shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

Yesterday, we watched the Dow plummet 778 points. It plummeted because Congress voted down the rescue package. And frankly, they failed to offer any solution to American families.

Slowly but surely our fears are becoming reality and the cost of Congress' inaction at this moment is resulting in lower home values, retirement dreams lost and younger generations losing opportunities of their own.

Opinions are abound and vary wildly. Where do you stand on this? Have you lost a dream yet? Do you stand to lose a dream? All we know at this point, is that Congress must do something, and they must do it fast.

So for the record, we've got a credit crisis, a housing crisis, and a gas price crisis. Well let's add another one to the list. Thanks to the huge hike in gas prices in combination with the spike in demand last winter, road salt has seen a jump in price and a dive in supply. Who cares, right? Well many states aren't going to be able to stock up on salt for the upcoming winter and are being forced to look into cheaper, but less effective alternatives. You might want to invest in a pair of snow tires, or one of these:

When it comes to tests, scoring over 90% tends to be a good thing. When you're talking about the percentage of nursing homes that were cited for violations during inspections, not so much. As part of an effort to improve quality in Medicare, the government has stiffened standards and greatly increased inspections for nursing homes. The most common violations: "improper storage and distribution of food, accident hazards and lack of services necessary for residents' mental and physical well-being". Looks like these facilities haven't gotten the message yet.

Divided We Fail is proud to announce our Facebook and MySpace winners of the Champ Summer Concert Ticket Contest.

(Drumroll please...)

Congratulations to Laura Rothenberg on Facebook and LexiLETDOWN on MySpace! Laura is from Richmond, VA and attends the University of Virginia. Lexi is from Indiana and will be starting her senior year in high school this Fall. Both winners are the proud recipients of up to $1000 in concert tickets for themselves and 3 friends each, to the concert of their choice. The contest required that each contestant recruit as many friends as possible to the DWF Facebook Fan Page or MySpace page, in order to see what network could grow the fastest.

Many thanks go out to both Laura and Lexi for recruiting their friends to join Divided We Fail! As for the winning network, it looks like Facebook has the edge over MySpace.

Just because the contest is over, don't let that stop you. Follow in Laura and Lexi's footsteps and tell your personal networks what DWF is all about.

TAGS: Divided We Fail, DWF, ShAARP Session, Laura Rothenberg, LexiLETDOWN, University of Virginia, concert, Facebook, MySpace, Champ

Who says that older people can't get an education?

While most would think that seniors have already had their fair share of school, this isn't the case for all of us. And for those who want to take classes, being older can sometimes include some barriers - after all, there's a big difference between 18 and 81! Fortunately, a new NY-based program allows older students to take classes without having to leave their home. DOROT University Without Walls allows older people to take classes by telephone, and is guessed to be the largest program of its kind in the U.S.:

The curriculum includes more than 250 courses and runs the gamut from understanding feng shui and poetry writing to discussions on moral, ethical and philosophical issues and a discourse on women of the progressive era. Informational classes on money management, Internet surfing and medicine also are available.

Kathy Leeds, a 79-year old widow with multiple sclerosis living in Manhattan has been taking courses for 12 years. "It gets me out emotionally. It releases me from the four walls around me," she says. The program not only aims to educate others, but to simply allow seniors who may not be able to get out often to stimulate their minds. Check out their website for more info, it seems like a really interesting program.

Lost in all the talk of our current economic crisis is the huge hike in the price of energy that we are facing. Major increases in prices for things like heating oil have a dramatic impact on people's budgets, particularly older Americans that are living on fixed incomes. With everyone's attention focused on the real estate and investment banking collapse, many older Americans feel that the government isn't doing enough to address energy costs. Winter is around the corner and with fuel oil prices so high, there is a serious danger that people won't be able to afford to heat there homes during freezing weather. One town's solution has been to pool its resources and invite several oil companies to sell large quantities of oil to the town at a discounted rate. The plan could save the town's citizens between $100 and $200 dollars over the winter.

