AARP Oklahoma

AARP is now accepting applications for the 2019 Community Challenge grant program to fund “quick-action” projects that spark change in local communities. The grant program, which is now in its third year, is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which aims to make communities great places to live for everyone.

Oklahoma ranks among the worst in the nation on several measures of quality of care in nursing homes. This must stop! AARP Oklahoma has created the Nursing Home CARE Plan which is a series of bills that begin to correct the ways in which our state’s most frail and vulnerable are cared for:

Join AARP Oklahoma for a telephone town hall on the role advance practice nurses play in solving Oklahoma’s health care crisis.

Learn How to Leverage Your Skills and Experience at AARP’s Free, Two-Part Webinar

Our state is experiencing a health care crisis and there is no sign of that letting up. While physicians play an important role, it is a variety of professional nurses who provide care for us at all levels. SB 839 would allow our Nurse Practitioners to practice to their full education and training while SB 801 would remove an antiquated requirement for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists that is threatening rural hospitals from being able to provide surgeries.

Oklahoma ranks first in the nation in the use of antipsychotic drugs without a psychiatric diagnosis in nursing home residents. Oklahoma nursing home records show one in five residents are inappropriately prescribed antipsychotics despite the medications' serious side effects. Instead of treating our nursing home residents with respect and dignity, and providing proper care, our nursing home owners simply sedate them with drugs that carry dangerous and deadly side effects. Chemical restraint of our seniors must be stopped.

In recent years, gift cards have taken off in popularity. Unfortunately, scammers have a keen interest in gift cards, too – only for them, they are being used to pry money from you as a form of payment in their latest con.

AARP Oklahoma livability surveys for the communities of Tulsa, Norman, Shawnee and Vinita have been extended to be open until February 28. The surveys will gather community feedback to determine attitudes and opinions on a variety of topics, such as housing, outdoor spaces, transportation and streets, health and wellness, social participation, educational opportunities, volunteering and civic engagement and job opportunities.

Beginning February 1 and continuing through April 15, 2019, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation through its Tax-Aide program. Since its inception more than 50 years ago, Tax-Aide has served more than 50 million taxpayers and is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service.

Learn How to Avoid Their Scams at AARP’s Free, Two-Part Webinar