ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

From Kim Barnes

Dr. John LaPuma, also known as the ChefMD and the author of "ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to Losing Losing Weight, Preventing Disease and Getting Really Healthy," gave his audience basic tips for storing and preparing food to help reduce issues with impotence, premature wrinkling, many cancers, arthritis and others. Among his tips:

• Marinate meats with rosemary


• Store watermelon outside the refrigerator


• Eat 1O walnuts 10 minutes before eating fast food


• Adopt a Mediterranean diet to help prevent Alzheimer's.


• Add black pepper to curry

1. Learn to enjoy the art of cooking.

2. Understand that your fork is as powerful as your prescription drugs in maintaining your health.

3. Find recipes that work for you.

From Meg Grant

You see a lot of things you've never seen before on the exhibit floor of the annual AARP member event. Add to the list, this year, the sight of a man in a wetsuit pedaling an exercise bike in a pool full of water.

To add to the weirdness, the man in question is Wayne Player, the son of famed South African golfer Gary Player.

So here's the story: Player was demonstrating a line of exercise equipment designed specifically for use in water. Developed in Italy and imported by Michael Factor of Jupiter, Fla., the Aquatics USA line includes an exercise bike, a treadmill and a pilates/circuit training bar. "Boomers want to stay healthier now more than ever before," said Factor. "But many of us have knee and back problems, so aquatics have become very popular lately." And because water holds 80 percent of your body weight, you can exercise more vigorously underwater while at the same time protecting against joint stress. The result, says Factor? A 20-minute session on his company's submerged treadmill is the equivalent of 60 minutes of walking on land.

"It's great for those who want to exercise but don't have the ability" to do so on land for one reason or another, Factor said of his company's equipment -- which is designed not to rust and can be submerged in just four feet of water. It's water exercise that, he says, "takes the monotony out of swimming laps." And for the vain among us, the equipment allows you to exercise in the water without getting your hair wet.

The gear isn't cheap--$1950 for the treadmill, $2,250 for the bike, and $2,900 for the circuit bars. But Wayne Player, who damaged his knees after years on the golf course and running track, says the benefits are worth the cost.

Carole Carson, who lost 62 pounds at age 60 and has made it her mission to inspire others to lead a healthier lifestyle, brought her message to an audience of about 150 members at Vegas@50+.

A little over two years ago, Carson documented her weight-loss journey in her local newspaper in Nevada County, Calif. Over 1,000 people in Carson's town followed her lead, and as a result together lost more than 7,500 pounds. Carson, author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction, took her enthusiasm online to AARP.org earlier this year -- starting the Fat2Fit community group and coaching the AARP.org online community in this year's Fat 2 Fit Challenge.

The Fat2Fit group has over 3,900 members, who are still encouraging others in their fitness journey. Carson plans another Fat2Fit Challenge on AARP.org in the spring of 2010.

From Tara Coates

There are four ways to achieve wealth, says AARP financial ambassador Jonathan Pond: marry it, inherit it, win the lottery...or live beneath your means.

"The real key to financial success is to save regularly and regularly increase the amount you save," Pond told an audience of several hundred Saturday at AARP's Vegas@50+ Member Event.

And don't stop investing, or become overly cautious, once you retire. Pond said that retirees often make the mistake of having too much money in cash or other investments that don't have a high rate of return. "You still need income and growth investments to meet the rising cost of living increases. Sure, you may be tapping into your retirement funds in four years, but that money will need you to last 20 or more years."

Pond also encouraged the audience not to forgo living the good life in order to pass along a "fat" inheritance to their children -- who, he said, "don't deserve an inheritance. They just don't. I tell that to everybody -- except my mother," Pond said as the audience laughed and clapped in agreement. Instead, he said, spend the money on yourself and enjoy your life. He closed the session by leading the crowd in a mock swearing-in session in which they all promised to "die destitute."

When it comes to housing, Pond encouraged the audience to downsize from a larger home, to a smaller, more manageable space. But what about having extra room so the kids and the grandkids can visit? "Take the money from selling the house and put them up at a hotel," he said. Plus, he said, there's what he calls "Pond's law of bedrooms": the more bedrooms you have, "the more likely your adult children will move back home."

From Jodi Lipson

AARP members planning to celebrate their last night in Las Vegas at one of the city's 5-star steakhouses were urged to reconsider in a session entitled "Forget What You Hear in the News: Learn the Latest Scientific Findings on Diet and Cancer."

Dr. Arthur Schatzkin of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institute for Health presneted results from a study co-sponsored by AARP and the NIH -- the largest study ever of the impact of diet on the health of people 50 and older.

The size of the research--AARP had to rent a warehouse to store the half a million questionnaires--is allowing the researchers tease out, say, whether obesity might impact esophageal cancer (yes) and brain cancer (more so if you're obese when you were 18 and under). And the results leave no doubt: consumption of red meat increases all sorts of cancer.

On the good news side: the study confirms that 5 hours of vigorous exercise a week will extend your life-- with whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables, and the Mediterranean diet reducing the risk of cancer.

From Barbranda Walls

Health care reform may not dominate the news to the extent it did in the hot days of August, when tempers boiled over at Town Hall meetings; the balloon boy, the war in Afghanistan, and the mystery of the Northwest pilots have pushed it ever-so-slightly to the background.

