Community

On Memorial Day, we honor the soldiers and service members who have given their lives for our nation. Social Security respects the heroism and courage of our military service members, and we remember those who have given their lives in defense of freedom. Part of how we honor service members is the way we provide Social Security benefits.

Livable Communities include a choice of affordable housing - row houses, multi-plexes, cottages -- all smaller units that are affordable. AARP Oregon, AIA – Southwest Oregon, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Better Eugene Springfield Transportation (BEST), Transportation Growth Management Program, held a Livability Solutions Forum: The Future of Housing on April 12. The event focused on exploring how Lane County can create more housing options.

By Mac McLean

Dick Weinman is an AARP Volunteer Blogger and an Assisted Living Guru

Now in his 70’s, Ron Herndon has no immediate plans to retire. He enjoys working with a staff of over 300 and watching what they are able to do. “As long as I bring something to the organization, I’ll keep doing it,” he says with a smile.

Many AARP members and I have this in common--we've been on both sides of caregiving. We have given and we have received, and considering life's trajectory, it's a trend that will likely continue. Chances are good we will have family members and friends who will depend on us to assist them, provide transportation, and perhaps advocate on their behalf. I'm going out on a limb here, but maybe some of you are like me--occasionally you need some of those very acts of compassion right now.

It was the muffled cry of a tiny baby, Maria’s older sister, that changed the lives of the members of the Caballero family forever. The parents of Maria Caballero Rubio, having worked in the U.S. as part of the Bracero Program (guest worker program) during World War II, were on a bus heading back to Mexico when a U.S. official on the bus heard the baby cry and told the parents to get off the bus. “She’s a U.S. citizen,” they were told. “She needs to stay in the U.S.”

What do you do when your family members’ situation dramatically changes so that they cannot maintain their independence without assistance? What if it happens to a friend or neighbor? In what ways can we create more interdependent communities?

Join AARP Oregon Volunteer State President Elaine Friesen-Strang for some coffee and conversation. Come share your thoughts and hear about the issues AARP is working on this year. Meet other area volunteers and learn about the projects, programs and events you can get involved in.

Newberg is making it easier for people of all people of all ages and abilities to live and thrive in the city as Newberg becomes Oregon’s fourth community to join the AARP National and WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Communities. The other four Age-Friendly Oregon communities are: Portland, Multnomah County and Springfield.