Letters to the Editor

Money dragging our nation down

To the Editor:
    When the snow is too deep for my cane this winter, the quirky information in this email will be expanding into a book covering 42 years of what steps American can take to get out of this greedy hellish mess that “money” has made of this young rural democracy.

    I have a small lapel button, scarcely bigger then my thumbnail, of the Statue of Liberty, but she has a single tear coursing down her left cheek.
    We are in trouble, and destined to drag the rest of the 7.3 billion Earth passengers with us on a planet with nothing but moaning empty carbon caverns pointing their rusting pipes at the recent gas attack on the sky.
    Sine Qua None means “without which, nothing!”

Charles Mac Arthur
Sangerville

A great labor of love

To the Editor:
    Every day, a remarkable group of Mainers performs a great labor of love: caring for aging parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and friends so they can remain in their homes.
    They are on duty 24/7, and often cannot take a break. Yet they wouldn’t have it any other way. These caregivers are truly unsung heroes.
    To honor family caregivers, AARP launched a new initiative to focus attention on their stories called “I Heart Caregivers.” Every caregiver has a story and gathering these stories strengthens the caregiver community for everyone’s benefit.
    If you know someone with a story to share, please encourage them to go to www.aarp.org/iheartcaregivers.
    In addition to I Heart Caregivers offering caregivers the opportunity to share stories with each other, the initiative also provides us with a powerful way to bring those voices to Augusta.
    Together with other organizations, AARP Maine is gearing up to work for common sense solutions in the next legislative session to support family caregivers and their loved ones.
    For example, we need to develop improved transitional care plans for patients returning home from the hospital, secure better workplace flexibility for caregivers, and assess the programs and services that caregivers and their loved ones need in their own communities.
    We know that there are almost 200,000 Mainers who are caregivers each year.
    Let’s recognize these remarkable individuals who are working to help seniors live independently and who make it possible for them to stay in their homes where we know they want to be.

Lori Parham
AARP state director
Portland