But it's a complex topic that remains a major concern among AARP members, as evidenced by interest in the Vegas@50+ session "Don't Roll the Dice: Find Out What's Next in Health Care Reform and What It Means For You."

AARP board member Allen Douma, M.D., and John Rother, head of AARP policy and strategy, were peppered with questions about the public option and how to better understand the complex issue of health care reform. The two men laid out AARP's criteria for an acceptable health care reform bill; how reform will impact members and other Americans; and what's in the five House and Senate bills currently under consideration in Congress -- from which one bill in each chamber is expected to emerge this week. If the bills pass on the floor of each chamber, they would then need to be reconciled before going to the President's desk for his signature.

AARP has not endorsed any of the five bills, but Rother said that whatever bill emerges "would be a substantial improvement over the status quo."

From Patti Shea

The dos and don'ts of caregiving are tricky to maneuver, said Virginia Morris, author of "How to Care for Aging Parents," but if done right it can be rewarding to all involved. Planning ahead is key, Morris told an audience of AARP members -- most of whom, by a show of hands, were or have been caregivers.

Morris advised open communication with aging parents, and counseled against addressing them as if they're children. After all, she said, "they're still your parents."

Instead, she said, "be direct," she said, and ask a lot of questions about their past and future worries. Ask them for advice and get them talking about how they cared for their own parents. And be forewarned: "You won't settle this in one conversation." But hang in therre, she said, and "don't be discouraged. You've planted the seed. This will be an on-going conversation."

Above all, Morris suggested, take care of yourself by setting limits, asking for help, spending time with friends, and exercising and eating well. "You have to learn to say 'no,'" Morris said. "And dump the guilt, especially you women."

From Bernard Ohanian

Dr. Pepper Schwartz, AARP's new expert for love and relationships entertained a crowd of serveral hundred people in the aptly named Casanova ballroom with a talk about sexuality and health that was frank, inspirational, and funny.

Schwartz, the author of 16 books and a professor of sociology at the University of Washington, hammered home her point about the importance of a good sex life. buttressing her arguments by citing numerous academic studies. At various points throughout the presentation, she said:

• "Sex is a lifelong gift."


• "We are meant to have sex frequently to keep us bonded."


• "If you don't have sex you're not taking care of your physical and mental health."


• "Frequent sex adds years to your life."


• "Sex makes us live longer and live healthier."

"This is not," she reminded her audience, "a trivial topic."

While acknowledging that "sex gets trickier with age," she also dismissed as a "myth" the idea that we outgrow our need for sex as we get older. "We can love forever," she said. "We can be passionate forever."

She also gave a sneak preview of some of the results of the 2009 AARP sex survey, which will be released soon. One of the results, she said, made her sad: People aged 45 and older spend less time hugging and kissing than they did in 2004, the last time such a survey was taken. "Let's fix that," she told her laughing audience at the end of her presentation. "Turn to the person next to you, and give him or her a big hug."

The crowd, warmed up by her hour-long discussion of the importance of touch, needed no more urging.

From Bernard Ohanian

Dan Buettner, author and researcher known for his work on "Blue Zones" -- places around the world where higher percentages of people than normal live long and fulfilled lives -- talked about his work in the Blue Zones and with the Vitality Project in Albert Lea, Minn.

He also added several tips for a longer and more fulfilling life, including:
1) Not exercising, but instead incorporating natural movement into your life: walking, raking leaves, getting up to change the Tv Channel rather than using the remote, etc.

2) Cutting stress by "downshifting" in your life, with quiet moments of prayer, meditation and the like

3) Having a sense of purpose in your life - a reason to live

4) Not dieting on a short-term basis, but eating wisely -- which he defined as a plant-based diet, with some meat and/or fish, and ample beans, nuts and even tofu as protein sources. He also recommended drinking two glasses of wine per day with meals; eating a big breakfast; and eating off of smaller plates.

5) Connecting with your family and community -- "putting your loved ones first" -- and surrounding yourself with people with good health habits and rich and active social and community lives.

In a later session, introduced by AARP Board President Jennie Chin Hansen, assistant surgeon general Dr James Galloway highlighted a panel that shared a PowerPoint with a map of major U.S. roadways intended to illustrate pressures on circulation, thrombosis, embolisms, and amputations. The panelists' advice? Exercise (walking is ideal), don't smoke, eat well, and maintain an ideal body weight (it turns out, Dr. Joshua Beckman of Harvard Medical School pointed out, that Mom was right when she gave us the same advice. One exception to the advice about walking: if you feel any symptoms of a heart attack, run (well, maybe not literally!) to the emergency room.

From Patti Shea

Famed football announcer James "JB" Brown got close with his audience, ditching the standard podium so he could see their faces close up.

JB, host of CBS's NFL Today and AARP's Community Ambassador, delighted the audience with stories of former NFL stars and colleagues Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. But JB also talked about his childhood and how he learned about giving back to the community.

"The nuclear family is only as strong as those who are involved in it," Brown said, encouraging audience members to take their life experiences and make a difference in the life of a child. "Use old school values that have contemporary applications."

Joking about his not-so-svelte 58-year-old body, JB joked with the audience about learning of Spanx - a modern girdle of sorts worn my women. "My Spanx are doing just fine," he said, laughing and pulling out his nicely tailored slacks. The audience roared.

From Barbranda Walls

"I'm going to stay cool at 50," said basketball legend and successful entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson on receiving his official AARP membership card Thursday (he turned 50 in August).

