Advocacy

For the first time since AARP began publishing the Scorecard in 2011, more than half of Medicaid long-term care dollars nationwide for older adults and people with physical disabilities went to home- and community-based services instead of nursing homes and other institution.

Each November is National Family Caregivers Month. This is a month to recognize the challenges faced by family caregivers across the nation.

People with disabilities and older adults often lose the right to make major decisions about their own lives, as guardians or conservators step in. But under a new state law approved after an advocacy campaign by AARP Alabama and disability organizations, a less-restrictive option now exists.

When Alabamians need help making vital decisions due to disability, they now have access to an option that reflects a modern approach that is less restrictive than a traditional guardianship.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Alabama Legislature convenes in March, and AARP Alabama plans to push several issues during the 2023 legislative session.

The ability to connect to high-speed internet (also called "broadband") is more important than ever, and Alabama is preparing to take in millions of dollars to address expansion of this important utility. High-speed internet access is critically important to Alabama's communities in order to help residents access employment opportunities, education and job training, business development, and access to telehealth.

For many Alabamians, access to high-speed internet, also known as broadband, is not available where they live and work. AARP Alabama believes that affordable and reliable high-speed internet is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity – a necessity that can help Alabamians learn, find work, do their jobs and stay healthy. It connects older Alabamians with their family and friends and helps them remain independent. Just as importantly, high-speed internet is necessary for local businesses to prosper.

It is often a difficult and heartbreaking decision. Someone in your life – usually an aging parent or other loved one – is at the point where they need some help in making vital decisions about matters such as where to live, how to manage their finances, or get the right medical care. While our most vulnerable seniors may need a legal guardian or conservator appointed by the courts, others may only need a more limited approach – one that allows them other less restrictive alternatives to still meet their individual needs.

This week, AARP Alabama sent a letter to Governor Kay Ivey outlining vital services for Alabama's elderly population and how new federal funding can help meet those needs in our state. AARP AL - HCBS GOV LTR 041221.pdf