Health & Wellbeing

AARP Florida is teaming up with Walk with a Doc, a nonprofit, on a new program serving Osceola County. The program is led by two bilingual nurses who cover topics such as brain health and nutrition, followed by a walk in a local park.

People of all ages, fitness levels, and backgrounds are welcome to these free, ongoing events. After a brief health discussion from a healthcare provider, participants will spend the rest of the time enjoying a healthy walk at their own pace. They are encouraged to ask health questions and socialize with others in a fun, relaxed setting.

Nurse and non-nurse staffing in Florida nursing homes “appears to be on a downward trajectory,” pointing to an “urgent need” to understand staffing patterns and how to increase time devoted to resident care, says an AARP Florida study.

Gov. Ron Desantis has said the state's goal is to vaccinate most people in its top priority group — including older adults — by February. The vaccine would then become available to more people, likely including essential workers like teachers and police officers.

AARP Tampa Bay is hosting a series of walking events during which people can enjoy an outdoor stroll while chatting with local health care professionals.

Florida scores highly as an age-friendly state, but now it has a new metric to distinguish itself: public-health friendly.

Florida continues to rank first in the nation reporting 289 new nursing home resident deaths from COVID-19, up from 237 deaths in the previous month’s report. These new deaths in Florida represent 14 percent of 2,131 total COVID-19 deaths occurring in nursing homes across the United States – a number that nearly doubled nationally since the last report.

Donna Weiner has had more than her share of health challenges. A breast cancer survivor twice over, she also suffers from a damaged and nearly destroyed pituitary gland.

Low nursing home staff and resident vaccination rates have experts concerned about another wave of infections

Though COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available, AARP Florida is still providing critical information and helping anyone who has not been vaccinated but wants to be.