Looking Back, Looking Forward

2019 is here, and during this time of celebration and renewal it’s also a special occasion to reflect on our many AARP accomplishments in the areas of advocacy and outreach. In 2018, our work had a truly meaningful impact at the federal, state and community levels.

As a new year dawns, AARP continues to strengthen its national to nationwide approach and builds momentum as we address important issues facing family caregivers and their loved ones, and as we tackle many important topics, including the preservation of Medicare and our work to improve the quality of long-term care. We’ll continue combating surprise medical billing, and we’ll fight for the affordability of prescription drugs, and we’ll no doubt work on initiatives around Disrupt Aging, fraud prevention and Age-Friendly Communities, among others. We’ll also continue to explore new strategies for utilizing emerging and existing communications tools available to us, and we will strive to enhance our outreach to all populations.

What’s important to remember is that as volunteers we play a key role in the work of AARP – and that’s certainly the case here in Texas. Of course, meeting the challenges before us will be no easy feat, but we’ll certainly enjoy many legislative and other successes as we work in close collaboration with one another and the AARP Texas staff. Likewise, addressing the outreach work of AARP Texas is equally of vital importance and so valuable to the people we serve at the local level.

So, let’s continue our successes, and in doing so, hold dearly the knowledge that we are contributing to many positive outcomes for the people who rely on AARP to be there for them.

Happy New Year!

Charlene James in the volunteer president of AARP Texas.