Getting Connected, on AARP Tennessee TV Show

Kate Kleinert had been widowed more than 10 years when she fell victim to a romance scam during the pandemic.

It continued to haunt her long after the money vanished.

The “doctor” who reached out to her on Facebook offered companionship during a lonely time. Kleinert enjoyed having someone to talk to.

But in a story Kleinert shared as a guest on a new AARP Tennessee TV show — as well as to a congressional committee — the phony suitor eventually stole tens of thousands of dollars from her. And the troubles didn’t stop there. Months later, without the money to repair her central air conditioning when it stopped working in summer, a portable unit she had begun using caught fire. The fast-moving blaze destroyed her home and took the lives of her six hospice dogs.

“My journey has been tough. I lost all my money. I lost all of my possessions,” Kleinert said on the debut of AARP Connected.

Hosted by AARP Tennessee State Director Mia McNeil, the interview-style program addresses issues important to Tennesseans, from fighting fraud and helping caregivers to supporting veterans and improving brain health. AARP Connected premiered in June, and generally two new episodes will air each month through December. The show airs on NewsChannel 5+ in Nashville at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Each episode is also available on AARP Tennessee’s YouTube channel and as a podcast.

In addition to the episode on romance scams, the first four shows — at youtube.com/AARPTN — covered the past, present and future of Social Security; ways to prepare for disasters, with a guest from the American Red Cross; and how to prepare a summer salad, with Chef Donald Nichols, who hosts cooking classes for AARP Tennessee.
—Stacey Shepard