ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

From Kim Barnes

Dr. John LaPuma, also known as the ChefMD and the author of "ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to Losing Losing Weight, Preventing Disease and Getting Really Healthy," gave his audience basic tips for storing and preparing food to help reduce issues with impotence, premature wrinkling, many cancers, arthritis and others. Among his tips:

• Marinate meats with rosemary


• Store watermelon outside the refrigerator


• Eat 1O walnuts 10 minutes before eating fast food


• Adopt a Mediterranean diet to help prevent Alzheimer's.


• Add black pepper to curry

1. Learn to enjoy the art of cooking.

2. Understand that your fork is as powerful as your prescription drugs in maintaining your health.

3. Find recipes that work for you.

From Meg Grant

You see a lot of things you've never seen before on the exhibit floor of the annual AARP member event. Add to the list, this year, the sight of a man in a wetsuit pedaling an exercise bike in a pool full of water.

To add to the weirdness, the man in question is Wayne Player, the son of famed South African golfer Gary Player.

So here's the story: Player was demonstrating a line of exercise equipment designed specifically for use in water. Developed in Italy and imported by Michael Factor of Jupiter, Fla., the Aquatics USA line includes an exercise bike, a treadmill and a pilates/circuit training bar. "Boomers want to stay healthier now more than ever before," said Factor. "But many of us have knee and back problems, so aquatics have become very popular lately." And because water holds 80 percent of your body weight, you can exercise more vigorously underwater while at the same time protecting against joint stress. The result, says Factor? A 20-minute session on his company's submerged treadmill is the equivalent of 60 minutes of walking on land.

"It's great for those who want to exercise but don't have the ability" to do so on land for one reason or another, Factor said of his company's equipment -- which is designed not to rust and can be submerged in just four feet of water. It's water exercise that, he says, "takes the monotony out of swimming laps." And for the vain among us, the equipment allows you to exercise in the water without getting your hair wet.

The gear isn't cheap--$1950 for the treadmill, $2,250 for the bike, and $2,900 for the circuit bars. But Wayne Player, who damaged his knees after years on the golf course and running track, says the benefits are worth the cost.

Carole Carson, who lost 62 pounds at age 60 and has made it her mission to inspire others to lead a healthier lifestyle, brought her message to an audience of about 150 members at Vegas@50+.

A little over two years ago, Carson documented her weight-loss journey in her local newspaper in Nevada County, Calif. Over 1,000 people in Carson's town followed her lead, and as a result together lost more than 7,500 pounds. Carson, author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction, took her enthusiasm online to AARP.org earlier this year -- starting the Fat2Fit community group and coaching the AARP.org online community in this year's Fat 2 Fit Challenge.

The Fat2Fit group has over 3,900 members, who are still encouraging others in their fitness journey. Carson plans another Fat2Fit Challenge on AARP.org in the spring of 2010.

From Tara Coates

There are four ways to achieve wealth, says AARP financial ambassador Jonathan Pond: marry it, inherit it, win the lottery...or live beneath your means.

"The real key to financial success is to save regularly and regularly increase the amount you save," Pond told an audience of several hundred Saturday at AARP's Vegas@50+ Member Event.

And don't stop investing, or become overly cautious, once you retire. Pond said that retirees often make the mistake of having too much money in cash or other investments that don't have a high rate of return. "You still need income and growth investments to meet the rising cost of living increases. Sure, you may be tapping into your retirement funds in four years, but that money will need you to last 20 or more years."

Pond also encouraged the audience not to forgo living the good life in order to pass along a "fat" inheritance to their children -- who, he said, "don't deserve an inheritance. They just don't. I tell that to everybody -- except my mother," Pond said as the audience laughed and clapped in agreement. Instead, he said, spend the money on yourself and enjoy your life. He closed the session by leading the crowd in a mock swearing-in session in which they all promised to "die destitute."

When it comes to housing, Pond encouraged the audience to downsize from a larger home, to a smaller, more manageable space. But what about having extra room so the kids and the grandkids can visit? "Take the money from selling the house and put them up at a hotel," he said. Plus, he said, there's what he calls "Pond's law of bedrooms": the more bedrooms you have, "the more likely your adult children will move back home."

From Jodi Lipson

AARP members planning to celebrate their last night in Las Vegas at one of the city's 5-star steakhouses were urged to reconsider in a session entitled "Forget What You Hear in the News: Learn the Latest Scientific Findings on Diet and Cancer."

Dr. Arthur Schatzkin of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institute for Health presneted results from a study co-sponsored by AARP and the NIH -- the largest study ever of the impact of diet on the health of people 50 and older.

The size of the research--AARP had to rent a warehouse to store the half a million questionnaires--is allowing the researchers tease out, say, whether obesity might impact esophageal cancer (yes) and brain cancer (more so if you're obese when you were 18 and under). And the results leave no doubt: consumption of red meat increases all sorts of cancer.

On the good news side: the study confirms that 5 hours of vigorous exercise a week will extend your life-- with whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables, and the Mediterranean diet reducing the risk of cancer.

From Barbranda Walls

Health care reform may not dominate the news to the extent it did in the hot days of August, when tempers boiled over at Town Hall meetings; the balloon boy, the war in Afghanistan, and the mystery of the Northwest pilots have pushed it ever-so-slightly to the background.

But it's a complex topic that remains a major concern among AARP members, as evidenced by interest in the Vegas@50+ session "Don't Roll the Dice: Find Out What's Next in Health Care Reform and What It Means For You."

AARP board member Allen Douma, M.D., and John Rother, head of AARP policy and strategy, were peppered with questions about the public option and how to better understand the complex issue of health care reform. The two men laid out AARP's criteria for an acceptable health care reform bill; how reform will impact members and other Americans; and what's in the five House and Senate bills currently under consideration in Congress -- from which one bill in each chamber is expected to emerge this week. If the bills pass on the floor of each chamber, they would then need to be reconciled before going to the President's desk for his signature.

AARP has not endorsed any of the five bills, but Rother said that whatever bill emerges "would be a substantial improvement over the status quo."

From Patti Shea

The dos and don'ts of caregiving are tricky to maneuver, said Virginia Morris, author of "How to Care for Aging Parents," but if done right it can be rewarding to all involved. Planning ahead is key, Morris told an audience of AARP members -- most of whom, by a show of hands, were or have been caregivers.

Morris advised open communication with aging parents, and counseled against addressing them as if they're children. After all, she said, "they're still your parents."

Instead, she said, "be direct," she said, and ask a lot of questions about their past and future worries. Ask them for advice and get them talking about how they cared for their own parents. And be forewarned: "You won't settle this in one conversation." But hang in therre, she said, and "don't be discouraged. You've planted the seed. This will be an on-going conversation."

Above all, Morris suggested, take care of yourself by setting limits, asking for help, spending time with friends, and exercising and eating well. "You have to learn to say 'no,'" Morris said. "And dump the guilt, especially you women."

From Meg Grant

Louis Zorich, the actor best known for playing Paul Reiser's father on the hit TV sitcom Mad About You, thought his gender could protect him from diabetes. "My mother had diabetes," he said in a Friday afternoon question-and-answer session with his wife, Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis. "I used to help her with her insulin shots. Then my sisters got it. So I thought, 'Men in my family don't get diabetes.'"

But earlier this year, after noticing that he was feeling sleepy and groggy during the day, Zorich had his blood sugar tested and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He now manages the disease with medication--and by being hyper-vigilant about maintaining the healthy lifestyle he and Dukakis have practiced throughout the 47-year marriage. "We eat right," Zorich said. "We exercise. I try to walk everyday. I want to continue to be Olympia's partner in life and on stage. That's why I'm very careful."

After learning that seven of 10 people age 65-plus have diabetes or pre-diabetes -- and that almost half of them don't know it, Reiser and Dukakis have throw their support behind a public-awareness campaign called Ask.Screen.Know, urging people to get screened for the disease. Those with risks factors such as a family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obesity are eligible for a free diabetes test through Medicare. "And yet, less than 10 percent of those eligible are taking advantage of the test," Zorich said.

"I know, who wants to add another medical test?" asked Dukakis, who says she's not so much her husband's caregiver as his cheerleader. "But few things in life are free - and this is. And we have grandchildren. We have to keep in our minds why we want to stay healthy - and be a role model for them."

From Meg Grant

Chef Anthony Amoroso -- recently featured on TV's Iron Chef America: Food Network, where he spent 60 "nonstop" minutes whipping up a meal in competition with Chef Masaharu Morimoto -- credits his Italian great-grandmother for instilling in him a love for creating and preparing food. She was "the best natural cook I've ever known," he said at Vegas@50+. "The table where the kids ate in my family's New Jersey home was in the kitchen. My grandmother used to always say, 'It's in your hands,' but it took me years to realize what she meant. People can put the same ingredients together in the same order, but the result will always be something different."

Today, he says, "I cook how I eat," which means lots of seafood, fresh herbs, and olive oil as opposed to cream. His signature dishes include a tuna tartare, sea bass with mizo glaze, and a lobster pot pie (okay, maybe a little cream), though when he's at home, cooking for himself, he tends toward comfort food. "My dad came over the other night, and I made chicken and dumplings," he said. "I choose things I can make in one pot, because I'm not at home that much and like to enjoy my time when I'm there."

Off-screen, Amoroso, who is 37, competes in a different arena: the triathlon. To keep his shape svelte, he runs, cycles and swims. "It's how I balance the huge intake of food I have on a daily basis," he says. "I taste everything, not just what I like."

By Barbranda Walls

Ballroom dancing as a workout? You bet. You can break out in a real sweat doing the cha-cha.

I joined more than 200 AARP members for an early morning workout on Saturday with ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" regulars Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya. The husband-and-wife team taught their eager dance wannabes the basics of the fast-pace jive, the elegant waltz and the hip-swiveling cha-cha in an hourlong session at Vegas@50+.

"Side, rock, step, cha cha cha," Roberts instructed as music from Santana blared over the loudspeakers and we all moved to the beat. "Work those hips!" Trebunskya delighted the crowd as she showed off some sexy moves -- running her hands over her red hair and winking as she demonstrated the New Yorker step of the cha cha.

Participants paired up with each other and tried not to step on each other's toes. My partner, Sharon, kept apologizing that she wasn't a good dancer as we both laughed as we looked down at our feet and tried to keep up.

The jive was a real challenge; lots of kicking and shimmying. "If you're used to doing ballroom dancing at 7 in the morning, keep going!" Roberts said with a grin as The Contours' "Do You Love Me?" blasted over the speakers.

