Today, 63 million Americans — including our own Virgin Islanders — step up as family caregivers, helping older parents, spouses, and other loved ones live independently at home rather than in costly nursing homes. These everyday heroes hold up a broken long-term care system, managing medications, preparing meals, helping with bathing and dressing, and more. In the Virgin Islands alone, family caregivers provide thousands of hours of care each year, worth an exceptional amount in unpaid labor.
On October 28, 2025, Troy de Chabert-Schuster proudly testified before the 36th Legislature's Committee on Health, Hospitals, and Human Services, championing important amendments to the Caregivers Leave Act (Bill No. 36-0086). This proposed legislation is an exciting step forward, ensuring that all full-time employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including those working with independent boards, commissions, and agencies, receive four hours of administrative leave every month to fulfill their essential caregiving responsibilities for a seriously ill spouse, child, parent, or any legal dependent.
We are excited to announce that Social Security celebrated its 90th anniversary in August! To commemorate this milestone, AARP VI has rescheduled a special event on St. Croix for Saturday, November 8th, from 10 AM to 2 PM—and you’re warmly invited!
Join AARP VI on November 13th at Caribbean Cinemas for a FREE screening of "Now You See Me 3." The third installment in the Now You See Me series, titled Now You See Me: Now You Don't, follows the original Four Horsemen as they reunite to recruit three skilled illusionists for a high-stakes heist. The plot revolves around the theft of the world's largest queen diamond from a powerful crime syndicate. The film promises to deliver mind-bending magic, intricate planning, and a thrilling climax.
As of November 1, 2025, millions of Americans—including many older Virgin Islanders—may not receive their monthly food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This disruption affects individuals living on fixed incomes, many of whom rely on SNAP to afford groceries and maintain their health.
Elected leaders are important resources in a community. These individuals hold a great deal of responsibility for the health, welfare and prosperity of their community. Their leadership and foresight are critical toward the success or failure of all of us. Voters, on the other hand have a responsibility and a duty to learn as much as they can about the individuals who have come forward to serve the community. Only by getting familiar with each candidate can the voters truly feel they will be making the best possible selection for their community leaders.
Two St. Croix residents: Kimberly Jones and Troy deChabert-Schuster, who were recently nominated by Governor John P. DeJongh to serve on the Governor Juan F. Luis (JFL) Hospital Board have sailed through a Rules and Judiciary Legislative confirmation hearing in early August.
VI residents are participating in training sessions aimed at readying them for the new challenges that will await them at the polls this year. Along with a long list of candidates to select from, voters will also face both new equipment and a new method for voting. Realizing how daunting this new challenge may be for older voters, AARP-VI has been conducting voting machine demonstrations in conjunction with the VI Board of Elections to help familiarize voters with the changes to the 2014 elections.
English Jubilados del Gobierno de las Islas Vírgenes, también conocidos en la isla de St. Thomas como GRUFF – Government Retirees United for Fairness o Jubilados del Gobierno Unidos para la Equidad, vio a su labor dar fruto el 17 de marzo del 2014 cuando el gobernador John DeJongh firmó el proyecto de ley 7585 a ley.
This election season, Virgin Islanders have an exciting new, election option which they have never had before. This year voters can ask questions directly aimed at a particular candidate or group of candidates running for a particular office, via social media with AARP VI’s new VIW2K or Virgin Islanders Want to Know campaign.
St. Croix Virgin Islands seniors on Medicare will soon have a volunteer body of trained Medicare/Medicaid counselors to help them navigate the ever-growing maze of Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance options and issues. St. Croix Volunteers began classes under the tutelage of the Virgin Islands State Health Insurance Program (VISHIP). The new Counselors began their training in late May and completed their intensive training program in late June.
AARP VI State Director, Denyce E. Singleton, joined twenty (20) St. Croix community members and Dr. Kendall Griffith, Interim Chief Executive Officer for the Juan F. Luis Hospital, to serve as a Patient-Family Council (PFC) Ambassador for the hospital’s newly re-established volunteer group focusing on improvement to all hospital programs and services.
English ¡La espera ha terminado! Propietarios en las Islas Vírgenes ahora pueden participar en el programa que AARP y sus socios de la Coalición de Visitabilidad trabajaron con tanto esfuerzo para hacer disponible.
English Después de cuatro años de cooperación en todo el territorio, el Departamento de Salud de las Islas Vírgenes ha terminado su labor de organización y puesto en marcha una red de intercambio de información de salud - Health Information Exchange (HIE) que permitirá a todos los proveedores de salud en las Islas Vírgenes compartir con rapidez y de forma segura los registros médicos electrónicos.
Español Government of the Virgin Islands retirees, also known on the island of St. Thomas as Government Retirees United for Fairness (GRUFF) saw their advocacy work pay off on March 17, 2014 when Governor John DeJongh signed Act 7585 into law.