ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

'Cause taters are good for you.



Happy Friday, folks!

The big news around AARP this Friday is all about the announcement that for the first time since 1975, people who rely on Social Security will not receive a cost of living adjustment, because consumer prices have remained stagnant in this economic climate. The Washington Post covers the story here - and AARP is mentioned in the article, too.

AARP released a statement on Wednesday contending that the government should provide emergency relief to older Americans by way of a $250 one time payment. The reasoning? Seniors need to spend more money on healthcare than younger generations - and the cost of health care has been increasing rapidly over consumer prices. "Without relief, millions of older Americans will be unable to afford skyrocketing health care and prescription drug costs, as well as other basic necessities," said AARP COO Tom Nelson in the statement.

AARP was also mentioned in all of these stories on the COLA announcement: get all the facts here: U.S. News and World Report, Bloomberg, AP, and Washington Times.

Other News of Interest...
I thought this blog post from CNBC was a good one - and might be useful to you if you're planning for your retirement. The author lists five common mistakes that you may identify with - from listening to the wrong people to choosing the wrong pension. Check it out for his advice on making the decision to retire stress-free!

As we all know, the Senate Finance Committee took the first major step toward health reform by voting in favor of a health reform package which Max Baucus says will ensure that "in the United States of America no person goes broke just because he or she gets sick." But what is in it exactly? AARP Bulletin posted this mini visual explanation of what is entailed; check it out.

Check out this WSJ article about getting older as an athlete. The author talks honestly and openly about his passion for competition, and how he had to come to terms that trying to come in first at 50 could be risky to his health when his doctor found an aneurysm in his aortic root. So that led him to do more research:

"'The no-pain-no-gain mentality suggests that you can keep making gains if you just work harder,' says Mark Allen, a 51-year-old athletic coach once known as the world's fittest man for winning six Ironman Triathlon World Championships. As co-author of a new book called 'Fit Soul, Fit Body,' Mr. Allen argues against fighting age with more hours on the treadmill. 'If you can't let up on the competitive part of it, if you have to go as fast at 50 as you did at 20, you will grind yourself into the ground and become stressed out, bitter and unhealthy,' he says."

So while recognizing that older folks are and can be physically active (and competitive!), we have to take care ourselves first and foremost - and sometimes that means not being the very best.

Check out this Washington Post piece by Simon Johnson and James Kwak discussing how we can look at affording health care reform.

They give us two ways to grapple with what health care reform would mean for us economically. Obviously this means a lot for those of us struggling during the recession - looking at the country as a whole, and looking at it from the perspective of the federal government is important.

So is health care reform fiscally responsible for this country? Read it and find out.

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.

If you witnessed the awesomeness that was 25,000 AARP members descending upon Washington, DC last year for our annual member event...then you'll understand why I am super excited to head out to Vegas next week for this year's event!

There will be no shortage of star power (hello Faith Hill and Gloria Estefan performing live!)...and oh yeah some learning too (folks can get the skinny on health care reform and financial planning at University sessions).

First, check out our Vegas@50 page here. And just to tease you a little, we sat down and talk to fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo to ask a few questions and financial planner/guru Jonathan Pond. Want more? Check out www.aarp.org/vegas for more great articles before, during and after Vegas@50+.

Can't go but want in on goodies? Check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for all the Vegas fun.

After the Senate Finance Committee passed the Affordable Health Choices Act yesterday, Nancy LeaMond (AARP Executive Vice President) released this statement:

"We applaud the Senate Finance Committee for taking another important step toward fixing what's wrong with our health care system. Under the leadership of Chairman Baucus, the legislation reported today moves us even closer to providing much-needed relief to millions of older Americans who still face challenges accessing affordable, quality health care services.