By the end of it all, I was revved up and a little out of breath. But it felt great.

"I absolutely loved it!" said Shirley Napper of New York City. "It was actually dance movements," which she said she preferred over regular aerobics or strength training.

Jan Dittman of Sacremento, Calif., was just as enthusiastic and sees a change coming in her fitness routine: "I'm going to switch from boot camp to dancing. But don't tell my instructor."

From Barbranda Walls

Barbara Graham, author of "Eye of My Heart: 27 Writers Reveal the Hidden Pleasures and Perils of Being a Grandmother," shed light on the joys and pitfalls of being a grandparent in her presentation. She delighted the audience with her observation that the bond between grandparents and their grandchildren is that they're "united against a common enemy -- the parents."

From Tara Coates

Christine Terry of the Alzheimer's Association urged AARP members to take measures now to prevent, or slow the spreading of, the disease by keeping their brains healthy through stimulation activities, such as:

• Staying socially active


• Staying physically fit


• Playing brain games (crosswords, word searches, etc.)


• Adopting a brain healthy diet (low cholesterol, low fat)


• Being heart healthy


• Keeping stress levels low

From Bernard Ohanian

Dr. Pepper Schwartz, AARP's new expert for love and relationships entertained a crowd of serveral hundred people in the aptly named Casanova ballroom with a talk about sexuality and health that was frank, inspirational, and funny.

Schwartz, the author of 16 books and a professor of sociology at the University of Washington, hammered home her point about the importance of a good sex life. buttressing her arguments by citing numerous academic studies. At various points throughout the presentation, she said:

• "Sex is a lifelong gift."


• "We are meant to have sex frequently to keep us bonded."


• "If you don't have sex you're not taking care of your physical and mental health."


• "Frequent sex adds years to your life."


• "Sex makes us live longer and live healthier."

"This is not," she reminded her audience, "a trivial topic."

While acknowledging that "sex gets trickier with age," she also dismissed as a "myth" the idea that we outgrow our need for sex as we get older. "We can love forever," she said. "We can be passionate forever."

She also gave a sneak preview of some of the results of the 2009 AARP sex survey, which will be released soon. One of the results, she said, made her sad: People aged 45 and older spend less time hugging and kissing than they did in 2004, the last time such a survey was taken. "Let's fix that," she told her laughing audience at the end of her presentation. "Turn to the person next to you, and give him or her a big hug."

The crowd, warmed up by her hour-long discussion of the importance of touch, needed no more urging.

Dr. Reed Tuckson shared 10 ways older American can become "angels of life" and live healthier.

1. Make the Choice to be Healthy
2. Get Moving/Exercise
3. Relax
4. Eat Healthy Every Day
5. If You Smoke, STOP IT!!!
6. Prevent Falls
7. Get Proper Immunizations
8. Practice Safe Sex
9. Work to Create a Healthy Community
10. See Your Doctor Regularly

From Dave Singleton

Speaking to a packed room, Dr. Susan Love spoke passionately about her "Army of Women", a relatively new initiative from one of the "founding mothers" of the fight against breast cancer.

As Dr. Love told the predominately female audience, the Army of Women is "based on getting the research out of the lab rats and into the people." Dr. Love believes that more direct research is the key to a cure for breast cancer: "We just have to keep pushing for more funding and more research," she said. Based on the recent advances with a cervical cancer vaccine, she feels the drum beat is building for that breast cancer cure, as she nears her goal of enlisting building the Army of Women's size to at least one million. "There's no reason there's not a cure right now," she added.

Dr. Love, the president of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, oversees research focused on breast cancer prevention, while maintaining her practice as a clinical professor of surgery at UCLA. An AARP The Magazine 2009 Inspire Award winner, she also finds time to write, and told the audience that they're inspiring her to finish a follow up to her bestseller, "Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book."

Based on the questions from the audience, Dr. Love's call to arms for her Army of Women is also bringing together survivors and supporters to share their stories and grow another army: one filled with those whose lives have been affected by this terrible disease.

As Dr. Love noted, breast cancer's impact is universal. "If it's not touched you, it's touched someone you care about."

From Dave Singleton

The journalist, broadcaster, and AARP Travel Ambassador says he's determined to put an end to what he views as abuse of the common person by the travel industry.

Just call him the pied piper of travel advocacy. He's a traveler's BFF. In his feature presentation at AARP's Vegas@50+, he shared some of his secrets -- which he referred to as "the bad, the good, and the ugly...in that order."

The travel industry has been rocked by the bad economy and downsizing of everything from staff to planes to number of routes any one airline flies these days. Your response as a traveler, in the world according to Greenberg? Search the Internet for the best deals. Make sure you redeem your miles as soon as possible. Visit the foreign partners of U.S.-based carriers, where you might find better deals and more capacity.

When possible, talk to real, live people who can help cut the ties of bureaucratic, technological hell and get the best rates and service. Getting a real person on the phone? Greenberg said go to gethuman.com, which offers key codes that help you bypass voicemail systems for all types of travel providers.

Greenberg wants travelers to stay mad, yet -- despite all the dire news in the travel industry -- hopeful. "It's still a buyer's market, people," the author of the new book, Tough Times, Great Travel told the crowd. "At a time when people are telling you there are no deals, just remember that Peter told you they're wrong. The deals are out there."

Gloria Estefan performed for a room packed full of Vegas@50+ attendees...and was joined by special guest, blogger, Perez Hilton! Check out the video below to feel the rhythm!

From Tara Coates

With a background in nursing, AARP President Jennie Chin Hansen introduced several sessions on health and medicine this week, including, "What's Up, Doc?" Experts in geriatric medicine offered valuable, easy-to-digest nuggets to help AARPers become active participants in the doctor-patient relationship--and avoid doctors when possible. Among the suggestions:

• No doctor went to medical school to be rude to patients, so if your doctors are rude or not listening, call them on it. If you don't like your doctor, get a new one. It's not a popularity contest.


• 2.7 million Americans die from falls. Be safe and make sure your house is safe.


• When you visit your doctor, know your medications (not "I take a red pill in the morning and a blue one at night") and bring a list of questions. Start with the last item on your list, because, that's usually the question that concerns patients most.


• It doesn't pay to lie your to doctor. If she asks if you smoke, don't say never if you just quit two days ago. If you're feeling blue, mention it. Many older people who commit suicide have seen a doctor in the last month.


• Yes, get the seasonal and swine flu vaccines.


• Bring reading glasses to the emergency room. You'll need to read what you're signing, but more practical, at least you'll be able to read while you're waiting.

From Barbranda Walls

Want to release the pressure? Beating it out in a drum circle may do the trick.

John Fitzgerald, a pony-tailed musician from Carlsbad, Calif., enticed passers-by at Vegas@50+ to sit and jam in the circle he set up outside the exhibit hall at the Sands Convention Center. Some looked at him warily as he invited them to pick up a cow bell or maracas and join in the driving rhythm that pulsated throughout the corridors. Others jumped right in and got into the groove.

No previous musical experience was required. I started off on a drum and quickly caught on to the beat. I then switched to a wooden percussion instrument I couldn't even identify and gleefully tapped on it. Others in the circle smiled and welcomed those who came in to play. Fitzgerald directed us to drop in and out of the beat, sometimes leaving the drums to take center stage and then the percussion to be the star.

"Now don't you feel better?" Fitzgerald asked me when I left the circle. Indeed, I did. It was a fun way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the day.

From Bill Newcott

More than 600 grownup movie lovers crowded into the Movies for Grownups Screening Room to watch the touching drama Lovely, Still, and to listen to Oscar winning star Martin Landau talk about his role. Landau plays an elderly man who finds love late in life with the mysterious woman who moves in across the street, played by another Oscar winner, Ellen Burstyn.

Landau got a standing ovation as he came to the stage following the film, which involves a character's encounter with Alzheimer's. He spoke candidly about making the film--and his personal experience with an Alzheimer's patient.

"My brother-in-law had Alzheimers," Landau said. "And he had ways to try and cover for it. When I'd come to see him, he'd stretch out his arms and say, 'Look who's here!' And he had no idea who I was. He spoke in generalities, because the specifics were lost to him.

"When I read the script, I knew it was something I wanted to do, so I asked to speak with the writer. They told me he lived in Toledo, and I said, 'I can't help that.' So he came out to see me. He was 24 years old!"

In fact, he said, despite the fact that Lovely Still burrows into some of the most intimate cares and challenges of older people, the entire production team was in their 20s and 30s.

"They were so young," he marveled. "I can't tell you how young they were!"

Also on the after-film panel was Betth Kallmyer, director of Familyand Information Services for the Alzheimer's Association, who observed that families will sometimes go to great lengths to accommodate loved ones with the debilitating brain disease.

"They will role play," she said. "It's important to tell people with Alzheimer's the truth, but sometimes the best truth."

Landau, who appeared on Las Vegas TV this morning to promote the screening, stayed on afterward to chat with a gathering of filmgoers.

From Tara Coates

Why are some people financially comfortable while others struggle paycheck-to-paycheck?

Financial author Jean Chatzky has an idea, identifying eight factors that divide those who are struggling financially from those who are financially sound.

Chatzky's latest book, "The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even the Toughest Times," was based on research conducted by Harris Interactive and Merrill Lynch, and included over 5,000 interviews. In the research, Fifty-four percent of those interviewed described themselves as living paycheck-to-paycheck. About 27 percent of the respondents said they were "financially comfortable", while 3 percent described themselves as wealthy.

The eight qualities Chatzky saw in the wealthy and financially comfortable groups included: happiness/optimism, resilience, connectedness, passion, intuition, habitual saving, investing in stocks, and gratitude.

How many do you have?

From Dave Singleton

It's hard to drag yourself to the gym or walking path in the morning for a solo workout to kick-start your day. But there's power - and fun - in numbers. This morning, Vegas@50+ members showed up en masse to exercise with tennis legend and AARP's Health and Fitness Ambassador Martina Navratilova.

Sharing with the SRO crowd that she'd arrived in Las Vegas fresh from filming a documentary this past week with Chris Evert on their past rivalry, Martina definitely had members up and moving within minutes.

They raised their energy levels - and moved and sweated more - when she shared that this particular workout was her warm up before her winning tennis matches. Talk about motivating! That kind of challenge makes all participants in the room feel like champs!

While the crowd moved and shaked, Martina shared some of her exercise tips:

Make it fun and vary what you do, so you don't get bored with your routine.

Stretch as much as you can, since you lose flexibility as you age ("use it so you don't lose it," she said while in the middle of a hamstring stretch).

