The federal Commission on Long-Term Care voted Sept. 12 on its final recommendations, which will be included in the commission’s final report later this month.

AARP is encouraged by the examination of the serious, policy-focused bipartisan recommendations to address our country’s long-term services and supports crisis, which affects millions of people, including older Americans, people with disabilities and their family caregivers. While the recommendations are far from perfect, they show progress in seeking solutions to this crisis.

Importantly, we are pleased with the commission’s recognition of the value and importance of family caregivers — the backbone of America’s long-term care system — who provide an estimated $450 billion in care and immeasurable support every year. As the nation faces a looming shortage of caregivers, we believe the commission’s recommendations would move us in the right direction toward a more person- and family-centered long-term services and supports system.

We recognize that these recommendations were drafted by a commission of 15 people who had limited time and resources to address these complex issues. Regrettably, agreements on comprehensive long-term care financing could not be reached in the short time the commission had to do its work, but AARP remains committed to seeking solutions to this critical issue. At both the state and federal level, AARP also remains dedicated to rebalancing Medicaid services; we want to make sure that people have a choice in care setting and that home and community-based services are robust enough to meet the needs of older Americans and persons with disabilities wishing to remain in their homes.

These recommendations are an important step, but only one step of a larger dialogue.  AARP believes that the commission’s full report will illustrate the need for a continued conversation and action to address long-term care in our country. AARP urges Congress and the administration to take a serious look at these recommendations as they explore ways to tackle the long-term services and supports crisis. Including the needed perspective of older adults, persons with disabilities, families, state and national policymakers, businesses, LTSS workers, providers and other stakeholders will be critical.

Every night, families are discussing these tough issues at their kitchen table. It’s time to bring that conversation into the spotlight and take action.

 Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president of AARP’s State and National Group, leads government relations, advocacy and public education for AARP’s social change agenda.  She also has responsibility for AARP’s state operation, which includes offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Photo: Paul Simcock/Getty Images

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See the AARP home page for the latest information about our lives today

This week, the Obama administration announced a comprehensive, interagency initiative to fight fraud, prevent privacy violations, and protect consumers in the Health Insurance Marketplaces. AARP applauds this effort, and we encourage the administration to continue to take steps to protect and defend consumers from unscrupulous practices — especially people under the age of 65 who will soon be eligible to sign up for the marketplaces. Unfortunately, we know that there are scam artists who will try to take advantage of Americans as the major provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are rolled out — including illegally soliciting personal information or money.

We want to make sure that people who are interested in taking advantage of the ACA’s consumer protections and expanded health coverage are able to do so without fear of being scammed. And we believe that it will take everyone working together — government, the private sector and concerned citizens — to make sure that consumers’ rights are not violated.

AARP has a long history of fighting fraud (PDF) through advocacy at the federal and state level, and through significant consumer education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. There are eight simple things (PDF) people can do to protect themselves from fraud in the new health exchanges, including: keeping personal and account numbers private, and never giving your personal information to someone who calls or comes to your home without permission. You can find additional information on preventing and fighting fraud here.

We also believe that the best way to avoid fraud is to understand the law and what it means to you and your family. That is why AARP continues to educate Americans about key benefits in the ACA, including the following aspects of the law that will benefit people between the ages of 50-64 years old:

• A ban on preexisting conditions

• A cap on out-of-pocket expenses

• Elimination of lifetime caps, so that your insurance company can’t take away your benefits when you need them the most

• A provision which says insurers can only charge their oldest policyholders three times what they charge their youngest

• The opportunity for parents to have their children on their health plan until they turn 26

To find out what the law means to YOU, please visit our online health law tool.

Photo: 401 (K) 2013/Flickr

As the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the interests of Americans age 50 and older and their families, AARP is urging Congress to take steps to avoid default on our national debt and avoid risking benefits for current Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries or the health of our fragile economy.

Older Americans care very deeply about our country, and many are grandparents who feel a sense of stewardship and responsibility to make sure that their grandchildren enjoy the same opportunities and benefits our great nation has provided to them.  At the same time, millions of older Americans rely every day on their Social Security and Medicare and deserve reassurance that the benefits they have worked over a lifetime to earn are secure.

To meet those twin goals, it is critical that the United States does not default on its debt and that we protect the Social Security and Medicare benefits of current retirees. As everyone knows, the United States government has never defaulted on its debt, and U.S. Treasury bonds are widely considered one of the, if not the, safest investments in the world because of it. Honoring the full faith and credit of the United States is a core value of our country and fundamental to the economic security of our nation. As such, the impact of defaulting on any U.S. debt obligation would be felt by all Americans, not just those on Social Security and Medicare.

In addition, delays in raising the debt limit may unnecessarily increase borrowing costs, negatively affect retirement savings accounts and harm our fragile economy. Consequently, we strongly urge Congress to make sure that the debt limit of the United States government not be breached and that the full faith and credit of the United States continue to apply to all debt obligations held by the government.

While we know older Americans are deeply concerned about the nation’s fiscal health, we also know that they want to make sure the promises made to them regarding Medicare and Social Security are honored and the safety net of Medicaid is protected. Our members are worried that the benefits they have earned may be cut as part of a deal to reduce the deficit, fund government operations or increase the debt ceiling, and they are increasingly worried that if there is no agreement very soon, they may not receive their Social Security checks and may lose access to their health care.

Millions of Americans rely heavily, or even completely, on the benefits they earned and receive from Social Security. Equally, millions of older Americans rely on Medicare to meet their critical health care needs. A loss or even diminishment of these benefits would be truly devastating and the well-being of millions of Americans would be put in significant jeopardy.

AARP urges Congress to find a quick resolution to the debt-ceiling crisis without putting at risk the Social Security and Medicare benefits that older Americans have earned and need.

This post was adapted from a letter that AARP sent to members of Congress on Monday, Oct. 7.

Photo: John Wilkes Studio/Corbis

The annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is critically important to the financial security of the nearly 58 million Americans receiving benefits. By providing protection against inflation, the COLA helps beneficiaries of all ages maintain their standard of living, keeping many from falling into poverty. The COLA announced today is vital to millions, but at an average of just $19 per month, it will quickly be consumed by the rising costs of basic needs such as food, utilities and health care.

Some in Washington, though, would make this small COLA even smaller by including the Chained CPI in a budget deal. The Chained CPI would further lower the COLA for Social Security and veterans benefits with cuts that would start now and grow larger every year. Under Chained CPI, the modest 1.5 percent COLA announced today would be reduced, putting increasing strain on millions of beneficiaries struggling to keep up with expenses.

Shrinking the COLA could also negatively impact our still-fragile national economy, since every dollar of Social Security benefits generates about two dollars of economic activity. Recent research by the AARP Public Policy Institute calculated that spending of Social Security benefits added about $1.4 trillion in total economic output to the U.S. economy in 2012.

