south carolina

(This is the fourth in a series of articles about Free Diabetes Self-Management Education classes in SC)

Did you know South Carolina ranks 3rd lowest in the nation for food security of individuals age 60 and above and 2nd lowest for those individuals age 50-59 according to the Food Insecurity among Older Adults full report 2015 published by the AARP Foundation.

There are currently 700,000 caregivers in the state of South Carolina. These caregivers are providing aid and support to family, friends or community members. The majority of these caregivers are not paid, yet their services save the state roughly $7 billion a year. Respite, or rest, gives caregivers of seniors and adults with disabilities a much needed break from their caregiver duties. AARP of South Carolina supports the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging’s request for $1.6 million additional dollars to support respite voucher funding so we can ensure our valued caretakers are taken care of, too.

See a need, meet a need!

South Carolina drivers 50+ can now take advantage of a four-hour AARP Driver Safety Program thanks to a recent change in state law. A bill sponsored by Senator Wes Hayes (R-York) which passed the General Assembly and was signed into law will shorten class time, but not affect the curriculum and instruction.

Senior citizens in South Carolina will soon benefit from a program that will help them better manage their utility bills by making their homes more energy efficient, thanks to a $1 million donation from Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC). In the DEC 2013 rate case settlement agreement, the utility agreed to make a shareholder contribution of $1 million to support senior-citizen outreach.

A South Carolina Senator was honored by AARP recently for his work to support South Carolina family caregivers in 2014. AARP SC State Director Teresa Arnold made the surprise announcement to Senator Thomas Alexander (R-Oconee) during the organization’s legislative breakfast.

It is urgent and important that you contact your Senator now to save ethics reform in South Carolina! Tell your Senator that:

It's a lot of purple. It's AARP South Carolina's new way of sharing the message of Life Reimagined! This special wrapped car will ride the highways and back roads of South Carolina for the next few months sharing the message of Life Reimagined.  Part of Life Reimiagined allows you to experience a "check up" and help you plan your "what's next" or discover your hidden talents and skills.  For a class click here

What is Life Reimagined?