AARP Bulletin - July/August 2010

Your AARP ;

By Emily Sachar

The Law

; Ask the Experts

; The issue: Should sidewalks be safe and usable for everyone?

Dmitri Belser, 52, of Berkeley, Calif., has poor vision and uses a cane. Sometimes, just walking to work puts his life in peril. The reason: Many of the sidewalks around his neighborhood are not safe or usable for people who have impaired vision or need wheelchairs, canes or walkers.

Belser, AARP lawyers, Disability Rights
Advocates (a nonprofit law firm) and other
civil rights activists have persuaded Cali-
fornia to change that. In a lawsuit settled
in April and finalized last month, the Cali-
fornia Department of Transportation, or
“Safe sidewalks are essen-
tial for the social interaction
and economic engagement
essential for successful ag-
ing,” said Julie Nepveu,
senior attorney for AARP
Foundation, which helped
he is generally pleased with the settle-
ment. “I’m impatient, and I’d like to see
the improvements happen faster,” he said.
“But I get that California is a big state.”
California is also a state facing substan-
tial financial challenges, and the settle-
ment represented an attempt to keep the
improvements affordable for the state.

When Caltrans resurfaces roadways, it will install or upgrade curb ramps

represent the people with disabilities and those with visual impairments who filed the class action suit against Caltrans. “Think about it: Every trip begins and ends with a sidewalk,” Nepveu said.

Belser, who works as the director of a nonprofit organization and was diagnosed with macular degeneration at age 23, said

; What it means to you: Legal action may be an option for upgrading unsafe or inaccessible sidewalks in your community. Meanwhile, check this do-it-yourself website: http://www . createthegood.org/diy-toolkits. It provides a strategy and guidelines for surveying the walkways in your neighborhood and outlines a series of steps for improving them. ;

QI spent 20 years in the U. S. Army and 14 years in corporate jobs. How do I pack 34 years of experience into a two-page résumé and make it effective?

AFirst, tailor your résumé to the specific position for which you’re applying. Include your most relevant achievements, preferably within the last 10 to 15 years, and emphasize your skills and areas of expertise rather than just job duties.

Quantify your accomplishments by saying, for example, “managed 100 people” or “increased sales by 40 percent.” If you have training or certifications or did volunteer work that relates to the job you’re seeking, include those as well. You don’t need to list your education or previous jobs that have little to do with the position you’re currently seeking.

QWhat’s the maximum monthly Social Security retirement benefit a person can receive?

AThe maximum benefit depends on the age at which a worker retires. For a worker retiring this year at age 66, the full retirement age, the highest monthly amount is $2,346. This figure is based on earnings at the maximum taxable amount for every year after age 21. In 2009, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,153. For more information on this and other topics, go to www.ssa.gov. —Carole Fleck

Emily Sachar is a journalist and author based in Brooklyn, N. Y.

Experts: AARP.org on résumés; Social Security Administration on benefits. Send your questions to: Ask the Experts, AARP Bulletin, 601 E St. N W, Washington, DC 20049, or e-mail askourexperts@aarp.org. Check out www.aarp.org/bulletin for previously asked questions and answers.