Yes, you've heard some of her advice and motivational mantras before. But when Martina reminds the crowd that, "you only get out of a workout what you put into it," somehow it carries more weight. The audience breathes more deeply, focuses their movements, and goes for the burn.

And lest you think that the teacher can't learn anything from her students, Martina brought several members on stage with her for some salsa - the non-edible kind - at the session's end. "I can't dance, I need help," she said, and five members jumped at the chance to share the stage with a legend.

Dancing with a (tennis) star and a room full of smiling AARP members beats a solo workout any day, no?

From Bernard Ohanian

Dan Buettner, author and researcher known for his work on "Blue Zones" -- places around the world where higher percentages of people than normal live long and fulfilled lives -- talked about his work in the Blue Zones and with the Vitality Project in Albert Lea, Minn.

He also added several tips for a longer and more fulfilling life, including:
1) Not exercising, but instead incorporating natural movement into your life: walking, raking leaves, getting up to change the Tv Channel rather than using the remote, etc.

2) Cutting stress by "downshifting" in your life, with quiet moments of prayer, meditation and the like

3) Having a sense of purpose in your life - a reason to live

4) Not dieting on a short-term basis, but eating wisely -- which he defined as a plant-based diet, with some meat and/or fish, and ample beans, nuts and even tofu as protein sources. He also recommended drinking two glasses of wine per day with meals; eating a big breakfast; and eating off of smaller plates.

5) Connecting with your family and community -- "putting your loved ones first" -- and surrounding yourself with people with good health habits and rich and active social and community lives.

In a later session, introduced by AARP Board President Jennie Chin Hansen, assistant surgeon general Dr James Galloway highlighted a panel that shared a PowerPoint with a map of major U.S. roadways intended to illustrate pressures on circulation, thrombosis, embolisms, and amputations. The panelists' advice? Exercise (walking is ideal), don't smoke, eat well, and maintain an ideal body weight (it turns out, Dr. Joshua Beckman of Harvard Medical School pointed out, that Mom was right when she gave us the same advice. One exception to the advice about walking: if you feel any symptoms of a heart attack, run (well, maybe not literally!) to the emergency room.

From Patti Shea

Famed football announcer James "JB" Brown got close with his audience, ditching the standard podium so he could see their faces close up.

JB, host of CBS's NFL Today and AARP's Community Ambassador, delighted the audience with stories of former NFL stars and colleagues Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. But JB also talked about his childhood and how he learned about giving back to the community.

"The nuclear family is only as strong as those who are involved in it," Brown said, encouraging audience members to take their life experiences and make a difference in the life of a child. "Use old school values that have contemporary applications."

Joking about his not-so-svelte 58-year-old body, JB joked with the audience about learning of Spanx - a modern girdle of sorts worn my women. "My Spanx are doing just fine," he said, laughing and pulling out his nicely tailored slacks. The audience roared.

From Barbranda Walls

"I'm going to stay cool at 50," said basketball legend and successful entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson on receiving his official AARP membership card Thursday (he turned 50 in August).

In an hour-long session, the always-engaging Johnson strolled out into the crowd, quizzing audience members about what they like best about AARP and then riffing off their answers.

One woman asked for a senior discount at his businesses (he said he would take it under advisement), and another asked if her HIV-positive daughter could contact him (he said he would call her tomorrow).

Dapper in a gray 3-piece suit, Johnson thrilled the crowd by posing for pictures with audience members. In-between pictures and engaging with the audience, Johnson wove in stories about his playing days in the NBA and getting his start as a businessman -- and also stressed the importance of taking care of your health and investing in your community.

From Dave Singleton

Most people who attended the "Maximizing Your Membership - How to Get the Most Value Out of Your AARP Membership" session expected to hear more details about AARP's current discounts and benefits. A team of benefit experts did just that, with timely reminders about AARP's Consumer Cellular and Driver Safety programs, discounts on AARP legal services, much-welcomed discounts at the Everyday Savings Center, and the Health Essentials Catalog.

But lucky (and somewhat surprised) attendees were most pleased to hear a preview of upcoming AARP benefits, revealed for the first time by AARP's Vice President of Membership Lynn Mento -- including grocery coupons, restaurant discounts in conjunction with Restaurants.com, a hearing care program, work and finance webinars, and more travel and entertainment offers.

"If anyone deserves a sneak peek," she told us afterwards, " it's our members attending Vegas@50+." Judging from the loud round of applause that greeted Mento's surprise presentation, those members quite agree.

From Dave Singleton

With a very bass-driven remix of The Rolling Stones' song Sympathy for the Devil blasting from two huge speakers, Carmen Marc Valvo's fashion show began. Gorgeous, willowy tall models in long flowing gowns glided across the stage one by one.

Valvo, the American designer of Spanish and Italian descent whose dress designs and accessories have been a favorite among celebrities for more than 15 years, introduced himself to the rapt AARP audience via fabulous, colorful frocks. But over the next 90
minutes of his presentation, the audience really got to know him through his fashion statement about colon cancer.

If some designers are known for sticking to certain colors and styles, Carmen Marc Valvo mixed it up with this new fall collection of striking multicolored fabrics, adorning everything from sequined cocktail mini dresses to long evening gowns with flowing scarf trains.

Of course, there was the requisite black, long a fashion show staple. But Valvo added hot orange, blue, pink, gold, and silver to the mix. And lots of sequins. Yes, lots of sequins, sometimes comprising the entire dress but mostly just as sexy trim.

If there's one common theme of all dresses is that they shimmer. He clearly loves mixing up fabrics and styles but the man is all about the shimmer. Every dress seemed to appear with its own personal spotlight, with Valvo accenting each woman's features in a sexy, stylish way.

Happily, stylish didn't equate to the stick thin models we've come to expect. While some of the models were thin, not all of them were. That resonated with this largely 50+ audience.

"Thank you for indulging me in my platform of fashion to bring home a much more important message," Valvo said. "I am a fashion designer, but I am also a colon cancer survivor. I am six years clean."

Cancer and fashion aren't two concepts you think about in the same breath, but Valvo wants to change that, and he's one of the first fashionista men to try. He wants to carry on the tradition of other fashion leaders such as Liz Tilberis, the former editor of Harper's
Bazaar magazine, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer several years ago bringing her cancer fight to the fore.

Several years ago, at 48, Valvo was diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent his operation quietly and didn't share his battle. He's quiet about it no more. He wants to make it commonplace, fashionable even, to talk about colon cancer, especially ways to prevent it, such as regular colonoscopies.

He shares his own story in hopes of inspiring others. He knows colon cancer is a touchy subject for many, and he readily admits he wasn't always such a bold advocate."

"I had to convince my doctor to give me a colonoscopy, if you can believe it," he said. "Sometimes you don't listen to yourself. You need to be your own best advocate. Find a doctor who really hears you."

During his talk and subsequent Q&A, he shared his hope that people will raise their awareness of colon cancer now.

"This is the third most prevalent cancer and second most common cause of cancer deaths," Valvo said. "Screenings are so important since early detection is key to recovery."

While Valvo might have introduced himself as a man of style, he quickly showed the audience that he's a man of substance, too.

From Meg Grant

In a Thursday afternoon session at Vegas@50+, author Larry Ackerman encouraged participants to crack their individual identity codes as a way of "turbo-boosting the impact of your lives going forward. It doesn't happen overnight," he cautioned, "but it's a great journey, and there's no downside."

Well, there's not much in life you can say THAT about. Ackerman laid out eight questions that individuals can answer to help identify out who they are, what they have to
offer, and what their legacy will be.

In addition to the obvious "What's my purpose?" question, Ackerman urged audience members to start by making a list of the activities they love and figure out why they love them to get to the root of who they are.

For me, the quick answers would be: tend my rose garden, relax with a very dry martini, write a story, and take pride in my kids - not all in that order. What, in the heck, does that say about me?

From Bill Newcott

They're laughing uncontrollably in here, at the first screening of our annual Movies for Grownups Film Festival. We've got about 400 people here, thoroughly enjoying Certifiably Jonathan, a uniquely offbeat film starring the wonderful Jonathan Winters. It's amazing--the film opens with a 50-year-old clip of Winters on Jack Paar's show, and he just stands there with a stick, making believe it's a fishing pole (hooking his wife), a boating pole, a spear. He's inventing modern improvisational comedy before our eyes. The audience loves it not just because it's funny, but because many of them were there, witnessing history being made.

The woman sitting near me has just jumped up and is heading for the door. Her husband (?) reaches to pull her back, but she whispers, "I've got to get Celeste. She's got to see this."

Later, Winters is talking about his time in a mental hospital in the 50s, about the shock treatments he underwent. "What are you erasing?" he asked them. "We don't know," they answered, "But we need to erase some of that pain."

The movie features a lot of Winters' paintings--a surreal mix of Magritte and Dali. The audience gasps-even though he's painted all his life, few people know his work, until now.

Senior White House Advisor, Valerie Jarrett joins us here in Vegas for Vegas@50+ to talk all things health care reform.

She'll appear at the session, "Health Care Reform - If Now Now, Then When?" showing at 2:30 p.m. PDT (that's 5:30 p.m. for you East coasters!). You can watch the livestream of the session at www.aarp.org/healthcareevent

Let us know what you think of the panel discussion!

From Jodi Lipson in the front of the line as the Exhibit Hall opens:

Joyce Rittman from Apple Valley, Calif., was first in line at the Exhibit Hall, which opened at 10 a.m. "We wanted to get into United Health Care and get a massage," she says. "Free," she adds.

Of course free. Free is the watchword at the Exhibit Hall: a massage for Joyce. Hand wax followed by Theraband exercises (keep the band) for Regina Stierhoff from Columbus, Ohio. AARPers also snatched up the usual candy, keychains, and magnets, of course. Even tuna fish (yes, tuna fish, in foil packets), pill bottle openers, and video e-cards that you can send to those poor schlubs who you left at home while you came to Vegas to get free stuff. Those with more patience can stand in line to spin, Vegas-style, for Verizon playing cards or hand sanitzer, hip Jamaican black T-shirts, a Imperial Capitol Bankcorps' leather briefcase.

Fred Katen's motive for being at the front of the line was less materialistic. "I like to be first," says Katen, from Milford, Conn., "to take advantage of my retirement." There was plenty of information for that, too: retirement communities, cameras for watching your grandchildren grow up, high-tech beds to make you sleep better and shoes to help you walk easier.