September 27 is the ServiceNation Day of Action. As a big supporter of ServiceNation, AARP is excited to announce that we expect more than 3000 events all over the country. More than 100,000 people--and it could easily be more than 200,000--are expected to participate.

What will you be doing?

Rally your friends, grab your grandkids, and click here to find an event in your community.

I recently sat down with Alejandra to chat about Life@50+ and how truly amazing an event it was. I was on my feet everyday from morning until night, but not even being tired could keep me away from our fantastic members and some of the most fun I've had in a long while. Below are some excerpts from our conversation.

Alejandra: What were you most surprised by at Life@50+?
Jennie: Just how delighted so many attendees were with the organization and coordination with an event of this magnitude. They came up to me and just gave unsolicited comments of appreciation!

A: Did you meet any celebrities? Do you have a favorite celebrity moment?
J: Quincy Jones, Sally Fields, Richard Petty, Patty Austin, Martina Navratilova and Dr. Ruth. And it was great to meet Mickey Mouse!

A: Did you have a favorite event during Life@50+?
J: The Lincoln Memorial event which was both powerful and moving, It really helped us highlight the legacy of our 50 years and the vibrancy and timelessness of issues that drove Dr. Andrus to start our organization-and the issues continue to still need our leadership and advocacy today..50 years later!

A: Next year Life@50+ is in Las Vegas, is there anything you'll do differently next year?
J: Would most definitely spend more time on the floor to meet more members and attendees as well as our multitude of exhibitors.

A: What was your favorite member/attendee story?
J: The thrill of the entertainment of the evenings..so many people were just over the top happy to have seen and participated in the Natalie Cole, Ramsey Lewis, Chicago and Paul Simon concerts.

It was amazing to see members pounding the stage to exhort Paul Simon to return to the stage two times after the "last song". It was also fun to see some attendees with 4-6 shopping bags just filled with stuff gathered from the nearly 500 exhibitors.

Check out the picture of me on stage during our opening event! The room was pack with about 10,000 people!

As AARP does frequently, we surveyed some undecided voters and asked them where they stand right now with the candidates. The overwhelming majority (81%) of undecided voters say the debates will be important in deciding their vote, while most feel that they don't know enough about the candidates' economic and health care plans to decide yet.

The country will gather this evening to watch the first presidential debate, live from Oxford, Mississippi. To be sure, the economy will likely dominate the discussion in some fashion.

Given current issues facing the country, questions about the how our economy plays a role in the global community are absolutely on point. But we here at ShaarpSession would be remiss if we did not put in a plug for debate moderator Jim Lehrer to ask at least one question about the future of social security and how the candidates propose to strengthen our economy...older Americans are taking a beating right now.

One thing top on our minds here at ShaarpSession is how do the candidates think the current economic down turn will affect these entitlement programs?

We'll wait eagerly by the television set tonight to see what they have to say!

Studies are showing that there's been a huge spike in parents moving in with their children, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. And this goes for parents under 65 too:

The number of parents under 65 in these households increased by 75 percent, and those 65 and older were up 62 percent.

There's also been an increase in folks cohabiting with in-laws and siblings. While there a number of factors that could be behind this, researchers are saying a large reason could be the struggling economy and rising costs of living, which is forcing families to combine expenses.

Stephanie Coontz, director of research at the Council on Contemporary Families, also says that parents and children are closer than they were in the past. This can be a bad thing for what they call the "helicopter parent", who hovers too closely, but a good thing for parents and children developing close friendships in addition to child-parent dynamic.

While it's nice to think closer relationships are the reasons why more parents are moving in with their children, I don't doubt that the economic crisis in this country is a large factor as well. Regardless, giving back to your parents in this way is probably something many children do willingly and happily.

Well it's official. Summer is over and cooler weather is here to stay. As you work to dig your coat out from the closet and find your winter boots, here's something else to consider: getting a flu shot. With over 143 million vaccines produced this year, the government is urging more people than ever to get vaccinated. There is an especially large push to reach the 50-64 demographic, which rarely gets flu shots in the same numbers as children and the 65 and over crowd. With over 200,000 Americans hospitalized with the flu each year in the US, there's really no reason not to go in and get the shot.

