All posts by rebecca

For Older Patients, Exercise Could Speed Recovery Following Hospitalization

Even though bed rest is commonly prescribed for older adults recovering from a hospital stay, many health care professionals are highlighting the risks associated with such inactivity. In one study on older hospital patients from 2008, scientists found that just 10 days of bed... Read more

Census Report Highlights Older Households’ Sources of Income

While Social Security makes up the largest share of most older adults’ incomes, other sources also provide earnings to people 65 and older. A new report from the United States Census Bureau analyzed older households’ sources of income, the amounts, and how much each source co... Read more

Alliance Cheers House Passage of Bipartisan Postal Reform Bill

On Wednesday the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3076, the 2021 Postal Reform Act, on a bipartisan 342-92 vote, repealing the Congressional mandate that the United States Postal Service (USPS) spend billions of dollars every year to prefund retiree health care. The Post... Read more

Thank Postal Workers

Since the beginning of the pandemic, USPS employees have kept this country running. Click here to thank them for their work during this difficult time.... Read more

Medicare to Pay for Home Covid Tests

On Thursday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to make over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests available to people with Medicare at no cost by “early spring.” CMS's initial OTC testing policy applied to private insurers but not Medicare. H... Read more

COVID-19 Widows Struggle to Get Survivors Benefits as Social Security Offices Remain Closed

In addition to causing pain, misery and death to millions of infected Americans, the coronavirus pandemic has forced Social Security offices to close in-person operations, and many children and spouses are experiencing long delays in processing their survivor benefit claims. More... Read more

Florida Alliance’s Lawsuit Against the State’s Restrictive Voting Law Goes to Court

Witness testimony began Monday in a lawsuit challenging the state of Florida’s restrictive voting law. The Florida Alliance is a plaintiff in the suit, which is being held by teleconference due to the pandemic. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping voter suppressio... Read more

The Alliance and the AFL-CIO Celebrate Black History Month, Lunar New Year

"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now," Martin Luther King Jr. famously said. Since February 1 was both the Lunar New Year — also known as the Chinese New Year — and the first day of Black History Month, the Alliance joins the AFL-CIO in ... Read more

Nursing Home Staff Shortage Worsens as the Pandemic Continues

Staff members of nursing homes across the country continue to quit in droves as a result of low wages and poor working conditions during the pandemic. Poor working conditions and lack of COVID-19 protections in long term care facilities have pushed many staffers to retire earl... Read more