Steve Hahn

CHARLOTTE -- City planners, along with civic and business leaders, met today to both recognize current efforts and to identify new ways to make Mecklenburg County more attractive to older adults. AARP North Carolina hosted a summit that helped city planners and community activists learn more about aging trends and research on the 50 plus population to better inform local decisions.

By Jean C. Setzfand

With adults under age 65 signing up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, many people in Medicare are concerned about how the new law will affect them. The best advice-- take the time to assess your personal situation and compare plans, but don’t be confused between Medicare Open Enrollment and enrollment in an “Obamacare,” plan.

For all the talk about Social Security, one thing you never hear is the vital role it plays as an engine of the U.S. economy.

Congress just got back to DC, and it may not be long before Social Security is on the chopping block. With the government estimated to hit the debt ceiling by mid-October, the pressure is on for the president and Congress to make a deal.

On Social Security's 78th Birthday, AARP Releases New Fact Sheet on Why Social Security and Medicare Are Vital to Older Americans in North Carolina

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the eve of the 78 th anniversary of the creation of Social Security, which provides an average monthly retirement benefit of $1,166 to nearly 1.2 older North Carolinians, AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond issued the following statement:

AARP North Carolina, a non-partisan organization serving over 1.1 million adults 50+ in North Carolina, named Charmaine Fuller Cooper, a Henderson, North Carolina, native and leader on health advocacy and justice issues, as Associate State Director for Advocacy.

The General Assembly concluded the legislative session with a whirlwind of new laws, a new budget and an overhaul of the tax system. It also left behind a new set of challenges for older adults who recognize the importance of issues including increased health care access, increased funding for home and community-based services and support for those who are unemployed.

By Andrew Behm, senior, Appalachian State University