Carolyn Kaskavitch from Piedmont, Mo., was more adventurous. Also at the front of the line, she was seeking volunteer vacations. "My niece went to England to do a dig," she says. "At my age, I don't want to dig." She was open to new opportunities. The travel corridor at the Exhibit Hall features booths from around the world, from Laughlin, Nev. (a small Las Vegas, the exhibitor explained to an AARP member who had never heard of it) to Ethiopia, with a table lined with packets of ground coffee. Free, of course.

From Patti Shea

Adrenaline junkies met at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Wednesday to fill their need for speed -- all part of the Richard Petty Experience where AARP members did ride-a-longs in an official NASCAR stock car for three laps at 165 m.p.h. as part of the "Day of Play" preceding the AARP Vegas@50+ Member Event, set to kick off Thursday.

AARP member Rita Bintiff bought her husband, David, the ride as a surprise. As he removed his helmet after his 2-minute, 4 1/2-mile ride, David declared the experience "awesome." In addition to the helmet, riders wore jumpsuits, and neck restraint devices, just like the pros. At the wheel are drivers who race locally in Las Vegas or who are trained by Petty drivers. After each car returned to pit row, the riders climbed out through the window (again, like the pros) with wide smiles on their faces.

When my turn came, I donned a jumpsuit and helmet and jumped in the car with Jimmy, a driver on the Vegas circuit. Being a serious NASCAR cynic, I asked him if there was more to professional driving than "just drive a little while then turn left." It was at that point Jimmy punched it. By Turn 2 we were up to 100 m.p.h and at Turn 4 along the main stretch we had reached 165 m.p.h. We came inches from the wall, hitting 3 Gs in the turns. The pressure on your chest is a reminder that speed is the boss and the thunder of the engines drowns out any screaming (of which there was some.)

In addition to visting Las Vegas Motor Speedway AARP members who registered for the "Day of Play" had the choice of golf at Angel Park Golf Club or a spa session at Canyon Ranch SpaClub. The Vegas@50+ Member Event concludes Saturday.

Hardworking Americans watching the activities of the House Monday afternoon couldn't have liked what they saw. That's because the chamber rejected a bill aimed at stabilizing our financial markets and ensuring that credit would be available in the future to those who need it, want it, and have proven they deserve it.

Of course, the parameters within which we began to debate this rescue package were set askew from the very start. That's because it was introduced to the American people as a bill to manage "illiquid assets," a plan to help "Wall Street fat-cats," and, worst of all: A "bailout." While none of that is true, the attachment of that last word very nearly preordained the bill's outcome. It hardened opposition and prevented many from actually giving the bill a second (or, in some cases, first) look.

Now, I'll admit: The concept introduced by Secretary Paulson last week was not one I was comfortable with. But having been tapped by Leader Boehner to take up that plan, restructure it, and negotiate a good deal on behalf of the American people, I took a second look at the bill and started talking to people with a much broader understanding of the consequences of inaction. It didn't take long to arrive at the realization that our economy had a real problem on its hands.

The economic stability package the House is set to consider this week would achieve a couple of key objectives. For one, it'll allow the Treasury to bring some stability to the market by providing time for assets of currently uncertain value to reach their true level of valuation. When that happens, the American taxpayer will be first in line to collect that value - and if Treasury is able to achieve what experts believe it will, it may actually make a profit on those investments and help pay down our national debt.

In the meantime, the challenges we face are significant - and the window of action available to us is closing rapidly. I hope when the House brings this bill up for a second time this week, members will have benefited from taking a second, maybe third, look at this bill. And if they do, I'm confident we'll be able to pass it.

Republican Whip Roy Blunt

On Monday, despite the support of 60% of Democrats, the House of Representatives voted down a rescue package to save our country from an economic emergency. By the end of the day, $1.2 trillion of invested wealth had been wiped out.

It's easy to think of Wall Street as almost another country, far removed from our daily lives. But think of how much of that $1.2 trillion was in pension funds, retirement accounts, or 401(k)s. What happens on Wall Street affects all of us. Bill Novelli, the head of AARP, wrote that he's found 10 ways in which a financial crisis could harm families and retirees, from higher credit card interest rates, to more home foreclosures, to layoffs, to devastated pension funds. In fact, the value of equity investments held by pensions has declined 23% over the past year--that means that nearly $600 billion in retirement savings had evaporated. This morning brought the news that the economy lost 159,000 jobs last month, and more than three-quarters of a million jobs this year.

Worse could be on the way without strong action from Congress. Fortunately, we're bringing a new version of the rescue plan to the floor of the House today. The Senate passed that version on Wednesday, and we hope to do the same.

Both Democrats and Republicans have significantly improved the President's plan. We fought to ensure that taxpayers will be the first to profit if and when those assets rise again in value.

We restricted executive compensation, because CEOs whose recklessness helped bring on this crisis do not deserve taxpayer-subsidized golden parachutes.

Finally, we will help homeowners renegotiate their mortgages, to prevent a further flood of 2 million projected foreclosures that would devastate our communities.

On Wednesday, the Senate raised federal insurance of bank accounts from, $100,000 to $250,000, and also chose to add several tax cuts.

I disagree with those tax provisions, because they will be financed irresponsibly, by borrowing more money on top of our huge national debt.

But an emergency like this is the time to compromise. For the sake of families struggling to keep their homes, workers afraid of pink slips they did nothing to earn, and millions of seniors who deserve to keep the money they saved all their lives--the House must act today.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

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!

Man, I love the Brits. Raunchy humor, pubs, fish and chips. What's not to like? Here's another good reason - they celebrate the beauty of their more experienced countrymen! Check out this new poll of Britain's sexiest older men. Mamma Mia! Star Pierce Brosnan tops the list. And he's in good company - his handsome compatriots Mick Jagger, Sean Connery, Rod Stewart, and Paul McCartney are also ranked high. Who would top your list?

Your health, rising gas prices - as if you needed another reason to get walking. But thanks to the fine folks at Google, you can now use their Maps tool for walking directions. Click over there to try it out - see if you can plan a route that challenges you! I wonder how many calories you burn carrying your dry cleaning home instead of driving (not to mention gas savings)...

Do you know the signs of a heart attack? Most people don't, even those with a history of heart disease according to a new article on AARP Bulletin Today. But being able to recognize these signs can lead to prompt treatment and increase the chances of survival. "Obviously, cardiac patients should know how to save their own lives by learning the symptoms and getting rapid treatment," says Robert A. Phillips, M.D., cardiologist and director of the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. "They should also know that cardiac rehabilitation after an attack is as effective on reducing mortality as any surgery or medicine we can offer them. So my advice is, talk to your doctor and demand it."

So what should you look out for? Signs of cardiac trouble can include:

· nausea

· brief loss of consciousness

· pain in the jaw, chest or left arm

· shortness of brief

Like the good doctor said, talk to your physician! Talk to your friends, talk to your partner, talk to your neighbor and make sure they know the signs too. You've got the heart smarts, so share 'em!

"Whoever thought 20 plus years of experience would be a liability?" questions experienced film reporter Lisa Johnson Mandell in this morning's TODAY show segment on "De-Aging Your Resume."

So what exactly is it that folks should do to downplay years of valuable experience? According to TODAY show contributor Jean Chatzky, "For women, shorten your skirts a little bit. Cover your grays."

Pardon me, but I just choked on my Kashi. Jean! Usually your money and career advice is so spot on! But to suggest that the length of a woman's skirt and the color of her hair are valid employment criteria is a little off base. Jamie Lee Curtis showed AARP just a few months ago that going gray isn't the end of the world, and we know of many companies that LOVE the idea of 20 or 30 years of experience! No doctored up resumes needed over at RetirementJobs.com either!

I don't believe that a person's experience should be a liability, do you?

For some real career resources, check out these tips - including employment websites for 50+ workers - on AARP's website .

By Neil Schuster, president and CEO, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA)

Over the last 10 years the press has made much ado regarding the question, "How old is too old to drive?" Fortunately, after much debate and discussion, most highway safety advocates and medical professionals agree that age should not be the critical factor in determining someone's physical and cognitive fitness to drive.

I agree. And with so few transportation alternatives available today, our best plan of action should be to implement the types of policies, practices and licensing procedures at the state level that help people continue driving for as long as it is safely possible.
To that end, today, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) released some key objectives and policies that could help safely lengthen everyone's time behind the wheel as well as better identify at-risk drivers. And it gives me great pleasure to say, "State motor vehicle agencies (DMVs) are already implementing, or exploring how to implement, many of the AAAFTS recommendations!"

But even though your DMV is already on the case where many of the AAAFTS recommendations are concerned, not all of the objectives can be easily implemented, especially given state budget constraints and competing state and federal priorities.
Here's what I mean.

One of the recommendations suggests that states should require an in-person examination at each renewal cycle. In theory, it is a good safety practice to periodically retest drivers of all ages, but is it necessary at every renewal and how realistic is it in today's budget-strapped environment?

State DMVs lack funding to employee the additional personnel needed to carry out this task. Given limited resources, if state DMVs did attempt retest every licensee at every renewal, you would likely be waiting in line for hours to renew your own license because of the additional volume of people being reexamined.

This isn't a bad idea. But it presents a challenge to the DMV. Again, given limited resources, should DMV focus on retesting every license holder at every renewal, or invest scarce dollars in other programs, whether graduated licenses for teen drivers or, greater education and enforcement of repeat impaired drivers, or other programs that might yield a better safety payoff?

So the question becomes, not "how old is too old," but "where are limited dollars best employed in the battle to improve road safety?"

Founded in 1933, AAMVA is a non-profit voluntary educational association representing the chief motor vehicle administrators and law enforcement officials in the U.S. and Canada. AAMVA promotes uniformity among its members by developing best practices in driver's licensing and ID credentialing, vehicle tilting and registration and law enforcement, among others.

"It's not an obligation," says The Eighth Promise author William Poy Lee of offering to care for his aging mother in an AARP Bulletin special video report on aging in China. Lee, an American-born Chinese, refers to the ancient tradition of xiao shun, or filial piety.

Although Lee's mom declined his offer to live with him, preferring like most people to age in place, he takes comfort in that she did so freely. "Filial piety isn't rote or assumed, but rather a loving, symbiotic relationship," he writes.

You can read more about xiao shun and aging in China by following the links. Share your story in the comments section - we can all learn from each other!

Scary news from TIME: a study published last week by the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections found that the rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise. Amongst study participants, from 1996 to 2003 total cases of chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital warts for people over 45 increased 127%, even more than for patients under age 45 ( 97%). Dr. Sharon Lee, a Kansas City family physician and medical director of HIV Wisdom for Older Women, points to a lack of sex ed as a critical reason for this increase. She says that "as people get older, they don't worry about pregnancy as much," and without education about STDs, many older people believe infertility negates the need for protection.

