shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

We all knew things were bad, but this bad? Really? As personal debts mount people across the country are being forced to make some tough choices. Some folks are so desperate that they're committing insurance fraud to try and dump some debt and collect a check. One example: the number of cars suspected of being burned by their owners has nearly doubled in the last year. Just a little taste of the desperation some people are feeling as they watch their savings go down the drain.

One small bright spot coming out of the doom and gloom of economic news this week: gas prices are way down. Despite this good news, demand is still remaining uncharacteristically low here. Why? Well for starters with the national average still above $3.40 a gallon, gas isn't exactly cheap. Americans seems to be sticking with their newly learned frugal habits and the lack of demand will likely drive prices even lower. This is a good thing, especially considering how the cost of everything else seems to have gone up even as we have less money to spend. If you're looking for ways to save on gas, try these tips, or if you're really feeling desperate to save on your commute, there's always this:

Technological advances seem to have no limit these days and this particular device is all about removing limitation. A Japanese company has created a robotic suit with the potential to give the ability to walk and carry things to those who currently can't. The suit reads impulses sent from the brain to operate its mechanical limbs. This machine holds the promise for increased mobility and strength for a host of people from those who have suffered injury to older people who have lost dexterity and strength. The suits are ready to be mass produced in Japan and will be available for monthly rental in Japan and elsewhere. The company has yet to decide on plans to sell the suit in America, but if they do, you can have your very own robotic exoskeleton for the low, low price of just under $60,000.

Have a look:

Pretty impressive, but call me when it can do this:

So the stock market has hit its lowest levels in four years, credit is tight and home values are down. We are all starting to get accustomed to these facts, but the real-world implications for the economic slow down are just starting to reveal themselves. One of the big losers in the current economic climate is retirement savings. Even before the markets really tanked, an AARP survey showed that 20% of baby boomers had stopped contributing to their retirement savings, and a third were considering postponing retirement. It's doubtful that the swooning economy of recent weeks has done much to improve these numbers. So if your nest egg is starting to look like this:

You're not alone.

We asked and you answered! Your overwhelming repsonse to yesterday's "Cost of Inaction" post has been truly amazing.

No matter what the idea, or where you stand on the political spectrum...thank you for sharing with us. Keep 'em coming, because we love nothing more than when you let us know exactly what's on your mind!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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!

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

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.

Of course, no event in Washington, DC is complete without a larger than life American president, decked out in red, white and blue AND on 6-foot high stilts!

I can't get the Mr. Clean jingle out of my head now! Mr. Clean himself was here and boy did the ladies go crazy! Check out those muscles! And he cleans too...he's my dream guy.

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."

We're turning 50 this year folks! It's exciting for so many reasons (not the least of which is that we can now join ourselves and get all those great discounts!).

We're celebrating at our annual event, Life@50+ with lots of cool exhibitors, concerts, learning sessions and more. Visit our website for more details, and feel free to bring a friend! We're hanging out at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC until Saturday, September 6th.

I'll be sure to post some pictures for those who can't be here for the fun!

Despite the bad reputation some retirement homes may have, millions of Americans reside in them and rely on them for both housing and medical care. As part of the ongoing effort to improve the experiences of those living in these facilities, many communities have invited pets onto their campuses. Animals can help residents deal with isolation, frustration and many other emotional issues that can crop up. Some facilities bring in animals while others have them on-site permanently. Now the only thing to worry about is whether it is getting near time for your pet to retire.

Well the ranks of the over 50 crowd grew one incredible musician (and quite the eccentric) richer yesterday. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, the Thriller himself turned 50 and was interviewed by ABC. In many ways, Jackson is the poster child for the constantly changing and adapting life of the baby boomer. Over the course of his career, Michael Jackson has gone from this:

To this:

And then sadly to this.

These days, Jackson still loves music but his focus has shifted toward his children and providing them with the childhood he never had. Michael says he can still pull off all of his old moves and he isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

Imagine if you could customize your home they way you create a computer. Not a chef? Cut out the kitchen and add a sun room. Are those stairs getting to be a dangerous challenge? Add a bedroom on the ground floor. While this might sound either crazy expensive or just crazy, in the near future it might be neither. As I write this, people are working on designing modular homes in which rooms could be added or removed in a matter of days, not weeks or months.

The advances in home design go far beyond modular homes. Environmentally friendly homes have come a long way recently. Check out this smart home which monitors its electricity use (it's a really small number). Solar panels on the roof generate most of the electricity needed, and sensors that open windows to let in a breeze to cool the house and reduce air conditioner use. All of the systems in this house are monitored through a computer and can be viewed by the owner on a screen. Now that we have houses that can take care of themselves, all we need is a house that will pay for itself!

With the inflation raising the cost of nearly everything, the economy still stuck in the cellar, and high energy costs sticking around, Americans are really feeling the pinch. A new AARP survey gives a clearer picture of some of the ways older Americans are struggling to cope. More than half of the survey respondents making less than $50,000 a year said paying utility bills this year is harder than it was last year. 75% of people interviewed said their heating and cooling expenses were up from last year and just under 80% believe the trend will continue. Among people's biggest gripes, just 17% of respondents believe that politicians have done enough to address rising energy costs. Have your heating and cooling costs been on the rise?

According to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sharing prescriptions is commonplace in America. While it's most common for women 18-44, overall 27% of men and 29% of women admit to sharing medications. Allergy medicines and pain-killers were the most common offenders. Clearly this is risky behavior with unknown drug interactions and side-effects posing a threat to any prescription sharers. Is this something you would consider doing or that you've heard of taking place?