In an hour-long session, the always-engaging Johnson strolled out into the crowd, quizzing audience members about what they like best about AARP and then riffing off their answers.

One woman asked for a senior discount at his businesses (he said he would take it under advisement), and another asked if her HIV-positive daughter could contact him (he said he would call her tomorrow).

Dapper in a gray 3-piece suit, Johnson thrilled the crowd by posing for pictures with audience members. In-between pictures and engaging with the audience, Johnson wove in stories about his playing days in the NBA and getting his start as a businessman -- and also stressed the importance of taking care of your health and investing in your community.

We are very excited to announce today that GRAMMY® Award-winning Country star Faith Hill appears in a new public service announcement that encourages Americans to volunteer their time to make America a better place.

Faith's ad, featuring AARP Create The Good is one of the iParticipate series you'll see on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.

Got 30 seconds? Take a look at Faith's ad and let us know what you think and how you like to make a difference. As she says, "There are so many ways to serve. What will you do?"

If you're looking for ideas and inspiration to make a difference on your own time, in your community, on the things you care about, visit AARP's www.createthegood.org to get started.

Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey are among the performers featured in the PSAs. iParticipate was recently launched in New York's Times Square with Create The Good volunteers. We were joined by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and 15 mayors from around the country, numerous celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry, Tim Daly (ABC), Christine Baranski (CBS), Randy Jackson (FOX), Michelle Trachtenberg (NBC), among others, and key service groups to launch the initiative. Check out the pictures and video in Create The Good's Facebook group.

I saw these two articles promoted on the "Moderate Voice" and thought I'd share them. Both give great overviews of the state of the health reform debate. I'd highly recommend them for people looking for some easy primers on what is at stake and some factual information - rather than emails filled with myths and untruths. Both articles ratchet down the rhetoric and give some solid summations of the legislation and controversial pieces of the debate.

Wall Street Journal - "Ten Questions on the Health Care Overhaul"
"It is crunch time for health care. Lawmakers who are trying to fundamentally remake one-sixth of the U.S. economy say this might be the most complicated legislation they have undertaken.

Here are some basics that everyone can grasp -- and probably ought to, because the health bill, if it passes, will affect almost everyone."

Read more here - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124812571962066393.html

New York Times - "A Primer on the Details of Health Care Reform"
"Each side hopes to win ground by boiling down one of the most complex policy discussions in history into digestible nuggets. For beachside viewers who might be more interested in iced-tea service than fee-for-service, here is a guide to the main fight points."

Read the entire piece here - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/health/policy/10facts.html?_r=2&sq=health%20care%20reform&st=cse&scp=2&pagewanted=all

In addition, in the wake of the debate and comments over the potential "demise" of the public option, there is a nice analysis of the situation by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight at http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/08/life-after-death-of-public-option.html

And finally - have you seen AARP's commercials on television? If not, you really really should. Watch them on Youtube and leave us your thoughts and comments below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNrUAve-opU

See all the ads (tv, print, online and even listen to the radio spot) at:
http://aarp.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Myths_vs_Facts_campaign

Take a look and let us know your thoughts.

There is a great website out there called "Politifact.com" - take a look at http://www.politifact.com. They are a non-partisan and fact-based organization dedicated to illuminating the truth (or untruth) of statements politicians and other make on television, print and in other settings. Just as you might go and check an urban legend on snopes.com, we'd recommend checking things out on this Pulitzer prize winning site as well when you receive something via email or other source and you wonder about the accuracy of the statement.

Here are a few items Politifact.com is currently taking the time to research:

Obama Claims Endorsement From AARP:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/aug/12/obama-claims-endorsement-from-aarp/

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/12/barack-obama/obama-goes-too-far-when-he-says-health-reform-bill/

Obama would have government require a centenarian to get a pill, not a pacemaker:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/03/dan-lungren/lungren-says-obama-would-have-government-require-c/

McCaughey claims end-of-life counseling will be required for Medicare patients:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/23/betsy-mccaughey/mccaughey-claims-end-life-counseling-will-be-requi/

And in case you have the time or the inclination, here is the link to ALL of Politifact's research into statements made on health and health reform. Take a look - there's a lot there: http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/subjects/health/

What are you hearing? Tell us! Post some of the myths you're getting in your conversations or email box in the comments section. Or give us your thoughts about why people are resorting to putting forth myths rather than arguing the facts.

Jane Hamsher left the following response to our statement in the comments section so I thought I'd pull it up to the front page:

AARP had a $20 million advertising campaign last year, "Divided We Fail," that included no blog advertising component. So I find this statement curious:

"AARP would never allow advertisers to dictate our editorial content based on the amount of ad space purchased, and we would be hesitant to buy ads with any media that suggested it might act otherwise."

What exactly are you alleging?

Jane - DWF is one of many campaigns AARP is a part of and, while blog ads weren't a part of that particular campaign to date, the allegation that AARP somehow does not advertise - or worse that we don't see the value in blogs - is incorrect.

Regarding your second statement - we're not alleging anything. When we advertise DWF or any of our other campaigns with CNN, FOX, and others we never expect news coverage on their stations. Similarly, our pitches to producers for story ideas were not met with questions about how much advertising we had purchased. Your concerns about AARP advertising with blogs directly link news coverage and ad dollars. We were simply stating that we would never put our journalists/editors/writers in such a position.

