Does your organization struggle to recruit volunteers for your cause? If so, you are not alone. There are countless groups competing for “share of heart” from folks who are willing to lend their time and energy for the social good.

Many nonprofits dream of expanding their volunteer ranks with individuals who bring decades of life and work experience — as well as commitment and passion. What those organizations may not realize is that these ideal candidates are out there… en masse!

Think about it. Our nation boasts nearly 75 million Baby Boomers, and more than 60 million Generation Xers — two cohorts that have lots of talent and experience. But the question is: how can you reach these people?

One key strategy may come as a surprise: Try social media. Yes, social media! Despite the prevailing myth that ‘older’ individuals aren’t tech users, more than two-thirds of Americans over the age of 40 use the internet (most of those do so daily), and many of those are also social media regulars. AARP’s new research: Use of Internet, Social Networking Sites and Mobile Technology for Volunteerism tells us that there is a real willingness among people 40+ to learn about volunteer opportunities (or even to volunteer virtually), through the Internet and social media.

Based on our research, here are some key findings and recommendations:

Start social

Target Gen X and Boomers who are currently online — including folks who are already volunteering in some way, and even those people who may not volunteer yet. According to the research, nearly 60 percent of 40+ Internet users are willing to engage in at least one volunteer-related activity through the Internet, social media or a mobile phone. Your best bet is to target social networking site users. Women are generally more willing to engage in this way than men, as are folks who are currently in the workforce.

Easy does it

Engage volunteers in your cause through small, enjoyable online actions to build the foundation for deeper commitment. The study found that 40+ Internet users are most likely to get involved by learning about volunteer opportunities online (32%), joining an online group or community dedicated to a cause they share (31%) and sharing information about their cause on a social networking site (30%).

Go mobile

Currently, about one-fifth of 40+ Internet users would be willing to download a mobile app to locate volunteer opportunities in their area, and to sign up for text alerts about volunteer opportunities. Given the growth of smartphone and tablet use, and the prevalence of mobile Internet use among Hispanics and African-Americans, that number is likely to explode over time. Take steps to incorporate mobile technology into your volunteer recruitment and retention strategy.

Target transitions

Nearly a quarter of 40+ Internet users are willing to participate in virtual volunteering. As volunteers leave their current positions, re-evaluate positions for potential virtual opportunities. The goal is not to replace traditional roles, but rather to provide a wider range of opportunities (including those that are episodic or short-term) in order to increase flexibility and expand your organization’s capacity. Please note: This is not about reducing your volunteer management responsibilities. Virtual volunteers require guidance and support, just as in-person volunteers do.

Pass the mic

Over time, volunteers have become increasingly mission-oriented. Encourage those who are Internet-savvy to speak about the benefits of their volunteer work — and its impact on the communities they serve — through their personal social media profiles. People are much more likely to value the opinions of other volunteers than ‘corporate voices.’

In sum, there is an incredible pool of 40+ volunteers (and volunteer prospects) whose experience and dedication could bring your organization to the next level. As you develop your recruitment strategy, remember to reach them where an increasing number “live:” on social media. It may take time, energy, trial and error — but the benefits are well worth it!

Also of Interest

• Celebrating All Volunteers
• 10 Drugs That May Cause Memory Loss
• Fight fraud and ID theft with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Por siglos, los hogares nos han dado un techo, un lugar para criar una familia. Después, los hogares tomaron un sitio de honor y se convirtieron en nuestros propios castillos. Y en décadas recientes, los propietarios de viviendas contaron con la revalorización rápida de sus hogares para ayudarlos a obtener seguridad financiera e independencia en cierta medida.

Recibir cuidados en el hogar es un beneficio enorme para el paciente.

Con el paso del tiempo, el hogar ha servido muchos propósitos y su función ha evolucionado desde simplemente brindar albergue a mucho más. Al mirar hacia el futuro, vemos la próxima encarnación del hogar como nuestra clínica de cuidado de salud. Los consumidores cada vez encuentran más nuevas oportunidades y opciones para obtener acceso a cuidados y mantenerse saludables, sin salir de la comodidad y privacidad de sus hogares.

» RECURSOS: Centro de cuidados de AARP »

De hecho, muchos hospitales han vuelto a la práctica tradicional de las visitas a domicilio. Un número creciente de sistemas de salud están enviando médicos y enfermeros a hogares para administrar tratamientos y asegurar que los medicamentos se tomen como es debido. Además, estos profesionales dan recomendaciones sobre cómo una residencia puede ser más habitable con cambios simples que aumenten la facilidad de uso del hogar y disminuyan el riesgo de caídas y lesiones. (Consulta la Guía para tener una vivienda adecuada, de AARP para aprender cómo puedes convertir tu hogar o el de tu pariente en un lugar más habitable).

Además de las visitas a domicilio, la nueva tecnología ahora brinda la opción de la “telemedicina”, la cual ayuda a los profesionales de la salud a monitorear a distancia los signos vitales de los pacientes (azúcar en sangre, presión arterial, colesterol, etc.). Por ejemplo, Essential Health (en inglés) en Minnesota monitorea la salud de 300 pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca cuando se suben a la balanza en sus hogares respectivos todas las mañanas. La balanza envía los datos pertinentes a la oficina central, donde el personal médico los revisa.

En esta época de Google Glass, tecnología de vestir y el automóvil que se automaneja, vemos que el mismo nivel de innovación se aplica a la salud personal.

Se están lanzando al mercado elaborados dispositivos tecnológicos que controlan con qué frecuencia una persona se toma sus medicamentos recetados. Además, ahora hay dispositivos que pueden monitorear la actividad física de una persona y recordarle de manera visible y sonora cuando es el momento de entrar en acción. Más y más dispositivos médicos se han vuelto portátiles, como por ejemplo monitores de glucosa y de presión arterial, los cuales pueden ayudar a una persona a manejar una enfermedad crónica y permiten a los médicos controlar el progreso de un paciente mucho después de que ya no esté hospitalizado.

Recibir cuidados en su propio hogar es un beneficio enorme para el paciente, ya que, seamos honestos, nadie quiere pasar tiempo en el hospital o un hogar de ancianos si hay manera de evitarlo. Además, los proveedores de cuidados tienen un incentivo financiero. Un estudio reciente de Health Affairs (en inglés) descubrió que —gracias a hospitalizaciones más cortas y menos pruebas— los costos para los pacientes en un programa de “hospital en la casa” en Nuevo México eran un 19% más bajos que para pacientes hospitalizados en estado de salud similar.

Otro bono: muchos pacientes (en especial los mayores, los de salud delicada y los que tienen enfermedades crónicas) son más vulnerables a infecciones y complicaciones en el hospital y de hecho están más seguros en la casa.

En general, a medida que la gente envejece, quieren quedarse donde están. La investigación de AARP encuentra a menudo que casi 9 de cada 10 personas de 65 años o más (y 8 de cada 10 “baby boomers”) desean permanecer en sus hogares y comunidades por el mayor tiempo posible. Al brindar cuidados a las personas en los lugares donde viven, tenemos mejores oportunidades de ayudarlos a vivir de manera independiente en sus viviendas, lejos de instituciones costosas. De hecho, investigación del AARP Public Policy Institute (Instituto de Políticas Públicas de AARP) muestra que el cuidado a domicilio cuesta un tercio de lo que cuesta el cuidado en un hogar de ancianos.

