Natalia Ciolko

May is ALS Awareness Month, a time where we focus our attention on a disease that affects more than 20,000 Americans at any given time. It is also a time to honor those the disease is affecting, and those we have lost.

Texans living in rural areas continue to struggle with access to broadband internet, a utility that is increasingly essential to everyday life. As connectivity becomes mandatory for the requirements of everyday life, including access to education, health care, job applications and bill pay, more people are being forced to choose between the high cost of at-home service or being cut off from the modern world.

How can we improve our cities and neighborhoods to enhance quality of life as we age? A recent symposium on aging in Austin emphasized a simple common theme: let holistic community solutions take center stage.

During National Volunteer Week, it is important to reflect on what it means to be of service to something larger than ourselves.

As tax time approaches, AARP’s Fraud Watch Network and AARP Texas are joining in efforts to help Texan taxpayers avoid criminal imposters who aim to defraud them. The problem is serious, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting that tax fraud ranked second in 2017 in types of identity theft reported, as over 82,000 reports were made last year. But a new poll from AARP, which surveyed 1,005 Americans by phone, reveals that people may have a false sense of security, as three-fifths (62 percent) report they’re either extremely confident or very confident in their ability to detect fraud.

As we age, our eyesight and reaction time steadily declines, and in a big city like Austin, the drivers that share the road tend to be less than friendly. Public transportation lessens the risk of vehicular accidents, alleviating the stress of being behind the wheel (especially during rush hour).

Utility regulators in Texas have been sending positive signs they will make sure consumers get their fair share of savings from the recent corporate tax cuts — but let’s hold the applause until we start seeing lower monthly bills. For the sake of millions of families, this needs to happen sooner rather than later.