AARP North Carolina

CHARLOTTE -- City planners, along with civic and business leaders, met today to both recognize current efforts and to identify new ways to make Mecklenburg County more attractive to older adults. AARP North Carolina hosted a summit that helped city planners and community activists learn more about aging trends and research on the 50 plus population to better inform local decisions.

AARP is focused on making Charlotte and the region more livable for people of all ages. Walkable Charlotte Week, our Livable Communities Listening Sessions, and the upcoming Making a More Livable Mecklenburg livable communities summit are helping to engage people 50+ on the effort to meet the challenges of the coming demographic changes. This week AARP North Carolina's local team in Charlotte conducted Walkable Charlotte Week, which aimed to raise awareness about the issue of walkability and why that is an essential component of creating a livable community.

Throughout November, AARP will be continuing its Charlotte programs on the Affordable Care Act. At these November sessions, we will be joined by counselors to help answer detailed questions about how the ACA affects you and your family, including the new "Marketplace". Space is limited and pre-registration is required (see links below).

Join AARP members and friends at Charlotte Bobcats and Checkers games in fall 2013!

As an area’s population evolves, so must its community. Mecklenburg’s evolution includes an ever-increasing aging population with an increased reliance on transportation, mobility and housing.

By Jean C. Setzfand

With adults under age 65 signing up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, many people in Medicare are concerned about how the new law will affect them. The best advice-- take the time to assess your personal situation and compare plans, but don’t be confused between Medicare Open Enrollment and enrollment in an “Obamacare,” plan.

For all the talk about Social Security, one thing you never hear is the vital role it plays as an engine of the U.S. economy.

Do you know of an intersection or street crossing in yourcommunity that is challenging or even dangerous for a pedestrian to cross? If you’re like most people, you certainly do. But now you can help do something about it!

Since being launched earlier this summer, the new AARP Coffee and Conversation series has engaged hundreds of AARP members and 50+ Charlotteans on a variety of issues. As a new program coming from the new AARP office in Charlotte, it has been an exciting time for the staff and AARP volunteers who organize and facilitate those programs. With October's full offering of new sessions approaching (see below for the list of October's programs), the excitement is building even more, as October marks the beginning of the Affordable Care Act's "marketplaces" and the time when more people want simple answers to sometimes complex questions.