A medida que desarrollemos nuevas soluciones que faciliten el cuidado de pacientes en sus hogares, podemos ayudar a los adultos mayores a vivir de manera independiente al tiempo que les brindamos el cuidado y apoyo que deseen y necesiten. Como lo expresó tan acertadamente Dorothy cuando regresó a Kansas: “No hay lugar como el hogar”.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Nancy LeaMond, vicepresidenta ejecutiva de AARP para el Grupo Estatal y Nacional, dirige los asuntos y campañas gubernamentales de AARP y es responsable del programa de comunidades habitables de AARP, el cual incluye iniciativas de transporte y vivienda en estados, ciudades y comunidades a nivel nacional. Síguela en Twitter en @NancyLeaMond. ________________________________________________________________________________

Foto: ThinkStock

Social Security remains strong as seen in today’s long-term projected outlook by the Social Security Trustees. While today’s report reminds us that we must eventually make modest changes to ensure current and future generations of Social Security beneficiaries receive what they’ve earned, it confirms that Social Security can continue to pay full benefits for nearly two decades.

The Trustees once again report that the combined Old Age, Survivor and Disability Insurance Trust can pay full retirement, survivor and disability benefits for approximately two more decades, and about 75 percent of benefits beyond that time for at least several generations more.

>> Sign up for the AARP Advocacy Newsletter

While the Trustees report that the Disability Insurance Trust Fund faces a fast-approaching funding gap, the report confirms that if the combined resources of the Social Security Trust Funds are rebalanced, no beneficiary needs to face an imminent reduction in his or her earned benefits.

To ensure full benefits over the long term, we must begin with a national debate on growing retirement insecurity and the critical role of Social Security in the retirement income framework. Americans of all ages deserve an honest and open national discussion about the value of Social Security and its importance to millions of retired workers, spouses, children, veterans and persons with disabilities. We strongly urge Congress to hold a separate debate on the solvency and adequacy of Social Security, as it is a separate, self-financed program that people pay into throughout their lives and count on for each generation of our families.

Too many politicians in Washington talk about harmful changes to Social Security as part of a budget debate without considering the devastating impact such changes would have on the millions of American families who depend on their earned benefits. AARP believes it is wrong to try to balance the budget by jeopardizing Americans’ income security, especially when so many have woefully little set aside for retirement and struggle with even their own current economic security.

Image: slobo/iStock

Also of Interest

• Lawmakers Urged to Act Soon to Shore Up Social Security
• Social Security Changes in 2014
• Fight fraud and ID theft with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

The Medicare Trustees report today reminds us of the financial challenges facing Medicare, along with the overall high cost of health care. With 64 million Americans expected to be enrolled in Medicare by 2020, we must do more to reduce wasteful spending throughout our health care system.

For starters, we can reduce costs and find significant savings in Medicare and throughout the health care system with responsible solutions rather than harmful cuts. By improving care coordination, utilizing technology more efficiently, clamping down on high drug prices, reducing unnecessary services and other wasteful spending, and targeting fraud and abuse, for example, we would improve our health care system as a whole while saving money in Medicare.

>> Sign up for the AARP Advocacy Newsletter

Some in Washington still hold on to the mistaken belief that cutting benefits or asking seniors to pay more is the best way to address Medicare’s financial challenges, even though a typical senior has an annual income of just $20,000 and already pays thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket health care costs.

But we know that millions of older Americans depend on Medicare for guaranteed, affordable health coverage and simply cannot afford more than they already pay. That’s why AARP advocates for common-sense changes that can ensure affordable health care for American families while improving the quality and delivery of care for today’s seniors and future generations.

Image: HHS Medicare Handbook

Also of Interest

• How Medicare Might End Surprise Nursing Care Penalties
• 4 Surgeries You Should Avoid
• Fight fraud and ID theft with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Seventy-nine years after its creation, Social Security remains a vital key to Americans’ retirement security. And with the 2014 elections less than three months away, strengthening the program is a top priority for older voters, according to a new AARP survey of voters 50 and older. The message to candidates is clear: Stop treating Social Security like a line item in a budget.

Older voters have earned their benefits through a lifetime of hard work and paying into the system. They’re looking for candidates who will offer substantive plans to strengthen Social Security for them and their kids and grandkids.

Candidates should take note of survey results from hotly contested Senate races in Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina:

More than 74 percent of voters 50-plus said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported cuts to Social Security to reduce the deficit. Yet for the past few years, we’ve heard much talk from Washington about how to cut Social Security as part of a budget deal. This couldn’t be more out of step with voters’ priorities. The program — self-financed and separate from the rest of the federal budget — is too important to be lumped into the general budget debate.

The continual focus on cuts ignores the fact that retirees are struggling to make ends meet as it is.

Seventy percent of retirees surveyed said the current yearly Social Security cost of living adjustment of 1.5 percent isn’t keeping up with their expenses on essentials like health care, housing, food and utilities. With benefits already barely enough to keep retirees afloat, cuts could push millions of seniors underwater.

Near-retirees can’t afford benefit cuts either. In our survey, large majorities of boomers in every state said their incomes were falling behind the cost of living.

Things have gotten so bad that nearly 50 percent of non-retirees reported having already delayed retirement or having plans to do so because of a lack of savings. With the average boomer having only $25,000 put away for retirement, when retirement age finally does come, they’ll need every penny of their benefits to make ends meet.

For millions of older Americans, Social Security is a lifeline — the only thing standing between them and a life in poverty. Rarely talked about is the importance of the benefit (on average $1,200 per month) to the financial security of the middle class. Two-thirds of seniors get at least half of their income from Social Security.

We hear about Social Security’s critical role every day in letters, emails, phone calls and more from people around the country. Some recent comments from our AARP Advocates Facebook page tell the story:

“I need Social Security just to get by paying monthly bills.”

“Please do not cut any more from the ones that need it the most. Everyone should be able to receive what they have worked for.”

“Leave our Social Security and Medicare alone. We are barely able to get by on it!”

Here’s the bottom line: Current retirees are saying their COLA doesn’t keep up with their expenses. With so many pensions going the way of the dinosaur, boomers are struggling to save for the future. It’s time for candidates to take a stand against cutting Social Security to reduce the deficit and for protecting it for current seniors and strengthening it for their kids and grandkids.

When voters enter the ballot booth this fall, Social Security will be on their minds. Our surveys make clear their views on the issue. Candidates would be wise to listen up.

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. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Image: Gerald Ford Foundation

Studebaker auto workers found out the hard way in 1963. When the Studebaker Corp. shut down its plant in South Bend, Ind., workers who had been promised pensions saw their hard-earned benefits vanish in an instant. Instead of receiving fixed payments throughout retirement, thousands of employees were forced to take one-time lump sums worth a fraction of what they’d earned. Thousands more received no benefits at all. The Studebaker Corp. had been promising pension benefits to its employees, but in reality it was putting away no money to fund these pensions — and it wasn’t alone.

The Studebaker incident put pension reform on the national agenda. Efforts to provide protection for workers’ earned benefits culminated with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), signed by President Gerald Ford 40 years ago today, Sept. 2, 1974.

ERISA created real accountability for employers’ pension promises. It established minimum standards for:

• Disclosure: Employers were required to tell employees how their plans were funded and when their benefits could be claimed.
• Vesting: This is the amount of time workers must be employed by a company before being guaranteed benefits.
• Funding: Employers were required to put aside a percentage of the benefits they promised to employees each year.