We know that any adjustments Washington makes to Social Security will have a profound effect on individuals of all ages, businesses and our economy as a whole. That’s why AARP is fighting the Chained CPI and calling for a national conversation about the future of Social Security — so those who paid into the system can have a voice in the debate and so current and future generations get the benefits they’ve earned.

Additional resources on the Chained CPI, including a calculator showing how individual benefits would be impacted by the Chained CPI, are at www.earnedasay.org.

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As the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the interests of Americans age 50 and older and their families, AARP urges the budget conference committee to reject harmful cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits for the purpose of achieving deficit reduction or as a tradeoff for scheduled sequestration cuts or other government spending. While we agree that sequestration cuts will have a growing impact on critical discretionary programs and should be revisited, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the earned benefits upon which millions of Americans rely daily, and we oppose cutting Medicare and Social Security benefits to replace sequestration cuts.

Resolving the financing challenges of Social Security and addressing the retirement crisis facing millions of Americans deserves a separate conversation. AARP firmly believes that any changes to Social Security, which is off-budget, self-financed by payroll taxes and has run surpluses for most of the last 30 years, must be done separately within the proper context of ensuring the retirement security of present and future generations of Americans, and not for purposes of reducing the federal budget deficit or as a bargaining chip for other government spending. We have therefore opposed, and will continue to oppose, proposals to authorize Social Security changes for, or within the context of, deficit reduction or budget agreements. AARP believes that using the Social Security benefits that American taxpayers have earned to remedy a problem that Social Security did not create is neither right nor fair. And the American people agree.

Every dollar of the average annual Social Security retirement benefit of a little over $15,000 is absolutely critical to the typical beneficiary. For older American households receiving benefits, Social Security is the principal source of income for nearly two-thirds, and roughly one-third of these households depend on Social Security for nearly all of their income. Social Security also provides a measure of economic security for families who face a loss of income because of the disability or the death of a wage earner. Moreover, the inflation protection provided through Social Security’s annual COLA — which prevents beneficiaries’ modest income from falling further behind over time — is a critical component of the success of the program.

As it pertains to Medicare, AARP believes that Congress must remain focused on reducing the cost of health care, not simply cutting the federal share of health care expenditures. AARP opposes any proposal which either shifts costs to Medicare beneficiaries or reduces their benefits. Cost-shifts, such as expanding income-relating of premiums, adding copays, raising deductibles, or limiting first-dollar coverage, do nothing to improve our health care system or lower overall health care costs.

The typical Medicare beneficiary lives on roughly $22,000 per year and already spends 17 percent of their income on health care. Asking older Americans to shoulder higher costs will jeopardize their financial stability and health security. Moreover, it ignores the role physicians, providers, hospitals, and drug manufacturers play in establishing prices and utilizing services. Instead of placing an extra burden on older Americans, we should implement responsible solutions. Better coordination of care; greater investment in information technology and reducing waste, fraud and abuse; and reducing prescription drug prices are just a few areas where we can achieve true cost reduction. Attempts to shift costs will only hurt those who have paid into Medicare their entire working lives.

Photo: Architect of the Capitol/Wikimedia Commons

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The con gathers an arsenal of information by being personable and being friendly… the logic goes out the window, the emotion kicks in, now I’ve endeared you to me, now I’m no longer the predator on the phone, I’m Jim from New York.” – Jimmy Edwards, The Con Artist’s Playbook

The scam is sometimes deceptively simple, as easy as stealing a credit card offer from your trash. Other times it can be far more complex, like the infamous con preying on worried grandparents. No matter the form, the impact is devastating. Identity theft, investment fraud and scams rob millions of Americans – last year there were 12.6 million victims of identity theft alone.

That’s why AARP is launching the Fraud Watch Network, a new campaign to fight identity theft and fraud and give you access to information about how to protect yourself and your family.

How can you stay safe? By learning the common strategies criminals use so you can be on your guard and protect your hard-earned money. We’ve developed “The Con Artist’s Playbook” – based on hundreds of undercover fraud tapes and hours of interviews with victims and con artists. It shines a spotlight on the common strategies scammers use and gives you the tools to defend yourself against their tricks.

So what’s the number one way criminals part you from your money? By getting you “in the ether,” a phrase used to describe the heightened emotional state that makes it hard to think clearly and make rational decisions.

“I wanted to keep the victim up in the altitude of the ether, because once they drop into the valley of logic, I’ve lost them.” – “Rocky”, The Con Artist’s Playbook

There are a number of things you can do to protect you and your loved ones from online or offline identity theft and fraud. Here are five to get you started:

• Avoid easy PINs or passwords: that means no family birth dates or names, no SSN or phone numbers, and no consecutive numbers 1-2-3.
• Beware of emails that claim to come from your bank or Internet service provider asking you to confirm your personal information or account number. Forward suspicious emails to spam@uce.gov.
• Call 1 (888) 5-OPT-OUT or visit optoutprescreen.com to stop pre-approved credit card applications that a thief could steal and use to get credit in your name.
• Never give personal information to telemarketers. To cut down on unwanted telemarketing calls, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov or call (888) 382-1222.
• Double-check references for door-to-door sales, home repair offers and other products. Verify that businesses and others who contact you are who they claim to be before you provide any personal information.

Fight back against identity theft and fraud. Learn about active scams, and find out how to spot and avoid them. Visit aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Right now, at kitchen tables across America, real families are confronting the same question:  how will we care for mom or dad, or another loved one, if something happens and they can’t care for themselves without assistance?  And if and when the time comes, who will care for us?

Following the Federal Commission on Long-Term Care’s recently released report, AARP and The Hill Newspaper convened three of the Commissioners and other experts to discuss ways to improve long-term services and supports in America.

Video streaming by Ustream

The Commissioners discussed some solutions that could be part of a comprehensive, high-quality delivery system of long-term services and supports for the next generation of caregivers and those who will need additional services and supports to live independently. Then, leaders in state and local government  from Delaware, New York and Tennessee shared innovative approaches currently underway to support caregivers, provide the services and supports that people need to live independently, and support people with disabilities in the workplace.

This issue will touch all of us, almost every American, sooner or later:

• It is estimated that about 7 of every 10 people who reach age 65 will need some kind of long-term services and supports at some time.

• The numbers will skyrocket: Thirty years from now, on November 19, 2043, the number of people who need long-term care will likely top 20 million.

• This issue is ageless. While 56 percent of those needing long-term care are 65 and over, fully 44 percent are under age 65.

We have an opportunity to seize the moment– and to build on the Commission on Long Term Care’s bipartisan recommendations for a better system to support individuals and their family caregivers.

