Volunteers Play Key Role in AARP Ohio Advocacy Efforts

Veronica McCreary-Hall knows first-hand how volunteering can have an impact.

When her father, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, moved to a long-term care facility, she desperately wished she could have placed a camera in his room. It would have let her monitor his care at all hours.

“My father and I would have both felt reassured knowing that I could connect with him when he was in his room no matter the time of day or night,” says the 67-year-old retired registered nurse from Mason.

But the law didn’t allow it.

McCreary-Hall’s experience inspired her to volunteer with AARP Ohio to advocate for Esther’s Law, which allows families to install cameras in their loved ones’ rooms in long-term care facilities. It took effect in 2022. “Having been an integral part of that, even now, warms my spirit,” she says.

With the 2025 legislative session underway, AARP Ohio is looking for more volunteers to join its advocacy team — the backbone of its efforts to champion issues that matter to Ohioans age 50 and over. This year, the organization is focusing on key issues, including support for family caregivers, brain health, fraud prevention and financial security for older adults. Volunteers are particularly needed in rural areas, where residents may face unique challenges.

“Their passion and dedication amplify our voice, ensuring that the concerns and needs of our community are heard by policymakers,” says Jenny Carlson, AARP Ohio’s state director.

AARP volunteers bring a personal touch and authenticity to the work, often because they have first-hand experience with the issues they are advocating for, Carlson says.

Join AARP at the Statehouse

Volunteers take on many roles. They testify before legislative committees, meet with lawmakers, write letters to the editor and do community outreach. They also organize events and mobilize members to take action.

AARP provides comprehensive training to prepare volunteers for these roles, ensuring they feel confident and supported.

“This learning is two-way,” Carlson adds. “We learn from them as well, about what works and what they would like to have in their community.”

For those interested in joining AARP Ohio’s volunteer ranks, a good first step is participating in AARP Ohio Advocacy Day at the Statehouse on Wednesday, May 14 — an event designed to introduce newcomers to the advocacy process.

AARP’s extensive membership means volunteers have influence, says John Butkowski, a retired electrical engineer from North Ridgeville. Butkowski and his wife, Bernadine, both in their early 80s, have volunteered with AARP for more than a decade, drawing on their political and civic experience.

“When I’m there talking to [lawmakers], they’re going to listen to me,” he says. “It’s not just hot air.”

Recently, the couple helped push to expand the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to help address the shortage of doctors in rural Ohio. Their passion for the issue was sparked after John was initially told that he’d need to wait five months to see his cardiologist following a hospital stay. He was eventually able to get an appointment a few days later, but he realized many Ohioans in a similar situation wouldn’t be so lucky.

For those wary of politics, the couple emphasizes that AARP focuses on nonpartisan measures that benefit older adults.

“What they want is basic good things for people,” says Bernadine Butkowski, a former North Ridgeville City Council member who served her community for 20 years.

To register for AARP Ohio Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, go to events.aarp.org/ER722l or call 866-389-5653.

Stacey Shepard, a California-based journalist, writes about health care, the environment and other issues.

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