AARP Maryland

It’s the season of giving, and for those in the spirit, telling the difference between a real charity and a con can be a challenge.

Most of us do it several times a day. We have a question, need a phone number or are looking for a website, so we open a search engine and type in our request. What happens next is becoming more and more dangerous.

While education is critical to combatting fraud, we can’t educate our way out of the fraud crisis.

For the first time since AARP began publishing the Scorecard in 2011, more than half of Medicaid long-term care dollars nationwide for older adults and people with physical disabilities went to home- and community-based services instead of nursing homes and other institutions.

Your survey responses will be used by the Maryland Commission on Caregiving to inform policymakers and community organizations to help provide better support for family caregivers.

Marylanders who provide care for veterans spend on average $11,500 of their personal income on out-of-pocket costs related to caregiving each year—1.5 times higher than what other family caregivers spend ($7,242), according to AARP data. And 43 percent of veteran and military caregivers experienced at least one financial setback such as having to take on more debt or dip into personal savings, according to research from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving.

Learn tips and strategies to improve your well-being.

Join AARP Maryland at Frederick Downtown Saturdays Festival this December.

If you own a home in Montgomery County and have an extra room or an accessory dwelling unit, a free program can help you find a compatible renter to defray expenses, share household chores and enjoy some company.

There are many ways to get involved as an AARP Maryland volunteer -- staff tables, organize events, host anti-fraud workshops and greet guests at free movie nights.