March 2001

 

FirstGov for Seniors
Jamie H. Thompson, thompsonja@missouri.edu

When I need to find information on the web, I "surf the net". The first place I go is to "search". I type in the words that I hope will be right on target so I find what I need in a matter of minutes not hours. With government agencies, I have found the search to be a little easier. If I want the Internal Revenue Service, I just type in "irs.gov" and I am into their website. It is the same for the Social Security Administration, "ssa.gov".

FIRSTGOV for Seniors. "Members of the ‘baby-boom’ generation, the generation born after World War II, will begin to retire in large numbers around 2010. Baby boomers are already contacting federal agencies to apply for disability and veteran’s benefits. The unprecedented demand for services by this group is one of government’s most pressing concerns in the new millennium. An Internet website geared specifically toward seniors provides an outstanding opportunity to help meet those demands."

FirstGov for Seniors is a "portal site" that allows you to access any number of governmental agency websites. The Social Security Administration maintains FirstGov for Seniors.

There are valid reasons why it makes sense for the government to provide portal services to federal agencies:

• Government is a trusted source of information;
• Government is less likely to restrict information or promote information that is biased by a commercial interest;
• Government will not track usage; and
• Government would be more likely to support information presentation on lesser-used programs and not select strictly on the basis of user demand.

To find FirstGov for Seniors on the internet, type in "www.seniors.gov". Once you are into their website, you have the choice to either browse through their latest news articles, continue your search further, or enter "Departments", "Federal Portals", "Federal Agencies", or "State Web Sites".

I decided to start with "Departments". My choices under "Departments" were: Consumer Protection, Education & Training, Health, Legislation, Retirement Planner, Seniors & Computers, Services, Strategic Plan, Tax Assistance, Travel & Leisure, and lastly, Work & Volunteer.

"Travel & Leisure" sounded interesting, so that is where I went first. Once there, I found a number of other links to choose from. In "Medical Information for International Travelers", I learned that the Social Security Medicare program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the U.S.A.

While still in "Travel & Leisure", I decided to explore "National Park Service". This site provides information on Park Service programs, specific parks, and how to make reservations at the park of your choice.

My second choice under "Departments" was "Retirement Planner". To aid in planning for retirement this page provides general information about retirement, as well as, links to other pages on this and other sites which also provide helpful information—housing, medical coverage, entertainment and financial. Also included is information on special needs, that need to be factored into retirement decisions, such as assisted living, nursing or long-term care, meals, house-keeping. etc.

Not only is FirstGov for Seniors an excellent way for individuals to access information, it also provides a way to conduct government business electronically with a wide range of government agencies and programs. Think of the webpage as one-stop shopping.

If you don’t have a computer at home, remember, your County Extension Office and local library may have public access computers. Take a few minutes to explore FirstGov for Seniors.

Source: www.seniors.gov.