Helping Georgians aged 50 and above live their best lives
— Please be our guest for the screening of Care, a movie about the poignant world of in-home elder care, the bonds that form between paid care workers and elders, and the cracks in the US care system. Panel discussion to follow. To register, follow this link: https://aarp.cvent.com/filmscreeningcare2017 WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017 WHERE: Phipps Plaza AMC 3500 Peachtree Road Atlanta, Ga. 30326 TIME: doors open at 6:30 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. …
— Fast Facts about Family Caregiving: Family caregivers perform unpaid care valued at about $450 billion a year, helping their loved ones stay at home—and out of costly institutional care, often paid for by Medicaid. In every state, the value of this unpaid care is greater than the annual cost of Medicaid for institutional stays, like nursing homes, and services to help people remain at home. Three organizations dedicated to care and well-being are providing caregivers with an evening of creativity …
— Many Georgians hold two jobs—one that pays the bills and the other unpaid, taking care of a loved one at home. For such workers, finding time to attend to the needs of a sick child or an infirm parent is especially stressful if it means losing a day’s wages. A new state law backed by AARP Georgia aims to help. The Family Care Act, which takes effect July 1, allows workers to use up to five days of earned paid …
— By Ann Hardie Twenty-three years ago, Cynthia Allen said, she contracted HIV from her then-husband. Soon after that, her mother, Margaret, became very sick with pneumonia. “At the time, I was suicidal,” Allen said. She was dealing with the double shock of the diagnosis and her marriage ending. Based on her experience, Allen asked doctors to run an HIV test on her mother. She said she believes it saved her mother’s life and gave her own life new purpose. “After …
— By Drew Jubera Jacquita White Blount, executive director of Optum Palliative and Hospice Care in Macon, has seen it all. Family members or friends with financial power of attorney have purchased vehicles, wiped out bank accounts, stolen debit cards, sold off furniture, bought bigger homes—all by abusing their access to older Georgians’ money and property. The consequences are often devastating. “There are sick people out there, and they prey on the most vulnerable,” said Blount, 47. “We have a duty …
— Managing a loved one’s finances is difficult under the best of circumstances, but can be daunting for family members who are geographically dispersed. That’s why Georgia lawmakers passed legislation in March that aims to make it easier for judges to determine which state has jurisdiction in a guardianship case. Previously enacted in 42 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act allows courts to recognize guardianships established out of state. It …
— By Drew Jubera Lu Hsieh got a call one morning from somebody claiming to be with the IRS. The man on the line told Hsieh she owed back taxes totaling more than $6,500. He then added, in a more threatening tone, that she had to pay the shortfall immediately. Hsieh turned to her husband and told him what the caller was saying. Hsieh’s husband prepares the couple’s taxes and knew it wasn’t true. He knew the IRS informed taxpayers …
— By Drew Jubera Among the many tasks Willis Collins has done while caring for his ailing wife, Lillie, 69, the scariest may have been determining what to give her when her blood sugar was too high or too low. Both are potentially dangerous for a diabetic. It frightened Collins because, he said, he hardly had a clue. No one had told him how to calculate his wife’s insulin dosage. “I was shooting in the dark,” said Collins, 72, a retired …
— By Ann Hardie Ask Ronald Moore what was the most fun he’s had as an AARP volunteer, and he’ll say it was helping middle school students in metro Atlanta learn to be financially savvy and independent through role-playing. Moore, of Alpharetta, an assistant principal at Louise Radloff Middle School in Duluth, participated in last year’s National Day of Service, and he plans to do it again on Sept. 11, when AARP Georgia joins forces with Junior Achievement of Georgia. About …
— By Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur What if all homes could be suitable for anyone, regardless of a person’s age or physical ability? What if a person who wants to live independently, regardless of his or her age or physical ability, could do just that? The new AARP HomeFit Guide features lots of ways to make your home comfortable, safe and a great fit for people of all ages. Here are 10 simple solutions to get you started: 1. Clear exterior pathways of …