AARP Colorado

By Danica Lucker

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Last year I was reminded once again of the importance of being known in this world. My brother died. Upon his death, I became the last one standing of my biological family. My brother was the last person who had known me my entire life. We had a common origin. We shared a common history. We knew each other from the inside out. Today, I miss “remembering when” with my brother! I long for him to fill in the blanks when I fail to remember a name or an event in our family. More than anything, I long to be known—a predominant desire for human beings that is seemingly magnified as we age.

Anniversaries are especially important when you’re a cancer survivor, which is one reason 70-year old Judye Wahlberg is so excited to participate in the tenth anniversary of Jodi’s Race for Awareness on Saturday, June 8 th, 2019. Wahlberg, and her “Queen’s Team” have taken part in the event every year since the first Jodi’s Race in 2010.

March is my time to Celebrate the coming of Spring and my Birthday! I am so grateful to share my special day with my husband, ‘children’and grandchildren. It is also a Celebration of 28 years that Jack is Living with Cancer.

AARP Colorado is hosting the AARP 2019 Denver City Council Candidate Forums through the month of April.

This year’s BeaconFest Boomer & Senior Fair* will be bigger than ever. With booths from more than 100 vendors displaying senior-related products and services. BEACON Senior News’ annual mature lifestyle expo in Grand Junction has kept up with western Colorado’s growing retiree population, making it among the largest senior fairs in the state.

The AARP® Purpose Prize® Award deadline is March 31. Up to five $60K winners will be announced. The focus is on people age 50-plus whose work solves social problems, improves communities and gives back.

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

Having worked in the field of hospice and palliative care for many years, I realize most people are not comfortable talking about death and dying. In fact, as a community educator, I became quite creative when advertising programs and events so as not to scare people away! We live in an age denying, death averse society. However, our reluctance to confront the reality of our mortality doesn’t serve us well. Instead, if we are able to accept the fact that human beings are finite creatures—we will all die—then we are free to live fully present to the moment. I learned this life-giving lesson from those I companioned in hospice.