AARP North Carolina

By Sue Price Johnson

WASHINGTON -- To better educate veterans and their family caregivers, AARP enthusiastically endorses a bipartisan bill, H.R. 5500, the Veterans’ Credit Protection Act, which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish outreach to veterans who may be subjected to credit reporting due to late or unpaid health care costs. The measure is expected to be debated in the House after Labor Day.

AARP is working to make North Carolina communities better places for people of all ages. Two major Triad Counties, Guilford and Forsyth have recently joined A ARP's Network of Age Friendly Communities and are working on changes that will make it easier for people to age in place.

ASHEVILLE -- The irony was perfect: outside the front door of Asheville’s NC Stage Company, teenagers were skateboarding down Walnut Street, an elder’s classic stereotype of adolescence if there ever was one. Inside, a different group of teens (and elders) were creating and putting on a performance––“Mind the Gap”––about breaking down such stereotypes.

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RALEIGH –Medicare contributes $19.5 million to North Carolina’s economy, equivalent to 21% of state and local government spending in the state, according to a new report from AARP. Medicare also covers 1,788,687 beneficiaries in the state. Older Americans have said Medicare is one of their top issues in the 2018 mid-term elections, and AARP North Carolina is working to encourage voter participation this election season.

In support of that work, AARP is excited to be able to provide funding to organizations through the AARP Community Challenge to help them jumpstart progress on ongoing work. These “quick action” grants are being distributed to 129 organizations, with at least one in every state, Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico, including right here in North Carolina. The Community Challenge grants provide communities with the chance to fund innovative projects that can inspire change in areas such as transportation, open spaces, housing, and other innovative projects to improve the community and make North Carolina’s counties, cities, towns and rural areas better places to live for all residents.

With vacation season in full swing, you may be looking to book vacation rentals for your summer trips. Be careful as you make these reservations – scammers are ready with fake vacation rental ads to steal your money and leave you stranded on vacation. Scammers may place real homes on vacation rental sites without the consent of the homeowner, and change the contact and payment information to their own. They may also make up nonexistent properties and advertise them with great prices or amenities.

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AARP North Carolina is encouraging caregivers to share their stories to help build momentum for advocacy. Through legislation backed by AARP, the state recently joined the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, which can help ease a shortage of health care providers. AARP also supported a power of attorney law that makes it easier for families to take care of loved ones across state lines.