ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

In the Wall Street Journal's money/personal finance/investment blog "The Wallet," Kelly Greene reports that health care costs in retirement are sky rocketing...and the going rate for health care costs are as high as $240,000!! She goes on to point out:

"A 65-year-old couple who retires this year will need about $240,000 to cover their medical expenses in retirement, according to Fidelity Investments research released this week.

"Keep in mind that this eye-popping number is a lifetime estimate and assumes that the couple has no employer-provided retiree-health-care coverage, since many companies are phasing out that benefit. It also assumes life expectancies of 17 years for the husband and 20 years for the wife after retirement."

So what's a guy or gal to do? Experts Greene spoke with advised keeping yourself and your partner in tip top shape no matter your age. So whether it's that diet you've been thinking about, grabbing a walking partner, quitting smoking or heck, training for a marathon now is as good a time as ever to start thinking about your long-term health.

When you have a serious medical issue, you only want to see the best doctor for your problem, right? Well with so many hospitals with different specialties, how are you supposed to know where to go? AARP is looking out for you, and AARP The Magazine has put together an interactive map that can help you find the right hospital for your situation. If you need medical care, take the guesswork out of finding a hospital and make sure you have a good match.

Special Guest Blog Posting for shAARPsession
By Senator Orrin Hatch

The Serve America Act is truly a bipartisan piece of legislation that enjoys widespread support. I would like to take a few minutes to tell you why it is such a good bill.

First, this bill is 100 percent voluntary. No one in our nation is compelled to give service, and this bill upholds that tradition. What the legislation will do is provide new and expanded opportunities for people who voluntarily decide to participate.

Moreover, given our current economic climate, there is no better time to make this investment in our nation's future. For every dollar invested in national service, there is anywhere from $1.60 to $2.60 returned on that investment, whether it's kids being tutored, vacant lots turned into playgrounds and parks, homes being built or aid in the form of disaster relief.

An important aspect of this legislation is its multiplying effect. If the measure of this legislation was solely to provide national service slots for 250,000 individuals, I don't think we would have that much to be proud of. But these national service participants, who will receive what amounts to a below-poverty-level survival stipend to meet their basic needs, will leverage millions of traditional unpaid volunteers and hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment in the nonprofit sector to tackle some of our toughest challenges.

One of the things I'm most excited about with this bill is that it provides opportunities for people to serve throughout their live, whether they are young adults or senior citizens. The bill includes programs like the Encore Fellowship program that are specifically directed at our seniors and Baby Boomers. I think this bill will put the skills and experience of our older generations to good use and, at this difficult time, this is a resource we should be all be willing to tap.

Ultimately, the success of the programs shall not be measured by the number of people who participate, but by the work they accomplish.

Kevin Pho, a primary care physician and health/medical blogger, recently mentioned AARP's Bill Novelli in an op-ed he wrote for USA Today all about comparative effectiveness research.

In the op-ed, Dr. Pho answers questions like, "How will it help patients? What are some of the obstacles that may impede the initiative? And, should it be modeled after the US Preventive Services Task Force?" Many elected officials and comparative effectiveness research nay-sayers wonder if doctors find any value in something like this...and they clearly do.

Pho goes on to say:

"As a primary care doctor, I am frequently faced with decisions where the choice is not always clear. Do the latest, more expensive drugs work better than the less costly, older medicat ions? Will ordering an MRI help me treat a patient's lower back pain? Often, the answer to these questions is, "I'm not sure."

With new drugs and technologies being introduced regularly, doctors face an increasing array of diagnostic and treatment choices. We need to realize that the latest isn't always the best, and by using data from comparative effectiveness research, physicians can provide the best care for their patients."

We're glad to hear doctors being vocal about how beneficial comparative effectiveness research can be to them, and their patients. As Dr. Pho noted, AARP has been vocal on this issue for some time now (thanks for the shout out!) and we don't plan on letting this one go anytime soon.

Kevin's blog can be found here.

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG FOR SHAARPSESSION
BY SENATOR BARBARA A. MIKULSKI:

"There is a new, invigorated spirit of service in the United States of America. Americans everywhere are looking to serve and give back to their country. They want to know how they can give and how they can help. They want to be part of an effort to improve society.

