Michael Wagler of Des Moines has been named the new AARP Iowa State Director, effective November 11. He will oversee operations of the Iowa state office, which includes a staff of four full-time employees and a volunteer advisory Executive Council that works on behalf of all Iowans 50+, including more than 329,000 AARP members statewide.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are residential living units on the same lot as a single-family or primary dwelling. AARP Iowa is working to expand access to this housing option by championing a statewide ADU law that would give all Iowans the right to build an ADU on their property, reducing unnecessary regulations and red tape.
AARP Iowa is outraged. Everyone should be. A recent article from Capitol Dispatch reported an Iowa nursing home allowed employees with COVID-19 symptoms to continue working, potentially leading to 11 resident deaths and 95% of the residents testing positive for the coronavirus. This is not the first report we’ve seen with high numbers of resident deaths, and tragically it will likely not be the last. This outrage should prompt immediate state action to direct nursing home and other long-term care (LTC) facilities to implement mandatory testing.
AARP Iowa is seeking volunteers in all 50 state Senate and 100 House districts to advocate for older Iowans on important topics such as caregiving, prescription drug costs and health care.