We're inside the 1-month countdown for the 2008 Presidential Election and that means it's time to voice your opinion! In less than 30 days there will be a new president-elect, and whether he's from the left or the right, blue or red, Americans demand that health care and financial security be addressed, and quickly.
30 Day Push for Action

At Divided We Fail, we're all about bipartisan efforts among our leaders in Washington to provide affordable health care and long-term financial security to every American. In order to make sure that our message gets through loud and clear, we're working on gathering hundreds of thousands of signed pledges to the DWF mission.

I call upon you in the next 30 days to spread the word and make sure that we, as a nation, are unified in a voice that calls for action. Tell your friends to sign the pledge at Dividedwefail.org and tell us what you think about the issues. How do you feel about the current state of health care and financial security and what's the best solution moving forward?

TAGS: Divided We Fail, DWF, AARP, dividedwefail.org, pledge, 2008, Presidential Election, health care, financial security

AARP's very own Tom Nelson teamed up with pop-star phenom Usher Raymond IV (you probably know him from his dance song "Yeah" that had kids shakin' their booties) to talk about the importance of volunteerism and all generations working together.

Last week ServiceNation kicked off in New York City and this continues the drum beat of spreading the word about doing good (even if it's something small). Check out the full piece on HuffingtonPost.com!

As planned, Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP, chatted with presidential hopeful Senator John McCain in front of a packed room full of AARP members, volunteers and 50 plusers. Sen. McCain answered questions about pre-existing conditions and how his health care plan addressed that, partisan gridlock in Washington and more. He also took the opportunity to tell more than 3,000 people where he stood on the issues and expressed his appreciation for Divided We Fail.

If you watched, tell us what you thought of the half hour chat. If you didn't, check out the replay on www.aarp.org anytime.

As promised, Senator Obama joined more than 3,000 AARP members, volunteers and 50 plusers this morning. Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP, asked the presidential hopeful questions about his health care plan, social security and more. Sen. Obama took the time to explain how his position differed from his opponent's and took the time to share his personal perspective on these national issues.

If you watched, tell us what you thought of the half hour chat. If you didn't, check out the replay on www.aarp.org anytime.

Mr. Novelli will be speaking with Senator McCain today at 12:30 p.m. ET - and you can catch that live on www.aarp.org as well!

Check out the video of Yolanda Adams and CeCe Winans talking about AARP turning 50 this year!

AARP is clearly in good company, considering NASA is turning 50 this year too! They've been at our annual member event, Life@50+ with a HUGE set up. You can get your picture on the moon, learn about all the major space missions over the last 50 years and even check out a robotic space explorer (see picture above)!

Congratulations to David Squires of Hampton, Virginia! This week, Mr. Squires became AARP's 40 millionth member. And in so doing, he won a ton of cool prizes, ranging from tickets to his local Washington Redskins football games to gas cards and a free vacation. So who is David Squires? Just your average AARP member.

A native of Hortonville, NC, David Squires is now a columnist with the Daily Press in Newport News, VA. Over the course of his journalism career,
50-year old Squires has worked for more than 10 newspapers, some African American publications. He was one of the first editors of AOL Black Voices. He is also a husband and father of two. Squires enjoys the various benefits of his AARP membership.

"I really appreciate what AARP does in making a difference in others' lives, as well as the great discounts AARP offers its members," said Squires. "I would certainly recommend AARP membership to my family and friends."

"Voluntourism" is hotter on the travel trend list than just about any destination these days. But with so many people in need these days, what's a commitment phobe to do? Check these ideas courtesy of DailyCandy.com and AARP:

• Spend two weeks in Costa Rica and help local schoolkids learn English. Read about AARP The Magazine editor Ken Budd's experience here.
• Join Hands Up Holiday for a Yucatan experience that includes helping elderly stay active and independent and beachcombing.
• Visit Belize to snorkel and help protect precious coral reefs or dive with dolphins in Greece with Earthwatch diving and snorkel expeditions.

And for those of you that desire a more pampered jaunt, check out Ritz-Carlton's Give Back Getaways and when the hard work is over you can sink into your luxurious accommodations. They even have one that is helping restore a seniors home in Singapore this October. Sign me up - I can paint, garden and sightsee all in one shot!

Knowing first hand the benefits of yoga, I didn't need to read "Yoga: At the Heart of Fitness" from a recent AARP Bulletin Today to know how great yoga is for me - mind and body. But after years of people poking fun at "that stretching thing," it is reassuring to have my feelings about the benefits of yoga confirmed by science. A recent study at Emory University measured the effects of a regular yoga practice on older adults with chronic heart failure. In just eight weeks, the subjects improved their ability to withstand the stress of physical activity and increased their body's ability to use oxygen efficiently. Most importantly, the participants reported having an enhanced quality of life. And that's what it's all about - quality of life. So give yoga a try or, if that's not for you, take a look at these other healthy living tips.

As the saying goes, "The proof is in the pudding." But when it comes to elections the proof might actually be in the swing voter.

AARP surveyed true swing voters - those of you know who you are, you undecided centrists - to find out what they looked like and what issues are paramount. Interestingly enough, your average swing voter is: white, lower-to-middle income, and an older woman and she probably lives in one of six key states: Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio or Pennsylvania. Swing voters in these states are focused on domestic issues, namely the economy and health care...but 72% believe the candidates are doing a poor or fair job of addressing these important issues.