September is here, which means all of your favorite shows are back in full swing. Well, it's time to add some to the list - AARP TV is back in business too, and our two shows, My Generation and Inside E Street, are not ones to miss.

My Generation is hosted by Greg Williams (who was on my favorite show The Wire, swoon!) and Emmy-nominated Cynthia Steele Vance, who feature a range of experts and stars every week who discuss a range of life issues, from money to relationships to health. If you're not convinced yet, the last episode's guest was Fran Drescher - need we say more? The show airs on Retirement Living TV at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. (RLTV is available on DIRECTV 223, Comcast's CN8, and Verizon FiOS 216.)

Inside E Street is a wee heavier of a show, which tackles serious topics that effect older Americans today, such as Medicare and Social Security as well as tracks Congressional issues and talk about how they effect our communities. It's on Retirement Living TV at 3 p.m. Monday and Friday (so you won't miss your My Generation!).

So make sure to check out the new season and get your weekly fill of AARP TV!

The New York Times reported on a new study showing that a lack of vitamin B12 intake can result in brain shrinkage for older adults.

The research study consisted of 107 individuals aged 73 who all had MRIs to measure their brain volume along with blood tests checking their B12 levels. And low and behold, the group with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 lost twice as much brain volume as those with the highest levels. Now that's a big difference.

Yet David Smith of Oxford and lead author of the study says that this doesn't necessarily mean we should be running to the vitamin store; they're waiting for results from a clinical trial which will find out definitively if vitamin B12 actually does prevent brain shrinkage.

We'll keep you posted!

A new study shows that older Americans are the top purchasers of environmentally friendly products.

According to a survey conducted by ICOM Information & Communications, women aged 55-59 are more than twice as likely as the average consumer to use green products. Meanwhile, men aged 65-69 are 1.7 times as likely to use green goods.

ICOM's Peter Meyers says that younger buyers are still "green" -- "that is," he says, "inexperienced when it comes to engaging with environmentally friendly goods."

Indeed, somewhat counter-intuitively, the survey finds that "Of those who said they do not use environmentally friendly products, both male and female demographics age 25-34 years were among the 'least likely to use' when compared with the national average."

Remember life before the Internet? If you're 50+, like I am, you do. But you're not reminiscing the good old days. You're increasingly going online to research healthcare choices, manage your finances, plan your retirement and vacation, buy baseball tickets and groceries, and socialize with family, friends, even strangers, by emailing or blogging.

Life online brings great rewards and risks, particularly to our personal privacy. To help you stay safe online and protect yourself, AARP and Google have created a series of online consumer safety videos that you can watch on the Google Privacy Channel on YouTube and on AARP.org's online safety page.

Our videos offer tips for using passwords safely, enabling firewalls, shopping and sharing information wisely, and avoiding online scams like phishing and other ploys.

While you can't eliminate every risk, these tips can help you reduce the chance your personal information will be hijacked. Whether you're searching for doctors, dates, limousine drivers, or donut shops with online search engines or simply surfing the web for fun, our videos will help you be smart and protect yourself.

I hope you'll use our new online consumer safety videos and share them with family and friends!

Here are a few tips from our videos that I hope that you'll follow:

• Firewalls are your friend: They ensure that only trusted servers interact with your computer. Be sure your firewall is enabled.


• Passwords are key: Make them easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess. Never use social security numbers, birthdates, addresses or other easily found information.


• Acronyms get A+: Use a phrase you can't forget - like I Bought My Car in 2005 - and use the acronym, IBMCI2005, as a password.


• Beware of public computers: When accessing websites in your public library, a government office or friend's house, never click on a "Remember me on this computer" prompt.


• Inoculate your pc against viruses: Use anti-virus and anti-spy ware software and always keep them up to date.


• Be savvy when shopping and sharing: The Internet is an easy way to share emails, photos, and blog posts. But use the sharing controls provided by the service you're using. For example, when using AARP's photo-sharing service, use sharing controls to ensure that your family vacation photos stay within your family.

