Jeremy Barewin

Beginning February 1 and continuing through April 17, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation through its Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, celebrating its 50th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service. Since its inception, the program has served more than 50 million taxpayers.

As state lawmakers near a key deadline, the 2018 legislative session’s first funnel of February 16, AARP Iowa is urging lawmakers to pass the 2018 Iowa CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable) Act. The bill (SSB 3123), with no cost to the state or taxpayers, would provide vital support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers who help their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live safely and independently at home.

In 2018, AARP Iowa is again working with lawmakers, advocates, volunteers and members to urge passage of the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act, a commonsense policy that increases information, education and support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers. A 2015 survey found that 50 percent of Iowa caregivers are left out of hospital discussions about patient care and receive little or no instruction about tasks they will have to perform, such as wound are and medication management, at home after the patient is discharged.

Ila Plasencia of West Des Moines was named the 2017 recipient of the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service — the Association’s most prestigious and visible volunteer award — at AARP Iowa’s annual volunteer recognition event in Des Moines on Nov. 8. She is the first Latina recipient of the Andrus Award in Iowa. In addition to the award, Plasencia received a check for $1,000 to donate to her charity of choice, the Midwest Educational Resources Development Fund.

AARP Iowa announced on Nov. 10 that it is joining forces with the AARP Fraud Watch Network and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for Operation Protect Veterans -- a campaign to warn those who have served in the military about scams and fraud schemes that target veterans. The major educational campaign will reach out to veterans in communities across Iowa and nationwide.

AARP Iowa State Director Kent Sovern was honored earlier this month with the 2017 Planning Advocate – Engaged Citizen award from the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-Iowa) during the Upper Midwest Planning Conference in Dubuque. This award honors an individual who has advanced or promoted the cause of planning the built environment in the public arena.

For over four decades, Frank W. Abagnale has advised the FBI on how to outsmart con artists. On October 3, Abagnale joined forces with AARP Iowa and the AARP Fraud Watch Network for a telephone town hall in Des Moines to help Iowans learn how to spot and avoid scams in order to protect themselves and their family members.

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