So what should you do? Start by having an honest dialogue with your sexual partner and with your doctor. If you're not sure where to start, you can read more about love and relationships on AARP's website.

Yet another reason to put down that pack: according to new research from the Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease, drinking and smoking heavily increases the risk of early onset of Alzheimer's. A study of 938 people age 60 and older found that these behaviors were linked to onset as much as six or seven years earlier than average. The good news: researchers also found that lifestyle modifications can delay and even prevent the disease.

It's never too late to quit! For more information on nicotine addiction and smoking cessation, visit the Walgreens Health Library.

Welcome to the big 5-0, Kevin Bacon! We're still trying to figure out our degrees from Kevin Bacon, but with AARP's network of over 39 million members it can't be too high. Now that he's of eligible age, we look forward to being able to welcome Bacon as a member (FYI: that would give us a Bacon number of one. Did you know that there is an actual computer program that calculates exact Bacon numbers and the so-called Center of the Hollywood Universe?).

Instead of sending cards or flowers, wish our buddy a happy birthday by visiting Six Degrees. Last year, the organization was founded with Bacon's support using the idea of connection to promote and raise funds for different charities. As Bacon writes, "It's a small world...accomplish something good."

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

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

This has been quite a week for talking about money - especially for AARP. Our folks have been at conferences, talking to Congress, and popping up in the media even!

We thought we'd invite someone to guest blog with us here at Shaarp Session about your money and offer some advice. Ric Edelman has been ranked among the 100 best financial advisors in America five times and he's here to offer some advice about what do with your 401(k) when it's time to move on to a new job. Check it out below - and send us your questions about personal finance. We'll make sure Ric gets to see them.

If you’re leaving an employer, what should you do with the money in your retirement plan?

Regardless of why you’re leaving — you’re retiring, you found a new job, you quit, you were fired, whatever — we routinely recommend that you move the money to an IRA account. This is true regardless of what kind of retirement plan you have — 401(k), 403(b), 457, TSP, etc.

Moving the money from a former employer’s plan to an IRA has several advantages: You gain the ability to select from a potentially unlimited number of investment options, and you enjoy complete control over your account, with no interference from a Human Resources or plan administrator.

When people move money from an employer plan to an IRA, they frequently refer to the transaction as a “rollover.” But that term is rather inaccurate. A true rollover occurs only when your employer sends you a check for the account balance that’s made payable to you. In this case, you’d deposit the check and write a new one, which you’d forward to your IRA account. Rollovers must be completed (meaning the money must be deposited into the IRA) within 60 days; otherwise, you’ll owe taxes (plus a 10% IRS penalty if you are under age 59½ at the time of the rollover). To make matters worse, employers typically withhold 20% of the funds when sending you that check. It’s hard to roll over money that you never get — making it more likely that you’ll incur taxes and penalties!

Fortunately, there’s an easier way to move money out of that employer plan. Simply sign a form your employer can give you, authorizing a “direct transfer.” The form instructs your employer to send the money in your retirement account directly to your IRA. This is easy (you just sign the form) and stress-free (there’s no 60-day deadline). Plus, your employer will not withhold 20% of your money!

Sometimes, employers send “transfer” checks to the employee (you) instead of directly to the IRA. Have no fear: As long as the check is payable to the IRA trustee or custodian, it’s considered a transfer and not a rollover. It’s OK even if your name appears on the check. (Your name should be preceded by the initials FBO, which means “For the Benefit Of.”)

Thus, if you receive such a check, don’t deposit or sign it. Instead, just mail it to your IRA. You’ll get confirmation shortly, showing that the money has been deposited into your account.

Then, sit back and relax, knowing that your retirement assets are working for you.

By Ric Edelman

ShAARP Session invited Senators Baucus and Grassley - the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Committee in charge of Medicare in the Senate - to guest blog. Below you'll see each of them explain their respective bills to you. Now you have the chance to respond to them with your thoughts and concerns.

The following statements from Senators Baucus and Grassley regarding their competing Medicare bills are
unedited and do not reflect AARP's position.

If Congress doesn't act, the physicians who treat Medicare patients will face a 10.6 percent pay cut, effective July 1. Such a dramatic cut would very likely hurt older Americans' access to their doctors. A big number of doctors might stop dealing with Medicare altogether.

The Republican bill prevents the cut and gives a small payment increase to keep doctors serving Medicare patients. The physician payments are the same as in the Democratic leaders' bill. Neither bill is more generous than the other to doctors.

The Republican bill has several other Medicare improvements. It increases payments to doctors who report quality data to the government to help link payments with quality. It promotes value-based purchasing, e-prescribing to reduce medication errors, and electronic health records. It includes responsible proposals to preserve Medicare access in rural areas, including much-needed payment improvements for rural hospitals and home health care. It returns the ownership of oxygen equipment to the supplier, not the beneficiary, so the beneficiary doesn't have to get the equipment serviced. It cracks down on abusive sales tactics by Medicare Advantage plans and makes plan quality information available to beneficiaries for comparison shopping. It improves cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, renal care, diabetes prevention, and outpatient therapy. It extends programs to help low-income seniors and families.

Unlike the Democratic leaders' bill, the Republican bill does not:
* cut payments for power wheelchairs;
* reduce payments for oxygen;
* make large, unwarranted cuts to Medicare Advantage, altering policy decisions designed to maximize patient choice;
* eliminate the fund that Congress specifically created to help avert future physician cuts; or
* expand eligibility for low-income Medicare programs, which although well-intentioned, would increase long-term entitlement spending and expand coverage under an already fiscally challenged program.

Maybe most important, the President will sign the Republican bill. The President would veto the Democratic leaders' bill. Meanwhile, the Democratic leaders walked away from bipartisan negotiations and put a timely outcome of this effort in jeopardy. The Republican bill does everything Medicare beneficiaries need to protect their access to
doctors and prevent a physician revolt. There's nothing in it that Democratic leaders would find objectionable if they put aside their political lens and looked at it as Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.

The following statements from Senators Baucus and Grassley regarding their competing Medicare bills are unedited and do not reflect AARP's position.

The laws governing Medicare have a big influence on seniors’ access to health care, and on the quality of the care they receive. As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I’ve introduced the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” to update Medicare laws and make the program work better for every single American senior. It’s the best bill Congress can pass for seniors this year.

The Baucus bill starts by helping more low-income seniors get help with their Medicare premiums. It has incentives for more primary care doctors to take Medicare patients. It allows for more preventive care in Medicare, to keep seniors healthier, and lowers co-payments for mental health services. It provides more money to rural hospitals, ambulance services, and other facilities to make sure seniors get quality care no matter where they live. It cracks down on shady marketers selling seniors on private plans they don’t need or want. And it makes sure local pharmacists get paid promptly for dispensing medicines under the drug benefit, to keep affordable medications available everywhere.

The Baucus bill is responsible, too, paying for these improvements with smart savings found elsewhere in Medicare. It’s important for you to know that these savings in no way endanger any senior’s access to health coverage, health care, or medical equipment. Rather, savings come from strengthening the rules applied to private fee-for-service plans – which are paid 17 percent more than the amount paid to other Medicare providers – and by reducing overpayments to wheelchair and oxygen providers, who sometimes receive more than 1000 percent of the cost of the equipment they supply. In most cases, these changes will even reduce seniors’ out-of-pocket co-payments while also saving taxpayer dollars.

The President threatens to veto this bill, but I believe Congress should do the very best it can for seniors, and pass the Medicare bill that does the most for all who use the program. The Baucus bill goes the extra mile – particularly for rural and low-income seniors – while giving doctors a decent payment increase that won’t explode costs or inflate premiums. And the Baucus bill saves money in Medicare without endangering anyone’s access to care. I’ll work with other Senators and even the White House to get a good bill signed into law. But the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act is the right start to make Medicare better for every American senior.

This is intriguing.

Reuters had a story yesterday on the potential positive effects that whole body vibration training (WBV) may have on older folks. What is WBV, do you ask? It merely involves standing on platform that sends mild vibratory impulses through the feet and into the rest of the body.

Exercise therapy without having to exercise? Sounds like a win-win to me. They say this strategy could be particularly useful for older women:

In 1 study of 28 postmenopausal women, for example, researchers found that WBV appeared to increase bone density in the hip. The 8-month training regimen required the women to stand on a WBV platform, in a squat position, for six 1-minute cycles, 3 times per week.

Another small study of postmenopausal women found that over one year, WBV training seemed to inhibit bone loss in the spine and hip area.

In the meantime, this like an interesting new form of therapy that folks could potentially benefit from - although the idea of a platform as your exercise machine does seem a bit silly. "Going to the platform to work out, honey!"

It's Friday the 13th! My father insists that this is his lucky day, but so far mine seems to be living up to the legend of back luck! I'll spare you details.

Did you know there's a phobia for Friday the 13th? Paraskevidekatriaphobia! Who knew!? USA Today explores some of the myths around this unlucky day. Any stories you'd like to share? Care to debunk the myth?

Full confession: I love “weird” news. I check Yahoo! Odd News daily, sometimes hourly (shh! don't tell my boss!). I came across these two tidbits: protesting nuns and French spiderman.

Now, there are a lot of causes I’m passionate about – access to health care and financial security chief among them – but I don’t know that I’d chain myself up, much less scale a skyscraper. Signing a pledge is more my style. What about you – what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to support an issue you care about?

Bill Novelli, AARP's CEO, sounds off on today's Medicare vote:

“Eight in ten older Americans are concerned about their health care bills; even more are worried about what those bills will be in the coming years. It’s unfortunate that some senators voted to block debate on real, positive changes to our health care system.”

To see what else he had to say click here.

Yesterday we said we’d let you know if your senator voted to Keep Medicare Fair for you, and today we’re posting the record of their votes. Click here to see how your senator voted.

Feel free to sound off here, or give your senator a call and let them know how you’re feeling.

I must have health on the mind lately (healthy drinks, health care, etc.) because when I was skimming the news this morning I found a story about these ladies who tap dance! They started tapping as a little light exercise once a week and now they're practically Vegas showgirls!

Check out this video of the Hot Flash Hoofers (I didn't make it up!) in action:

The World Health Organization has new data out on the health of its 193 member states. First, the good news: for the first time life expectancy in the U.S. has passed 78 years. This means that children born in 2006 are expected to live longer than ever. Now the bad: according to this story by AP writer Mike Stobbe, “the United States continues to lag behind about 30 other countries in estimated life span.” Hmmm … it would probably help if all Americans had access to health care, like some of our longer-living European friends. (We’re working on it. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and take your health into your own hands by checking out some healthy living tips.)

