Regional News From the AARP Bulletin

Source: AARP.org | November 9, 2006

September 2007

Aging matters – AARP Utah is cosponsoring the Utah Gerontological Society's 16th annual fall conference, Sept. 18-19. The public is invited, as are professionals in the field of aging, community leaders and students. Keynote speakers include Josefina G. Carbonell, assistant secretary for aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Chris Hansen, AARP's group executive officer for state and national initiatives. The conference will take place at the Zermatt Resort and Spa in Midway. For details or to register, go to aging.utah.edu or call Sonnie Yudell, conference chair, at 801-538-3926.

— Reports by Donnan Runkel

July 2007

Brain fitness... “Staying Sharp,” a free seminar in Park City on Aug. 25, aims to inform state residents about recent advances in brain research and what they can do to stay mentally agile. Part of a statewide series sponsored by AARP Utah, the seminar will feature two leading brain researchers, Norman L. Foster, M.D., of the University of Utah and Ronald G. Munger of Utah State University. Participants will learn about memory loss, brain diseases and healthy longevity. The event begins at 9 a.m. at the Park City Marriott.

As a bonus, participants can stay for an afternoon session with experts from the state Attorney General’s Office and Division of Securities who will discuss how to avoid identity theft and other kinds of scams. For details, call 801-233-2064 or e-mail ggoodwin@aarp.org.

June 2007

Two more years... In a legislative victory for AARP, Utah’s Commission on Aging will continue its role as policy adviser to lawmakers and state agencies on issues affecting older residents. The commission was slated to expire this summer, but lawmakers extended it until 2009 and moved it from the Governor’s Office to the University of Utah’s Center on Aging, enabling it to secure more funding.

With the state’s 65-plus population projected to more than double in the next 25 years, supporters argued that the commission’s role as policy adviser on matters from health care to financial security was essential. As a member of the commission, AARP Utah is developing a workbook to help people plan for retirement.

March 2007

Keen minds... Staying sharp is top of mind in Oregon and Utah. In Utah, a March 10 event in the Uintah Basin will feature a Staying Sharp seminar in the morning and an anti-fraud forum in the afternoon. Experts from the University of Utah Brain Institute, the Utah Attorney General’s Office and the Utah Division of Securities will speak. Call 1-877-926-8300 toll free to register. To learn about upcoming seminars across Utah, visit www.aarp.org/ut.

-Report by Donya Currie Arias

January 2007

Instant stroke care… “Telestroke” technology, which can connect stroke victims and medical personnel in rural areas with experts miles away, is coming to Utah. Using two-way videoconferencing and desktop computers, Telestroke will connect emergency personnel in Grand County with specialists in Salt Lake City. “Swift treatment is the critical factor in all strokes, making this advance an exciting one for residents of the rural southeast corner of the state,” says Carolyn Hunter of AARP Utah.

An event to introduce the technology will be held Jan. 27 at Grand County High School in Moab. Cosponsors of the event include the University of Utah Brain Institute, Allen Memorial Hospital and AARP Utah. For details, visit www.aarp.org/ut.

December 2006

Limits on lenders... In a state with no usury cap and where interest rates on payday loans can add up to 500 percent, AARP Utah has set its legislative sights on curbing abusive lending practices in 2007.

Payday lenders typically make—and repeatedly renew—short-term loans that borrowers cannot afford to repay. Each renewal incurs a hefty fee.

“The payday loan industry is thriving here because there are few laws that deter them,” says Laura Polacheck, AARP associate state director for advocacy. AARP is working with lawmakers to draft a bill that would change the terms and conditions of such loans, strengthen penalties for abusive practices and require the state to start collecting data on payday lending.

—Reports by Donnan Runkel

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