So, what are the current challenges?

1.  People lack information and resources, and they often don’t know where to turn for help.  For example, many are unaware that Medicare only provides limited coverage for skilled nursing facility care and home health care.

2. Saving for retirement is hard enough, never mind adding in the costs necessary to maintain independence.

• The national median private pay cost for a private room in a nursing home is now about $84,000 a year.
• Private insurance for long-term care is becoming too expensive or unavailable for the majority of Americans.
• Most people who need long term services and supports don’t need or want to stay in expensive 24/7 nursing homes. They want to live independently, and they could live in their homes if they have the right help with everyday tasks and other supports.

3.  Despite the fact that more care will be needed, there will be fewer family caregivers.

Families are the first line of assistance for most people who need help to live independently.

•  This unpaid caregiver workforce provides at least 75% of care in the U.S. today – providing what amounts to about $450 billion worth of unpaid care every year.
• Today, there are about 7 people age 45 to 64 for every person over the age of 80.  By 2050, that ratio plummets to 3 to one – leading to increased strain on a few number of people who will be providing care.
• We need better supports for family caregivers, a strong, stable paid workforce and innovative solutions across sectors.

Working together on a solution.

We need a national, constructive dialogue that looks at the whole picture, so

• People can access ways to pay for their needs to live independently at home;
• Employers can maintain an active and engaged workforce; and
• New technology is developed to help close the gap.

Given the many serious challenges facing America’s families today, it is time to get serious about implementing policies that provides them with the support they deserve.

Get updates, and tell us what you think. Visit action.aarp.org.

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In today’s Washington Post, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Secretary Tommy Thompson made a strong case for a constructive, national dialogue on long-term care. AARP agrees wholeheartedly.

Just this week, we joined with The Hill Newspaper to hold a briefing on long-term services and supports. We convened leaders from the federal and state levels to shine a bright light on the possible solutions and innovations that are happening across the nation.

>> Visit AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center

Long-term care – an issue that affects people of all ages – is America’s next great challenge, one that will have far-reaching implications for every generation and every corner of society.  I call it the 70 percent issue – seven of 10 people turning age 65 will need help to live independently at some point in their lives.

We know that the vast majority of Americans want to live independently, at home, as they age. And, they will count on family caregivers to make that possible.

Family caregivers are the backbone of long-term care in this country. They provide unpaid care valued at an estimated $450 billion annually. But, the number of family caregivers available to support older Americans will drop dramatically in coming years as the boomers age. Bottom line: More people will be dependent on fewer family caregivers.

• From 1990-2010, boomers entered their prime caregiving years; at the end of those two decades, there were 7.2 potential caregivers ages 45-64 for every person ages 80-plus.

• Over the next 20 years, as boomers become the population that will need the most care, the number of potential caregivers drops to 4.1.

• Looking even further out, between 2030 and 2050, the number plummets to 2.9.

The demographics themselves paint a vivid picture of why we must develop more options to support family caregivers and to recruit and retain a strong, stable, paid workforce to help them.  We must also:

• Improve the delivery of services and help people live independently in their homes and communities

• Do a better job of educating people so that they can plan for the future and make informed decisions

• Give people more and better tools to help them plan and pay for services

• After all, the costs of long-term care – such as nursing homes – are becoming increasingly expensive and putting strains on family budgets.

• And, private insurance options are becoming more scarce and too expensive (or unavailable) for most families.

AARP agrees with Sen. Daschle and Secretary Thompson. We call for a broader conversation about long-term care to identify reasonable and effective solutions.

As a first step, we believe that Congress and the Obama administration should take a serious look at the recommendations put forward by the federal Commission on Long-Term Care, as they explore ways to tackle the challenges of Americans who want to live independently at home and the family caregivers who help them.

We all have a role to play in this important dialogue – and the time for action is now. Share your thoughts with us on our Support Caregivers page.

Photo: Fred Froese/Istockphoto

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If you have money, scammers have a way to take it from you. Con artists talk about getting their victims so emotionally charged up that they are unable to think logically. They call it “under the ether,” and it is how they play on hope, fear and empathy to defraud their victims.

Find out how to protect yourself from five common scams with staying power.

1. Sweetheart. Savvy scammers do their homework, tailoring their false identity to target their victims, and often hiding behind deceptively normal profile pictures. Most victims are boomer age or older, and suffer major financial losses – an average of $10,000 per person – in addition to the embarrassment and heartbreak of an emotional swindle.  Know the warning signs.
2. Gold. How many times have you heard that the only thing you can rely on during a recession is the price of gold? Ads capitalize on this ‘common’ knowledge and sell coins at an outrageous markup that buyers will never be able to recover. Learn more about investment scams.
3. Grandparents. Though this scam has been around for years, it persists thanks to the personalized touch: details gleaned from online profiles … and obituaries. Someone claiming to be a grandchild calls with a tale of arrest or hospitalization outside of the United States, and is in desperate need of quick cash, usually in the form of a wire transfer. Check out four easy tips to protect yourself.
4. Sweepstakes. It is probably one of the most common scams, and has cost victims millions of dollars. The pitch is simple and irresistible: You’ve won! Just pay the small processing fee! Though there has been an increase in foreign lottery scams, a recent sweepstakes scam in California raked in nearly $11 million.  Find out how to read the fine print.
5. Disaster charities. Count on it – every time there is a major natural disaster somewhere in the world, there are scammers coming out of the woodwork to separate you from your money, all under the guise of helping. Make sure you help the true victims, and avoid becoming one yourself.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network for resources and information, and sign up for alerts on the latest scams.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Nearly seven million seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare have saved $9 billion to date on their prescription drugs thanks to the Affordable Care Act, according to new data released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That’s an average savings of about $1,200 per person since the health care law started closing the “doughnut hole.”

Over time, the law will eliminate the doughnut hole — the gap in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage where enrollees had to pay the full cost of their prescriptions.

In 2011, drug manufacturers began providing a 50 percent discount on brand-name and biologic drugs for enrollees in the doughnut hole. Starting in 2013, the Medicare program provides an additional discount on brand-name and biologic drugs for enrollees who are in the doughnut hole. This discount will gradually increase until it reaches 25 percent in 2020.

Also in 2011, the Medicare program began providing a seven percent discount on generic prescription drugs for enrollees who are in the doughnut hole. This discount will gradually increase until it reaches 75 percent in 2020. You can learn more about how the doughnut hole closes and all of the discounts here.

In total, approximately 28 million Medicare beneficiaries have prescription drug coverage. Of these, it is expected that 18 million Part D enrollees who previously faced the possibility of falling into the coverage gap will benefit from the elimination of the doughnut hole.

