Serena Garcia

Seniors are voters too! Fund aging now! These and many more slogans were chanted loudly and announced on signs today during the annual Be There 4 Seniors Rally at the Georgia Capitol. Over 300 advocates gathered to push for more intentional legislation for Georgians. Twenty AARP Georgia volunteers and staff members rallied in support of caregivers, protection of the vulnerable, and independence promotion.

By AARPGA Macon-Bibb Volunteer, Jim Bass

Age-Friendly Macon-Bibb, the founding member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities, was one of three AARP areas highlighted by the American Planning Association for enhanced work to make a community more livable for all ages. The article details the benefits of Livable Communities, such as Macon-Bibb’s example and how community members are using the results of the Livability Index to help residents age in place.

The expectation of a comfortable retirement is no longer a reality for far too many Americans. Instead, millions of people face the risk of running out of savings after they retire. While research shows individuals are over 15 times more likely to save for retirement if the employer offers a plan than if they must find an IRA on their own, more than 1.7 million Georgians do not have a way to save for retirement at work [i]. AARP is promoting a commonsense solution that would help people build their own private retirement savings so they can take charge of their future and live independently as they age.

Medicare Open Enrollment takes place until December 7. Millions of AARP members and other older Americans have worked hard for Medicare and Social Security benefits. AARP encourages all Medicare beneficiaries to review their health and prescription drug plan choices during open enrollment, their annual opportunity to select the coverage that best meets their needs.

They're the meal givers, the medicine givers, the compassion givers. Every day, 40 million family caregivers give their hearts, helping older parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently at home — where they want to be. Click on the link and read about our Georgia story and the stories of other states. http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/caregiving-portraits-of-care.html

In partnership with Emory University (Emory Continuing Education), the AARP Driver Safety class helps participants identify individual problem areas, which helps to improve their own driving behavior. Completing this course and submitting your certificate to your insurance company may result in a reduction of up to 10% in your insurance premiums!

AARP Georgia is working to support the state’s family caregivers – an unpaid silent army over 1 million strong who help make it possible for older Georgians to live independently at home, where they want to be.

November mar ks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the 40 million Americans –more than 1.3 from Georgia – who help older parents, spouses, and other loved ones live independently at home, where they want to be. The unpaid care they provide – managing medications, cooking meals, driving to appointments, performing complex medical tasks and more – is valued at about $14 billion in Georgia alone.

Atlanta’s Sarah Ridgeway has been selected by AARP, the nonprofit organization for people 50 and older, to receive the 2015 AARP Georgia Andrus Award for Community Service -- the Association’s most prestigious and visible state volunteer award for community service.