Many of your have heard about our effort to Keep Medicare Fair. With premiums skyrocketing over the last decade, AARP is working to make sure inaction in Congress doesn't add up to big jumps in your health care bills.

Congress has been listening to you and to us, and they're getting somewhere. Tomorrow, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a Medicare bill that AARP gave a thumbs up to earlier this week (link to article or press release). That bill keeps premium increases reasonable, improves help for low-income people in Medicare and creates a national system for electronic prescriptions to help lower the chance of a mix-ups with your drugs.

Thursday's vote won't decide whether or not the bill passes, but it will decide if the Senate can continue to work on this particular bill. They need 60 votes to keep moving forward with this bill to keep Medicare fair for you. If we don't get 60 votes, we're starting all over, and creeping closer and closer to the June 30 deadline for a Medicare bill.

SHAARPSession is going to watch Thursday's vote, and we'll report the results right here, so you'll know right away how your senators voted. In the meantime, visit KeepMedicareFair.org and call or e-mail your senators. Let them know they need to Keep Medicare Fair.

And if you have a story to share about your rising health care bills, sound off in the comments. We want to hear from you.

Have you seen this ad for the Alliance for Climate Protection yet? Pretty striking, right? Left and right working together for the greater good of all…sounds vaguely familiar. Who does Al Gore think he is?!

OK, OK – Divided We Fail doesn’t actually own the idea on encouraging bi-partisan solutions to the problems facing Americans. I guess great minds really do think alike that if we’re going to accomplish anything, we’re going to have to work together. What are you waiting for? Go ahead, get involved already!

CNN Health Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is reported yesterday that she recently learned her insurance company was storing her health records online. She seemed a little concerned she didn’t know about that—and she has a point. It’s tough to know what standards her insurance company is using and how secure her records really are.

At the same time, AARP was on Capitol Hill yesterday talking to congress about how to make sure medical records are safe, but also make sure your doctors have access to the information they need to keep you healthy.

Electronic health records and health information technology (or Health IT if you're saving time) have been proven to reduce mistakes and improve efficiency when it comes to health care. That saves lives and money, but only if the government sets standards for security and interoperability.

Now, your bank card wouldn’t be very useful if it didn’t work at all ATMs and your health records won’t do much good if they’re locked on a computer in Albuquerque while you’re on vacation in Hawaii.

We all know that gas prices are going up, up, up, and that as a result more people are riding mass transit. But what about commuting to work on your bike? According to this blog post from Freakonomics, Dutch workers can use up to $750 of pre-tax income triennially to purchase bikes. In offering this subsidy, the Dutch government aims to incentivize short-distance commuters and decrease air pollution. Added bonus: a more active and healthy population. Makes sense to me.

Do you ride your bike to work? If not, would you if (OK, when) gas prices rise even higher?

Check out Newsweek.com’s "A Guide for Caregivers." Author Joan Raymond offers tips on medical, financial, legal, and housing issues you can discuss with your aging relatives and points to additional helpful resources. Before you join the ranks of the approximately 20 million Americans taking care of their families and their aging parents – what we at AARP call the sandwich generation – it’s important to open a dialogue about these issues with your parents. You can also visit AARP's caregiving page or pick up our book, Caring for Your Parents, at Borders for more information.

’It's kind of odd to think of Woodstock in terms of AARP…But that's probably the magazine we're going to advertise in,’ said Woodstock museum director Wade Lawrence in a recent Chicago Tribune article.

Woodstock seemed like a bookend to such a tumultuous decade – one filled with political turmoil and social change. My parents certainly didn’t get to experience Woodstock and its three days of “peace and music,” but it's been a marker for their younger years. Something by which to gauge the changing world around them. The generation that came of age during the 60s is redefining what the new 50, 60 and heck, even 70, looks and feels like now.

Any good Woodstock stories to share? Send us your pictures and we’ll post them up.

Peace, man.

Check out this Yahoo! article about aging Aussies who rallied for better pensions … in their underwear. Well, it certainly got our attention, right? How far would you go to make your voice heard? Here’s an idea – start by signing the Divided We Fail pledge to ensure that all Americans have access to health care and long-term financial security. You can also share your story and spread the word about Divided We Fail. It’s not naked, but it’s a start!

The word today from Lindsay Thomson:

In “Driven to the Brink: How the Gas Price Spike Popped the Housing Bubble and Devalued the Suburbs,” a new report out from CEOs for Cities, author Joe Cortright writes:

“For decades, the growth of suburban housing was predicated on cheap gas. In effect, the low price of gas made sprawl economical. While predatory and sub-prime lending have been blamed for the housing crisis and have certainly contributed to the problem, another economic factor has been almost entirely overlooked in the timing and the geography of the nation’s housing market implosion. The rise in gas prices from less than $1.10 in early 2002 to more than $3 today has dealt a major blow to consumer purchasing power and weighs most heavily on those metropolitan areas and those suburbs where people have to drive the farthest. Indeed, the decline in housing markets is strongly correlated with auto dependence.”

Ahem, make that nearly $4 a gallon. Poh-ta-to, po-tah-to, right? Unfortunately not … AARP has long promoted livable communities – places with a range of transportation options and accessible housing that can enable people of all ages and abilities to live independently and be engaged in community life. Looks like we can add rising gas prices to our list of reasons why livable communities just make sense.

Jill is back in the house - tan, rested and ready from her visit to warmer climes. It's been a fun week blogging with you all. If she let's me guest blog in the future, I'm demanding my own avatar! Even I don't drink that much coffee!

- Tammy

We just got the neatest letter from First Lady Laura Bush “thanking us for the opportunity to discuss women’s heart health” in AARP Bulletin this summer.

It seems Mrs. Bush got a phone call from a nurse whose patient’s life was saved because she read the article! This is a great story – here are a few excepts from the First Lady’s letter:

“The patient arrived at the emergency room 30 minutes after she began feeling chest pains. She told the nurse that the day before she had read the Bulletin’s article describing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women. She also mentioned she would feel silly if her chest pain was not a heart attack,

“Within 20 minutes of being at the hospital doctors determined that she was indeed having a heart attack and they began preparing her for a cardiac catheterization. She suddenly became unresponsive … and the team of doctors quickly responded by shocking her heart two times. She was stabilized and the doctors went on to perform a cardiac catheterization …

“Within 50 minutes of the onset of her symptoms, her heart had gone into a rhythm that could have caused her death if she had not read the AARP Bulletin and recognized the signs…

“This patient’s personal story highlights the importance of raising awareness about heart disease in women. Keep spreading the word – together we can continue to make a lifesaving difference!

“With best wishes,
Laura Bush”

I hate to be so cheesy, but I’m reminded of AARP’s motto, “The power to make it better.” It feels pretty darn good to be a part of this organization. We were so proud we had it framed and are looking for a prominent place to hang it for everyone to see.

We’re an organization that was started by a woman, so we don’t need Susan B. Anthony Day to recognize great female talent. But, why not spotlight women who are doing great things?

Check out these links to AARP’s Board and E-Team and get to know trailblazers like President-Elect Jennie Chin Hansen, General Counsel Joan Wise and Nancy Leamond who heads up Divided We Fail and all of AARP’s Social Impact work. (And there are plenty more where that came from… Joanne, Shereen, Ellie, Bonnie, Cora, Nelda, Mara, Robin, Maeona, Mary and Joanne!)

And on our 50th Anniversary, get to know Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, the feisty former teacher that started this whole crazy thing. She’d be proud of AARP’s new generation of women leaders and of our nearly 20 million women members.

AARP The Magazine’s Editor Steve Slon tells Valentine Day love seekers, “You don't have to be a glamorous movie star like Demi Moore to proudly sport a younger man.” We recently featured a study in the magazine that found one third 40+ single women are dating younger men.

It seems that marriage is less on our minds over 40 than when we obsessed through our younger years. What we all want most is someone to just hang out and have fun with. Maybe we aren’t so unlike our brothers when it comes to enjoying a wide range of ages.

For those of us that are single, the study found that 53 percent of those surveyed said personal freedom was the biggest perk and a sassy 28 percent of us love not having to answer to anyone but ourselves!

One of the things dearest to our founder’s heart was education. On the occasion of our 50th anniversary, AARP is celebrating that legacy by awarding high schools across the country grants totaling more than $1 million.

As reported in today's Washington Post, AARP CEO Bill Novelli, AARP D.C. State President Denise Rolark Barnes, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and 800 enthusiastic McKinley Technology High School students were on hand to celebrate their $100,000 award, which will deploy students via a technology van to teach participants at senior centers how to use computers.

AARP DC Director Mimi Castaldi, DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, McKinley Principal David Pinder, AARP DC President Denise Rolark Barnes, McKinley student Thandi Burrell, AARP CEO Bill Novelli and Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr.

The first award of the more than $1 million was given to Lincoln High School in Los Angeles where AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus was a principal. The funds will establish a performing arts program for the school and refurbish its auditorium.

Learn more about the Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards by visiting www.aarp.org/legacyaward.

AARP Alaska’s Ann Secrest gets the most creative blog post lead of the day with this contest in the Anchorage Daily News calling for the most creative uses of romance words like “schmoopy” in a poem. Enjoy this one from Vicki Baker in from today’s paper!

OK, so your blogger has no plans for Valentine’s Day. So sad.

If anyone wants to take me out for a last minute date, please peruse the 2008 Movies for Grownups winners for ideas. I know I’m a bit of a nerd, but I might pass on Atonement for Paris, je t'aime, a collection of love stories set in Paris by Gena Rowlands.

(Maybe that’s why I don’t have a date… I should have said I wanted to see American Gangster or In the Shadow of the Moon. Men just love crime and space.)

Whether you heart or hate Valentine’s Day, here are a few things to get you in the mood:

· Tips on teaching your man to be a better kisser!

· Check out this article on revving up your relationship if your desire has been shifted into neutral and find out if there will ever be a PINK VIAGRA…

· Get tips on internet dating and try out our Interactive Personal Ad Maker.

· Did AARP’s Music Blogger Get the Top 10 Love Songs of All Time Right? Weigh in on your choices here.

· Read more about Hollywood bad boy and Bucket List star Jack Nicholson’s latest thoughts on love from the AARP The Magazine cover story: “I’d do everything to a woman of AARP age, and have. In fact, every year I like to cover a very broad spectrum.”

· Learn the secrets of 50-year marriages.

Leave us a comment here and tell us how you’re feeling today.

