AARP Florida announces its 2026 legislative priorities, putting the needs of Floridians 50-plus at the forefront of the upcoming legislative session. This year’s agenda focuses on four critical areas that impact the quality of life for older adults and their families:
Even as some of you are hearing the last notes of the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” we at AARP Florida are about to embark on “The Busiest Time of the Year”, the Florida legislative session. Advocacy is a core part of AARP’s mission, and at the state level, the legislative session is a rich if frenetic opportunity to advocate on a wide range of issues on behalf of Floridians ages 50 and over.
AARP Florida’s latest nursing home quality report reveals troubling trends as private investment group acquisitions reshape the state’s long-term care sector.
Gayle Brown Olson, a volunteer at the nonprofit Bri's Lodge in Waite Park, helps comfort people dealing with the death of loved ones. The 74-year-old draws on the memories of her own experience after her husband and stepson died in a hunting accident in 1996. Olson received AARP's 2025 Andrus Award for Community Service.
Shirley Sgouros, 63, of Baltimore, is AARP Maryland’s winner of the Andrus Award for Community Service, based on her dedication to her Upper Fells Point neighborhood and its residents. From picking up trash and planting flowers, to organizing culturally rich events, she brings neighbors together to celebrate the community.
AARP Pennsylvania is pressing state lawmakers to enact a state-facilitated “auto IRA” program for private-sector workers without access to employer-sponsored retirement savings accounts.
AARP Vermont in 2026 will advocate for a tax credit for the state’s 70,000 family caregivers, as well as focus on cryptocurrency kiosk-related fraud to see whether lawmakers extend a moratorium on new crypto ATMs.
The AARP Community Challenge grant program funds quick-action projects for nonprofits, local governments and community groups to make neighborhoods more livable for people of all ages. In 2025, the program gave $4.2 million for 383 projects nationwide, including projects in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina.