Steve Hahn

RALEIGH -- As North Carolina’s population ages, greater attention is being placed on the needs of older adults. AARP volunteers and e-activists successfully advocated for more funding for important programs that help older Tar Heels and their family caregivers.

RALEIGH – AARP advocacy and community outreach expert Michael Olender has been named Director of AARP North Carolina. Olender will lead the North Carolina staff and team of nearly 500 volunteers who are working to improve the health, finances and well-being of nearly 1.1 million members in the state.

The NC House of Representatives is considering Senate Bill 559, which if passed, will raise your electric utility bill for the next five years and could include a new fixed charge for up to 30 years.

RALEIGH -- Registered voters in North Carolina ages 25 to 64 do not feel financially prepared for retirement according to a new Attachment found that found over half (56 %) feel that they are behind in their retirement savings.

The Granite City Greenway in Mt Airy is a 6.6 linear mile trail and a great local resource for walking, biking, running or strolling. And a couple of additions would make it even better for users of all ages. A 2019 AARP Community Challenge Grant will help add ten benches, five bike racks and new trees to the trail.

Madison County lies on the western edge of North Carolina, where the Appalachian Trail meanders north and east from Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Generations of farmers once grew tobacco here on the sides of mountains and still raise cattle to make ends meet. “When you go back into some of the mountains and hollers, you can almost touch what once was,” says Dee Heinmuller, Director of Madison County Community Services.

RALEIGH – A new survey of North Carolina registered voters ages 40 plus finds that the vast majority of respondents (83.5 percent) of current caregivers said that they will provide future caregiving or assistance on an unpaid basis to an adult loved one. It also found that over 95 percent think it is important to have services available in their communities to help older adults live independently.

Today, a secure retirement is out of reach for millions of Americans, especially those who work for small businesses. Nearly two million Tar Heels have no access to a retirement savings plan through their employers - that’s about 50% of the 18 to 64-year-old population.

RALEIGH—The AARP ‘Stop Rx Greed’ is a nationwide campaign aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The goal of AARP’s sustained campaign is to help drive down drug prices for North Carolinians and all Americans by advocating for a variety of legislative, executive, and regulatory actions at both the federal and state level.

In North Carolina, there are 1.3 million people who are caring for a parent, spouse or other loved one, helping them to live independently at home. For many, family caregiving is more than helping with household chores or providing transportation. It includes complex care responsibilities that were once provided only by medical professionals.