About AARP

By Mike Flanagan - AARP Driver Safety Program Volunteer State Coordinator – Kansas

AARP Kansas is pleased to announce the appointment of John Settich, Atchison, to the Executive Council. Settich, who chose teaching as his encore career, earned his doctorate in public policy-political science at age 56 from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Originally from St. Louis, his first career was politics in Kansas in local government and finally serving the late Congressman Bill Roy as press secretary.

AARP

Fraud targeting taxpayers continues to run rampant nationwide and right here in Kansas. Watch out for these two tax crimes making headlines: tax identity theft and the IRS imposter scam.

More than 110,000 Kansas utility consumers are the winners in the latest utility rate increase request by Black Hills Energy.

AARP Kansas Diversity Council member Anita Raghavan, Wichita, has been selected to participate in AARP’s Volunteer Leadership Institute or VLI, a rigorous and innovative program dedicated to elevating highly skilled and motivated AARP volunteers to lead volunteer teams and take on new empowered roles. Raghavan is one of 33 exceptional AARP volunteers from across the country who will meet both in person and virtually over a six-month period to build their leadership strengths in one of three chosen “tracks” – advocacy, community outreach or external representation—and develop specific actions plans in coordination with their AARP state office or volunteer program.

As caregivers, we know the ups and downs, the challenges and the joys of preparing meals, running errands, working with medical personnel, providing social support, balancing caregiver and career responsibilities, and...well, the list goes on and on because we do it all for the people who need us!

There’s a group of unsung heroes that fan out every day across Kansas. In cities big and small, rural and urban, they do things like give baths and help others get dressed. They dispense medicine and provide transportation to doctor’s appointments. They are family caregivers.

Note: Three Kansas cities made the list of Best Cities for Successful Aging. In the large metros category, Wichita ranks 27th Best City, and in the smaller metros category, Lawrence ranks 30th and Topeka ranks 60th. Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer signed the mayor's pledge to make his city work better for older adults. You can check it out at the link below. In addition, the Wichita Grandparents Park, a collaboration between AARP Kansas, the City of Wichita, the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, and the Older Adult Alliance, is featured in the Programs with a Purpose section.

The Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period provides an important opportunity for Kansans who have coverage through the marketplace to review your plan and compare options to make sure your plan still works for you. Last year, a little more than 57,000 Kansans signed up for health care coverage through www.healthcare.gov, which was created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).