Community

State Legislators in Santa Fe are facing some difficult financial decisions as budget projections of $232 million in new money have dwindled to $30 million. As the debate gets ready to enter the Senate, AARP New Mexico is watching budget negotiations to ensure that senior services and programs are maintained.

If you are a family caregiver in New Mexico there is a new law that can help you be included in your loved one’s care when that person is admitted into the hospital. It’s called the New Mexico Lay Caregiver Aftercare Training Act, also known as the CARE Act.

New Mexico caregiver Valentin Varela and his mother Ruby were selected by AARP for a special honor designed to highlight and showcase the work that unpaid family caregivers do across the country. In New Mexico 419,000 people provide care at any one time for a family member or other loved one.

A year has gone by since a variety of community organizations gathered in Albuquerque to discuss how to end hunger in New Mexico. Still the state’s statistics on food insecurity largely remain the same -- first in the country for child hunger and second for senior hunger.

As the 50-year anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid approaches, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seekng stories about how these programs have changed the lives of Americans across the nation. Personal stories show how our health care programs change the lives of real families and impact communities across the country. They play an important role in bringing public policy to life. We want to illustrate the faces of Medicare and Medicaid consumers in our communities.

You might be a safe driver but did you know that the way your car “fits” you can also increase your safety?

While Memorial Day marks the official kick-off to summer and people’s thoughts turn to travel and family barbecues, AARP New Mexico volunteers and staff will spend part of their summer on the road driving around the state helping to answer people’s questions about Social Security and sharing tips on how to spot a scam and prevent identity theft.

AARP New Mexico will be conducting a Scam Jam this weekend designed to help you protect yourself from identity theft, fraud and scams, all while getting your sensitive financial documents shredded for free. This family oriented event will be Saturday, May 30 th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque.

To many of us getting older means slowing down but that doesn’t have to be the case. Join AARP New Mexico and Dr. Anne Simpson April 30 th for a deep discussion on how staying healthy and engaged in your community as we age can lead to a better life. Dr. Simpson is the director of the University of New Mexico School Of Medicine’s Institute for Ethics.

AARP Foundation, with support from the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Social Innovation Fund, has awarded Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, $176,223, and Santa Fe Community College, in Santa Fe, $187,506, to implement the BACK TO WORK 50+: Women’s Economic Stability Initiative . The Initiative will help women age 50 and older find local jobs and build the financial capability to make sound decisions that reduce debt, rebuild savings and pave the way to greater financial stability.