AARP Oregon

Editor's Note: Our COO Scott Frisch was in Portland and gave this speech to a group of HR professionals on the value of older workers, the longevity economy - and the new OregonSaves program.

Social Security encourages people to rejoin the workforce when they are able. Ticket to Work is our free and voluntary program that helps people get vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other employment support services.

Recherché, a French word meaning of rare quality or elegance aptly describes Encore Entrepreneur, Pamela Burkland, and the line of one-of-a-kind, handmade bags and wearable art she produces. Recherché specializes in bags that illustrate an east meets west design: the bags are made from vintage Japanese Obi, or sashes traditionally worn by both Japanese men and women. A typical obi can measure around 14 feet by 12 inches wide, and may have ornate traditional patterns on one or both sides. The bags that Pamela creates from the obi material are all hand-stitched, and the buttons that adorn them are all vintage making them both modern and timeless pieces for any bag-loving fashonista.

Cheek bones tightly squeezed, lips curved downward, brows furrowed, squinting eyes shifting side-to-side, hypervigilance exploding throughout the dining room. She and her cohorts are on the prowl – not for leaping lions, crouching copperheads, scurrilous scorpions. No! For walkers. The bi-podal choice – nay, necessity – we elderly in my Assisted Living Facility.

Hi! I’m Tiara! For the last five months I’ve been a communications intern at AARP Oregon, working alongside Joyce Demonnin to bring engaging content to the AARP Oregon blog and social media pages. Today, June 30th, I turn back into a pumpkin; Yep, it’s my last day in the AARP Oregon office. Since I’ve been assisting with curating the office’s blog and creating new content for it, it seems only fitting that I wrap up my time here with a short reflection:

By Merry MacKinnon

Cotton swabs, aluminum foil, and www.socialsecurity.gov; everyday items that are simple, easy to use, and serve multiple purposes. Cotton swabs can keep your ear and computer keyboard spotless. You can use aluminum foil for both baking and preserving food.

Social Security is with you through life’s journey, securing today and tomorrow for millions of people. We know that reliability and dependability is an important part of your financial security. We use the same throughout the month eligibility rules for the first month’s Social Security check through the last month’s check, so it’s easy to know when checks are payable.

Summer is here and millions of vacationers are packing their bags to visit a new locale and soak up some sunshine. You might be traveling quite a ways. You’re used to staying connected to important information like your bank accounts and social networks, especially on the go. Social Security is there in the same way — easily accessible when you’re away from your home or office.

Did you know 4th graders who can’t read at grade-level are four times less likely to graduate from high school?