Veronica Taylor does not know how to activate a computer, not to mention using the Internet.
The 73-year-old man cannot lead and is mainly confronted with his community in his mountainous community and far from Virginia-Western, where a simple grocery trip can take an hour by car.
New requirementsThe fact that the recipients of social security have gone to key online or in person in a field office, rather than on the phone, would be almost impossible to meet without help.
“If this is the only way I had to do it, how could I do it?” Taylor said, speaking of changes while eating a plate of green beans, cheese macaroni and fried fish with a group of retirees at McDowell County Senior Center. “I would never do anything.”
The requirements, defined to enter into force on March 31, aim to rationalize the processes and to fightgeneralized fraudIn the system, according to the presidentDonald Trumpand those responsible for his administration.
They say that this is why it is essential that people check their identity online or in person when registering for advantages or to make a change like where money is deposited.
ButdefendersLet’s say that changes will have an impact disproportionately to the most vulnerable Americans. It will be more difficult to visit offices in the field in rural areas with high poverty rates. It is often the same areas that do not have generalized internet service.
Many offices on the social security field are also closed, part of the cost of reducing the cost of the federal government. This could mean that the elderly must travel even further to visit, including in parts of rural virginia-Western.
Donald Reed, who directs a local non -profit organization that operates two senior centers, said he had serious concerns about the change in policy and how it will affect the people that his group serves.
“I’m not anti-Trump-let me say that,” he said. “I think the general public greatly supports the search for waste in the government. I do not think that the general public understands the consequences of the current actions of the government. ”
Poor rural areas could be the hardest affected
One in three people lived in poverty in the county of McDowell, onceOne of the largest coal producers in the country. About 30% of the population receives social security benefits and 20% lack large -band access. People are already faced with huge challenges in access to basic needs such as food and clothes.
Non-profit groups like the aging commission receive money from the federal government to provide walks for grocery store, medical appointments and a free lunch at the County Senior Center, and could in theory add a stop at the local social security office, said Reed, who is the group’s director.
But the transport subsidy is not enough already to meet the need. Last year, Reed lacked money in the last three months of the financial year and had to dive into the savings of the committee. This year, he said he couldn’t do it.
Last Friday, he discovered that the Commission had lost a subsidy of almost a million dollars which he was expecting, once again due to the reduction in the costs of the federal government.
He had planned to use the money to rebuild one of the two senior centers in the county, a dual -band dual trailer from the 1980s with limited seats.
“Once the money has disappeared, you know, the money has disappeared,” he said.
A wave of new rules, difficult to follow for the elderly
The elders of the center meet every day of the week for lunch. Usually they can play bingo or cards. That day, due to the presence of a journalist from the Associated Press, the conversation turned to politics.
Many are supporters of Trump. Each County of Virginia-Western supported Trump in three presidential elections.
However, everyone agreed that the recent wave of decrees had been difficult to follow, especially sinceThe last local newspaper of the county closed,And they did not know what effect they would have on their lives.
“I don’t understand many things that are going on right now, and I just can’t locate things together, you know,” said Brenda Hughes, 72, who said she was generally going to the Social Security office in person because she said she had trouble getting the hand of the call center. “But maybe it’s supposed to be like that.”
Mary Weaver, 72, said that she does not approve of Trump giving Elon Musk so much latitude to cut and change the services, and she does not see these measures helping McDowell county.
“He took place for the president, and he will get the presidency, but he will let someone else tell him how to direct the country?” She asked, criticizing Trump’s relationship with Musk.
Other residents are not concerned. Barbara Lester, 64, said she wanted to be able to sit with Trump and Musk and tell them that they are doing a fantastic job.
“And with all the money they save from fraud, they could afford to give an increase in their elderly,” said Lester, who is withdrawn from construction work.
But for Taylor, which depends on the walks of the aging commission for most of its outings, changes to social security can be one more difficult thing.
There are already many places where she wants to go and cannot get there. None of her grandchildren lives nearby, her daughter lives in Roanoke, Virginia, and her 39-year-old son, who lived in the Welch region near her, died. The walk of his house at the Social Security office is six miles.
“If I ask people more than twice to take me somewhere, it’s like beggar. And I can’t beg doing nothing for me,” she said. “I’m independent like that. I can’t beg anything for nothing.”
This story was initially presented on Fortune.com
