By Katie Bryan, America Saves Communications Manager

The numbers are shocking.

• In 2012, the average credit card debt among adults aged 65+ was $9,283 (Demos).
• One-third of senior households has no money left over each month or is in debt after meeting essential expenses (Institute on Assets and Social Policy).
• The share of Americans 65 and older in the labor force went from 12.1 percent in 1990 to 16.1 percent in 2010 (Census).
• 60 percent of women over 65 across the country lack the incomes to meet basic expenses (Wider Opportunities for Women).

As part of Older Americans Month, America Saves is stressing the need for all Americans to save for their future. With Americans, especially women, living longer – the reality is that Americas need to save more money for retirement or to work longer.

Tips to Prepare to Live Debt Free in Retirement

1. Start saving, keep saving, and stick to your goals
2. Know how much you will need for retirement
3. Save at work and/or through a Roth IRA
4. Find places to cut back so you can save more

Already Retired and Need Help: You Gave, Now Save

Millions of low-income seniors continue to miss out on nearly $1.2 billion in benefits (PDF) that can help them pay for their health care, prescriptions, food, utilities, and more. These aren’t handouts—by working hard their whole lives, older adults have paid into the programs that can now provide them support needed to remain healthy and independent.

• BenefitsCheckUp —a service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA)—is the nation’s most comprehensive web-based service offering information on benefits programs, specifically programs for people with Medicare and limited income and resources.
• The Eldercare Locator, a public service of AoA and administered by n4a, is a nationwide service that connects older adults and their caregivers with information on senior services. The Locator is available both online Eldercare.gov and as a toll-free hotline at 1-800-677-1116.

About Older Americans Month

Older Americans Month is a proud tradition that shows our commitment to honoring the value that elders contribute to our communities. This year’s Older Americans Month theme—“Unleash the Power of Age!”— highlights the significant contributions made by thousands of older Americans across our nation. The event is organized by the Administration for Community Living and the Administration on Aging.

Approximately three million Americans are living with hepatitis C and up to 75 percent don’t know they are infected. This puts them at great risk for liver disease, cancer, and death.

A basic blood test can be used to determine if you’ve ever been infected with hepatitis C, and a follow-up test can determine if you’re currently infected.

If you are, there are treatment options available to help prevent the health damages the disease can cause.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone in the United States born between 1945 and 1965 be tested for hepatitis C. CDC also recommends that other populations at increased risk for hepatitis C get tested.

Learn more about hepatitis C, find out if you’re in a high-risk group and learn how you can be tested.

Bike to Work Week begins today, and Bike to Work day is this Friday. Find events near you.

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From the Bureau of Land Management:

Calling All Tumblrs - Great Opportunity for Photographers!  

Wilderness50, in partnership with Nature’s Best Photography and the Smithsonian Institution, recently announced the opening of this summer’s “Wilderness Forever” public photography contest. Winning images will be part of a 2014 exhibition in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

Contest guidelines and entry instructions are available online at http://www.naturesbestphotography.com/wilderness.

The BLM is proud to manage many of the nation’s wilderness areas and to participate in the Wilderness50 group.  Check out the Wilderness50 website for more information:  http://www.wilderness50th.org/.