And as always, don't forget to check for daily updates on all the latest news you can use on both AARP's blog, ShAARPsession and the Official Google Blog. Have fun, and stay safe!

You're not alone if you feel like your job is killing you, but you should know it doesn't have to be like this. AARP has just released its list of Best Employers, rating these employers on criteria including: recruitment, opportunities for career training, workplace accommodations, alternative work options, health benefits, and benefits for retirees. These are the kinds of jobs that offer people great flexibility and the kind of care that can actually improve the quality of your life. Maybe you wouldn't dread getting up in the morning if you worked for one of these employers. How's that for a change?

New research paints a grim picture for adults who provide care for their parents. The combined stress from a job, caring for children and also your parents can eventually carry over and negatively impact quality of life. Caregivers often see health consequences in their own lives as a result of the time they dedicate to caring for their parents. Good news though, having a spouse and a higher education seems to reduce stress levels. You can also visit aarp.org for caregiving tips.

AARP.org has a featured article that might not the most pleasurable for your Friday, but is a necessary one to be read. "Going Hungry in America" addresses the harsh reality that many older Americans are facing at a time when food and energy prices are sky-rocketing:

Today, the federal government counts 10 percent of Americans 65 and older at or below the poverty line. But that number may hide a harsher reality, some economists say.

Certainly more are struggling to stay afloat. According to a recent AARP survey, 60 percent of Americans 65 and older are having a tougher time paying for food, gas and medicine. More than 10 percent have been forced to turn for help to families or charities.

Not only are people going hungry, but are cutting back on medicine, which is just not acceptable. You must read the whole article, it's a big wake-up call, and a stark reminder of the crisis that we're all facing.

After our continual hard work to keep you informed on the latest news and stories that are important to you, we've gotten some love for ourselves. One of aarp.org's many services is helping 50+ workers find jobs for second or continuing careers. Our partnership with retirementjobs.com has enabled us to provide a great service to those in the 50+ community looking for a new job and recently, Fortune Magazine recognized this tool as a quality resource for the older worker. They even gave some recognition to our humble blog.

Steven P. Smith is our DWF Champ of the Week

Divided We Fail is proud to recognize Steven P. Smith, from Boston, as this week's DWF "Champ of the Week". Steven posted an encouraging message on our Divided We Fail Facebook Fan Page, where he calls on America to "work to assure health and financial security for all."

Thanks Steven for your commitment to DWF and for being an engaging member on our social network pages!

You too could be named Champ of the Week by joining the active discussions on our Facebook and MySpace fan pages! The lifeline of this initiative depends on raising millions of voices and making sure our political leaders hear what America has to say... so get talking!

TAGS: Divided We Fail, DWF, Facebook, MySpace, Steven P. Smith, Boston, health care, financial security, social network, Champ of the week, Champ, politics

We were thrilled to have the great sexpert Dr. Laura Berman speak at our AARP Life@50+ member event in D.C. last week, and thought we'd spread the love online. AARP.org has a great article featuring Dr. Berman answering 10 questions to help make love and sex better as you age. Some of the good doctor's wise words on keeping a happy and healthy sex life:

Making it a priority! Too often older people think that great sex is no longer possible...but it is! People can have great sex lives no matter what their ages, as long as they are willing to commit to making it important in their lives.

I second that! The idea that sex isn't for older folks is just bogus; as she also mentions in the article, the older you are, the better sex can potentially be because of increased comfort with yourself and more experience. After all, practice does make perfect!

For more info about the lovely Dr. Laura and her books (one was a New York Times bestseller!), check out her bio.

Science Daily had a good article today on how while there's (understandably) a lot of focus on the health of obese and overweight men as they get older, being a thin older dude doesn't necessarily mean you're off the health hook.

New research is showing that older, thin men have an increased chance of osteoporosis and bone fractures, particularly those who have had fluctuations in weight.