What I think is the best stat from the survey: 94% of swing voters in the six key states agree that health care and financial security are too big for any one candidate or party to fix. If that doesn't scream, "We're tired of partisan temper tantrums!!" I don't know what does.

Rock the Vote is all about empowering and building the political power of young people in America to achieve progress. Divided We Fail wants to reach out to future generations about the issues of health care and financial security. So what a perfect marriage of these two initiatives, now that DWF Facebook fans can pledge to vote right off of our Facebook fan page, thanks to the Rock the Vote widget!

Divided We Fail recognizes that America's younger generations are going to be the most affected by the state of financial security in their retirement, and to take a stand, it's important not only that they be aware of the issues, but that they vote now, in the upcoming election, and make a difference.

So learn about the issues and sign the Divided We Fail pledge, and then register to vote with the Rock the Vote widget so your opinion is heard!

The Divided We Fail initiative couldn't be possible without the hard work of our state coordinators, who spend tireless hours each week to get the word out about this cause. We'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to all of them, for helping to make the goals of affordable health care and long-term financial security attainable. This week, we'd like to recognize Steve Griffin, the Divided We Fail New Hampshire State Coordinator, in particular, for his stellar work supporting DWF.

Steve recently coordinated a group of 15 volunteers at a Rochester, New Hampshire Town Hall meeting, where Arizona Senator and presidential candidate, John McCain, recognized AARP's healthcare effort, saying that DWF was doing "a tremendous job." Senator McCain reached out to Steve specifically, and asked him to give a 60 second spiel about Divided We Fail.

After letting the crowd know about all the supporters in the audience, who proudly donned their DWF red hats and shirts, Steve turned the speech back over to McCain. The Senator referenced when he and Huckabee had gone on stage together in Iowa at a Divided We Fail event, and he stated that he thought this was one of the most productive conversations he'd had, as it allowed the voters to compare the candidates and issues.

Read the full transcript of McCain's speech on washingtonpost.com or watch the video footage of Steve here.

Thanks again Steve! Keep up the good work for Divided We Fail.

This makes sense. A new study in Kansas shows that patients with Alzheimer's disease still have an adult identity, and despite extreme cases of not knowing where they are or what the year is, they don't enjoy being babied or patronized. The researchers videotaped Alzheimer's patients in three nursing homes:

Researchers then analyzed the tapes, assessing how the manner in which staff interacted with patients influenced patients' behavior and the quality of care.

They discovered that when nursing aides communicated in a kind of baby talk for seniors--using a high-pitched sing-song tone, comments like "good girl," diminutives like "honey" and language that assumed a state of dependency ("are we ready for our bath?")--Alzheimer's patients were twice as likely to resist their efforts to help.

Patients would turn or look away, grimace, clench their teeth, groan, grab on to something, cry or say "no"--behaviors that can be read as indications of distress at being patronized or infantilized, said lead researcher Kristine Williams, an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing.

"Communication can really impact care," she said.

They also discuss how in the past, experts thought that Alzheimer's patients should be corrected when making a mistake about the time of year or who they're talking to, the general agreement now is that entering their reality (rather than forcing them into ours) is the more effective way to go, says Dan Kuhn, director of the professional training institute at the Alzheimer Association's Greater Illinois chapter."Don't remind them of their disability. Don't tell them they're wrong. And by all means, don't be condescending or critical."

AARP's Bulletin Today is also running a five part series on Alzheimers as well - there's videos, resources and updated info on treatments.

Hello everyone! I've not been posting here on Shaarp Session for awhile, but I'm back and will be posting more regularly - and robustly- than ever before.

You may or may not know that my position is a volunteer position here at AARP. Some of my favorite parts of this role include meeting so many people, both individuals and organizations, who really care about situation of our country today and think AARP can be a big resource to help contribute to our well being now and in the future. As a volunteer and member, I really feel I get to help improve the lives of older Americans and their families across the nation along with the nearly million other AARP volunteers - and our nearly 4 million activists!

I've been busy traveling across the country with AARP, talking to our volunteers, meeting with elected officials...and even an occasional celebrity here and there. This has been an incredible experience already and will start sharing some of my experiences with you. I'll be bringing you pictures from the road, some interviews and sharing my background and experience. Hopefully this can be a venue where you get a more personal view of AARP, post your input and a have some fun doing it. Talk to you soon!

Divided We Fail is on the road, and could be headed your way! We've got community events all over the country, and you can help us achieve our goals of ensuring health care and long-term financial security in America.

The success of Divided We Fail relies on harnessing the voices of millions of Americans so that we can demand action in Washington. But getting those voices heard is hard work, and Champ can't do it all by himself!

To see if we'll be in your area soon, check out our Divided We Fail online events calendar.

Not visiting your hometown? Don't fret. There are still plenty of ways to get involved. Help us spread the word about DWF by sending V or e-cards to all of your friends, or post a DWF banner on your webpage or blog.

Get started now and let people know what Divided We Fail is all about!

TAGS: Divided We Fail, DWF, Champ, ShAARP Session, AARP, community

There is a great piece at the Columbus Dispatch about the lives of older single women and how, despite the stereotype of the lonely "old maid," senior singletons (as they're popularly called) are actually living it up:

According to census data, more than 11 million women 65 and older are single. The stereotype holds that as a group they're a lonely, unhappy, insecure lot, struggling through life without the benefit of a mate.