Additionally, new data released today shows that thanks to the Affordable Care Act, in the first 11 months of 2013 alone, an estimated 25.4 million people with traditional Medicare received at least one free preventive service at no out-of-pocket cost, such as an annual wellness visit or mammogram.

Prescription drug coverage plays a vital role in the health and financial security of the older population. For older adults, prescription drugs are critical in managing their chronic conditions, curing diseases, keeping them healthy and improving their quality of life.

AARP is glad to see that seniors and people with disabilities continue to gain from the preventive health benefits of the Affordable Care Act, and the discounts it provides to those who hit the dreaded Part D doughnut hole.

To learn more about what the health care law means for you, visit HealthLawAnswers.org.

Photo: ep_jhu via Flickr

Months before the recent budget agreement was reached, a bipartisan exchange of ideas took place on a much smaller-scale when four legislators joined an AARP-sponsored forum on financial challenges facing boomer women.

Topics ranged from trying to “have it all” in terms of balancing work and family, to the need for women to “lean in” and help each other, to the uncertain financial future many women face.

Moderated by award-winning financial journalist and best-selling author Jean Chatzky, the panel of federal lawmakers – Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) – answered questions and offered ideas. A second panel with women business leaders offered additional points of view.

Our conversation with these members of Congress was a refreshing change from the contentious political soundbites many of us have become used to seeing over and over again in the media.

The women talked about challenges they faced in their own lives as working mothers, and in some cases, as caregivers. They touched on policy solutions that could potentially enhance financial security for women as they age. Not surprisingly, they mentioned the frustrating political climate in Washington since the forum happened to take place on the eve of the October government shutdown.

It turns out that two of our panelists were cited for their roles in helping to reach the bipartisan compromise that ended the October stalemate. As writer Kathleen Parker mentioned here, the credit for getting to a solution wasn’t a main headline – but perhaps it should have been. Arizona Sen. John McCain noted: “Leadership, I must fully admit, was provided primarily by women in the Senate.”

We thought we’d give the rest of the country a chance to hear from the women legislators at our forum and see them in action. Watch a replay of the panel discussion.

Politicians often hear from constituents who happen to be among 53 million American women over age 50. These women are less concerned about having it all; they’re struggling with doing it all.

Many are working two jobs to make ends meet. Many more are handling caregiving responsibilities for elderly parents while raising children of their own and juggling full-time jobs. With an increase in those divorced or never married, and women generally living longer than men, they’re worried about living alone into their elder years. They wonder if they’ll ever be able to retire – and rightfully so.

The legislators and all of our forum participants were united in wanting women to have a more secure financial future.They talked about a variety of ways to try to get there, and we want to encourage more discussions on this important topic.

Cheers to more bipartisanship, and to more conversations to help address the financial challenges facing so many boomer women.

Here is a clip of panel moderator Jean Chatzky welcoming members of the forum:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nancy LeaMond is Executive Vice President of AARP’s State and National Group, and leads government relations, advocacy and public education for the organization. Follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

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Voters age 50-plus decide elections. They turn out to the polls at a much higher rate than voters of any other age group, particularly for non-presidential years. And, at this point, they’re up for grabs. Neither party today has a clear advantage.

One reason: Older voters are shifting back to the center, with a mere 1-point advantage separating Republicans from Democrats, according to an Economist/YouGov poll.

Another reason: Boomers. Yes, the last of the generation born between 1946 and 1964 is turning 50 this year. And they are not feeling overly optimistic, according to a new national poll sponsored by AARP and commissioned by A Woman’s Nation and the Center for American Progress in connection with their project, The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink.

At a time when “entitlement reform” and Social Security have become another bargaining chip in Washington, an increasing number of boomer-generation Americans are feeling unprepared for their own retirement. What does this mean in an election year?

Just look at Florida. All eyes are on Congressional District 13 and the fight for the seat vacated after the death of U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young in October. This competitive special election could signal what’s to come this year from both national parties. And with 54 percent of the district age 55 and over, you can bet that older voters matter.

Candidates of both parties need to know that, in overwhelming numbers, AARP members have told us they’re tired of politicians in Washington saying that the only way to save Medicare is to cut benefits or force them to pay more, and that we need to cut Social Security to reduce the deficit.

Americans have paid into Social Security and Medicare through a lifetime of hard work and deserve a voice in the debate about the future of these programs.

Strengthening Social Security and Medicare — not cutting these programs — is a top priority for both Democratic and Republican voters. In a CBS poll, 72 percent of Republicans and 88 percent of Democrats oppose Social Security cuts to reduce the deficit. The numbers are identical for Medicare — 72 percent of Republicans and 88 percent of Democrats.

As members of the boomer generation look ahead, worried about health care, savings and retirement, you can count on their determining who wins elections in 2014 and 2016.

 AARP Sponsors Debate

Tune in tonight to Bay News 9 for a live televised debate in the general election race to succeed the late Republican U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young in Florida’s Congressional District 13. Sponsored by AARP, the debate airs from 7 to 8 p.m. and will be live streamed on C-SPAN.

The Tampa Bay Times, Bay News 9 and St. Petersburg College are partnering to broadcast the debate among Republican David Jolly, Democrat Alex Sink and Libertarian Lucas Overby. The special election is March 11.

Photo via whiteafrican/Flickr

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Do you have a plan to recession-proof your life? A growing number of workers age 50-plus do, and it involves turning interests, hobbies or skills into a small business.

Many older workers are using decades of experience and business connections to become their own bosses. These “encore entrepreneurs” bring to the effort a lifetime of knowledge. And their numbers are on the rise. in fact, from 1996 to 2012, Americans ages 55 to 64 had a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than those ages 20 to 34.

In a new book The Economy of You, Kimberly Palmer writes about turning interests into a back-up plan to recession-proof your life. “In a world of zero job security and ever-increasing financial pressure, how can we guarantee success for ourselves and our families? The answer became increasingly obvious: We must actively create multiple ways of earning money through entrepreneurial pursuits.”

The author shares inspiring stories of people who turned avocations into vocations. A retired teacher in her mid-60s turned her long-time hobby into a business, and now designs scarves and ties. A former police officer developed a website for retired law enforcement colleagues to advertise their services for everything from legal expertise to handyman work. And an inventor used his down-time to develop a successful new baby product.

AARP has been connecting experienced workers to job resources and entrepreneurial opportunities and education for quite some time.

Most recently, we’ve been collaborating with the U.S. Small Business Administration to bring counseling and educational resources to the 50-plus population through in-person workshops, online training and one-to-one mentoring.

During Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month this April, AARP and SBA will host programs nationwide to help those who are considering starting or expanding a small business. We’ll cover things like writing a business plan, securing financing, marketing new ventures and more.  To learn more, visit the project’s Start a Business page.

