AARP Michigan

“When the pension tax passed in 2011, it changed the effective value of pension benefits for a large swath of Michiganders already on fixed incomes and continues to this day to impact new waves of retirees, including the current surge of COVID-19 retirees. Our state did a shameful thing when it pulled the rug out from under these workers. AARP Michigan has long sought to have this law repealed and supports the governor’s current call to phase it out. Michiganders who have worked hard, played by the rules and paid their dues deserve to retire with dignity, but too many have been forced to go back to work to pay the bills. AARP fought against this bad legislation in 2011 and will continue to fight it today. We urge state legislators to do the right thing by repealing this law and helping build Michigan’s reputation as the first ‘age-friendly’ state in the Midwest.”

$10 million grant from Google.org to AARP Foundation will support free technology trainings to help older women and people of color thrive in the digital economy

The annual program aims to make local communities in Michigan more livable

AARP Michigan State Director Paula Cunningham, representing more than 1.3 million members age 50 and older in Michigan, issued the following statement regarding the danger of the COVID-19 Omicron variant to nursing home residents, calling for immediate action to get residents and staff vaccinated and boosted:

There is a path to lower prescription drug prices, and Congress must deliver

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2021’s Best Movies and TV for Grownups to be Honored During the 20th Anniversary Special on March 18 from Great Performances on PBS

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AARP Michigan is offering a one-day health summit for underserved communities as well as those with disabilities and language barriers.

According to a new AARP Tech Trends report, tech use by people 50+ skyrocketed during the pandemic and those new habits and behaviors appear here to stay. What’s more, most of those surveyed (70%) purchased tech last year, with spending far greater today than it was in 2019: $821 now versus in $394 then. Smartphones, and related accessories, along with Bluetooth headsets, topped the list of purchases, but smart home technology was vital to them, too. Unsurprisingly but importantly, technology use has facilitated social connectedness throughout the pandemic. The rates of reliance on tech for social connection is consistently high across age ranges: 76% of those in their 50s, 79% of those in their 60s, and 72% of people 70+ all count tech as their link to their families and the wider world.