But the reality for many couldn't be further from that image. The AARP studied older women who live alone and found that half are happier than they've ever been. A whopping 63 percent of single women who live alone say their older years are the time to pursue their dreams.

The Economic and Social Research Council found that women older than 60 who live alone rate their lives as happier and healthier than if they cohabited. Men, in contrast, are far more likely to remarry after divorce or the death of a spouse.

The only downside is that single women over 65 are twice as likely to live in poverty than those that have a partner, which is a pretty big deal. But does that exclude the many older women who live together? Couldn't that be a legitimate financial support system?

There's a great op-ed today in the Chronicle of Philanthropy talking about how foundations can promote volunteering.

"The signs of interest in service are everywhere. A group of scholars and leaders housed at the Brookings Institution has proposed that Congress join with the White House to double the size of the Peace Corps and to establish a program of Global Service Fellowships to support American volunteers interested in working with nonprofit organizations, religious institutions, and universities that are committed to advancing peace and development. In the past few months, California created a new cabinet-level position for service and volunteering, and the U.S. Senate joined the House of Representatives in establishing the National Service Congressional Caucus."

At AARP, we're pretty focused on engaging people in opportunities to make a difference. In fact, nearly half of our 39 million members are out making a difference from their own communities to the halls of Congress. That's why AARP's joining ServiceNation, which is working to make more opportunities available to people who want to get more involved in national or community service.

So, tell us, what do you do to make a difference? And, while everyone's focused on engaging young people, how can AARP be doing more to make sure those of us over 50 have more opportunities too?

We talked to Martina while she was here at AARP promoting the latest findings from a Red Hat Society/AARP survey. See what she had to say about working out, staying fit and her best work out buddy!

What surprised you the most from the Red Hat Society study?
Nothing really surprised me about it. It is what I experienced throughout my tennis career. We all do better when we have support and friendship. On the tennis tour, most of the women have always been supportive of each other, and we needed that. Everybody does. Chris Evert and others have consoled me after a loss, and I'd console them after a bad day too. We women were always good at getting along. We spent a lot of time with each other, and I guess that's part of it, but we also seem to have an instinct for nurturing within us.

How important do you believe the social aspect of group exercise is for women?
Group exercise is in many ways like a team sport. I always loved playing on a team because your teammates always try to find ways to make each other better. You bring the best out in each other. You build friendships too. As the old saying goes, there is no "I" in "team." Like a team, classes provide camaraderie and support. A lot of people don't stick with exercise because they never get into a group. They hop on a treadmill and get bored in a week or two. Nobody talks to them, and they don't know how to work the any of the equipment. But a class offers opportunities to create new friendships, cheer each other on, and get fit in the process.

Who's your best workout buddy?
Anyone with a positive attitude who will have a positive influence on me. How do you find that kind of person? You can tell a lot about people by the way they act and interact - how they carry themselves, how they're dressed, or whether they look you in the eye during conversations. How they do they treat servers in restaurants? Do they deal with them like human beings or treat them as someone who is subservient to them? Are they compassionate? Are they respectful of other people? Can they admit their mistakes? Positive people are dependable, they make fitness fun, and, they are committed to good health as you are. They bring upbeat, inspiring energy to your efforts. And they make the best workout buddies.

What do you recommend folks do to keep up their work out routine?
To improve your health habits and get in better shape, physically and mentally, get support from friends, family, and others. Having a support system increases your motivation so that you try harder, and even get in shape faster. No matter what your fitness level or goals, support can take you to the next level. It's the extra boost that can keep you going when you feel like giving up. It can restore your flow when you're at a low ebb. And it can make the difference between success and failure. I guess the best thing about a support system is that you always have people on your side.

Get someone from your support team to be your workout partner. You will probably walk more briskly and farther when you walk with a friend than if you walk alone, and you will most likely have more fun. You are less likely to cop out and not do it. You have a scheduled commitment with someone. You do not want to let them down. You want to help them get better. There is a synergy that helps both of you strive for your best.

What motivates you to stay fit?
Performance. Not just on the tennis court or in the gym, but to enjoy life. I need to move, I need to think, I need to be on my toes. I also like to push the limits of my body while it is still capable of pushing the limits. All of this is what motivates me. I know that I can only do as well as what I put into my body. You cannot ask your body to perform and then not put good things into it. So it is what you eat, what you drink, as well as how you work out and how much rest you get. I do not want anything to hold me back from doing what I want to do.

AARP members love to walk to stay fit, are there any tips you have for our walkers out there?
Of course, walking is the best all-round exercise. The body is designed to walk. I love to walk on the beach for exercise. I encourage walkers to "break your own records." For example, challenge yourself to walk farther each week, or outdo the distance you walk on the treadmill. To get camaraderie of group exercise, participate in a walking club, or start one in your neighborhood or at work. This gives you a great built-in support system to keep you going.

AARP is excited to announce that we are getting involved in a new project called ServiceNation... and in a big way! Our head honcho, Bill Novelli, will be joining the likes of Caroline Kennedy and Alma Powell with the goal of getting more folks involved in giving back to their community.

American presidents have a history of taking this issue seriously. George W. Bush brought us Points of Light and Bill Clinton's baby was AmeriCorps. (Both of which are still going strong and part of the ServiceNation team!) On September 11 in NY, we've invited John McCain and Barack Obama to tell us what they would do. You can suggest questions you'd like the moderator to ask them here.