You can also view a series of free on-demand one-hour webinars on small business ownership here. And AARP is pleased to sponsor Black Enterprise Small Business University; learn more on our AARP Black Community page.

Cheers to encore entrepreneurs!

Photo: kupicoo/iStockphoto

AARP is pleased to promote National Youth Enrollment Day, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15. Dozens of events across the country will be held to educate and enroll young adults in health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

All generations need to work together to solve problems that affect us, no matter our age.  In the real world – away from Washington politics – families prosper and struggle together so that all generations can be more secure.

Did you know that approximately 1 in 4 young people do not have health coverage? More than 19 million Americans under age 35 are uninsured. And more than half of uninsured younger people are already struggling to keep up with their medical bills.

We all know what it means to go without health insurance – whether through personal experiences, or by seeing family and friends suffer. According to the Census Bureau, one out of every three of today’s 20-year-olds will – at some point in their working lives – be injured, or become ill to the extent that they cannot work. We also know that health care denied in our early years often leads to serious and expensive health problems later in life.

The good news is that Americans are less likely to suffer financial hardship and health challenges if they have coverage. New options under the ACA mean that there could be financial assistance to make more affordable health coverage available to as many as 17 million uninsured young people.

At AARP, we want to make sure people have the facts about the ACA and what it means to them. We’ve also been doing our part to encourage young adults to learn more options – which is why we ran our ‘mom means it’ e-card campaign. The cards are available in English and in Spanish.

AARP also created Health Law Answers, where people can get a customized report about how the health care law works for them. This easy-to-use online tool has information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, and where to get personalized assistance in your state.

I believe I speak for millions of moms in urging all young adults to sign up for health insurance – not for us, but for you. Believe me, it’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

Photo:  leezsnow/istockphoto

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Yes, this is New Jersey. (Specifically Mindowaskin Park in walkable downtown Westfield.)

Post by Nancy LeaMond, AARP: 

All you have to do is say you’re from New Jersey and someone will ask, “What exit?”

I’m a proud New Jersey native. 

I grew up in Millburn, a north Jersey town not far from Manhattan. I lived there through high school, and I return often to visit friends and family. Even though I’m a Maryland gal now, there will always be a special place in my heart for the Garden State, which is why it’s hard to see New Jersey get such a bad rap.

Stay Informed: Sign up for the AARP Livable Communities Newsletter

From MTV’s Jersey Shore to Tony Soprano to traffic jams on the Jersey Turnpike, the state experiences its share (I would say unfair share) of negative perceptions and stereotypes, many perpetuated by pop cultural references like those depicted in this year’s Oscar-nominated film American Hustle. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the movie — but it didn’t exactly present an idyllic image of my home state.

That’s why I wanted to do a blog post about the other side of Jersey. I could go on and on about the people, the innovation, the strong economy. But given that this is a livable communities blog, I’d like to tell you about some of the wonderful towns that lead the way in being livable communities for all ages.

Westfield is a good example. The town of 30,000 was originally settled as a village in the early 18^th century (remember, New Jersey is one of our nation’s 13 original colonies). Westfield’s colonial village has since become a thriving downtown, which was recognized by the American Planning Association’s New Jersey chapter as one of its “Great Places” designees for 2013. The APA referred to the downtown as a “centerpiece in the everyday life of this community.” Westfield has a multiscreen movie theater (the Rialto), mom-and-pop shops and national retailers, lots of dining options, several grocers and houses of worship, a public library, a Manhattan-bound train station, a community swimming pool and numerous parks — all in or near the walkable downtown.

Then there’s Ridgewood, 30 miles up the road. A couple years ago, the town was named by CNN as 26^th on its “Top 100 Places to Live” list. In addition to having a vibrant downtown, Ridgewood offers programs geared toward an intergenerational crowd. For example, the Ridgewood Community Center offers programs and classes for age 55-plus residents, with a dedicated bus that runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The public library provides seminars and events for residents of all ages.

Montclair is another wonderful, walkable community and 2013 APA “Great Places” designee. A “railroad suburb” that began attracting commuters in 1856, the town has theaters, an art museum, 175 acres of parkland and an active downtown. Montclair was honored at the New Jersey Department of Transportation Complete Streets Summit in 2013 for its efforts to develop bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly roads. (Montclair was the first municipality in the state to adopt a Complete Streets policy, in 2009.)

Not to mention, Montclair is home to the New Jersey Jackals and their Yogi Berra Stadium — named after the famed Yankees player, manager and commentator.  Yogi knew a thing or two about community. As he said, “Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.”

I’ve mentioned just a few of New Jersey’s great downtowns. There’s also Maplewood, Morristown and so many more. (Check out what NJ.com heard when it asked readers to name their favorites.)

The next time you think about New Jersey, try to see past the turnpike and consider the many standout communities that promote and practice livability — making it a great place to live.

P.S. Exit 11, by the way …

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Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president, State and National Group, leads government affairs and campaigns for AARP and has responsibility for the AARP livable communities portfolio, which includes transportation and housing initiatives in states, cities and communities nationwide. Follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Subscribe to the Livable Communities Great Places Blog by email or RSS feed

Follow us on Twitter @LivableCmnty

Learn more about age-friendly communities at AARP.org/livable

Westfield photo by Melissa Stanton

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>> Get travel discounts with your AARP Member Advantages

• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being
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As AARP reviews the details of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposal, we encourage members of Congress to consider the impact on real people when looking for ways to address our nation’s financial challenges.

Chairman Ryan’s proposed budget fails to address the high costs of health care and instead shifts costs onto seniors and future retirees. Repealing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act ignores the progress we’ve made to improve access to health care and protect against discrimination based on age, gender or medical history. Removing the Medicare guarantee of affordable health coverage for older Americans by implementing a premium support system and asking seniors and future retirees to pay more is not the right direction.

>> More on Ryan, GOP budget proposal

Now is the time for Congress to identify sensible changes across the health care system that reduce costs, including improving care coordination between health providers, lowering drug prices and speeding up access to generic drugs, reducing unnecessary testing and services, and cracking down on fraud, waste and inefficiencies in the health system. Congress must also look at payment incentives based on quality care and improving patient outcomes rather than just the number of services performed.

As retirement security grows ever more elusive for Americans of all ages, Medicare and Social Security have grown more important for older Americans and their families. AARP believes it would be wrong for the president or Congress to attempt to balance the budget by weakening the programs that provide the very foundation of health and retirement security for current and future generations.

Photo: JungKang/iStock

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AARP applauds the Bipartisan Policy Center for highlighting the need for a real discussion about America’s long-term care crisis and solutions to address it.

Millions of individuals and families currently caring for loved ones are faced every day with physical, financial and emotional challenges. Family caregivers need support — individuals want to live independently in their homes and communities — and as a country we are not prepared.

