How AARP is Working for You

More than 48 million Americans provide an estimated $470 billion in unpaid care to parents, grandparents and other loved ones each year. We’re working with government officials to make sure they have the support they need to care for others and themselves. 

“Family caregivers take on a lot for their loved ones. They manage their loved one’s medications, help with bathing and dressing them, and prepare meals and help with feeding.” Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer, said during an AARP-sponsored Politico Live event in December, noting that the average family caregiver faces more than $7,000 in out-of-pocket caregiving costs each year. “It’s a labor of love, to be sure, but the experience can also be expensive, stressful and isolating.” 

LeaMond was joined by federal government officials who discussed the state of caregiving in America in 2022, highlighting how prominently caregiving factors into policy discussions today compared with years past — and especially since the onset of COVID-19.

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The holiday season is upon us, and it’s the time of year to connect with family and friends. It’s also the perfect opportunity to talk to a loved one about future needs, specifically where and how they want to live as they age.

TV host and designer Ty Pennington, of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition fame, joined AARP family caregiving expert Amy Goyer on a webinar to discuss how to assess your loved one’s needs and create a safe and attractive home they can enjoy in their later years.

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AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins moderated a virtual COVID-19 White House event Dec. 9 with two of the nation’s foremost experts on the virus — Ashish Jha, the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response coordinator, and Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser.

The message to the American people was simple: As the holidays approach, make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.

“Nearly three years into the pandemic, we’re all sick of sickness,” Jenkins said. “As much as we want the pandemic to be over, we also know that as we head into the winter holiday season, it’s especially important to do what is necessary to stay safe and healthy.”

Jenkins introduced first lady Jill Biden who made brief remarks, stressing the need for vaccination with the latest booster that targets the omicron variant as well as the original strain of the coronavirus.

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The clock is ticking for Congress to pass a government funding bill and avert a shutdown, and we’re urging congressional leadership to consider the needs of adults 50-plus in any year-end legislative package. We’ve sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asking them to prioritize the health and financial security of older Americans by passing legislation that would:

• Boost funding for the Social Security Administration to improve customer service and bring down historically high wait times. The average Social Security disability claim applicant is waiting 204 days for their filing to process — twice as high as it was a decade ago.

• Expand mental health coverage for Medicare recipients, extend Medicare telehealth coverage through 2024 and enact equal treatment of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Territories under Medicaid.

• Update asset limits for Supplemental Security Income benefits, which are currently only available to children, people with severe disabilities and adults 65-plus with low-incomes and assets of less than $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. Those asset limits were last updated more than 30 years ago and limit people’s ability to save to cover an emergency.

• Mandate an annual paper statement for retirement plans to help Americans manage and keep track of their retirement savings.

• Permanently remove the Earned Income Tax Credit’s age cap of 65. The tax credit was temporarily available to older adults last year, thanks to provisions of the 2021 American Rescue Plan.

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More than 25 million Americans live with disabilities or mobility issues that could impact whether they can take a commercial flight without assistance. But airplane design and the testing of evacuation plans have not always accounted for mobility concerns.

AARP last week endorsed a bill that will require the Federal Aviation Administration to update airplane evacuation standards and factor in how evacuation times are impacted by children and older adults, people with disabilities and other factors like the presence of carry-on luggage.

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Utah is one of only 11 states that still taxes residents’ Social Security benefits — and most of the state’s residents, regardless of political affiliation, say they want to see Utah phase out the tax, according to a new AARP poll.

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Family caregivers spend an average of $7,200 each year on caregiving expenses, and we think they deserve a break. AARP Oklahoma is urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would create a tax credit to cover 50 percent of certain caregiving-related expenses up to $2,000, with an even higher cap for people caring for veterans or a loved one with a dementia diagnosis.

“Family caregiving can be physically, emotionally and financially challenging,” Sean Voskuhl, AARP Oklahoma state director, said in a statement. “We are hearing from family caregivers all over the state who want to see their lawmakers take action.”

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We’ve launched an interactive, mobile-friendly health benefits hub to help veterans, military families and their caregivers navigate health care options and figure out what resources and benefits are available to them.

The AARP Veterans and Military Families Health Benefits Navigator is filled with tips and information about how to enroll in a health care plan through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or the Department of Defense, and access other resources available through Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance plans.

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