"Low weight among middle-aged men was related to the risk of osteoporosis three decades later, and this risk was significantly affected by weight changes. Weight increase reduced the risk, whereas weight loss increased the risk," says researcher Professor Haakon E. Meyer from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the University of Oslo.

Not only are studies like this reminding us that we shouldn't just be focusing on the health risks of overweight folk, but also reminding us that men are prone to osteoporosis too. It's no big news that the condition is prevalent in women, and that should obviously be of focus - but let's not forget that fellas can be affected too!

In the wake of the continued and ever-growing financial crisis facing the nation, AARP Public Policy Institute has released research showing that in the last six months of 2007, over 600,000 people over age 50 were either delinquent on their mortgage payments or facing foreclosure. That's over one quarter of the total number of Americans in such financial straights. Much like all Americans, those of the 50+ crowd who had sub-prime mortgages were far more likely to be affected. In addition, African-Americans and Hispanics have been disproportionately affected by the financial crisis. This research counters the commonly held belief that older Americans would be less impacted by this financial disaster. Given the increased reliance that older Americans have on their homes for both shelter and personal finances, this research is troubling to say the least. Have you had trouble paying your mortgage? Know anyone facing foreclosure? Tell us about it.

Exercise and diet are always important parts of ensuring a long and healthy life. However, it's starting to look more and more like certain people are just born with the genes to live past 100. You've either got 'em or you don't. Researchers across the world are sifting through the volumes of human genetic information to try and pinpoint longevity genes. A key part of their efforts is studying the genetic makeup of the mere 79 men and women who are alive today and over the age of 110. If scientists can isolate the genes that lead to longevity you'd better start planning to save a lot more for retirement.

An article titled, "Why Presents Become Less Exciting As You Get Older" talks about how as we age, our brain's "reward system" doesn't function as strongly as it once did, making older folks less inclined to be excited about gifts than younger people are.

The new study says this is why kids are so excited to get presents, because a chemical in the brain which controls the feeling of reward is abundant when young, but decreases significantly as a person grows older.

I'm always interested to know more the science behind how our body ages, but a part of me has a hard time believing that there's biological certainty we'll all like gifts less as we get older. I don't know about you, but I've definitely seen 60+ year old men gleefully jump up and down for joy when they get a present!

With age comes wisdom. This concept is widely held and accepted in most cultures around the world. Recent research has lent further credibility to this notion. In a study conducted by Brandeis University psychologist Margie Lachman amongst others participants of various ages were asked to evaluate the past ten years of their lives and speculate on their next ten years. Nine years after the initial survey respondents were asked to compare how their predictions for the future held up when compared to reality. The results showed that while younger participants had the rosiest predictions for the future, older respondents felt that their time had more accurately met their expectations. A major conclusion of the study was that older participants were not as fixated on the future because they were more focused on enjoying the present.

The debate goes on and on. Are we in a recession or aren't we? Well maybe we aren't in the text book definition of an economic recession, but it sure feels like we are doesn't it? It turns out that the economy is actually projected to have better than expected growth this year, and the highest growth of any of the G7 countries. So why does it still feel like we are doing so badly? Some experts believe that the problem is in our heads. A fear for job security and worries over the future can create a troubling sense of insecurity. This in turn can lead consumers to believe that things are worse off than they really are. Although we might not be doing as poorly as we think we are, it's little compensation to the thousands of people who have lost jobs or their savings.

We're in the thick of this election, and who hasn't seen the accusations flying back and forth from our candidates? McCain's ad has gained a lot of publicity, featuring cameos from celebrities, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Miss Hilton responded with her own thoughts on the matter, with this Funny or Die Exclusive video. Senator Obama has released his own ads, as well, to combat his opponent, such as this economic ad.

Do these ads work as they are intended to? Do political ads help inform voters of the issues? Or do they simply perpetuate the political gridlock?

While our presidential candidates are pointing out all the reasons why they are opposed to one another, we thought it would be fitting to remind them both that they are signed members of the Divided We Fail pledge. So gentleman, take a break from all the accusations and start discussing what your plans are to provide affordable health care and long-term financial security for all!