Every night, families are discussing these tough issues around their kitchen table. It’s time to bring that conversation into the spotlight and take action. We hope the Bipartisan Policy Center’s efforts will help bring additional attention and constructive ideas to address this issue and help families.

AARP has made it a priority to explore solutions to this crisis with the aim of helping people live independently in their homes and communities, supporting family caregivers, and forging innovative solutions across sectors. AARP is engaged in a multi-state advocacy campaign to improve family caregiver support, training and workplace protections, as well as an education campaign with the Ad Council and other efforts.

Photo: iofoto/iStockphoto

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AARP is pleased to celebrate National Volunteer Week, an annual opportunity to step back and recognize the hardworking volunteers who dedicate their time, talents and passions to improving every corner of this great nation. While it’s easy to get caught up in statistics – more than 60 million volunteers, more than 7 billion hours of service – it’s the “good” behind those numbers that is truly awesome.

At AARP, we couldn’t achieve our mission to improve aging in America without our incredible army of volunteers – people who suit up every day to improve health care, fight fraud and home energy costs, enhance families’ retirement security, help seniors save money on taxes, improve driver safety and so much more.

Volunteers are a critical and extremely effective part of team AARP – from our all-volunteer Board of Directors to our 60,000 volunteers working in states and communities across the country. Volunteers are the very heart of who we are and what we do. They are core partners in our vision of a society in which all people live with dignity and purpose.

And AARP is not alone. We have a nation full of schools, parks, hospitals, veterans’ organizations, senior centers and non-profits large and small whose goals would be unreachable without the contributions of their skilled and passionate volunteers.

That is why we offer Create the Good – a resource that helps volunteers find causes and opportunities that truly speak to their passions. Create the Good helps people explore a wide range ways to give back in neighborhoods across the nation. At AARP, we believe in real possibilities – and giving back is one way to discover those possibilities.

I hope you will join me in taking the time – not just this week, but all year long – to recognize and thank the many volunteers who individually, and collectively, strengthen our communities and our country.

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It’s becoming possible to receive health care services without having to leave the comforts of home.

For millennia, the home provided a roof over our heads, a place to raise a family. Later on, pride of place set in and the home became our personal castle. And in recent decades, homeowners counted on rapidly appreciating housing values to help secure some measure of financial security and independence.

Stay Informed: Sign up for the AARP Livable Communities Newsletter

Over time, the home has served many purposes, and its function has evolved from simply providing shelter to so much more. As we look to the future, we see the next incarnation of the home as — our health care clinic! Consumers are increasingly finding new opportunities and new options for accessing care and staying healthy — all within the comfort and privacy of their homes. 

Indeed, many hospitals have returned to the old-school practice of the house call. A growing number of health systems are sending doctors and nurses into people’s homes to administer treatments and ensure medication adherence; they’re also providing recommendations for how a residence can become more livable by making simple changes that increase a home’s ease of use and decrease the risk of falls and injuries. (See the AARP Home Fit Guide to learn how you can make your home or that of a loved one more livable.)

Stay Healthy: Learn how from AARP Health

In addition to home-based visits, new technology now provides the option of “telemedicine,” which helps health professionals remotely monitor patients’ vitals (blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.). For example, Essentia Health in Minnesota monitors the health of 300 heart failure patients by having them step on a scale every morning in their respective homes. The scale then sends the relevant data back to a central hub, where it is reviewed by medical staff. 

In this age of Google Glass, “wearables” and the driverless car, we are seeing that same level of innovation applied to personal health. 

Fancy tech gadgets are coming to market that track how often a person takes his or her prescription drugs. Devices can now monitor someone’s physical activity, and provide visible and audible reminders of when it’s time to take action. A growing number of medical devices are becoming wearable, such as glucose and blood pressure monitors, which can help an individual manage a chronic condition and enable doctors to monitor a patient’s progress long after the patient has left the hospital.

Stay Cared For: With information and encouragement from the AARP Caregiving Resource Center

Being cared for in one’s own home is a great benefit for the patient because, let’s be honest, no one wants to spend time in a hospital or nursing home if there’s a way not to. Plus, there’s a financial incentive for the provider. A recent Health Affairs study found that — thanks to shorter stays and fewer tests — costs for patients in a “hospital at home” program in New Mexico were 19 percent lower than for similar inpatients.

Another bonus: Many patients (especially the elderly, frail and those with chronic diseases) are more vulnerable to infections and complications in the hospital and are actually safer at home.

By and large as people age they want to stay where they are. AARP research consistently finds that nearly 9 out of 10 people age 65-plus (and 8 out of 10 boomers) want to remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible. By providing care to people where they live, we have a better chance of helping them live independently in their own homes and out of costly institutional care. Indeed, research from the AARP Public Policy Institute shows that the cost of home-based care is one-third that of care in a nursing home.

As we develop new solutions that facilitate in-home patient care, we can help older adults live independently while also providing the care and supports they want and need. As Dorothy so aptly put it when she returned to Kansas, “There’s no place like home.”

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Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president, State and National Group, leads government affairs and campaigns for AARP and has responsibility for the AARP livable communities portfolio, which includes transportation and housing initiatives in states, cities and communities nationwide. Follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Subscribe to the Livable Communities Great Places Blog by email or RSS feed

Follow us on Twitter @LivableCmnty

Learn more about age-friendly communities at AARP.org/livable

House photo: ThinkStock
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Nancy LeaMond

AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond delivered the following speech on the impact of an aging America on individuals and institutions in an address to AARP staff and volunteers this morning:

Impact of an Aging America on Major Institutions

Good morning. Welcome to the 2014 State & National Group Leadership Summit.

And a special welcome to the staff and volunteers who traveled from every corner of the country — and beyond — to be here this week.

I’d like to begin my remarks by talking a little about disruption — something you’re going to hear about during this summit.

These days, you can’t pick up an industry publication, attend a conference, or follow your Twitter feed without hearing about the disruption economy … technology disruption … business disruption … social disruption …

I recently heard someone use the term ‘disruptive disruption’ … what does that even mean?

As Judith Shulevitz of the New Republic said:

Sometimes buzzwords become so pervasive, they’re almost inaudible — which is when we need to start listening to them … disruptive is like that.

In our fast-moving, fast-changing and unpredictable world, there are disruptive events that have an outsize influence on the way we live, the way we work.

And nobody knows this better than all of you.

Because AARP is at the epicenter of one of the most disruptive events of our time — the aging of America.

On Jan. 1, 1946, the first of 78 million baby boomers was born … and on January 2011, those boomers began turning 65 — representing the most significant demographic shift in our nation’s history.

Every seven seconds, someone turns 50 … 12,500 people every day.