Over the years, these ERISA protections have expanded, allowing millions of workers and their families to retire with dignity and independence. A 1986 law lowered the vesting period to five years, and a 1984 law added important protections for spouses by making pension benefits a marital asset — meaning a surviving spouse could receive the benefits if his or her partner died, and split the benefits in case of divorce.

Yet the retirement landscape is changing again. In recent years, many employers have tried to cut costs by putting pension benefits on the table. Some companies have moved away from guaranteed pension benefits and toward 401(k)-style retirement plans, where the risk is shifted onto the employee.

This is a troubling move. While Social Security is a foundation for a secure retirement, pension benefits are crucial to millions of Americans’ retirement security. The protections offered under ERISA are incredibly important — even more so in the face of the growing retirement savings deficit. Nearly half of older workers have less than $25,000 in savings, and the average monthly Social Security benefit is only $1,200 a month.

Today, as we celebrate 40 years of ERISA, we must remain vigilant that hard-working Americans receive the pension benefits they’ve been promised. You can rest assured that AARP will continue to fight every day to ensure Americans have the financial security they need to take charge of the future and live with dignity and independence as they age.

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. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Today we honor Marian McQuade of West Virginia. In the 1970s, McQuade worked tirelessly to educate people about the important contributions of older Americans, and she urged Americans to “adopt a grandparent” and enjoy the benefit of their wisdom and experience. She even convinced governors, Congress and then President Jimmy Carter to set aside a day each year to celebrate this special group of people.

Sept. 7 marks the 35th anniversary of National Grandparents Day, and in the spirit of McQuade, I would like to echo her call to action. We should all take time — not just today, but every day — to celebrate the grandparents around the world who play a unique and important role in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

>> Sign up for the AARP Advocacy Newsletter

While many grandparents play an active role from a distance (whether down the road, or from another town or state), many others live with their grandkids. In fact, according to the U.S. Census, 10 percent of children in the United States live with a grandparent. And 2.7 million grandparents are actually raising their grandkids.

There’s a lot of talk these days about generational warfare, about generations robbing other generations. But this is an overly simplistic and false picture that fails to consider the nuances of how generations work together, live together, support one another. Today’s grandparents provide love and care for their grandchildren, they serve as a source of counsel and advice, and often, they provide financial assistance. And for those who raise their grandkids, they serve as both primary caregiver and day-to-day role model.

According to a Metlife/Generations United survey, 62 percent of grandparents provide financial support to their grandchildren. And they regularly provide support in the way of assistance for clothing, educational needs, life events, financial savings and even car purchases. One-third even give financial assistance to their grandkids despite the fact that it’s having a negative effect on their own financial security.

While grandparents are generous with their wallet, there is so much they pass on to the next generation that is invaluable. They are very committed to family — and with that commitment comes a strong desire to leave a positive, lasting legacy for our kids, grandkids and future generations. The Metlife/Generations study found that grandparents are passionate about passing on personal values, with large majorities focused on nurturing honesty, good behavior and self-sufficiency.

>> Here’s What Retirement Looks Like for Some Boomers

As former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani once said so well: “What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.” Indeed.

And while grandparents give a lot to their grandkids, the benefits are mutual. Research shows that grandparents who have strong relationships with their grandchildren feel better about their lives. Not to mention, they also get to experience the sense of fun, exploration and curiosity as they watch their grandchildren grow.

Today, we recognize the efforts of the late McQuade to honor and celebrate our grandparents. And hopefully we can do her legacy proud.

Photo: monkeybusinessimages/iStock

Also of Interest

• What Happens to Your Pension When the Company Goes Bust?
• Retirees Living Comfortably on Less, Survey Shows
• Fight fraud and ID theft with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Election Day is almost here. Yet too many candidates wait until after the polls close before taking positions on key issues that matter to you and your family.

That’s why AARP developed voters’ guides for the 435 U.S. House, 36 U.S. Senate and hundreds of state races. These nonpartisan guides will help you cut through the political clutter to what the candidates are saying — and what they’re not saying — about the issues that matter to you and your family such as Social Security and Medicare. With the voter guide you can also contact campaigns with comments or questions and find out where to vote in your state.

Here are three key questions every candidate for the U.S. House and Senate should answer:

1. How would you protect Social Security for seniors and strengthen it for future generations?

Over the past few years, the president and Congress have debated a proposal to cut Social Security benefits as part of a deal to reduce the deficit. The so-called chained CPI is a fancy Washington term that really means cutting the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) — costing seniors and future generations thousands of dollars over their lifetimes.

2. How would you put Medicare on stronger financial ground and protect today’s seniors and future retirees from rising health costs?

For the last 11 years, Congress has failed to fix a broken Medicare payment system that robs seniors of the security of knowing they can continue to see their doctors. Medicare beneficiaries deserve a stable and predictable system that will encourage their doctors to provide high-quality care. There are a number of proposals to pay for this new system without hurting seniors, such as reducing prescription drug costs, improving care coordination, reducing costly hospital readmissions and cracking down on fraud and inefficiency.

>> Sign up for the AARP Advocacy Newsletter

3. How would you help Americans save so they can secure their future live independently as they age?

Freedom from age discrimination is a fundamental right and critical to Americans’ ability to have a secure retirement. Right now, legislation in Congress is pending that would support civil rights protections for older workers. The bipartisan Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (POWADA) would restore the legal standards that prevailed before an unfair Supreme Court decision, and help older workers remain in or reenter the workplace with greater protection against the barriers of age discrimination.

Questions for your state gubernatorial and legislative candidates:

1. What will you do to improve financial security for your state constituents?

Nearly half of workers age 50 and older have less than $25,000 in savings and investments. And 57 million Americans have no access to a retirement savings plan through their employer. Many states are considering Work and Save plans, which would make it easier for workers without retirement benefits to save for their future.

2. How will you help support family caregivers who make it possible for their loved ones stay in their own homes as they age?

More than 42 million family caregivers make it possible for their aging parents, spouses and other loved ones to live independently at home. Yet too few family caregivers get any training for the complex medical and nursing duties they often must perform, including medication management, injections, wound care and more. The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, most recently passed in Oklahoma, helps family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital, and makes sure they get instruction on the tasks they must perform before their loved ones transition home.

See where the candidates stand on these key issues and choose who best reflects your views and values. Your vote matters. Go to www.aarp.org/yourvote to get started.

Image: Thinkstock

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. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Also of Interest

• When It Comes to Politics, the Nose Knows
• Why You Shouldn’t Drop Your Landline Just Yet
• Get Involved: Learn How You Can Give Back
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

As we enter National Family Caregivers Month, I think back to the time I spent as a caregiver to my mom.  For 12 years I was by her side, through diabetes, congestive heart failure, hospitalizations and more — all while juggling my job and raising my kids. It wasn’t always easy, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

My experience is just one of the countless untold stories from family caregivers across the country. Today, more than 42 million Americans help their parents, spouses and other loved ones so they can live independently at home — where they want to be — instead of in costly institutions. These unsung heroes assist with bathing and dressing, preparing meals, transportation, even complicated medical tasks like wound care, injections, medication management — and much more.

With their contribution of about $450 billion in unpaid care annually, family caregivers are what make it possible for older Americans to achieve their goal of staying at home as they age.  And they need our recognition and support.