Bill Novelli, AARP’s CEO, issued the following statement after the President signed into law a bipartisan economic stimulus package passed by Congress last week.

“Today is a reminder of how leaders in Washington should work together more often.

“Last month, our elected officials worked across party lines to propose a stimulus plan that focused almost entirely on tax rebates and business incentives. The American people voiced their concern that this plan would be unfair, leaving out approximately 20 million people who depend on Social Security, as well as disabled veterans. In the end, Congress listened and passed a better plan that will give these people a little help in a tough time, as well as a role in turning around our economy.

“Today, the President signed the bill into law and directed the federal government to move quickly on the package.

“All this happened in the span of three weeks – and it only happened because elected officials were willing to move past partisan politics and listen to their constituents.

“The stimulus bill, while not perfect, is a breakthrough in Washington, where partisan gridlock has stalled progress on critical issues like affordable health care and lifetime economic security. We are grateful to Congressional and Administration leaders from both parties for listening to the American people and getting this done. Now let’s keep it up.”

Today, President Bush signed the new economic stimulus rebate program you advocated for into law, but that’s not the end of this story.

As CNNMoney.com reports today, “The decision to add 20 million seniors to the ranks of Americans who'll get rebates as part of the economic stimulus plan was in the end an easy one to make. Getting the rebates in their hands may not be as simple to do.”

The deal is, nearly 12 million low-income older Americans don’t file tax returns because they normally aren’t required to. But in order to receive their tax rebate, many will have to file a 2007 federal tax return this year.

Stay tuned as we expect to hear more this afternoon. AARP is planning a campaign to let you all know what you need to do in order to get your rebate.

In the mean time if you’d like to volunteer, get free assistance with your taxes or learn more, visit AARP Tax-Aide’s website.

According to the Washington Post, “In Virginia, exit polls estimated that nearly one-third of registered voters turned out yesterday, a state record in a presidential primary. In the District, nearly three times as many voters cast ballots as in the 2004 primary. Maryland officials, meanwhile, projected turnout of about 39 percent, nearly equal to the record set in 1992.”

AARP Virginia’s Amy Gilbody pointed us to this story that had people voting on slips of paper because they ran out of ballots!

Despite nasty weather that left some commuters on the road for 8+ hours, you stuck to it and let your vote be counted. Thanks to all of the AARP volunteers that braved the cold to greet commuters with Divided We Fail candidate side-by-side brochures!

AARP VA's Divided We Fail Program Assistant Liz Gannon talks with voters on Election Day.

You may remember that last year AARP called on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to fully release the list of the poorest performing nursing homes in the country. We just think that families have a right to know that the care their loved ones receive may be sub-standard.

Well, the list is out and there are about 130 facilities on it. To see if your loved ones nursing home is on it, click here (pdf).

Today, AARP CEO Bill Novelli, Business Roundtable President John Castellani, SEIU President Andy Stern and NFIB President and CEO Todd Stottlemyer announced that their organizations – which collectively represent more than 53 million Americans and together make up Divided We Fail – would be pushing for a new bill that gives business a tax credit if they provide their employees tools to get and stay healthy.

The legislation is called the “Healthy Workforce Act: and was introduced today by the bipartisan team of Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR). If passed, the law would give the credit to business that offered programs containing at least three of the following elements:

* Health awareness/education – including assessments and preventive screenings;
* Behavioral change – including counseling, seminars or self-help materials;
* Supportive environment– including health premium reductions or daytime exercise options; and
* Employee engagement– to tailor the program to the needs of the company’s workforce

To learn more, visit www.dividedwefail.org.

This just in from AARP Virginia State Director Bill Kallio: While AARP staff and members were spreading the Divided We Fail message today, they ran into Governor Tim Kaine who was on his way to vote. The team told him about our efforts to bring bipartisan support to the issues of health care and financial security – and he signed the pledge!

Take the pledge, tell us your story and see who else has signed on at www.dividedwefail.org.

AARP staff and volunteers pose with Governor Tim Kaine after he signed the Divided We Fail pledge.

Three weeks ago, Congressional and Administration officials introduced an economic stimulus proposal that would have left out approximately 20 million Americans who depend primarily on Social Security and disabled veterans. Tomorrow, the President is scheduled to sign off on a better plan – one that will give these people a little help during a tough time and offers them a role in helping turn our economy around.

What happened to improve the plan? You did.

This story in today’s Politico highlights how AARP’s volunteers and other everyday Americans got fired up and let their elected officials know that any stimulus plan had to be fair. You told them providing support to these people who would otherwise be left out did two things: help those that need it most and give money to people who would put it right back into the economy. You told them it was smart policy and the right thing to do. As the Politico reports, you told them more than 215,000 times in one week alone.

You did well, and you did good. Congratulations and thank you.

AARP CEO Bill Novelli takes the the Hill in support of the plan. Here at a press conference with Senator Max Baucus.

Despite sporadic snow flurries in the Beltway and rare winter weather advisories, the local media says turn out is “high” and voters are “enthusiastic” today.

Our Divided We Fail volunteers were braving the cold this morning to distribute candidate side-by-side brochures that outline where the candidates stand on health care and financial security issues.

Check out the pics from AARP Maryland's State Director Joe DeMattos:

AARP Senior Vice President for Media Relations, Mark Kitchens reported from his Alexandria, VA polling station “Lines were long but my fellow ‘Potomac Primary’ voters seemed really excited about casting their ballots. Despite more than an hour wait during the morning rush, both rookie and veteran voters stayed in line. I’ve never seen this much energy and dedication at my polling place.”

AARP’s Volunteer Community Coordinator Brenda Kelley-Nelum made today’s Washington Post while front and center at the Barack Obama rally at TC Williams High School in Alexandria yesterday. Check out that great red Divided We Fail fleece she’s wearing!

See Divided We Fail in your newspaper? Send us the link!

Divided We Fail volunteers fanned out across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia today greeting candidates with questions on health care and financial security and passing out information at Metro stops during the morning commute.

With 168 Democratic delegates and 116 Republican delegates up for grabs, you can bet there will be more volunteers spreading the Divided We Fail story tomorrow as voters head to the polls.

Let us know if you see them on your commute!

AARP’s Stepheni Schlinker reports on the statewide launch of Divided We Fail in Michigan today: “Despite a “feels like” temperature of -15 today in Lansing, Divided We Fail had a smoking kick off today beginning with AARP State President Eric Schneidewind doing morning radio interviews in 12 markets followed by a jam-packed press conference.

Divided We Fail allies from AARP, SEIU and NFIB Michigan joined Senator Mark Schauer (D) and Rep. Rick Shaffer (R) at the kick off where they talked about the importance of working together in a bipartisan manner to solve our nation’s health care and financial security problems.

Everyone signed the oversized Divided We Fail pledge and then headed back out into the frigid cold! We’re still burning up the phone lines talking to legislators and reporters about this great project though… even if our noses are frozen.”

Sign the pledge here.

Some thoughts from AARP's Jim Dau:

It’s hard to find a silver lining in the news coming out of Wall Street and Washington, where global economic volatility is further threatening the financial security of millions of Americans. However, we’re at least grateful that the political media is finally spending more time discussing the economic plans of various candidates (for instance here and here), rather than breathlessly dissecting horse race numbers, photo-ops and slung mud.

The campaign press is waking up to what voters already knew – economic security is a critically important issue. In the Iowa caucuses three weeks ago, voters cited economic concerns as their top issue. Even back in November, both AARP polling and Washington Post polling showed big concern from voters on financial security issues.
Voters want impartial and substantive information on the candidates’ economic plans. It may be that an economic stimulus package is less sexy than decades-old allegations of wrong-doing, but hopefully reporters get that it’s more important.

Here’s an update from Amy Gilbody from AARP Virginia, who is trekking around Virginia and talking about Divided We Fail:

Last week, we brought DWF to the Virginia General Assembly! We camped ourselves out for the week in the lobby of the General Assembly Building – an AARP first. Volunteers from our Driver's Safety, Tax Aide, Faith in Action, Rebuilding Together, and Divided We Fail programs all hung out and chatted with legislators and others about the good work they are doing. We finished the week with a day dedicated solely to Divided We Fail. Not only did we give away fun goodies, we also were able to talk to folks about health and financial security and get them fired up about learning about the issues.

It wasn’t just the staff and visitors who we chatted with - even those in the executive branch got involved, including Virginia Department for the Aging’s Ben Garrett.

An update from Stepheni Schlinker of AARP Michigan, where they are running around crazy on primary day:

AARP Michigan State President Eric Eric Schneidewind was in the Citadel Broadcasting studio from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. this morning with the morning news show host – Michael Patrick Shiels – and right away, Shiels told Eric that Mitt Romney was “calling into the show in 5 minutes,” and said he wanted Eric to ask Mitt a question from AARP. So, there was a little witty banter between Shiels and Romney about his dad being Governor of Michigan in the 60s and then he introduced Eric and told Romney that he wanted to ask a question on behalf of AARP. Eric told Romney about DWF and asked, “What is the plan for ensuring the future solvency of Medicare?” Romney started with saying that “we need to reign in the growth and cost of Medicare” and then used his Massachusetts health plan example.

Following the Romney piece, Eric was able to talk extensively about DWF, specifically keying in on the importance of financial security and affordable, quality healthcare. They talked about why our members are more likely to vote (experience, they see the difference leaders can make, why having a good leader is important to the future of our children/grandchildren, etc.). He explained that AARP does not endorse specific candidates and encouraged voters to visit www.dividedwefail.org to check out where the candidates stand on DWF issues such as affordable health care, social security, Medicare, financial security and breaking Washington gridlock.

A dispatch from my colleague, Jeff Johnson, in Florida, who is tracking the candidates across the Sunshine State:

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was two hours late to events in Sarasota and St Pete. We had people in the front row of both stops. Because a couple of us got to the St Pete stop late, we were locked out in Florida cold weather (aka 50 degrees). It worked out though...when his bus finally pulled up, we it let him out right where we were standing, so the first things he saw were Dived We Fail signs.

At the deli across the street from the event, Huckabee and McCain volunteers stayed warm (!) while waiting for a meeting that ultimately never happened. The McCain people had volunteered in New Hampshire and knew immediately who we were and said they saw us everywhere up there. They were excited to see us in Florida too. The Huckabee people said they had all signed the Divided We Fail pledge and were glad their candidate had too.

Giuliani made it to his last stop in Lakeland at an ice cream parlor at 9:30, saw two Divided We Fail volunteers up front, poked one in the chest and said "AARP." It was his sixth stop of the day and he'd seen red shirts at all six.

