Advocacy

Things adds up. Lost wages from taking time off. Travel costs related to going back and forth to a physician. Taking training to provide correct medical care. The medications and consultations.

Do you know that AARP offers workshops in the Charlotte region? Whether you’re an AARP member or not, over 50 or not, all of our programs are free of charge, free of any sales pitches, and all geared towards helping you achieve real possibilities.

RALEIGH -- For their efforts to support the needs of family caregivers, AARP recognized four members of the North Carolina General Assembly and former Governor Pat McCrory for their legislative leadership to help those taking care of loved ones in the Tarheel State.

You did it! With a little over half of the year behind us, I want to reflect on the legislative success made possible by AARP volunteers like you.

Many of North Carolina’s family caregivers, patients, and retirees may welcome three new measures AARP helped gain bi-partisan support for through the General Assembly. This week, Governor Roy Cooper signed into law three bills to make life a little easier and more affordable for many older adults and their families.

CHARLOTTE -- AARP in Charlotte is presenting a series of free workshops this month to help people prepare the challenges of caregiving and long-term care as well as an overview of Medicare, from how to choose a plan and the benefits Medicare offers, to what changes to the program may come in the future. The events are free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

Medicare isn’t there for you only when you’re sick. The health care program offers a slew of preventive services as well, including immunizations for older patients, who are especially vulnerable to influenza.

Let me introduce you to a family caregiver, Lisa from Hawaii. With the help of her sister, Lisa cared for her mother with Alzheimer’s disease — managing medications, cleaning the house, and handling any medical issues. They also managed her mother’s finances. Lisa shared: “It felt like our whole world was slowly falling apart. At the time we did not know much about the disease or how quickly it was going to debilitate her. My sister and I took responsibility of making sure that she was provided for.”

Statement from AARP North Carolina State Director Doug Dickerson in reaction to the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017:

RALEIGH, NC – North Carolina ranks 38 th overall when it comes to services available for our aging population, and AARP warns more must be done, at an accelerated pace, to meet changing demographic demands. Even worse, NC’s support for family caregivers, especially those in families with long-term diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson's, ranks just eight slots from the bottom. This, according to a new, comprehensive state-by-state Scorecard from AARP with support of the nation’s leading organizations behind quality long-term care, The Commonwealth Fund and SCAN Foundation.