Advocacy

While some legislation appears to be languishing in the final days of New Mexico 2015 Legislative Session, House Bill 91, which would allow drivers to take a safety course at a younger age, is moving through the process at a steady pace. HB 91 permits companies, such as AARP, to offer driver refresher courses to people beginning at age 50 instead of age 55 as currently listed in the law.

Event Highlights House Bill 139 -- the CARE Act

Every year more than 419,000 family caregivers in New Mexico help their loved ones to live independently -- keeping them out of costly institutions, such as nursing homes. In New Mexico, family caregivers provide unpaid care valued at about $3.1 billion annually.

When Betty’s husband suffered from complications during surgery, caring for him also became much more complicated.

To recognize their work to support family caregivers in New Mexico, AARP named New Mexico State Sen. Michael Padilla and State Rep. Tomas Salazar as 2014 “Capitol Caregivers”,a bipartisan group of 46 state legislators and three governors from 19 states. These elected officials have advanced policies to help family caregivers who are making it possible for older New Mexicans to live independently at home—where they want to be.

A new scorecard on long-term services shows that while New Mexico ranks first in the amount it spends on Home and Community Based Services, it ranks 37 in support for family caregivers and 38 in the area of Quality of Life and Quality of Care. Overall the Scorecard gave the state a ranking of 14, but the individual indicators show what areas still need work.

In the last few minutes of the 2014 New Mexico Legislative Session, lawmakers endorsed the idea of developing a family caregiver state plan. House Joint Memorial 4, sponsored by Rep. Tomás Salazar and shepherded through the Senate by Sen. Michael Padilla, was passed by the Senate 13 minutes before adjournment.

By now almost everyone is familiar with the existence of the Affordable Care Act but what many people are still unclear about is what it will mean for them.

AARP New Mexico will continue its efforts to make your voice heard in the discussions surrounding the future of Medicare and Social Security through a series of Town Hall meetings being conducted around the state throughout the summer and continuing this fall.

Did you know that there are low-income older adults and people with disabilities right in your own community who need your help to remain independent? If you could volunteer a few hours of your time each month, you could enable them to remain independent and in their own homes.