I Heart Caregivers

To honor America’s silent army of family caregivers and recognize all that we do, AARP has launched a new initiative to spotlight our stories and raise our voices, called “I Heart Caregivers”: aarp.org/iheartcaregivers.

Click here to view stories – or share your own.

As family caregivers, we do remarkable things to care for our loved ones, but this great labor of love is not without its challenges. That’s why AARP is fighting to shine a light on the millions of Americans who give their hearts as caregivers and to support them with common-sense solutions such as:

• The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, to support family caregivers when their loved one goes into the hospital and provide training on medical tasks they will need to perform once their loved one returns home.
• Caregiver employee leave, so family caregivers don’t have to worry about losing pay — or their jobs — when they need to take time off to care for a loved one.
• Respite care, to give family caregivers a much-needed break.
• Cutting through red tape to give nurses more authority to help.
• Making sure caregivers have access to the right resources in the community, such as home care and adult day care.
• Helping family caregivers navigate financial challenges by making sure power of attorney and adult guardianship laws are consistent and honored from state to state.
• And more!

Share your story

This November, help us recognize the millions of Americans across the country helping their loved ones stay at home. If you are a family caregiver or have been a family caregiver, share your story — and together we can fight for you.

Click here to share your story.

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. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Also of Interest

• New Study Finds $522 Billion Cost of Caregivers’ Sacrificed Time
• What’s the Maximum Social Security Benefit?
• Fight Fraud and ID Theft With the AARP Fraud Watch Network
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

At kitchen tables across America, real families are confronting the same question: How will we care for Mom and Dad (or another loved one) if something happens and they can’t take care of themselves?

When my mother’s health declined, I served as her best friend, her adviser, her house manager and her hospital Sherpa. I am not alone.

Every family caregiver has a personal story to tell — which is why caregiving is one of those rare issues that cross geographic and political lines. This isn’t a Democratic issue. It’s not a Republican issue. It’s a family issue.­­ It’s one shared by more than 42 million Americans who are helping their older loved ones live independently at home, where they want to be.

In some ways, caregiving is a wonderful gift.

It affords us the opportunity to:

• Give back to the ones who gave so much to us.
• Spend quality time with the people we love.
• Step back and put things in perspective.

But it also can be a difficult and trying time — and it can be isolating.

>> Sign up for the AARP Advocacy Newsletter

The level and kind of help family caregivers provide vary greatly, and depend on the circumstances:

• Some provide care from a distance, while others are just a short drive away.
• Some support aging parents who have physical disabilities, while others are also managing through the challenges that come with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.
• Some perform complex medical tasks that were once handled only by trained medical personnel.
• Some step in to help mom and dad manage their finances.
• And some caregivers do it all.

Today, the average family caregiver is a 49-year-old working woman who cares for her mother. She provides 20 hours of care per week. Meanwhile, other family caregivers help their loved ones around the clock, and many can’t even take a break. In total, America’s family caregivers provide an estimated $450 billion in unpaid care annually.

Beyond the kitchen table, into legislative chambers

That’s why AARP is fighting to help this silent army of Americans who lovingly care for their parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and friends. We’ve seen real progress in states across the country as this personal issue becomes a political issue — as we move the conversation beyond kitchen tables and into legislative chambers.

We couldn’t do this work without state legislators, governors and other elected officials—especially those who are at the vanguard of the movement:

• Who write, support and move legislation.
• Who work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get things done.
• Who come together to pass those critical votes that turn bills into law.

Capitol Caregivers

To recognize the state elected officials who were integral to the passage of key caregiving legislation in 2014, last night at the National Conference of State Legislatures Forum, I introduced our inaugural, bipartisan class of Capitol Caregivers. This class includes 46 state legislators and three governors from 19 states who helped family caregivers by:

• Passing the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act.
• Creating caregiving task forces.
• Expanding nurses’ ability to take care of their patients.
• Providing more workplace flexibility.
• Making adult guardianship and power-of-attorney laws more uniform.

The 2014 Capitol Caregivers are:

• State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, California
• Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, California
• Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown, California
• Gov. Dannel Malloy, Connecticut
• State Sen. Terry B. Gerratana, Connecticut
• State Rep. Theresa W. Conroy, Connecticut
• State Rep. Jason Perillo, Connecticut
• State Rep. Valerie J. Longhurst, Delaware
• State Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, Hawaii
• State Sen. Rosalyn Baker, Hawaii
• State Sen. Vaneta Becker, Indiana
• State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Indiana
• State Rep. Edward Clere, Indiana
• State Sen. Patricia Miller, Indiana
• State Sen. Robert Hogg, Iowa
• State Rep. Chip Baltimore, Iowa
• State Sen. Morgan McGarvey, Kentucky
• State Sen. Reginald Thomas, Kentucky
• State Rep. Joni L. Jenkins, Kentucky
• State Rep. Tommy Thompson, Kentucky
• State Rep. Robert A. Johnson, Louisiana
• State Sen. Gale D. Candaras, Massachusetts
• State Rep. Anne M. Gobi, Massachusetts
• State Rep. Christopher M. Markey, Massachusetts
• State Rep. James O’Day, Massachusetts
• State Sen. Sandra L. Pappas, Minnesota
• State Sen. Kathy Sheran, Minnesota
• State Rep. Carly Melin, Minnesota
• State Rep. Dan Schoen, Minnesota
• State Sen. Terry C. Burton, Mississippi
• State Sen. Briggs Hopson, Mississippi
• State Rep. Mark Baker, Mississippi
• State Rep. Bobby Moak, Mississippi
• State Sen. Kate Bolz, Nebraska
• State Sen. Sue Crawford, Nebraska
• State Sen. Robert W. Singer, New Jersey
• State Sen. Joseph F. Vitale, New Jersey
• Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, New Jersey
• Assemblywoman Nancy F. Munoz, New Jersey
• State Sen. Michael Padilla, New Mexico
• State Rep. Tomás Salazar, New Mexico
• Gov. John Kasich, Ohio
• Gov. Mary Fallin, Oklahoma
• State Sen. Brian A. Crain, Oklahoma
• State Rep. Harold Wright, Oklahoma
• State Sen. Thomas Alexander, South Carolina
• State Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Utah
• State Sen. Brian Shiozawa, Utah
• Del. Barbara Evans Fleischauer, West Virginia

More work to do

In 2015, AARP will continue to press for commonsense solutions to help family caregivers and their loved ones: more support, help at home, training and more.

I invite you to help us fight for you and your loved ones. Learn more at aarp.org/iheartcaregivers

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. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

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• Fight Fraud and ID Theft With the AARP Fraud Watch Network
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Every month, I learn about a new holiday or commemorative date to raise awareness.  From the sublime to the ridiculous, there are 30 such commemorations in April, including Vitamin C Day and Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. While there’s a lot to celebrate about taking your vitamins — and taking business casual to the next level — there is one event in particular this month that I believe deserves our attention and support.

This week marks National Volunteer Week — our annual opportunity to recognize, celebrate and fete the millions of volunteers across the country who make life better for all Americans. At AARP, we are fortunate to have a large cadre of folks who give their time and energy to help us advance our social mission.

