shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

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!

So as I'm sure you all know, tomorrow is July 4th. Not only do we get to celebrate our amazing country, but we get a three day weekend to boot. Millions of Americans will be barbecuing, going to the beach and watching fireworks, but some people are looking for less traditional ways to spend the 4th. If you're looking for activities that are a bit more adventurous, you might want to try skydiving. Not only is it a serious break from the routine, but it's also a great way to stay cool. Check it out!

Tired of hearing empty promises from politicians?  Feel like our leaders are just paying lip services to the issues that matter most?  We feel the same way, and that's why we're rolling out a new ad telling the Presidential candidates to stop talking and start doing.  Check it out:

Photo from bmcvey on Flickr.com.

We've already discussed how gaming is becoming more popular among adults, and now so is the idea that gaming can help folks get fit.

According to an article in Inland Valley's Daily Bulletin, Nintendo's Wii is getting people up and moving at "senior centers" around the country.

The Wii, "which recreates games like bowling, baseball and tennis on the television screen and gets players mimicking the motion, has resulted in [folks] swinging, throwing and punching their way around the popular senior center." The article goes on to explain the benefits people are reaping from an increase in fun, physical activity and from an increase in social interaction with their peers.

Sounds like a win-win to us.

So who's got next game?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is turning his attention to his city's rapidly aging senior centers. According to a recent article in the New York Times, Mayor Bloomberg is "seeking to bring his business-minded, results-based approach" to help modernize "senior centers" and prepare for a "projected 46 percent surge over the next 25 years of people over 60 years old, New York City's fastest growing demographic".

The New York Times goes on:

"Mr. Bloomberg has indicated that he sees the city's sprawling array of 329 often homespun senior centers as inefficient and outdated.

"So for the first time, senior centers, which are typically tucked into churches or housing projects and locally run, must submit plans for more health, education and culture programs to bolster dwindling attendance. The centers will also be evaluated -- and potentially penalized by having funds taken away -- based on performance measures.

"At the same time, to streamline operations, the mayor is reducing the number of centers that provide case managers, the workers who guide the elderly through everyday tasks that can range from making medical appointments to filling out tax forms."

Mayor Bloomberg's plan is not without its critics however, who claim that the "plan is a clunky one-size-fits-all mathematical exercise that favors numbers over people, standardization over local quirks. And it reinforces a view, they said, of Mr. Bloomberg as an out-of-touch billionaire who does not fully grasp that the current community-based system is exactly what makes New York so, well, New York.

However, according to The New York Times, even most of the plan's critics are willing to concede that Bloomberg deserves credit for at least trying to prepare for future strains on New York's senior centers. And everyone agrees that the city has a responsibility to help care for its older citizens and that something has to be done to better manage New York City's coming "Grey Wave".

But that question, as always, is "what should be done"? We'll stay on this one and see what happens.

Oil continues to reach record prices and is showing no sign of slowing down. Since we can't rely on these prices coming down on their own any time soon, it's up to us to find ways to scrimp on our usage. To help find ways to cut down on visits to the pump, the AARP Bulletin has come up with eight tips to beat increasing gas costs. Have you found ways to pass the pump and squeeze some extra mileage out of your car? Let us know!

Medicare enrolled its first members 42 years ago today, forever changing health care for older Americans. But today is also the deadline for Congress to pass legislation that keeps Medicare fair. Well, Congress left town over the weekend, and they still haven't passed a bill.

First things first, though: if you have Medicare, don't panic. You can still see your doctor while Congress works out the details.

But we also need to tell Congress to act quickly when it returns. Lawmakers will only have a few days to pass a bill that keeps Medicare fair. So call your senators at [get a number from Barry, maybe?] and tell them to pass H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.

Tommy Thompson and Senator Daschle recently spoke about health care in our country at the 6th Annual John M. Templeton, Jr. Lecture on Economic Liberties and the Constitution presented by AARP and the National Constitution Center. The event is also going to be replayed on C-SPAN's American Perspectives at 6:45pm ET on July 4th.

Check out our exclusive chat with them - they even offer a few ideas about how you can do your part to help fix health care...

There's been a lot of talk about this new study released on Monday which found that in 2005, nearly 56,000 older Americans had to be hospitalized for a brain injury resulting from a fall. Reuters reports:

"Most people think older adults may only break their hip when they fall, but our research shows that traumatic brain injuries can also be a serious consequence," said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

"These injuries can cause long-term problems and affect how someone thinks or functions," she added in a statement.

Long story short: falling is no good. This is obviously a useful study to learn more about the effects of falling, but the question is what can we be actually doing to decrease the high rate of falls among older folks? Check out this AARP article, "Better Balance Prevents Falls" which really takes a proactive approach in preventing falls. The CDC also has a really useful report that includes 14 scientifically proven interventions. Make sure to take a look-see.

Check out this lovely story aboot older Canadians creating collages of their lives for the Calgary Seniors' Social Link (SSL) Heritage Collage Program. The SSL initiative gives seniors of different cultural backgrounds – some of whom do not speak English – a chance to share their life stories with each other visually.

Linda Wong, who emigrated from Hong Kong almost 50 years ago, said, "I didn't want to just cut up stuff and glue it on, I wanted to do it with my heart. They wanted a story, so I thought of a story of where I come from and what I've done in my lifetime."

How aboot it? What would be on your collage?

Is there really such a thing as a work-life balance? While boomers strove for this balance, and Gen X fought for it as best they could, today many people don't believe that such an equilibrium exists. With the advent of cell phones, email and the dreaded Blackberry, it seems no one can escape the office. Those over thirty particularly seem to be overwhelmed by the constant flow of information. This test can help you figure out if you fit into the technology generation. Are you stuck in the stone-age or are you a web wizard?

Many Medicare recipients are justifiably nervous over the state of their coverage. There has been a lot of talk about doctors refusing to cover Medicare patients if they receive a pay cut. While Congress works to avoid the reduction in payment, the Bush administration has announced it will temporarily freeze the Medicare cuts to buy Congress some more time to come up with a fix.

Meanwhile, the state of health care for all Americans is still troubling. According to the New York Times, 20 percent of Americans either delayed or didn't make visits to the doctor to deal with health problems last year. These numbers show a troubling rise in the amount of Americans who aren't properly dealing with health problems and shed some light on just how bad things are getting in health care. Have you skipped a doctor's visit or put off getting a health problem checked out? Let us know, comment below.