AARP Texas

In Texas alone, there are more than 3.4 million unpaid family caregivers, many of whom provide complex medical and nursing tasks for their loved ones, and sometimes without adequate explanation or training. It’s not unusual for their tasks to include managing multiple medications, providing wound care, overseeing special diets, and operating high-tech medical equipment and monitors.

With the scheduled end of the 2017 Texas legislative session approaching, AARP continues to fight for passage of several bills that aim to improve nursing home quality, ease the stress of family caregivers, protect older Texans from financial exploitation, and help consumers avoid and respond to surprise medical charges.

By Ellen Chang

It’s that time of year, folks! It’s time to celebrate and recognize our outstanding volunteers during National Volunteer Week. In Texas, we’d like to highlight several outstanding folks who have gone above and beyond for their communities. Without the help of our committed volunteers, our Texas communities would not be the same.

Alicia Buescher, 64, of Fort Worth has been a nurse practitioner for over 30 years. She’s had a passion for nursing since the age of 16 when she volunteered at a local children’s hospital. “Not everybody knows what they want to do, but I did,” she said.

The Texas Senate took a pivotal step toward improving the quality of care in Texas nursing facilities on Wednesday by unanimously approving Senate Bill 932, which seeks to hold nursing home operators accountable for harming residents.

After a couple of weeks back in their districts for spring recess, members of Congress return to Capitol Hill on Monday, and you will soon start hearing again about shenanigans involving a very dangerous health care bill that many Americans had left for dead.

Retirement should be a time of peace and relaxation, not one of struggle and financial worry. And when retirees seek advice regarding retirement investments, they should expect their professional advisors to give prudent guidance that keeps their best interests in mind.

To promote age-friendly, livable communities, AARP Texas is hosting gardening classes across the state.

Carolyn Hartman’s mother, Myrtle Hartman, died last spring after spending eight years in a Central Texas nursing facility.