Volunteers like Myrtle Habersham, who lends her expertise to make Macon-Bibb County, Ga., a more age-friendly place to live. Or Randee Bloom, a passionate “retired” nurse who connects organizations with skilled nursing volunteers through the Create the Good matching site. People like Suzan Turley, who protects fellow Oregonians from scams and fraud. And I would be remiss not to mention Bob (Hoff) Hoffman, a retired AARP colleague who volunteers as a board member of a neighborhood “village,” designed to help neighbors age in place.

Get the latest on Where We Stand — AARP Advocacy Newsletter »

Myrtle, Randee, Suzan and Bob are part of AARP’s exceptional team of over 55,000 volunteers who give us their skills — and follow their passions — to make a difference in their communities. These volunteers are at the very heart of who AARP is and what we do as an organization. Without them, we could not achieve our mission to improve the lives of older Americans and their families.

Volunteers are an often invisible — but critical — force for good in our country. There are more than 62 million volunteers across the nation who feed the hungry, help the sick and foster our youth. Other volunteers are supporting our military and veterans, protecting the environment, easing the burden on caregivers, and generally making the world better through myriad acts of kindness and generosity.

I hope you will join me — not just during this National Volunteer Week, but all year long — to recognize and thank this army of angels for all that they do.

Photo — AARP volunteers in Atlanta: Atlanta Community Food Bank/Flickr

Also of Interest

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• Best Small Towns in America to Visit
• AARP Foundation Tax-Aide: Get free help preparing and filing your taxes
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer travel. But our nation’s transportation system is fraying at the seams. The pride we once took in the roads, bridges, and rails built by the Greatest Generation has given way to daily frustration at the disrepair that makes it harder to get where we need to go. The recent Amtrak tragedy is yet another sign that our transportation infrastructure is not what it needs to be.

It’s time to invest in the future. The U.S. cannot stay competitive in the 21st century if we get around as if we’re stuck in the 1950s. Over the past decade, the global economic competitiveness of U.S. transportation infrastructure fell from 1st place to 12th. Baby Boomers enjoyed the benefits of investments made by their parents and grandparents, and now we must renew our commitment to a modern, safe transportation system for our children and grandchildren.

Before Congress leaves for the Memorial Day recess, they must act to ensure continued funding for our nation’s surface transportation programs, set to expire on May 31st. While Congress may only act on a short-term patch, what is really needed is a longer-term five- or six-year bill with dependable funding. This will give states and local governments the certainty they need for long-term planning and letting out contracts. Unfortunately, it’s been nearly a decade since Congress passed a bill to address these long-term needs.

As Congress considers renewing the surface transportation law, it should be looking at ways to innovate and make transportation dollars go farther. We can see examples of such innovation from North Carolina to Washington State, and from Louisiana to Iowa. Smarter investments have significantly reduced road construction costs, provided safer trips and increased use. Many have also brought jobs and higher property values. Concern over pedestrian fatalities and injuries often drove communities to consider redesigning their roads – where nationally a pedestrian is killed every two hours, and one in five is age 65 or over.

The recent Amtrak tragedy is yet another sign that our transportation infrastructure is not what it needs to be.

Last week, I participated in the AARP Life@50+ National Event in Miami, Florida. For years, Florida had the most dangerous roads for pedestrians, but that is changing. Fortunately, the Florida Department of Transportation has developed statewide initiatives to make the roads safer for everyone, including those on foot.

Congress also has the opportunity to modernize the way roads are planned, built, and operated.  The Safe Streets Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH), would ensure that transportation planners and engineers consider the needs of all users when planning and constructing new or reconstructed, federally funded roads.  These important provisions should be included in the transportation bill rewrite. Let Congress know you agree and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 2071.

Congress must not delay making the commitment to invest in our nation’s transportation assets. Our country and our families deserve better.

Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president of AARP’s Community, State & National Affairs group, leads government relations, advocacy, public education, and volunteerism on behalf of Americans 50+. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

On July 9, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), in his opening statement in the House Ways and Means Committee, said, “Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson has been working on solutions all year.”

And a few months back, he laid out four principles for reforming disability insurance (DI) — all of which I fully endorse: “First, no 20 percent cut. Full stop. Not gonna happen. Second, make sure all benefits are paid on time. Third, make the program work better. And fourth, help people who can and want to work get back to work. … A disability should in no way diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society”

Get the latest on where we stand — AARP Advocacy Newsletter

AARP agrees with this sentiment and agrees with the approach laid out by Chairman Ryan. It is our sincere hope that through the work of this committee, with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, we see bipartisan legislation passed this year that accomplishes these goals.

Both Chairman Ryan and the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), ended their opening remarks on positive notes.

Ryan said, “So I want to make clear to members on both sides of the dais. We’re not here to cut DI; we’re here to strengthen DI. That is our mission.”

Levin noted “Social Security disability insurance plays a vital role in the lives of millions. I hope we can work together to make sure it continues to be there for all Americans.”

We are heartened by this debate and look forward to continuing to work with the committee on both sides of the aisle to enact legislation that encourages the continued success of Social Security.

Photo: courtneyk/iStock

Also of Interest

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• Top Social Security questions answered
• Get help: Find out if you’re eligible for public benefits with Benefits QuickLINK
• Join AARP: savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more. 

AARP continues to voice its serious concerns about the current draft of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive trade agreement that will affect millions of people here in the U.S. and abroad and could set an unfortunate precedent for future trade agreements. The draft agreement contains provisions that add to the profits of the brand-name pharmaceutical industry at the expense of patients and older Americans. In fact, some of the TPP provisions run counter to current U.S. laws that are in place to protect consumers’ access to affordable medicines.

Specifically, AARP objects to intellectual property provisions in the draft TPP agreement that unduly restrict competition by delaying consumers’ access to lower-cost generic drugs. These anticompetitive provisions include extending brand drug patent protections through “evergreening” drug products that provide little to no new value and prolong high prescription drug costs for consumers, linking approval to market generic or biosimilar drugs to existing patents in a way that protects only brand drugs, and increasing data exclusivity periods for biologics that further delays access by other companies to develop generic versions of these extremely high-cost drugs. These provisions are all designed to ensure monopoly control by brand-name drug companies.

Newsletter: Get the latest on AARP advocay programs affecting you »

We are already witnessing the growing strain of unsustainable drug prices on consumers, state and federal budgets, and the U.S. health care system. The TPP will result in billions of dollars in unnecessary spending on medications. As it stands now, the TPP represents a very bad deal for the millions of people for whom affordable medicine can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

As negotiations take place in Hawaii over the next several days, AARP appeals to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and the other trade negotiators to change course and adjust these provisions by including compromise language consistent with the May 10 Agreement and prior U.S. free trade agreements with Peru, Panama and Colombia. This framework would strike a better balance and give the TPP trading partners the ability to foster both innovation and competition in the pharmaceutical industry while ensuring access to affordable medicines for millions of people in the U.S. and around the world.

Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president of AARP’s Community, State & National Affairs group, leads government relations, advocacy, public education and volunteerism on behalf of Americans 50+. LeaMond 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.

You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Forty million Americans care for their older parents, spouses and other loved ones to help them live independently, at home, each and every day — I am one of them.  We family caregivers help with bathing and dressing, transportation, providing meals, and much more. We even handle complex medical tasks like wound care or giving injections.  Today, we are an essential part of the U.S. health care system.

The unpaid care family caregivers provide is valued at about $470 billion a year—or as much as the annual sales of the four largest U.S. tech companies combined (Apple, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Microsoft). Without family caregivers, the cost to the U.S. economy and taxpayers would skyrocket.

