For Immediate
Release: October 25, 2005
Senator Coates speaks to the OSHL.
Sen. Coates Addresses Silver Haired Legislature
The Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislature (OSHL) convened
at the State Capitol on Tuesday. During their two-day session,
the organization will pass legislation that they ultimately hope
to win approval for in the State Legislature. One of their first
orders of business was a presentation by Sen. Harry
Coates. Coates said he was honored to be asked to address
the organization.
“The Silver Haired Legislature has brought some important
issues before the State Legislature and worked tirelessly to help
get them passed. They have championed issues like the Living Will,
the Spousal Impoverishment Act, and many more important bills
to improve the quality of life for older Oklahomans,” Coates
said.
Sen. Coates, R-Seminole, was introduced to OSHL by Chandler resident
Chaarles Sweet, secretary for the OSHL alumni. He told the members
that Sen. Coates had been a strong advocate for Oklahoma seniors.
Coates said he was shocked by some of the statistics on older
Americans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, half of all women
age 75 and older live alone. In 2004, about 416,000 grandparents
65 or older had the primary responsibility for their grandchildren.
Coates told the members that the Census Bureau also reported that
for one-third of Americans over 65, Social Security benefits constitute
90 percent of their income.
“I think one of the reasons I am so aware of the concerns
of older Oklahomans is because of my maternal grandfather. My
family was worried about him being alone at night. Since I was
the oldest boy, I’d go over and spend the night at his house
to make sure he was okay. I did that until I graduated from high
school. It was a big responsibility, but also a wonderful opportunity
to spend time with my grandfather,” Coates said.
“I told the members of OSHL that my grandfather had three
big concerns. His independence was very important to him. So was
the loss of income, something that happens to many people when
they retire. He was also terribly concerned about his ability
to pay for healthcare. That was 40 years ago, yet those issues
are just as important to seniors today as they were then,”
Coates said.
Sen. Coates shared some of the key measures passed during the
2005 legislative session, including greater access to lower cost
prescription drugs, tax relief, as well as criminal background
checks for non-licensed nursing home employees and a grandparents’
rights bill.
“I’m proud of what was accomplished this past session
and I’m looking forward to working with OSHL in 2006 to
pass more legislation on behalf of older Oklahomans,” Coates
said. “To me, it comes down to what kind of future we want
for our state. If we want it to be the best it can be, then we
must address the needs of our seniors.”