By 2030, 1 in 3 Americans will be over the age of 50 — and the 65-plus population will double to 72 million.

And this isn’t a passing trend.

When you look at the sheer numbers of boomers, Gen Xers and the millennials behind them — and when you consider how long these folks will live — simply put, America will be an older country from here on out.

Think of the magnitude of this shift for AARP.

Today, our 50-plus constituency is 109 million strong.

In just 15 years, the number of people 50-plus will increase to 132 million!!

As America grows older, it will be a different kind of older — different than previous generations.

For one, the face of aging literally looks different.

While the Silent Generation was by and large homogenous, not so for the generations that followed.

According to the latest Census, the 65-plus population will nearly double to 40 percent minority in 2050.

Another significant difference between us and our forebears is that we’re living longer — the average life expectancy in the U.S. is up to 78 years, a full 13 years beyond traditional retirement age.

Rather than just lengthening extreme old age, the 30 years we’ve added to our lifespans in the past century resulted in a much longer middle age — meaning that we’re adding healthy years, not debilitated ones.

We’ve even developed a new mindset about aging — it’s called denial.

As Nora Ephron said: “There’s a reason why forty, fifty, and sixty don’t look the way they used to — and it’s not because of feminism, or better living through exercise. It’s because of hair dye.”

Amid this great age wave, society is responding, adapting and changing — creating new rules and placing new expectations on people, on families.

Individuals have to figure out what to do with the two or three decades that their grandparents didn’t have.

You could say that this is the era of the individual — when everyone gets to be “CEO of my life.”

In some ways, this is a luxury. But in many ways, it’s also a burden.

More and more, there is increased responsibility on people to navigate this new life stage:

… from figuring out how to make limited retirement savings last;

… to understanding an increasingly complicated health care system;

… to reinventing themselves to stay relevant and wanted in the workplace — at a time when age discrimination is prevalent.

… to serving as an emotional adviser, caregiver and financial resource to children, parents and grandparents.

It goes without saying that the aging of the United States has significant implications for the people we represent, and enormous consequences for our organization — because AARP’s agenda, and our entire body of work, is devoted to improving society so that people can age with dignity, with independence and with purpose.

In SNG, we live and breathe these demographics.

We see the statistics of demography come to life in our everyday work, and through the individuals who engage with us.

They come to our programs. They support our advocacy. They volunteer with us. They raise their voices. They tell us what they want and what they need.

At AARP, we know the issues — and the people — intimately.

And we know that the aging of America — indeed, this new way of aging — will have profound implications for society — not just for individuals, but also for major institutions.

Just look at the institution of government — which has been deeply involved in the business of aging ever since Social Security was created in 1935.

The sheer numbers of boomers will present challenges to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — programs that are central to the health and retirement security of millions of older Americans.

For four years — since Simpson and Bowles issued their report in 2010 — Washington has been locked in a pernicious conversation, with a frame that is born of spreadsheets and numbers

… a frame that ignores the economic struggles of so many Americans; a frame that pits generation against generation.

Through You’ve Earned a Say, we’ve been pushing for a different conversation — about real people and their families.

We need to talk about quality of life, about empowerment and support.

For Social Security, we need a debate with all decision makers around the table — Republicans, Democrats and the president.

The debate should focus on responsible solutions that will keep the promise to current seniors, and strengthen the program for future generations.

At the same time, we need a broader debate about what it will take to ensure that people have financial security and savings for their 70s, their 80s, their 90s.

It’s not just about making it to retirement. It’s about making it through retirement.

Health care will be more complicated.

The rapidly increasing number of older Americans has far-reaching implications for our nation’s public health system — and will place unprecedented demands on the provision of health care and aging-related services.

Medicare is obviously critical for more than 50 million beneficiaries — but it’s also a key indicator and driver for the entire health care system.

We must stabilize Medicare for future generations, continue to look for efficiencies and opportunities to drive down costs, and keep the promise we’ve made to seniors by pushing for responsible, commonsense solutions.

At the same time, we need to better understand the Affordable Care Act and what it means for the future of health care in America.

There has been so much attention on getting the ACA website and exchanges up and running; we’re just beginning to unpack how dramatically it will influence the delivery of care.

Undoubtedly, our federal government plays a major role.

State and local governments also play an important and evolving role — from delivering and supporting long term care, to enhancing public health, to ensuring that our infrastructure is able to support the needs of a changing constituency, to serving as guinea pigs and laboratories for innovations in personal saving.

Unfortunately, while demand for government services is on the rise, federal and state budgets continue to suffer in the wake of the recession — and there are limited resources to go around.

AARP’s job is to make sure that our public officials make the best use of those resources.

Our job is to push them to champion new solutions that address new challenges.

Our job is to make sure that today’s older Americans — and tomorrow’s older Americans — are not ignored … are not forgotten … because we cannot allow ourselves to revert to a modern-day version of our founder Ethel Percy Andrus’ friend, who lived in a chicken coop.

At the same time, we need to create, and participate in, a real dialogue about intergenerational fairness.

There is a small — but very loud — group of opinion leaders in this country who have created a polarizing narrative about intergenerational warfare — about generations robbing other generations.

This is an overly simplistic and false picture.

Instead of helping us come together to solve our country’s problems, this narrative pushes us farther apart.

We need a conversation that reflects the complexities and nuances of how generations work together, live together, support one another:

… a conversation that considers that more than 6 in 10 grandparents provided financial assistance or monetary gifts to their grandchildren in the past five years;

… a conversation that recognizes that almost 3 in 10 adults between the ages of 40 and 59 are providing primary financial support to a child 18 years or older;

… a conversation that appreciates that the average family caregiver spends $5,531 or more in a year on expenses to care for their family member.

Clearly, older Americans and boomers are committed to family.

Their legacy is not to amass wealth or to take away from the health and prosperity of our nation — their legacy is to leave a positive, lasting impact on society for their kids, grandkids and future generations.

So absolutely, let’s talk about generations and intergenerational fairness — but let’s have a real conversation that reflects the real America that we all know.

With increasing demand and limited resources, we can expect added pressure on the social sector — nonprofits and charities alike — to help fill the gap.

Of course, nonprofits face the same squeeze as government: Resources are scarce.

And there will be even more pressure on organizations like AARP to bring resources together in a more efficient, more systemic way.

While nonprofits may be strapped for cash, there is some good news.

The aging of America has given us an enormous reservoir of volunteer talent — millions of individuals who bring decades of life and work experience, commitment and passion.

Boomers have the highest volunteer rate of any age group — indeed, more than 33 million people over the age of 45 volunteered their time and skills in 2012.

In order to take advantage of this talent, nonprofits will need to change the way they attract, train and retain their volunteers.