Despite continual advances in audio recording and playback, a large contingent of dedicated music fans refuses to move on. These people won't end a decades long love-affair with the vinyl. Call them old-fashioned but these folks say there's nothing quite like that warm sounds you get from a record. A quick look at the numbers seems to show that this vocal minority is rapidly growing. Sales of vinyl LPs increased by over a third from 2006 to 2007. And not only are people spending money on records, but they are buying needles that cost up to $15,000 a box and turntables running in the six-figure range. While you don't need to spend that much to appreciate the quality of a record, it shows the depth of affection that aficionados have for old school audio. What's your favorite way to listen to music? Record? CD? Cassette? A-Track?! Let us know, comment below.

Yea yea, we know, the economy is tanking. Jobs have been disappearing and now, after a couple of weeks of falling, oil prices are on the rise again. But wait, before you start sinking any further into despair, there may be hope on the horizon. For starters, jobless claims are down for the second week in a row. This may just be the start of a serious recovery in the job market. According to University of Michigan economists, the economy could add as many as 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. These jobs will largely come from an automotive industry retooling to make smaller cars, and a booming alternative energy industry. Let's hope these economists are right.

In two very different surveys taken over the last three years, one country has ranked as the happiest in the world. Any guesses? Give up? Well if you guessed Denmark, you're right! What is it about this little country that's got everyone in such a good mood? According to researchers, it's a combination of a strong social strong social safety net, high per capita GDP, and a great school system. Though the high taxes and far left leaning government may seem off putting to many Americans, the system seems to be working for Denmark.

If you're tired of getting locked into hefty, expensive cell phone plans, AARP has just the thing you've been looking for. Thanks to a deal with Consumer Cellular, AARP members can now sign up for cell phone plans starting for as little as ten dollars per month. Should you choose to end your service, you can do so without being hit by the massive fees of other service providers. Interested? Look for yourself.

Congress may be out of town, but the political season is really heating up. With the Democratic and Republican National Conventions around the corner, we can look for big political developments and major campaign announcements. What will happen when the votes are counted for Clinton and Obama at the Democratic National Convention? Who will McCain and Obama name as their VPs? To stay up on the latest campaign news, AARP's The Bulletin has a site with the most up to date stories on what's going on with the Presidential campaigns as they ramp up for the convention.

In just the latest evidence of the benefits of exercise, a study by Stanford professors shows that running can help reduce the effects of aging. Runners over the age of 50 were able to stave off disability for a shocking 16 years longer than their non-running counterparts. In addition, death from heart disease can be nearly halved by running regularly. The researchers surmised that running can add four years to your life.

Aside from running, a training regimen including weight lifting and various athletic activities can help people remain vigorous and extend life. People who engage in these types of activities have seen increased mobility, improved ability to conduct everyday chores and tasks, and a resurgent sense of confidence. Research has shown that even light workouts have significant benefits to offer older Americans.

In case you didn't know, Olympic swimmer Dara Torres is unbelievable. At 41, she's the oldest Olympic swimmer ever and on Sunday she became the oldest Olympic swimming medalist of all time. Her first Olympics were in 1984 where she won her first gold and she hasn't stopped since. In addition to being a former model, Torres is also a mother, making her feats in the pool even more amazing. If you're inspired by her story you're not alone and you actually have to opportunity to see her in person. Dara Torres will be appearing at AARP's member event, Life@50, on September 4th with Martina Navratilova so come down to Washington and see her yourself. See ABC's segment on Dara as their "Person of the Week" below:

After winning his 5th gold in Beijing in the 4 x 200 meter freestyle medley (demolishing the competition and the old world record in the process), Michael Phelps stands as the winningest Olympian of all-time with 11 gold medals. So far he has been untouchable in these Olympics. The question is: Is Michael Phelps the best Olympic athlete, or maybe even the best athlete of any kind ever? If he wins his 3 remaining races, some say this is a foregone conclusion, he will have broken Mark Spitz's record for most gold medals in a single Olympic games with 8. At that point it would be hard to make a case against Phelps being the single most dominant athlete of all time. Check him out for yourself and let us know what you think:

One of the major problems facing America's health care system today is the astronomical cost of treatment. While you might be able to extend your life through major surgery, the tension that results from the stress of medical debt could end up killing you. However, there are several acts (some easier than others) that people can take to lop off some of that debt and pay off their medical expenses.

The Olympics kick off today! Opening cermonies are actually going on as I write this. And while the Olympics are always exciting, these games are particularly post-worthy. Why? Older Olympians are playing a huge role in the games this year. There is a 58 year old sailor and a 67 year old rider in the equestrian events amongst several others. These people are just the latest proof that "over the hill" is simply a myth. Make sure to check them out.

In case you haven't heard, or missed yesterday's Today Show, Foreigner is still rocking and now you can play along. AARP is powering an air guitar contest in which the winner gets Mick Jones' guitar. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. All you have to do is submit a video from your computer or show up at one of Foreigner's tour dates to record a video from their mobile truck. Better bring your A-game though, the competition looks pretty fierce:

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Recently, two health economists from the University of Minnesota conducted a study on how the availability of health insurance would be affected by several variables. Among the more interesting findings, the research showed that in simulations, allowing competition between insurance companies across state lines could give an additional 12 million people access to health insurance. That's a huge number a definitely an interesting thought. Keep in mind though, that this doesn't say anything about the quality of the insurance.