In meetings with members of Congress from the Lone Star State, AARP Texas leaders pushed for action related to Social Security, family caregiving, Medicaid and food assistance.
With nearly 2.5 million members in Texas, AARP Texas strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to older Texans and their families, including health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.
Power outages, high temperatures and heat-related illnesses are threatening Texans, prompting reminders to stay safe during extreme heat. AARP Texas is urging residents to take heat-related hazards seriously and to be vigilant in checking on older residents, neighbors, and the medically vulnerable.
Texas ranks 35 th when it comes to meeting the long-term care needs of older residents and people with disabilities, and AARP warns more must be done, at an accelerated pace, to meet changing demographic demands. Specific areas of concern in Texas include the percent of high-risk nursing home residents with pressure sores, as well as the percent of nursing home residents who are inappropriately receiving an antipsychotic medication. This, according to a new, comprehensive state-by-state Scorecard from AARP with support of the nation’s leading organizations behind quality long-term care, The Commonwealth Fund and SCAN Foundation.
As temperatures rise and Texans rely heavily on air conditioning in their homes, AARP Texas seeks to educate consumers, including older Texans, on how to protect themselves against the rising costs of electricity and other utility expenses.
AARP Texas Director Bob Jackson released the following statement today in reaction to the news of the passing of Luis Alonso Wilmot of San Antonio, who served as the AARP Texas Director from 2002 to 2007:
With nearly half of all deaths in Texas related to COVID-19 occurring among nursing home residents and staff, advocates at AARP Texas are encouraging those with loved ones in long-term care facilities to check regularly on the loved ones’ health and wellbeing.