And they will need to redefine, renew and rethink volunteers for a new era.

There will be significant competition for this “army of useful citizens.”

AARP must continue to adapt, change and innovate in our quest for volunteers — because we cannot deliver on our mission without them.

As the nonprofit community looks at boomers and sees potential volunteers, businesses and marketers are finally starting to see potential customers.

And they would be remiss not to — because aging boomers represent a powerful opportunity.

Indeed, it’s hard to ignore the unprecedented, collective wealth of the boomers — which far surpasses any generation before them.

In 2010, disposable income for Americans 50-plus was over $3 trillion.

As a group, the over-50 crowd controls almost 80 percent of U.S. aggregate net worth.

Historically, businesses and marketers have chosen to target the younger in lieu of the older — Nielsen estimates that less than 5 percent of advertising dollars are geared to people 35-64.

But savvy businesses, investors and marketers are beginning to give older consumers the attention they deserve.

In boomers, they see a market opportunity — they see the “longevity economy.”

AARP’s challenge — indeed, our opportunity — is to figure out where we can put our stamp on the market, which will respond to the aging of America with our without us.

We must determine where we can influence, where we can insert ourselves, and how we can move the market to better serve our constituency.

Look at what we did with KB Home, one of the largest homebuilders in the nation.

We encouraged them to market a suite of products — which they call “simply living” — to bring greater attention to universal design features that help people age in place.

Sure, KB is a socially responsible company. But they’re also focused on the bottom line — and they recognize the power of the boomer market.

Of course, businesses will have to adapt in more ways than one — not just to market forces, but also to the changing nature of their workforce — and their role as employer.

Talent recruitment, management and development is a unifying factor that cuts across major institutions.

As the population ages, so too does the American workforce — whether it’s nurses, retail workers or, yes, even the New York Yankees …

Although some people will retire with decent pensions, many will continue to work.

Some will work because they want to, most because they have to — 50 percent of nonretired boomers have little confidence they will ever be able to retire.

In a nutshell, there’s a new word for retirement: It’s called “work.”

Just as the inclusion of women changed the workplace in the 20^th century, the aging population will certainly change the workplace in the 21^st century.

For the first time in modern history, the workplace spans four generations — with 20-year-olds working side-by-side with 70-year-olds.

And despite the pervasive myth about older workers taking away jobs, the truth is: There’s room for everyone.

In a report entitled “Are Aging Baby Boomers Squeezing Young Workers Out of Jobs?” the Center for Retirement Research found no evidence that increasing the employment of older persons reduces the job opportunities or wage rates of younger persons.

Boomers make up about one-third of the U.S. workforce, and employers must develop new policies and practices to meet the changing wants and needs of older workers — a highly educated, capable and sizable segment of the workforce.

And businesses must figure out how to offer more flexibility, as more and more people face caregiving responsibilities.

Some employers are ahead of the curve, because they recognize the value of an age-diverse workforce.

Unfortunately, some employers don’t share that sentiment.

Age discrimination remains a significant barrier to many older Americans who want to keep their jobs, or to get new jobs.

And yet, in our legal system, age is the easiest form of discrimination — which is why we’re working so hard to remedy the Supreme Court decision that made it almost impossible for victims of discrimination to have any kind of recourse.

And as we wage this fight, we continue to face significant resistance from the business lobby.

We want to level the playing field, because we believe that no one’s possibilities should ever be limited by their age.

AARP has a long history in the older worker arena — serving as a resource to both individuals and employers, and as an advocate for those folks who need an ally.

As we build out our new enterprise effort on work and jobs, we will look to replicate tried-and-true strategies, at the same time that we look for new ones.

And finally, I want to mention one more institution that spans public and private, for-profit and nonprofit — the built environment.

Just as people are aging in place, communities are also — by and large — aging in place.

Unlike Jerry Seinfeld’s parents who famously moved to Florida, today’s 50-plus are staying put — 83 percent of boomers expect to stay in the very same house when they retire.

In essence, they are opting for friends and grandkids over palm trees and putt-putt.

Cities and communities will be challenged with responding to the wants and needs of an age-diverse constituency.

Based on our research with Governing magazine, we know that states and communities are largely unprepared for the massive demographic shift.

Many people indicate that they lack the kind of access and proximity to the services they want and need as they get older, their homes are not conducive to aging in place, and they don’t have transit and transportation options to get around their community.

That said, there are pockets of progress and innovation across the country.

Communities — large and small — are taking action because it’s the right thing to do, and because it’s good for economic development.

Fortunately for AARP, we have been on the vanguard of this movement.

And I can safely say that we are the only organization that is making the connection between aging communities and livable communities.

So these are just five sectors — but we know that every part of our country and our economy will be impacted by, and play a role in, the aging of America.

From design to health care to education … no corner of society will go untouched.

At the same time that we look at major institutions, we can’t lose sight of the fact that some of the most interesting and innovative things are happening from the ground up.

When people don’t have access to societal or structural supports, they will create them.

Look at the growing number of Americans who are moving into group houses for mutual support — and I’m not talking about Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. I’m talking about Bea Arthur and Betty White.

Look at what’s happened with the naturally occurring retirement communities, where neighbors are working with neighbors to ensure their community has the services and amenities that help them age in place.

And we’ve seen the power of the people through the explosion of crowdfunding. The company Kickstarter has already channeled more than $1 billion in pledges from 5.7 million donors to fund 135,000 creative projects.

Just as states and communities are laboratories for innovation, so too are the citizens — and volunteers! — who band together to bring about change.

In closing, I want you to know that AARP and our members are counting on all of you.

We have an ambitious agenda. We have so much that we need to deliver this year, next year and in the years to come.

Make no mistake. The challenges are great:

… individuals are not prepared for the future, and they are entering their 50s less financially secure;

… institutions are adapting at varying rates, with varying degrees of success;

… policies and programs are built for the 20^th century — not for 2020, 2030 and beyond.

And this is where AARP comes in.

We are at the nexus of the individual and the institution.

We have the experience, the resources, the clout and, most importantly, the leadership to play a pivotal role in the aging of America.

We must take advantage of opportunities to shape the conversation — to shape the market — to shape the policies and practices of government, businesses, employers and nonprofits alike.

At the same time, we must continue to develop new tools, new resources and new channels to help individuals navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with age.

When future historians look back on the first half of the 21^st century, they will judge today’s leaders on how we responded to the challenges, and seized the advantages, of our aging country for the benefit of today’s generations, and for generations to come.

And you all are those leaders.

I don’t believe there is any nonprofit — indeed, any organization in America — that has the opportunity we have to help society respond to the aging of our country.

And while demography may dictate part of our destiny, the rest is up to us.

I hope you have a wonderful few days.

Thank you.