The next day, we'll be part of ServiceNation Summit, where hundreds of organizers will be coming together to learn new strategies and hear from our nations leaders. We'll be blogging live from the scene, bringing you interviews with big wigs like Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as the average Joe and Jane's out there making a difference each day.

Read an excerpt from this week's TIME for more details. And, stay tuned to Shaarp Session for more!

Ellen Hollander, AARP's People Strategy Officer, was on CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch yesterday. She offered some tips about how to be a better boss...and haven't we all had a bad boss a time or two?

Her tips can be found on Donny's blog, but here's a preview:

LEARN - Yes, you can learn how to be a great boss!

BUILD TRUST - Be authentic....and whatever you do, practice what you preach.

BE ACCESSIBLE - Have an open door policy.

COMMUNICATE - Share information, especially in a timely manner.

EMPOWER - Make sure your staff is clear about your goals and help them get there.

DELEGATE - Push decision-making to the lowest possible level and don't second-guess.

REMOVE OBSTICLES - Eliminate internal barriers.

COACH - Be vested in their success by providing ongoing feedback.

HELP - Provide a safety net for failures/set backs and turn them into learning opportunities.

RECOGNIZE - Show appreciation often...in small and in big ways.

ENERGIZE - Get people excited about the vision and how their work is invaluable to achieving it.

Have you heard about the new $40 million campaign in Washington, Health Care for America Now, that's pushing for health care reform and universal insurance coverage for the upcoming presidential election? On the AARP Bulletin, you can see the article, "Coalition pushes for health care reform", where it explains:

"Health Care for America Now's stated goal is 'quality, affordable health care for every American.' The coalition has set out to ensure that health care reform remains a top priority in the presidential and Congressional elections."

Sounds oddly familiar, huh? The Associated Press published an article comparing Divided We Fail and HCAN. Read the article, "Money, ads give health care top political billing," and let us know what you think.

TAGS: Health Care for America Now, Divided We Fail, AARP, health care reform, Associated Press, DWF, affordable health care, health care

I saw this story today about a "modern day Bonnie and Clyde" who have stolen the identities of friends and neighbors in the Philadelphia area.

In a recent statement to the public, Steve Ely, Equifax's President of Personal Information Solutions (Equifax is one of the three major credit bureaus) said:

"Consumers should not wait until they have become a victim to take steps to protect themselves. A proactive approach is the best way for consumers to protect themselves and minimize damage to their credit and financial health."

He's right! and we all know how id theft seems to be running rampant - and these unscrupulous thieves are targeting...of course...the most vulnerable members of our communities. So, in the spirit of covering our bums, here are some resources and advice for protecting your nest eggs, identities and saving your good credit!

Some advice for limiting the risk of identity theft from Equifax, AARP and other credit savvy minds includes:

• Limit the number of credit cards you carry - better yet, carry only what you need in your wallet or purse.
• Protect your social security number like it's baby! Don't give it to strangers, don't give it out on the phone unless you know who you're talking to, and certainly don't carry your card with you unless it's absolutely necessary.
• When in doubt - shred it! Your local AARP office might hold shredding parties where you can bring all of your sensitive documents for safe disposal. Visit www.aarp.org. for more information.

Depending on your personal needs, you may want to consider freezing your credit report with the three major credit agencies (Equifax, TransUnion and Experion). If that sounds a bit extreme - or maybe you're house hunting or car shopping and you need regular access to your credit report - consider a credit monitoring services.

Equifax has a nifty identity theft protection product, Equifax ID Patrol. ID Patrol lets you: lock/ unlock your Equifax credit file, receive alerts if your Social Security/ credit card numbers are found on Internet trading sites, access a trained ID Theft Resolution Specialist 24/7, and receive credit monitoring and alerts within 24 hours to key changes in credit files. Learn more at www.equifax.com/idpatrol and get other great tips for protecting your identity here.

With the endless speeches, exhaustive punditry and partisan cat fights, it's easy to lose focus on what the candidates are saying about financial security and health care reform. Here's a brief snippet of some comments recently made by Senators McCain and Obama on two subjects near and dear to our hearts at Shaarpsession...

McCain: "We want a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire."

Obama: "I've put forward a series of proposals that will foster economic growth."

McCain: ...To keep families in their homes and businesses growing...

Obama: We can't wait to fix our health care system

McCain: We will replace...

Obama: We are going to invest...

McCain: We are approaching...

Obama: We have the chance to solve problems that we've been talking about year, after year, after year, after year...

The real question we have here at Shaarpsession is this: Is all this going to turn out to be same old empty campaign rhetoric, or do we finally have two candidates who will work to enact real change?

Call, write, email, text, tap into your latest Jedi mind tricks, but most of all, GET INVOLVED and let these folks know that the time for talk is over. What we need is action.

So, we're still fired up about this idea of "de-aging" your resume.

Bulletin Today (the online version of AARP's The Bulletin) has a great article about job hunting strategies for the web. Advice ranges from the basic: don't pay for services when there are plenty of free sites out there that'll more than do the job for you. To the advanced: hunt for industry, age and location-specific sites that suits your needs.

Check it out and polish up that resume!

