AARP Iowa

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Today, AARP Iowa, Alzheimer's Association Greater Iowa Chapter, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc., American Heart Association Midwest Affiliate, Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa, Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Iowa CareGivers, National Multiple Sclerosis Society Upper Midwest Chapter and Older Iowans Legislature sent an open letter to Iowa state lawmakers urging passage of the 2018 Iowa CARE Act this session.

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Kent Sovern of Des Moines, who has served AARP Iowa as state director since July 2011, has announced his retirement, effective June 1, 2018. Over his 47-year career, including seven in his current position, Sovern’s work has spanned many areas including organizational and business development, association management, policy advocacy, K-12 and higher education, and local government administration, leading organizations in Iowa and Minnesota and as an active volunteer in his community.

Chuck Betts of Keokuk has been named AARP Iowa State President with responsibility to lead the Association’s Iowa Executive Council, working closely with AARP Iowa State Director Kent Sovern, Iowa staff and volunteers in their efforts on behalf of AARP’s approximately 370,000 members in Iowa.

AARP Iowa State President Chuck Betts has announced three new Executive Council members for 2018—Brena Corona of West Des Moines, Judi Pierick of Des Moines, and Phil Tetzloff of Marshalltown. The AARP Iowa Executive Council is a team of volunteers from across Iowa who provide leadership to support the implementation and execution of AARP priorities statewide.

We invite you to join AARP in helping Iowans learn more about Medicare benefits by volunteering for the Iowa Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)*. SHIIP is a free health insurance counseling service that helps Medicare-eligible Iowans with their Medicare and health insurance questions and problems.

As state lawmakers near a key deadline, the 2018 legislative session’s first funnel of February 16, AARP leaders and activists descended on the State Capitol this morning for the Association’s annual lobby day, urging lawmakers to pass the 2018 Iowa CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable) Act. The bill (HF 2289/SSB 3123), with no cost to the state or taxpayers, would provide vital support for Iowa’s more than 317,000 family caregivers who help their older parents, spouses and other loved ones live safely and independently at home.

When Irene Olson was unexpectedly discharged from the hospital on a wintery Saturday afternoon after a short stay following aortic aneurism surgery, she phoned her daughter Sue, 175 miles away in Ames, telling her to come and pick her up. With minimal information from hospital staff regarding the discharge, Sue drove five hours through blizzard conditions. Arriving at the hospital, Sue’s mother was waiting in a wheelchair to be taken home. No instruction was provided to Sue on how to administer her mother’s medications or how to tend to a wound that remained from the recent surgery.

Beginning February 1 and continuing through April 17, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation through its Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, celebrating its 50th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service. Since its inception, the program has served more than 50 million taxpayers.