At AARP, we believe family caregivers need recognition and support. By doing so, we can help millions of older Americans and people with disabilities live at home where they want to be, help to delay or prevent more costly nursing home care and unnecessary hospitalizations, and save taxpayer dollars.

Four Members of Congress have now given us a golden opportunity. In a bipartisan effort, they have rolled up their sleeves and started the process of building a foundation for recognition and support of family caregivers.

The “RAISE Family Caregivers Act” — officially the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act — has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and in the U.S. House by Representatives Gregg Harper (R-MS) and Kathy Castor (D-FL).

The RAISE Family Caregivers Act would:

• Require the development, maintenance, and updating of a national strategy to recognize and support family caregivers
• Create an advisory council that brings together relevant federal agencies and representatives from the private and public sectors, including family caregivers, to make recommendations for a strategy that would identify specific actions government, communities, providers, employers, and others can take.
  
  

The sponsors tell us why the RAISE Family Caregivers Act is so important:

Sen. Collins: “The American population is aging and the need for care and support is increasing. Family caregivers are an invaluable resource to our aging society. Chances are that, sooner or later, we will all either be family caregivers or someone who needs one.”

Sen. Baldwin: “Family caregivers are integral to our long-term care system and our economy, but are too often overlooked as part of the care team for seniors and those with disabilities. If we are serious about ensuring that our older adults and loved ones with disabilities receive the highest quality care in their own homes, we must formally recognize and support family caregivers.”

Rep. Harper: “The importance of family caregivers can’t be overstated. In many cases, family caregivers help with activities such as eating, bathing, transportation, managing finances, and paying for services to help their loved ones.”

Rep. Castor: “With almost 3 million caregivers in my home state of Florida, and millions more across the country, there is a need to come together as a country to better understand the needs of caregivers.”

AARP has endorsed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, and is urging Congress to take action this year.

Family caregiving is not a Democratic or a Republican issue, or an older or younger person’s issue. It is a family issue that requires attention from government at the federal, state and local levels; business; communities, and more.  AARP commends the sponsors of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act — as well as the co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus — for their leadership on this important issue that affects us all.

Just about every family has their own stories to tell about caring for a loved one. Read stories from other family caregivers, or share your own at I Heart Caregivers.

Nancy LeaMond is AARP Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer. She leads the organization’s Communities, State and National Group, including government relations, advocacy and public education for AARP’s social change agenda. LeaMond 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.

 You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

We must make our streets safer! Today in our country a pedestrian suffers an injury every eight minutes and one is killed every two hours! That’s been an upward trend in recent years. In the decade from 2003 to 2012, more than 47,000 people nationwide died while walking on our streets, 16 times the number who died in natural disasters during the same period. More than 676,000 pedestrians were injured over the same decade. These tragedies happen to individuals of all ages. But an older pedestrian is particularly vulnerable. Among pedestrian fatalities, nearly 1 of every 5 is 65 or older.

All we’ve seen in the over the past several years is a series of short-term patches. The DRIVE Act, the six-year transportation bill passed by the Senate last week, is a welcome departure. Included in the DRIVE Act is a critically important provision that would make streets safer for pedestrians and all who use the road. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) led the effort to promote this key provision to ensure that streets are planned and designed to be safe for people of all ages and abilities regardless of how they travel — by car, foot, bus, bike or rail.

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Today, more than 1 of every 5 older Americans, about 8 million, no longer drive. They need a variety of options, including safe walking, to stay connected to their communities. Yet nearly half of people 50 and over tell us they cannot safely cross the main streets in their neighborhoods. Too many seniors today simply cannot safely walk, bike or take public transportation to their destinations.

By 2030, just 15 years from now, the 65-and-older population will have doubled from what it is today — to more than 70 million. All 50 states will see a rapid acceleration in the growth of their senior populations. Ten states will actually have more 65-and-older residents than school-age children.

We know how to design safe streets — research shows that well-designed intersections, sidewalks, bike lanes and other features can significantly reduce injuries, deaths and automobile crashes. A crosswalk safe for a senior is a crosswalk safe for a child. A community that is friendly for an 80-year-old can be friendly for an 8-year-old — and everyone else in between.

We believe that America’s state, federal and community leaders should focus on making our streets safer. That is why we are particularly grateful for the leadership of Sens. Schatz and Heller for leading the fight to give communities the tools they need to keep streets safe for people of all ages. And in the House, Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and David Joyce (R-Ohio) have introduced the bipartisan Safe Streets Act, HR 2071. We urge its inclusion in the House transportation reauthorization bill when they take it up this fall.

Also of Interest

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• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.

AARP sent the following letter to Congress on Oct. 14.

AARP has deep concern that for only the third time in over 40 years, there will be no Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2016. To make matters worse, as a result, 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries will see their monthly Medicare Part B premium dramatically increase, and all Medicare beneficiaries will experience an increase in their Part B deductible.

Congress should protect the 16.5 million Medicare beneficiaries — which includes new enrollees, people not collecting Social Security, and beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicaid — from the harmful effects of dramatically increasing premiums, due to there being no Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) as well as protect all Medicare beneficiaries from the large increase in their deductible.

>> Newsletter: Get the latest on AARP advocay programs affecting you

The Social Security Trustees announced Oct. 15 that there will be no Social Security COLA in 2016, due to unusually low energy prices. However, the impact of very low energy prices on Social Security recipients may be overstated in the current cost of living formula, and as a result, the need for a COLA may be understated in this week’s announcement.

The Social Security COLA is calculated on the basis of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which does not accurately represent the buying habits of seniors. The CPI-W reflects the purchasing patterns of workers, many of whom are younger and healthier than most Social Security recipients. Social Security recipients spend more of their monthly budget on health care, food and housing than do younger workers, and all three of those categories have experienced meaningful price increases over the past year. As a consequence, the CPI-W underestimates how Social Security beneficiaries experience inflation, and how much their benefits should in fact increase to maintain purchasing power.

The Social Security COLA would be even more inaccurate and benefits would be even less adequate if recent proposals to adopt a chained consumer price index (Chained CPI) had been enacted. AARP has opposed all attempts to enact a Chained CPI, and will continue to do so, because the Chained CPI would further underreport inflation experienced by Social Security beneficiaries, and further erode their standard of living, cutting an estimated $127 billion in Social Security benefits from current and near retirees in the next ten years alone.

The COLA announcement not only fails to reflect the actual health care and other expenditures of Social Security beneficiaries, but will actually contribute to a large increase in out-of-pocket health care costs for millions of Medicare enrollees.

By law, Social Security beneficiaries whose Medicare premium is automatically deducted from their Social Security benefits are held harmless from Medicare premium increases if there is no COLA. While this greatly assists the 70 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who are protected in this way from a reduction in their monthly Social Security benefit, it results in a disproportionate increase in premiums for the 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who are obligated by law to pay for the increases that are not passed onto Social Security beneficiaries. Those held-harmless beneficiaries’ monthly premium will stay at $104.90, whereas the unprotected Medicare beneficiaries will face a 52 percent increase to $159.30 each month. In addition, all Medicare beneficiaries will see their Part B deductible increase 52 percent as well, from $147 to $223.