But the Naked Cowboy sighting still tops the day. That and this little vignette of 21st Century campaigning: Rudy is on the bus in Clearwater, he stands up to put on his coat, and the TV on his bus (turned to Fox News) starts a story on Rudy campaigning in Fort Myers earlier in the day. So Rudy puts down his coat, sits back down, and watched an interview of himself conducted on the bus he's now sitting in. After the segment he gets back up, puts the coat on, and comes out to meet the chilled but rowdy crowd at the rope line.

This morning Iowa is returning to her old quiet self. Huckabee and Obama exited with big wins – but there is little time to celebrate – they are now headed to the Northeast for the next major contest due to take place next Tuesday.

After massive late night parties – the reporters, pundits, campaign staff, academics, etc. are all part of a mass exodus to New Hampshire (if they didn’t already head there with the candidates last night). This morning, Divided We Fail volunteers and staff were camped out at the Des Moines International Airport to bid the throngs who came to Iowa to experience the caucus farewell. We handed out healthy trail mix, Divided We Fail key-chains and little red piggy-banks to remind them of their time in Iowa (and the importance of saving for your financial future – of course). Happy Trails! We’ll see you in four years.

Four years ago, the Val Air Ballroom became famous for a scream – yes, this West Des Moines landmark was where Howard Dean let out a shrill, shriek that many say was the beginning of the end of his presidential bid. This year the Val Air will sit empty on caucus night. Despite the Val Air being a prime location for a big party, the candidates will be celebrating at other locations this time around. Were the candidates afraid of the Dean jinx? I doubt any would admit it – but we can assume.

Despite the caucus-night (possible) jinx, the Val Air has been a flurry of activity leading up to the caucus. Last night, the stage was set for former North Carolina Senator John Edwards who brought a flurry of stars including John Mellencamp, who played five of his most politically-charged songs. “Champions for Change” were in attendance to hear the former Senator address the crowd and call for universal health care, citing examples of Iowans he hasmet who are uninsured or underinsured.

Two nights ago the Val Air stage was set for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who took the stage with his own superstar – Chuck Norris. “Champions for Change” also had a presence at this event. They reported hearing Huckabee touch on health care and financial security issues. He stressed the importance of preventative health care and also need to eliminate the IRS by enacting the “Fair Tax” – so that Americans can have more control of their savings and their overall long-term financial future.

Other than Huckabee and Edwards, over the past couple of months other candidates have graced the Val Air – but the stage will remain dark tonight, alleviating any analogies that could be drawn to the Dean debacle.

Expect candidates to be holding rallies, events and even concerts up to final minute (6:30 p.m. - tomorrow to be exact) before caucus goers are due to report to their correct precinct location.

Today, most candidates are fitting in five or more events all around the state - predominately in Eastern Iowa. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and John McCain all end their day of campaigning here in Des Moines - where they will work to capitalize on last-minute media attention. Republican Mike Huckabee will not be in the state tonight - instead he will be in sunny Southern California to make an appearance on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

Tomorrow night, after caucus parties/return-watch parties will be taking place around Des Moines.

Here are the party locations we know about so far:

Joe Biden - Science Center of Iowa
Hillary Clinton - Hotel Fort Des Moines
Chris Dodd - Temple for the Performing Arts
John Edwards - Savory Hotel
Barack Obama - Hy-Vee Hall
Bill Richardson - Quality Inn and Suites

Mike Huckabee - Embassy Suites
Alan Keyes - Ramada Inn
John McCain - InPlay
Ron Paul - Downtown Marriott
Mitt Romney - Sheraton, West Des Moines
Fred Thompson - Marriott, West Des Moines

Happy New Year!

In case you missed it - the results of the final Des Moines Register poll before Thursday's caucus was released today - click here to see the breakdown.

Before a busy day of campaigning, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was slotted to take a jog around Gray's Lake today. While campaigning, Huckabee has continuously emphasized the importance of incentives for preventative measures to encourage healthy and active lifestyles. The former Arkansas Governor recently lost over 100 lbs. and has competed in several marathons.

Huckabee also held a press conference, got a haircut and was scheduled to meet with volunteers in the Des Moines area today. For New Year's the Governor will celebrate with supporters and Chuck Norris in West Des Moines.

Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson are also expected to be celebrating New Year's in Iowa.

Before a crown of 200+ in Mason City on Sunday, Senator Joe Biden tried to drive home the message that he is most the prepared candidate to be the next President.

Biden, who is typically known for drawing on his foreign relations experience, also spoke extensively about the need to act on health care reform. "Champions for Change" heard the Senator indirectly reference Divided We Fail - stating - "This is the first time in history that business and labor agree that we need some kind of national health plan." He argued that, if elected, he would be able to capitalize on this unique political climate by bringing together Democrats and Republicans to enact meaningful reforms to the health care system.

Biden made three other campaign stops on Sunday in Northwest Iowa.

The Presidential candidates have seen the red shirts across Iowa, they have answered health care and financial security questions from volunteers, and many have even participated in Divided We Fail candidate forums – but that is not all – thirteen candidates have also signed a DividedWeFail.org t-shirt that volunteers got signed at candidate events around Iowa. The first candidate to sign the shirt was Senator Chris Dodd back in April and the most recent signature came from Congressman Ron Paul just this week.

When volunteers bring the mounted t-shirt to events it is typically ogled by other event attendees, the media and even some of the candidates – but we can’t blame them – it is quite rare to see all of these famous signatures on a large size, 100% cotton t-shirt.

Check out this article about health care in today’s Des Moines Register.

A sunshine-drenched morning in central Iowa set the stage for another day of intense campaigning by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

A red-shirted Divided We Fail volunteer attended an appearance by Romney at an Altoona diner. Despite limited parking and an overflow crowd at the restaurant, the volunteer made it in to hear Romney stress the importance of health care reform – saying it should be solved predominantly by market forces.

“Champions or Change” were also front-and-center for rally at Rudy Giuliani’s Iowa HQ early this morning. The former mayor was literally engulfed by the media – that made up about half of the 100+ that were packed into his small, strip-mall office in Clive. During his brief remarks, Giuliani spoke mostly on national security. He did mention the importance of health care reform – stressing that it should not lead to more government control of the system.

Rudy and Mitt will spend the rest of their Saturday campaigning in Southeast Iowa.

Despite a fresh four inches of snow that fell overnight across Iowa, the candidates continued their push to the Iowa Caucuses – with six days to go.

Foreign policy continued to dominate conversation at many candidate events today. “Champions for Change” were present for a speech by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson at the Des Moines Botanical Center, who spoke extensively to a crowd of 200+ about the looming situation in Pakistan.

Senator Chris Dodd also spoke at length about troubles abroad. After the rally, the Senator greeted a group of Divided We Fail volunteers and thanked them for their hard work during this long campaign cycle.

“Champions for Change” attended an appearance by Senator Hillary Clinton in Story City today. The Senator was quick to address troubles in Pakistan and concerns about terrorism, but she also set aside good deal of time for domestic issues. Clinton addressed the millions of uninsured Americans, extending health coverage to rural areas and the importance of passing SCHIP. The Senator also addressed the mortgage lending crisis – and stressed the need to protect the financial security of all Americans.

Tomorrow is a Saturday, but there is no time for a weekend break with the caucus just days away! Stay-tuned for more candidate briefs.

Last night, an appearance by Texas Congressman Ron Paul drew a couple “Champions for Change.” This event was different though, definitely like no other campaign event we had seen before. The crowd was made up of hundreds of college-aged students who came to Iowa from around the country to door-knock and phone call for Paul. Paul who is running for the Republican nomination (and described by many as a libertarian), spoke in detail about how government should not interfere in your life and how the United States should end the war in Iraq. His message drew a huge reception from the group who had come from near and far to dedicate their next week to Dr. Paul.

Dr. Paul did not directly address the issues of health care or financial security in his speech, but generally spoke about less government intervention in the lives of all Americans.

The group of college-aged students will be housed at a camp north of Des Moines and work to get out the vote for Dr. Paul through the caucus.

I just received a message from a Divided We Fail volunteer in Southeast Iowa who reported recently meeting with Mrs. Obama at a campaign event and meeting Mrs. Dodd at a separate campaign event. Apparently both meetings were positive experiences and both spouses were receptive to concerns about health care and long-term financial security.

You might think this kind of meeting is unusual, but often candidates send a spouse to events they cannot attend. Our hope is that the spouse relays concerns and questions back to their significant other

Another interesting encounter (involving a spouse) happened a couple of weeks ago when a group of volunteers were at an event featuring Mike Huckabee. While the former Governor was working the crowd with his wife, they encountered one of the Divided We Fail volunteers – who she apparently recognized from other events. Mrs. Huckabee immediately greeted the volunteer and gave him a big hug. It was quite a shock to the rest of the group. I guess Iowans really get the chance to know the candidates… and their spouses!

Over the past ten months (if not longer) presidential candidates have been frequenting Iowa. During this period of time the level of excitement has been somewhat like a roller coaster - the candidates come and go, they are up and down in the polls, etc. It looks like that roller coaster has now hit a very long hill - seven nights from tonight that coaster will finally hit its peak.

All along the way hundreds of Divided We Fail volunteers (known as Champions for Change) and team members across Iowa have been out in their red t-shirts questioning the candidates on health care and financial security issues. Today has been no different.

Virtually every candidate running for president is in the state today. They are spread out to hit the different media markets and to make last stops in their favorite Iowa towns. Many of their schedules include four or five campaign events - which for most might seem totally crazy! But with seven days to go they are really trying to maximize their time and persuade the famously-undecided Iowa caucus goers.

Events today were dominated by the news of the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Despite this news, Senator John McCain gave the Divided We Fail "Champions for Change" a shout-out in front of a crowd of 300+ at a town hall event in Urbandale. Senator McCain also addressed a health care question from the audience - emphasizing that preserving the quality of health care in America is paramount.

During a stop on Fred Thompson's bus tour (literally across the street from the McCain event), the former Senator was also quick to address problems in Pakistan, but he didn't just talk about foreign policy issues, he also mentioned a top priority of his, if elected, would be to save Social Security.

"Champions for Change" were also at an event featuring Senator Barack Obama in Des Moines. Before an estimated crowd of 400+ Obama said that the health care system was broken and he was the man to fix it. He shared an example of a woman he met in Cedar Rapids who has to work multiple jobs to pay for health insurance.

I hope to post as much as possible over the next seven days. Please continue to check back for the latest info on what is happening on the ground in Iowa.