What are your thoughts on the matter? Have these political ads changed your perceptions about a candidate? Tell us your thoughts by leaving a comment!

TAGS: John McCain, Barack Obama, Divided We Fail, Political ads, Paris Hilton, DWF, presidential candidates, ShAARP Session, Funny or Die

As the need to reduce our impact on the environment becomes increasingly pressing, people have worked to develop techniques to lower energy use and increase efficiency. While many of these solutions are expensive and complex, others are decidedly cheap and simple. So what is one of the latest energy-saving concepts to hit the scene? White roofs. White roofs reflect sunlight and heat back into the atmosphere while dark roofs absorb the heat and bring it into the building. Simply put, if every home and commercial building were to install a white roof, energy costs related to air-conditioning could be lowered by 20%. Nation-wide that equates to $1 billion in annual energy savings. Moreover, switching to lighter colored roads and sidewalks would double the energy savings. White is totally the new green.

AARP Bulletin has a great article on why Medicare rocks right now.

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) was passed into law last month, granting new protections and benefits to millions of Medicare recipients. While the media was focused more on the primary aim of MIPPA (which was the 10 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors) and Congress' rejection of President Bush's veto of the legislation, AARP gives us the lowdown on what MIPPA really means for Americans.

Between making many low-income individuals now eligible for Medicare and making mental health care more affordable, this legislation is changing many people's lives. Make sure to check it out.

If you also have a general question about Medicare, you can also check out the Q&As answered by AARP's Ms. Medicare or email her at msmed@aarp.org.

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!

You couldn't have missed the news yesterday as the Dow suffered its largest single-day loss since it opened following the September 11th attacks. The battered market finished more than 500 points lower than it opened. When all the carnage was done yesterday, Lehman Brothers had applied for bankruptcy, Bank of America had bought out Merrill Lynch, and serious questions remained as to whether AIG, Wachovia and Washington Mutual would be able to stay afloat. This was one of the worst days the markets have ever seen, and the US wasn't alone. Foreign markets, particularly those in Asia took hefty losses as well. Aside from the damage dealt to these corporations, many individuals and companies will now find it even harder to get loans.

Have you been touched by the financial crisis?

Looking for a cool travel destination? Want to try something new...exotic...something that is NOT Europe? Ever given Indonesia a thought?

My friend came across this neat blog that is all about Indonesia. So whether you're thinking about summer vacation 2009 or you're a venture capitalist they've got something for everyone!

Quick Update to this post: According to a group called International Living, Mexico is the best place to retire. Uh oh...watch out Indonesia!

It's Friday (!!!) and I'm in an exceptionally good mood. Not for any particular reason - maybe it's because I slept well, or maybe just because it's Friday. Either way, I'm trying to do one nice thing for each of the people I love most in my life today and spread the joy along.

I live so far away from most of my friends and my family so I poked around for some easy ways to "be nice" and came across this great article from Real Simple.

Check it out and let me know...how have you been nice today?

A common theme to my posts here is the massive demographic shift the country is going through. Baby boomers are retiring (or trying to) in huge numbers and this means the way we approach many government programs from Medicare to Social Security will have to change. Well, a major part of this shift is the aging of the Latino boomer population. However, next to no data exists for how this segment of baby boomers is preparing to retire. We know that Latinos have, on average, less education than their African-American and Caucasian-American counterparts. It has also been shown that amongst those Americans with lesser education levels, Latinos earn less than other ethnic groups. This would point to more Americans of Latin descent taking jobs with fewer benefits leaving fewer options to prepare for retirement. Despite all of these disadvantages, Latinos live longer than the population as a whole. The combination of low education and earnings with a longer life-span means we could be in for a troubling trend of Latinos who can't afford to retire. Or not. The point is no research has been done so we just don't know, and that's the problem.