Get Help: Find out if you’re eligible for public benefits with Benefits QuickLINK »

If the COLA was based on a measure which more accurately reflected the living expenses of seniors, there would have been a COLA for 2016. Thus, premiums would be $120.70 and the deductible would be about $169. These are still significant increases, but much more manageable increases for seniors.

AARP urges Congress to reduce and mitigate the impact of the sudden, sharp increases in the Part B premium and deductible as soon as possible.  Ideally, all Medicare beneficiaries should be held-harmless in the face of no Social Security COLA adjustment.

Photo: Schroptschop/iStock

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See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.

En inglés |  AARP envió la siguiente carta al Congreso el 14 de octubre.

Congreso de EE.UU.

AARP se muestra preocupada ya que por tercera vez en 40 años, no habrá un ajuste por costo de vida para los beneficios del Seguro Social en el 2016. Para empeorar la situación, debido a eso, el 30% de los beneficiarios de Medicare enfrentarán un aumento drástico en su prima mensual de Medicare Parte B y todos los beneficiarios de Medicare tendrán un aumento en el deducible de la Parte B.

Fotos: 10 servicios médicos que Medicare no cubre

El Congreso debería proteger a los 16.5 millones de beneficiarios de Medicare —entre ellos los nuevos participantes, quienes no reciben beneficios del Seguro Social y los beneficiarios que además resultan elegibles para Medicaid— de los efectos perjudiciales de un aumento drástico en las primas, al no hacerse un ajuste por costo de vida para el Seguro Social. Además, debería proteger a todos los beneficiarios de Medicare de un gran aumento en su deducible.

El Consejo de Administración del Seguro Social anunció el 15 de octubre que no se realizará un ajuste por costo de vida para el Seguro Social en el 2016, debido a los inusualmente bajos precios de la energía. Sin embargo, el impacto que los precios energéticos sumamente bajos tienen sobre los beneficiarios del Seguro Social puede haberse sobreestimado en la fórmula actual del costo de vida y, como consecuencia, la necesidad de un ajuste por costo de vida puede haberse subestimado en el anuncio de esta semana.

El ajuste por costo de vida para los beneficios del Seguro Social se calcula en función del índice de precios al consumidor para trabajadores en áreas urbanas y oficinistas (CPI-W), el cual no representa con exactitud los hábitos de compra de las personas mayores. El CPI-W refleja los patrones de compra de los trabajadores, muchos de ellos más jóvenes y sanos que la mayoría de los beneficiarios del Seguro Social. Los beneficiarios del Seguro Social gastan más de su presupuesto mensual en el cuidado de la salud, la comida y la vivienda que los trabajadores más jóvenes, y estas tres categorías han mostrado aumentos de precio significativos durante el último año. Por consiguiente, el CPI-W subestima la experiencia con la inflación de los beneficiarios del Seguro Social y la cantidad que de hecho deberían aumentar sus beneficios para mantener su poder adquisitivo.

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El ajuste por costo de vida del Seguro Social sería todavía más inexacto y los beneficios serían aún menos adecuados si se hubieran aprobado las propuestas recientes para adoptar un índice encadenado de precios al consumidor (Chained CPI). AARP se ha opuesto a todos los intentos de implementar un índice encadenado de precios al consumidor y lo seguirá haciendo, debido a que este índice subestimaría todavía más la inflación que enfrentan los beneficiarios del Seguro Social y perjudicaría aún más su nivel de vida, al recortar aproximadamente $127 mil millones ($127 billion) en los beneficios del Seguro Social de los jubilados actuales y quienes están a punto de jubilarse, solo durante los próximos diez años.

El anuncio sobre el ajuste por costo de vida no solo deja de reflejar los gastos reales del cuidado de la salud y otros gastos de los beneficiarios del Seguro Social, sino que contribuirá a un gran aumento en los costos de la atención de salud de millones de participantes de Medicare.

De acuerdo con la ley, los beneficiarios del Seguro Social cuya prima de Medicare se deduce automáticamente de sus beneficios del Seguro Social tienen protección contra los aumentos en las primas de Medicare si no hay un ajuste por costo de vida. Mientras que esto es una gran ayuda para el 70% de los beneficiarios de Medicare que están protegidos de esta manera de una disminución en sus beneficios mensuales del Seguro Social, da como resultado un aumento desproporcionado en las primas para el 30% de los beneficiarios de Medicare que están obligados por la ley a pagar los aumentos que no se les cobren a los beneficiarios del Seguro Social. La prima mensual de los beneficiarios que cuentan con la protección seguirá siendo $104.90, mientras que los beneficiarios de Medicare sin esta protección enfrentarán un aumento del 52% que llevará la prima a $159.30 al mes. Además, el deducible de la Parte B también aumentará un 52%, de $147 a $223, para todos los beneficiarios de Medicare.

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Si el ajuste por costo de vida se basara en una medida que reflejara con mayor exactitud los gastos de manutención de las personas mayores, se habría realizado dicho ajuste para el 2016. Como resultado, las primas serían $120.70 y el deducible sería aproximadamente $169. Estos aumentos seguirían siendo significativos, pero serían mucho más manejables para los adultos mayores.

AARP exhorta al Congreso a reducir y mitigar el impacto de los aumentos repentinos y significativos de las primas y el deducible de la Parte B lo más pronto posible.  Lo ideal sería que todos los beneficiarios de Medicare estuvieran protegidos al no haber un ajuste por costo de vida en los beneficios del Seguro Social.

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November is National Family Caregivers Month and the perfect time to recognize the tens of millions of Americans who help older parents, spouses, adult children with disabilities, and other loved ones to live independently in their homes and communities. We are:

• Partners and spouses caring for each other
• Fathers caring for their aging parents
• Grandparents caring for their grandkids
• Parents caring for their children with disabilities
• Grandmothers taking care of their husbands,
• Next-door neighbors’ kids and grandkids taking care of them
• Friends caring for friends and extended family
  
  

Family caregiving transcends politics and generational lines. People across party lines are caregiving, and almost 1 in 10 caregivers are age 75 or older, while 1 in 4 are millennials.

It touches everyone, including myself. My two millennial sons and I are currently caring for my husband, their father, who has ALS.

Organize and privately share crucial info with family and caregivers — Download AARP’s Caregiving App »

To mark National Family Caregivers Month, AARP is shining a bright light on the experiences of family caregivers: their stories of hope, love, dedication — and perseverance. Today, we unveil an exhibit, Portraits of Care: Family Caregivers Across the United States, on Capitol Hill.

From the thousands of family caregiver stories and photos submitted through our I Heart Caregivers storytelling initiative, we randomly selected 53 — one from each state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands — to receive an artist’s painting featuring the caregiver with his or her loved one.

This is just one small yet significant way to recognize the unsung heroes who give their hearts each and every day as family caregivers. We are the meal-givers, medicine-givers, compassion-givers. We help loved ones:

• bathe and dress
• prepare meals
• drive to medical appointments
• assist with finances and much more
  
  

Some family caregivers even do complex medical tasks like giving injections, managing complicated medications or cleaning wounds — often with little or no training. Many provide such care while working full time, and often they are on call 24/7 without a break. Family caregiving is not without its challenges.

This is why AARP is fighting for family caregivers in communities across the country, working with business, technology and elected officials for more support, help at home, workplace flexibility, training and more.

We’re also working on Capitol Hill, where the bicameral, bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus is striving to bring greater visibility and support for family caregivers.

