Health & Wellbeing

As we age, our eyesight and reaction time steadily declines, and in a big city like Austin, the drivers that share the road tend to be less than friendly. Public transportation lessens the risk of vehicular accidents, alleviating the stress of being behind the wheel (especially during rush hour).

The favorite holiday of our proud state falls on Friday, March 2. While a weekend trip to the San Antonio Southside Missions is a popular way to commemorate our state’s independence, as a Texan, you’re probably not too keen on following the herd.

Natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey can create high levels of stress and anxiety for survivors. Research shows most recover but others can suffer psychological disorders like post-tramautic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

By Laura Tillman

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.

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

Always good to see Dr. S. P. Kinjawadekar, the 85-year-old president emeritus and founder of India's only national senior citizens organization, the All-India Senior Citizens Confederation. Dr. Kinjawadekar, who said he was inspired by AARP to start this organization 16 years ago, was a physician for more than 30 years in his native country before turning his attention to older Indian issues and starting the nonprofit organization. He has a daughter living in Austin and was making his 3rd visit to our office in the last decade. A comparatively early retirement age (58-to-60 on average) coupled with a lack of social programs like Social Security and Medicare and Indians now living longer lives -- the fastest growing segment of the population is now age 80+ -- means there are rising concerns about being able to maintain the health and wellbeing of older citizens. Still, Dr. Kinjawadekar remains bullish on India’s future and is quick to point to the potential of its younger generation to make India a more prosperous nation in the future.

A bill has been introduced in Congress to change the law and allow health insurance companies to charge older people premiums that are five times more than they charge younger people, instead of the current limit of three times as much.

As members of Congress return home to their districts in Texas this Presidents Day week, we – the citizens who put them in office -- have an opportunity to remind them of this: Medicare is a deal that was made long ago with all Americans. Congress has a duty to protect it!

By Thomas Korosec