"Last month, more than 9,700 applications were submitted to AmeriCorps, more than triple the amount of applications submitted at the same time last year. Last year, 35,000 college seniors applied for 4,000 Teach for America positions.

"This week we brought legislation to the floor of the United States Senate which will allow millions more Americans to answer the call of service. The Serve America Act is the most sweeping overhaul and expansion of national service programs in 16 years. It is not a Democratic bill, it is an American bill.

"The Serve America Act updates and strengthens national service programs administrated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency I helped create in 1993. It increases the number of AmeriCorps volunteers from 75,000 to 250,000 a year. And it creates new programs to address specific areas of national need. Volunteers will be actively engaged in mentoring and tutoring kids, weatherizing low-income homes, promoting health and wellness, and increasing access to health care. The bill will also engage boomers and older Americans in Encore Fellowships to allow this generation to put their skills and experience to work at home and overseas.

"Many years ago I, too, answered the call to serve. After graduate school, I went down to the VISTA training center in Baltimore to teach volunteers how to be effective in the communities they serve. Seeing that group of determined people making a difference through gumption and hard work really made an impact on me. It was a wonderful experience. One that has colored everything I've done since. And, in giving back, I discovered I got more than I ever gave. This bill is an investment that will engage Americans of all generations and pay dividends long beyond anything we can imagine. It represents the best of America's ideals--spirited volunteerism and the willingness to lend a helping to those in need."

AARP COO Thomas Nelson penned a "Where We Stand" column for Bulletin Today and we wanted to excerpt a bit for you since the Senate's debating the Serve America Act today and expected to vote this week.

"Even as Congress is focusing on financial practices that have badly hurt our economy, the House and Senate are acting on legislation that speaks to what is best about America: a bill to substantially expand opportunities for community and volunteer service...

We've heard a great deal lately about toxic assets. By approving this legislation, Congress and the President can mobilize a very different kind of asset, one found in abundance in every community: the American spirit of service and generosity.

We know from talking to our members and from our survey research that boomers and older Americans stand ready to do more...

AARP urges the Senate to "create the good" by passing national service legislation this week. "

Call your Senators and ask them to support the Serve America Act today. And to find ideas, opportunities and a community of others who want to do more to make a difference, visit www.AARP.org/CreateTheGood.

As states try to combat deficits and balance their budgets, the penal system is increasingly heading to the chopping block. Though costs vary, it runs tens of thousands of dollars to keep a prisoner incarcerated for a year. Because of this, many states are looking for ways to reduce sentences in this recession. Whether lowering mandatory minimum sentences for crimes or replacing imprisonment with community service, many convicts will be seeing less time in jail while states try to cope with growing deficits.

So you may have heard that an American icon recently turned 50. That's right, Barbie has hit the half-century mark and looks as good as she has since her introduction in 1959. While the doll has been subject to its share of controversy over the years, no one can deny the massive impact Barbie has had on pop culture in this country. AARP has decided to present Barbie with an honorary membership to commemorate her 50th birthday.

Check out the love we got on CBS's Early Show:

Our friends at AARP The Magazine deserve a hearty congratulations of being nominated as a finalist in the Interactive Features category of the National Magazine Awards. Specifically, AARP The Magazine's multimedia special "1968: The Year that Rocked the World" earned them this prestigious distinction. These awards are a very big deal in the industry, sort of like the Oscars for the glossy-page-flipping set. Great job, guys and thanks for all the great information!

While grandma may have told you, "Eat carrots! They're good for your eyes!" as a child, this isn't actually the case, says the American Dietetic Association. In other words, carrots won't necessarily improve your vision, AARP reports.

It also won't reverse damage done to the eyes, and it won't cure macular degeneration. (The number one cause in poor vision in Americans over 65.) However, it may help slow the process. For more info on macular degeneration, check out this AARP Magazine piece on newer treatments.

In the meantime, there's nothing wrong with eating carrots anyway - they're still good for you! (And one of the yummier vegetables out there, in my humble opinion.)

Because many Americans don't save much and have a good deal of debt, a lot of people aren't prepared for a sudden loss of income. If you don't have a lot of money saved up for emergencies, there are some important tips on saving money in a crunch. Among the ideas you may want to consider: adjusting your tax withholding if possible, making a budget, and selling your second car if you can. If you lose your job, it may seem like the walls are closing in, but there are still plenty of things you can do to stay afloat.