"The Senate Finance Committee bill makes important improvements to the Medicare program by increasing preventive benefits, making sure Medicare's doctors do not face a pay cut this year, and most notably for AARP members--by reducing drug costs for seniors who fall into the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole, a costly gap in prescription drug coverage. Too often, those who fall into this coverage gap stop taking their prescription drugs because they simply can't afford to. While we applaud this assistance with drug costs in the doughnut hole, we urge the Senate to go further to meet the President's pledge to completely close the doughnut hole. With the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, we believe this bill should be improved so that it can help millions of older Americans afford their needed medications and avoid more intensive and costly care later in life.

"The bill also makes some improvements on age-rating, a discriminatory practice that allows insurers to charge exorbitant, age-based premiums to older Americans. Unfortunately, the bill will still allow insurance companies to charge older Americans premiums that are four times more than premiums for younger Americans, making it difficult for older Americans to afford health coverage. We hope the final Senate bill will be improved in this area.

"Finally, we strongly support provisions in the Senate Finance bill to expand home and community-based services (HCBS). The vast majority of Americans age 50 and over want to live in their homes and communities as long as they can. HCBS provisions are not only cost-effective, but can also help slow the growth in health care spending and keep millions of Americans out of nursing homes and in their own homes.

"The legislation passed is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform. We look forward to continuing our work with Chairman Baucus and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to further strengthen the bill, and we will continue to fight for reform that protects benefits for people in Medicare, improves health care affordability, and improves the health of every American."

There is a great Q&A style article on CNNMoney.com today that addresses concerns of older Americans who were looking to retire, but like many in the country, don't have the same amount of certainty in their financial stability that they once had. The author touches on going back to work (but does that make sense when the rest of America is looking for work, too?) and social security eligibility. Check it out if you're looking to retire early...or already have and are second-guessing your choice.

A Longevity Effort

You may have heard about the "Vitality Project," an initiative that was put together by AARP and Blue Zones, a healthy living organization...but if not (and even if so!) read this really cool story from Minnesota Public Radio yesterday about Albert Lea, a little town in Minnesota that has been the subject of a longevity effort.

Kids are walking over a mile to school instead of hopping on the bus, and that's just one of the little things the citizens of Albert Lea are doing to improve their well-being. Focusing on their physical environment, and making little changes, such as choosing a salad instead of French fries, is key to the project, and it sure seems Albert Lea is embracing the change! They are an inspiration to us all. J

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees service programs, volunteering rose 1.5% in 2008. That's great news for a statistic that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has "stayed static" for 40 years. A great story from USA Today is worth checking out - it's all about volunteerism and I Participate, a program of which AARP is a partner.

The story talks about how television networks are raising awareness of the importance of volunteering in unconventional ways, tying good deeds and charity work into the plotlines of popular sitcoms and dramas, hoping to have an impact on the audience without shoving the idea in our faces via PSAs. Pretty subtle, and a good idea!

Another great story...If you haven't checked it out already, the Wall Street Journal has an enlightening series called "Laid Off and Looking" on the current job search in America. The WSJ is following out-of-work M.B.A.s on their quest to find jobs and sharing their trials and tribulations along the way. Each story is a little different, but all of the posts have garnered motivational comments from readers. Check it out.

On Friday, this great article about AARP's health insurance options was featured on CBS Money Watch. The article takes an in-depth look at AARP's range of health insurance plans and what they mean for you, in terms of deductibles, preventative care and more.

The author, Bob Trebilcock, says: "After talking to nearly a dozen experts and comparing quotes from more than 50 companies, here's our conclusion: AARP health policies, while rarely the least expensive, are competitive, and might be the best plan for you if you have health problems." Check out the story for the low-down on all things AARP health insurance.

If you're looking for tips on your finances in this tough economic climate, check out this story that appeared in the L.A. Times this weekend, "How to Be Your Own Financial Planner." There is advice on budgeting, retirement planning and spending, taxes and more.

In health care reform news - the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on the "Baucus bill" tomorrow - we'll be keeping tabs!

Have a great Monday.