Special thanks to the co-chairs, U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) for their leadership. Further, AARP has endorsed the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Act, sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Reps. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), which would require the development of a national strategy to recognize and support family caregivers.

Everything we do all comes back to family caregivers — the people who are caring for their loved ones. It is your experiences, your stories that will create the road map to change. So please continue to raise your voices, share your stories, and help us fight for you.

For now, here is a preview of Portraits of Care: Family Caregivers Across the United States.

Lynn and Randy — Loveland, Colo.

“I often feel overwhelmed, but my guys deserve dignity and to be able to stay at home.”

A cancer survivor, Lynn, age 61, cares for her husband of 14 years, Randy, who is a veteran with stage 4 kidney cancer as well as peripheral artery disease. She was also a caregiver for her 93-year-old father, until he passed away in October. Lynn, a certified nursing assistant, had to cut back her work hours from full to part time so she could focus on her caregiving responsibilities.

Linda and Larry

Linda and Larry — Bradenton, Fla.

“The adjustment of going from a reciprocal relationship to 100% caregiver was the first challenge to conquer. No one will ever be able to care for my husband like I can.”

Linda, age 71, is a mother of three, a marathon runner, and has a law degree. For the past eight years, she has cared full time for Larry, her husband of 48 years, who has dementia and COPD.

Amy and Lorraine – Wells, Maine

“Some nights she was so sick, she could not make it upstairs to bed. She would sleep down in the living room in her recliner. I slept on the couch in case she needed help.”

Amy, age 53, gave up her job as a medical secretary to provide complex care full time for her mother, Lorraine, who developed a rare fungal infection after heart surgery. Amy cared for Lorraine for three years before her mother died in 2009. She has since been meeting with a grief counselor.

Pamela and Paul

Pamela and Paul — Lena, Miss.

“You’re just doing what you need to do moment by moment. You become so obsessed with every move, every need, every breath.”

Pamela, age 58 and married with two grown children, was living in Chicago when her younger brother, Paul, was diagnosed with colon cancer. She moved to Mississippi to be his caregiver during the last month of his life. She managed his medications, cooked and cleaned—whatever needed to be done. Paul died, surrounded by family, at age 43.

Sherri and Woody — Goffstown, N.H.

“Challenging, rewarding, heartbreaking, fulfilling, all-consuming and life changing — just a few of the words I would use to describe the experience of taking care of my dad.”

Sherri, age 57, cared for her father, Woody, for 10 years. She helped with everything, depending on the day. Woody, who died in 2011, had Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. He eventually moved to a nursing facility when Sherri could no longer care for him. Sherri remembers getting to know her dad in the last years “in a way you couldn’t know any other way.”

Valentin and Ruby

Valentin and Ruby — Corrales, N.M.

“I want my mother to be happy and comfortable in her home with people she loves for as long as she’s alive.”

Valentin, age 65, travels 100 miles every Thursday evening to spend the night and all day Friday with his mother, Ruby, who has mobility and memory impairment. In addition to being her companion, he cooks meals, helps Ruby get dressed and gives her medication. Valentin shares caregiving duties with his four brothers and four sisters, each of whom has designated days to stay with Ruby.

Patricia and Bob — Sevierville, Tenn.

“My husband of over 50 years passed away three years ago. But before he passed, we lived through one of the most challenging parts of our marriage.”

For seven years, Patricia, age 74, provided 24/7 care for her husband, Bob, after he had a stroke and then fell and contracted an MRSA infection after one of numerous surgeries. At 4 feet 11 inches tall, she helped Bob, who was over 6 feet tall, in every way there was — some obvious like bathing and feeding, and others like turning the pages on his beloved books when he no longer could.

Sherrie and Erik

Sherrie and Erik — Mukwonago, Wis.

“If I can get the people I care about to laugh out loud, it fires my engines and I’m good to go!”

At age 50, Sherrie, who has multiple sclerosis, exemplifies the sandwich generation. She helps care for her adult son, Erik, who was diagnosed with aggressive Tourette’s disease at age 11 and suffers from Lyme disease. Sherrie also assists her parents, Phil and Joan, who live more than two hours away, visiting overnight regularly to share stories, cook dinner and help with paperwork.

Nancy LeaMond is AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer. She leads the organization’s Communities, State and National Group, including government relations, advocacy and public education for AARP’s social change agenda. LeaMond 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.

 You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

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• Join AARP: savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.

BREAKING UPDATE 12/9/15: The RAISE Family Caregivers Act passed the U.S. Senate on December 8 by unanimous consent.

“On the Senate health committee, we have the opportunity to work on legislation that touches the lives of nearly every single American.” — HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Last month, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee did just that, taking an important step to help America’s unsung heroes, family caregivers — and the loved ones they assist — by passing the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act — a bill that would require the development of a national strategy to recognize and support family caregivers.

HELP Committee ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said, “By launching a National Family Caregiving strategy and advisory council, the RAISE Family Caregivers Act would help us better understand and meet the needs of numerous people across the country who are making an enormous contribution to their families and to our health care system — and who, too often, are overlooked.”

Now, it’s time for the full U.S. Senate to take action. »

Today, about 40 million people in the U.S. assist their parents, spouses, children with disabilities, friends or other loved ones so they can live independently in their homes and communities. These family caregivers provide a staggering 37 billion hours in unpaid care annually.

A labor of love to be sure, family caregivers also face huge responsibilities, and are the backbone of our care system in the U.S.

As a family caregiver myself — having cared for my parents and now, along with my two millennial sons, caring for my husband, who has ALS — I know how challenging, rewarding and difficult this experience can be. Every week, across the country:

• Daughters are poring through bills and statements to help manage Dad’s finances after putting the kids to bed.
• Brothers and sisters are splitting up duties and figuring out who can make it to which appointment, and how to pay for the changes that are needed in Mom and Dad’s house.
• Parents are making sure their child with a disability is getting the needed education and resources.
• Middle-aged sons are taking off work driving their aging dad around town, and spending weekends helping with house repairs.
• Millennial kids are helping their mom with a health condition get around the house.
• Husbands, wives and partners are helping loved ones after a surgery.
  
  

In Kentucky, Donna cares for her mother: “At first my help included taking her to various doctor visits and assisting with household chores. In May of this year I retired early to care for her 24/7.”

In Nevada, Maria cares for a friend: “I am not sure when our friendship transferred to caregiving but today I am her primary caregiver. I take care of all her bills, her mail, her transportation, making sure she is stocked with her personal items, but most importantly being there for her as a daughter, friend and someone she knows will always be there for her.”

While they wouldn’t have it any other way, many family caregivers are often on call 24/7, sometimes without even a break; they need some support. Thank you to the Senate sponsors of the RAISE Act, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and the HELP Committee leadership, Sens. Alexander and Murray, for your bipartisan action to support family caregivers like Donna, Maria, myself and so many others.

We also thank the House sponsors of the RAISE Act, Reps. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), for their bipartisan leadership on this bill.

AARP now urges the U.S. Senate to pass the RAISE Family Caregivers Act to recognize, assist, include, support and engage family caregivers this year.  

Nancy LeaMond is AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer. She leads the organization’s Communities, State and National Group, including government relations, advocacy and public education for AARP’s social change agenda. LeaMond 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.

 You can follow her on Twitter @NancyLeaMond.

Also of Interest

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• Join AARP: savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.