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Mon Dieu! This is what makes me crazy about government

Posted: Oct 1, 2014

This is my problem with "big government", and I think it should be the problem with "big government" that EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY CAN AGREE ON, regardless of what political party you belong to.

We've gotten to the point that we don't even look up when we hear that the government has wasted $2 million here, $10 million there, even though those $millions actually add up to $BILLIONS OF OUR DOLLARS WASTED, SQUANDERED, ABUSED, AND/OR LOST TO FRAUD.

My dear friends - this has got to stop!

;

No bucks for you - Gram and Gramps

[ In Reply To ..]
It’s a one-year clinical trial involving 450 program participants at 12 senior centers. The study will test the power of music to promote healthy aging and is modeled on a similar construct in Finland which had impressive positive outcomes. Established criteria measured effects choir participation had on various physical functions, depressive symptoms, cognition and overall quality of life. Physical parameters will monitor changes in mobility, self-care, ADLs, pain/discomfort tolerance, strength, frequency of falls, gait, balance, endurance, shortness of breath, hearing and speech. Psychological factors to be assessed are anxiety, depression, executive functions, memory, and attention span. Emotional measures to be observed are overall well-being, confidence, self-esteem, social relationships, providing or seeking emotional support, quality of friendship, perception of loneliness, effect on fears and sadness, social support and apathy.

Sounds like a lot of bang for the buck, but woe is me. Prevailing wisdom on the right dictates business as usual. No bucks for you, Gram and Gramps! Your time is better spent isolating in a dark and dingy corner, waiting for the Grim Reaper.

"A lot of bang for the buck"??!! Boy are you easy - to fool.

[ In Reply To ..]
First of all, you have to know how "grant proposals" are written, which of course includes a lot of academic- or scientific-sounding phraseology, most of which is intended to make an empty bag of air seem like it's full of wonderful things. There are actually people who make a career out of writing proposals, and Proposal 101 is also entitled "How To Obfuscate The Obvious".

Second, you need to ask what the possible outcomes of the "study" might be - namely, (a) that getting out of the house and participating in things keeps seniors happier, more mobile, less depressed, etc....or, (b) that it has no effect, or (c) that it has the reverse effect.

(Ummm...let me guess...)

Third, if you have to ask the question at all (which you don't), you then have to ask whether there's a less expensive way to find out exactly the same thing - and guess what? There is! Simply do a survey of seniors asking questions about their lifestyle, their mobility, their assessment of their happiness, level of satisfaction, depression, etc., and then do the analysis. You could commission this survey for around $500,000 at most - and survey a lot more than 450 seniors in the bargain.

One of the problems we have in this country is an electorate that doesn't think, and so it's way too easy to pull the wool over their eyes while we're doling out $millions on virtually worthless "projects" that do nothing more than funnel our tax dollars to robbers whose disguise just happens to be suits and ties instead of hoodies and gang colors. (And they steal a lot more, too.)

2 million over the course of 5 years, with 450 participants - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
is roughly $900 per person. Hardly a fortune, oui? I love your idea of "simply do a survey." How, exactly, do you think the results of that survey are tabulated? Perhaps the adult grandkids can tally up the numbers, do the statistical analysis, and determine the meaningfulness of the data?

Meanwhile - not that I'm surprised by any means - but I'd love someone to do a study on individuals who just HAVE to mention hoodies and gang colors every freaking time someone talks about government in any way, shape, or form.

When you commission a survey, they do the tabulation. - I forgot the 4th question to ask about grants.

[ In Reply To ..]
The 4th question is: Has this been done before (and the corollary question - if so, how many millions of times?)

Try a Google search on "study seniors OR elderly benefits community involvement" or a search term like it.

...and then stand back or you'll be buried.

do "they" do it for free? - lol

[ In Reply To ..]
Give it up while you still can.

It would help so much if you would READ my post. before replying. - Note that I said a survey could be done FOR LESS

[ In Reply To ..]
...not FREE! (Where did you get off on that kick??!!) I even gave a realistic estimate of $500,000 based on my own experience with companies that perform this kind of survey.

And you tell me to "give it up"?? You give it up - at least until you learn how to read simple English.

And by the way, do yourself a favor and lose the "lol". It became passee on the Web (among adults, anyway) about a hundred years ago and makes anyone who uses it look foolish and/or juvenile.

Excellent reply. Thank you. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
:-)

Excellente en effet!! - Merci.

[ In Reply To ..]
=)

These must be the lucky seniors! - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Not the ones involved in ObamaScare.

Seniors not involved in ObamaScare...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
When you turn 65, you are involved in Medicare not Obamacare. I think it is a great study and could have important ramifications for senior health.

Lucky seniors not enrolled in death panels. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
NM necessary.

From Your Source - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
“The United States is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of older adults. In 2009, there were 39.6 million individuals over age 65, and this number is expected to almost double by 2030,” the NIH grant states. “During the same time period, there will be an increase in the number of older adults with diverse racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds who are at increased risk for poor health outcomes relative to non-minority elders.”

So let's not permit grandma and grandpa to witnesses family weddings or grandchildren. Let's just starve them to death because we need all those illegal immigrants who are coming in all the time to take away American benefits away from American CITIZENS!

??? Oh dear. - No message - speechless.

[ In Reply To ..]
x

ditto! - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

This is bizarre. What does any of this have to do with - starving grandma and grandpa?

[ In Reply To ..]
Be honest now. You really don't have the faintest idea what we're talking about, do you?

If we don't waste $2 million testing a hypothesis that has been tested already a zillion times before and that has an obvious answer, we're not "permitting" grandma and grandpa to attend a wedding, and on top of that we're starving them to death - somehow all of this being linked in with illegal immigrants??

I'm telling you, this is so weird that my eyeballs are literally spinning around in my head. Out of all the ridiculous things I've read on this site over the years, this one wins the kewpie doll and/or cigar - your choice.

What I quoted VERBATIM was part of the OP's - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
source that she provided.

THAT'S what it has to do with "starving grandma and grandpa."

I don't understand why you can't understand something that was in PRINT and used to SOURCE the OP's post. That is what I was addressing: the post itself.

Being a senior myself, I know exactly what it means.

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