Major automakers Nissan and Toyota have announced the release of new convertibles. These will join the heard of drop-tops sold by Ford, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Mercedes and many others. Why are so many car companies vying for such a small market niche? They're betting on the "mid-life crisis" and demographics. With boomers reaching the peak of their buying potential and their kids leaving the house, automakers are wagering that many of these people are going to be looking to spend money on something a bit more extravagant. Any boomers out there thinking of a ride that lets in a bit more air? Tell us about it.

Ever get that feeling that you could be doing more? Feel like you have a lot to contribute to your community but don't know how? Volunteering could be the answer that you and as many as 45 million Americans have been looking for. This is the subject of the "More To Give" report which will be released at the ServiceNation summit in New York tomorrow. Amongst the key findings, the three most popular volunteering options are: work through a faith-based group, mentoring younger people, and helping older people live independently. Another interesting note: the majority of people who haven't volunteered in this country haven't been asked. Do you volunteer or want to get involved? Let us know.

Here's a blast from the past: Lance Armstrong is rumored to be getting back on the bicycle professionally and will compete in five races including the Tour de France. Armstrong is 37 and would be returning in an attempt to win his 8th Tour. This would be just one more amazing example of how older athletes are accomplishing more than ever and knocking down stereotypes along the way. Athletes such as Lance, Dara Torres, and the several Olympians near or over age 50 have really shown the potential for older folks to compete on an elite level. Ride on, Lance!

Judy Collins sat down for a Q and A at Life@50+. Shaarp Session caught a bit of the interview and heard a great story about Collins' early days. She grew up in a family of social activists, and got her start at a very early age. How? Her parents bought her a copy of the < a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Songbook">Great American Songbook, which she learned by heart. (Today, she jokingly refers to the Great American Songbook the "Rod Stewart Songbook," for his acclaimed album. She clearly had talent. And her family's commitment to social justice and activism stayed with her through her long career. Her first benefit concert, she said, was a show for the Jonas Salk Foundation.

Here she is talking to Life@50+ conventioneers.

Things are wrapping up here at Life@50+, but not before Kiss's Gene Simmons stopped in for a few interviews and some words of wisdom for the AARP faithful. You may recognize Simmons this way:

However, most of you will recognize him like this:

Simmons's main message: live each day as it comes and you'll never really grow old. Very carpe diem, and I couldn't agree more. You're only as old as you live your life and this year's Life@50+ is just further proof.

Studio 50+ Night Club was packed with dancers on Thursday night. Then on Friday, hyped up fans rushed the stage for the Chicago concert. Despite the weather, thousands of members showed up and listened to the candidates speak via satellite. All in all, a great event and one heck of a 50th birthday part for AARP.

Did you attend Life@50+ or know someone who was here? Post below and do what Gene Simmons would do: Shout It Out Loud

Dr. Ruth joined us on the exhibit floor of Life@50+ to talk about intimacy and relationship after 50. Among many things (including encouraging the crowd to shout "sex!" in unison) she offered some insight into viagra and other enhancement drugs:

"It's all very well," she remarked about the "little blue pill," "but if your wife's not happy with you, an erection from the floor to the ceiling won't do you much good." Besides, she added, "Women don't want to have sex for 36 hours. They want to go shopping."

But best of all, she reminded everyone that the hardest part of sexuality and aging isn't the physical part of it: "The challenge is saying, 'Look how fortunate we are to have each other. Let's make the best of it.'"

Clinton Kelly, fashion guru and down to earth make over man, joined a packed room of men and women who wanted to hear about how to be stylish after 50. Clinton is from TLC's What Not To Wear and co-author of Dress Your Best shared with fans his essential style tips and easy ways women can funk up their wardrobe.

In a press conference, when asked if older women can or should be wearing the latest trends he offered this: "Last fall there were about 20 major trends out. Twenty! Of them, there were probably about 12 that a more mature woman could wear." Well, that makes us all feel better....no more keepin' up with ridiculous fads each year. He also offered that a woman should dedicate at least one day of shopping to getting the basics (classice white shirt, great fitting pants, etc.) so that you won't have to look at your closet in the morning and think, "Hm! Nothing in here works!'

Did we mention he was super nice and handsome too?!

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.