Veronica Taylor doesn't know how to turn on a computer, let alone use the Internet.
A 73 -year -old woman cannot drive and is mostly in her home in her mountain and remote community of West Virginia, where a simple trip to the grocery store can take an hour by car.
New requirementsThe fact that social security recipients approach the key benefits of online or in person in the field office would almost impossible to satisfy without help.
“If it's the only way I had to do it, how would I do it?” Taylor said and talked about changes in the consumption of a plate of green beans, Mac and cheese and fried fish with a group of pensioners at the McDowell County senior center. “I would never do anything.”
Requirements that are set in the validity of 31 March are to streamline processes and fightVast fraudwithin the system, according to the presidentDonald Trumpand officials of his administration.
It is said that it is therefore necessary to verify their identity online or personally when logging in to benefits or make a change, such as the place where the money is stored.
ButadvocatesLet's say that changes will be disproportionately influenced by the most vulnerable Americans. It will be harder to visit field offices in rural areas with a high level of poverty. These are often the same areas that lack extended Internet services.
Many of the social security offices are also closed, which is part of the effort to reduce the cost of the federal government. This could mean that seniors have to travel further to visit, including parts of rural western Virginia.
Donald Reed, who operates a local non -profit organization that runs two senior centers, said he has serious concerns about changing policy and how it affects the people that his group serves.
“I'm not an anti-Trump-give me to tell me,” 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 current government actions.”
Poor, rural areas could be the hardest
One of three people live in poverty in McDowell County, onceone of the largest coal manufacturers in the country. Approximately 30% of the population receives social security benefits and 20% lack a broadband approach. People are already facing huge challenges in approach to basic needs such as food and clothing.
Non -profit groups, such as the aging commission, receive money from the federal government to provide rides to food store, medical meetings and lunch free of charge at the County Senior Center and could theoretically hold the local Social Security Authority, which is the director of the group.
However, the money for transport is no longer enough to satisfy the need. Last year, Reed had run out of money over the last three months of the fiscal year and had to immerse himself in the savings of the commission. This year he said he wouldn't be able to.
Then he found out last Friday that the Commission had lost the subsidy of nearly $ 1 million he expected to reduce the cost of the federal government again.
He planned to use money to rebuild one of the two senior County centers, an aging double trailer from the 1980s with limited sessions.
“Once the money is gone, you know, the money is gone,” he said.
A breath of new rules, heavy for seniors to follow
Seniors in the center are gathering every working day for lunch. They could usually play bingo or cards. On this day, due to the presence of a reporter from the Associated Press conversation, she turned to politics.
Many of them are Trump supporters. Every region in West Virginia supported Trump in three presidential elections.
Nevertheless, everyone agreed that the recent rush of executive orders was difficult to observe, especially sinceThe last local newspaper newspaper closed,And they were not sure what effect they had on their lives.
“I don't understand many things that is happening, and I just can't determine things together, you know,” said Brenda Hughes, a 72 -year -old who said she usually went to the social security office personally because she said it was difficult to get a call center. “But maybe it should be like that.”
Mary Weaver, 72, said he was not approved by Trump that Elon Musk was giving enough freedom to reduce and change services, and they don't see these measures helping McDowell County.
“He went to the president and gets the presidency, but lets him someone else to tell him how to drive the country?” She asked and criticized Trump's relationship with Musk.
Other inhabitants are not concerned. Barbara Lester, 64, said she wanted her to sit with Trump and Musk and told them they were doing fantastic work.
“And with all the money they save from fraud, they could afford to increase their seniors,” said Lester, who left construction work.
But for Taylor, which depends on driving from an aging commission for most of its trips, changes in social security may be just one more thing that will be difficult.
There are already many places he wants to go and can't get. None of her grandchildren lives nearby, her daughter lives in Roanoke, Virginia, and her 39 -year -old son, who lived in the Welch area nearby, died. A walk from her house to the social security office is six miles.
“If I ask people more than twice to take me somewhere, it's like begging. And I won't lend anyone to do anything for me,” she said. “I'm as independent. No one wished for nothing.”
This story was originally listed on Fortune.com
