or won't mail information until money is pledged.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Contact the Attorney General's Senior Hotline 1-800-243-0618 for fact sheets and brochures
• National Fraud Information Center, 1-800-876-7060
• AARP has materials in English and Spanish, 312-458-3600 or www.aarp.org/fraud/home.htm
• Visit your public library for information or help with internet addresses.

Children and Family Issues After-school Care

America's families are scrambling for safe and enriching places for their children in out-of-school time. What children do during their non-school hours has a critical impact on school achievement and life success. An estimated 50 million school-age children need care while their parents are working. Because school hours do not entirely overlap with parents' working hours, millions of children are left to face the world on their own every day after school.

Affordable out-of-school care of good quality is a crucial component in strengthening the lives of our children. Research shows that youth yearn for positive activities but often find gym doors locked, school doors closed, and recreation programs full. It is during this time when school-age children become involved with alcohol and other drugs, premature sex, and delinquent behaviors.

Staffed with caring and concerned adult caregivers, school-age childcare programs offer children and youth the helping hand they need to succeed. They provide children with positive alternatives to life on the streets, a safe and nurturing environment, and activities to develop and enhance life skills. These skills--the ability to communicate, make decisions, solve problems, and make plans--help children learn in school, work with their peers and teachers, and become responsible adults.

SOLUTIONS across GENERATIONS

Older adults:

1. Help provide transportation, help arrange after-school care, and advocate for quality out-of-school care.
2. Fill in as caregivers on snow days or sick days.
3. Volunteer in an after-school program.

PARENTS:

1. Advocate to get more and better quality after-school programs.
2. Volunteer to bring your expertise to your child's after-school program
3. Advocate to keep schools open before and after hours.

BUSINESS:

1. Research the possibilities of offering child care for your employees.
2. Consider the advantages of providing child care as a part of your organization.

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS:

1. Tutor in after-school programs
2. Learn more about quality out-of-school programs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• IL Network for Child Care Resource and Referral Agency will help find quality after- school care 1-800-649-1884
• Information on after-school programs www.siu.edu/~aftersch
• The public library has many resources on child care
• Four Steps to selecting a childcare provider www.acf.dhhs.gov
• New publication: Service as a Strategy in Out-of-School Time, 1-800-942-2677 x 280
• National Parent Information Network www.npin.org
• National Institute on Out-of-School Time, try the web site for resources www.wellesley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC

AGING ISSUES Helping Frail Elders

More Americans--and Illinoisans--than ever before are living to older ages. The 60+ population grew by 23% in the last 20 years and will grow another 41% by the year 2020.

Though more older people are living healthier lives than ever before, it is a fact of life that as we age we experience chronic conditions, such as arthritis, hypertension, hearing and visual impairments, and other disabling conditions, such as stroke, heart disease, and cancer. Yet seniors say that it is important to maintain their independence and to remain in their homes. To do that older persons may need help with various home-management tasks such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and daily chores.

Currently in Illinois and across the country, more than 80% of the care provided to frail older persons is provided by family members. The need for older adult services will continue to expand especially when most of the 70 million baby boomers retire.

SOLUTIONS ACROSS GENERATIONS

OLDER ADULTS:

1. Become aware of services before you need them.
2. Support senior services in your community by serving as a volunteer for local senior programs.
3. Recognize that, while you may want to remain fully independent, accepting help does not diminish you--it may even allow you to keep your own home or apartment.

STUDENTS:

1. Take time to visit homebound elders and those in nursing homes and ask for their help with oral histories and school projects.
2. Research the resources available to frail elders.
3. Volunteer to deliver meals or help an older person with housecleaning or yard work.

ADULTS:

1. Be aware of the choices for long-term care.
2. Seek information about assistance in the home. For instance, those recovering from a stroke may need nursing home care; or they may be able to stay at home, receiving home-delivered meals and transportation services, or help from a home maker who provides assistance with medications, bathing, and household tasks.

EVERYONE:

1. Pursue a healthier lifestyle, with good nutrition; avoid smoking and alcohol; and make exercise a part of your daily routine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Senior HelpLine 1-800-252-8966 (Voice and TTY). www.state.il.us/Aging/ccp/ or www.aoa.dhhs.gov
• Elder Care Locator 1-800-677-1116
• Information on the internet www.cargiving.com *Alzheimer's National Hotline 1-800-272-3900
• Consult your local Area Agency on Aging
• The public library has many resources on care giving.

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A hearty thanks to those who gave feedback and suggestions: Gretchen McDowell and Anna Weselak, Illinois PTA; Jeanne Tippett, Community Care Systems; Jeanne Blackman, Office of the Attorney General; Terri Worman, AARP; Nikki Smith, LifeTimes, Blue Cross Blue Shield; Mary Simon, Emerita, and Pam Britton, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Greg Graham, Chicago MOST, Christine Merrifield, Eastern Illinois University; Larry Matejka, Illinois Student Assistance Commission ; Cathy Muno, Illinois Commission on Community Service, Governor's Office; Carbondale Community High School Honors Political Science Class: Zachary Smith, Lora Pearlman, Yasine Mogharreban, Jeffrey Mings, Keya Kraft, Jonathan Haller, Stephan Fox, Johnson Elugbadebo, Kavita Desai, April Davis, George Mitchell, Monie Bohnsack, Kira Boettcher, Yelias Bender, and teacher, Jeff Asmus.