Social Security has struggled with customer service for years. Declining staffing and funding has seen the Social Security Administration (SSA) leaving District residents in the lurch, dealing with long wait times on the phone and in Social Security offices, getting busy signals on the phone, or sometimes simply being unable to reach anyone for their customer service needs. SSA recently scrapped a proposed service change that would have forced many older District residents to have to go in-person to a Social Security office for routine services that have been handled over the phone.
Throughout 2024, AARP DC continued to advocate for policies to empower District residents to improve their lives and choose where and how they live as they age. AARP DC has a long history of supporting older District residents who want to live independently as they age. This year, AARP DC fought for issues that matter most to seniors, their families and caregivers.
STAY DC is a financial assistance program for renters in DC to help cover housing and utility expenses. Residents must be able to show that they are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
AARP announced the 2021 Community Challenge Grant winners. Grants were awarded to four local organizations in the District of Columbia that are implementing projects to benefit residents of all ages and backgrounds. Grant recipients include DC Greens, the DC Office of Planning, the George Washington University Center for Aging and Vida Senior Centers.
Is your 65th birthday coming up? You know what that means: It’s time to prepare for Medicare. Get ahead of the game with answers from our free webinar on Medicare, including when to enroll, what’s covered and where to find help along the way.
A new study highlights health disparities between Black and white older adults in the District of Columbia. The study, completed by AARP District of Columbia in partnership with Georgetown University, shows that rates for heart failure, diabetes, stroke, COPD, and asthma were 2 to 3 times higher for Black older adults than for whites.
AARP DC volunteers Wes and Ron have a candid conversation about their experiences coming of age as gay men at a time when being gay was not widely accepted, memories of the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, their first Pride event in DC, and what life is like now as an LGBTQ elder.
AARP DC is working with Reduce Energy Use DC for the second year in a row to help District residents create energy saving habits and save money by reducing energy costs.
When the pandemic hit last year, AARP DC made it a priority to reach the District’s Hispanic/Latino community with accurate information. AARP DC reached out to El Tiempo Latino, the largest Spanish-language news outlet in the District of Columbia, and produced 5 Facebook Live events with them in summer 2020 that focused on Covid-19’s impact on the community. Guests included experts from the Legal Counsel for the Elderly, the Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs and the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.