That's right folks, President Bush has vetoed the bipartisan Medicare bill that we've all been watching and working (and commenting on) so intently. Congress worked together to put together a bill that improved low-income, mental health and preventative health programs for people like you...your family...and your friends. The bill would help maintain the access of people in Medicare to their doctors - something every American should have!

With the state of health care already in abysmal condition and millions of Americans lacking health care - it's more important than ever that Congress overrides the presidents veto today. AARP volunteers, members and staff are up on Capitol Hill talking to our elected officials to make sure they do this. It's time for the 355 members of the House and the 69 members of the Senate to stand by their choices and finish this.

Sound off here - or give your elected official a call 1-800-795-5336.

AARP's own John Rother sat down with Dr. Val of Revolution Health to talk about all things health.

They talked about how technology is changing health care...health care reform...and how online communities can help people achieve health goals!

Champ would be proud. On Wednesday, a bi-partisan group of legislators in Congress overwhelmingly passed the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

You, the grassroots, are largely responsible for this achievement. But we can't yet rest on our laurels. We still need to take action: President Bush is threatening to veto this critical legislation that would protect millions of Medicare beneficiaries as well as the thousands of doctors that are involved in the Medicare program.

Our friends at Keep Medicare Fair have all the tools you need to keep the pressure on our decision makers. If push comes to shove, we will have to mobilize to force congress to override a possible veto. In the meantime, tell President Bush to sign the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 into law immediately.

Champ was in the Roanoke, Virginia area in early June for a number of Divided We Fail activities. Here he is with the mascots of the Salem Avalanche, just before throwing out the first pitch. Of course, since he is missing opposable thumbs, Champ needed help throwing the ball from AARP Board Member Jacob Lozada (left) and AARP Virginia President Warren Stewart (right).

For more from Roanoke, check out the album from the DWF Team in Virginia.

By Neil Schuster, president and CEO, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA)

Over the last 10 years the press has made much ado regarding the question, "How old is too old to drive?" Fortunately, after much debate and discussion, most highway safety advocates and medical professionals agree that age should not be the critical factor in determining someone's physical and cognitive fitness to drive.

I agree. And with so few transportation alternatives available today, our best plan of action should be to implement the types of policies, practices and licensing procedures at the state level that help people continue driving for as long as it is safely possible.
To that end, today, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) released some key objectives and policies that could help safely lengthen everyone's time behind the wheel as well as better identify at-risk drivers. And it gives me great pleasure to say, "State motor vehicle agencies (DMVs) are already implementing, or exploring how to implement, many of the AAAFTS recommendations!"

But even though your DMV is already on the case where many of the AAAFTS recommendations are concerned, not all of the objectives can be easily implemented, especially given state budget constraints and competing state and federal priorities.
Here's what I mean.

One of the recommendations suggests that states should require an in-person examination at each renewal cycle. In theory, it is a good safety practice to periodically retest drivers of all ages, but is it necessary at every renewal and how realistic is it in today's budget-strapped environment?

State DMVs lack funding to employee the additional personnel needed to carry out this task. Given limited resources, if state DMVs did attempt retest every licensee at every renewal, you would likely be waiting in line for hours to renew your own license because of the additional volume of people being reexamined.

This isn't a bad idea. But it presents a challenge to the DMV. Again, given limited resources, should DMV focus on retesting every license holder at every renewal, or invest scarce dollars in other programs, whether graduated licenses for teen drivers or, greater education and enforcement of repeat impaired drivers, or other programs that might yield a better safety payoff?

So the question becomes, not "how old is too old," but "where are limited dollars best employed in the battle to improve road safety?"

Founded in 1933, AAMVA is a non-profit voluntary educational association representing the chief motor vehicle administrators and law enforcement officials in the U.S. and Canada. AAMVA promotes uniformity among its members by developing best practices in driver's licensing and ID credentialing, vehicle tilting and registration and law enforcement, among others.

Led by the dramatic and emotional return of Senator Ted Kennedy, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the House-passed Medicare bill by the score - er, um count of 69-30.

The Senate vote - like the House's passage - is strong enough to override President Bush's promised veto.

AARP CEO Bill Novelli issued a statement praising the bipartisan support that passed this bill in both chambers of Congress. Bill noted that "[this vote] shows what can happen when leaders in Washington break through partisan gridlock."

Make no mistake about it - this vote also shows what can happen when people at the grassroots get involved.

The fact is that today's Senate vote was a mulligan. Two weeks ago, the same legislative body came up one vote short on the same bill. So what changed the math? You did - and I think Senator Kennedy would agree.

Since the start of the Keep Medicare Fair campaign, AARP volunteers have called, emailed or signed petitions to their Senate offices more than 780,000 times. And when the Senate left Washington last week after failing to pass the bill the first time around - you made sure to share your thoughts in person with them at July 4th parades and community events.

Like the roar of the crowd when Senator Kennedy walked onto the Senate floor, the Senate heard you loud and clear.

We're starting a new feature here on ShAARP Session: it's Friday Champ blogging!

If you don't know him, Champ is the official spokesperson for those tired of partisan gridlock in Washington. And he's going around the country to talk about the importance of health care and financial security to all Americans.

Last week, Champ was in Unity, NH to help spread the Divided We Fail message amidst the media frenzy.

You can see more pics from Unity from our DWF team in New Hampshire. And check out the Divided We Fail Events Calendar to see where Champ will be next!