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Older Drivers: Don’t Get Caught in the Dark

AARP Offers Driving Tips for Night Driving; November Proclaimed Driver

Safety Month

The end of Daylight Savings time on Nov. 1 doesn’t just mean you’re getting an extra hour of sleep. Setting clocks back one hour also means an extra hour of night driving, which can be problematic for everyone, particularly older drivers.

Even on familiar roads, motorists should use caution and watch for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists who will be less visible, especially during the first week of the time change. AARP urges all drivers to consider the link between night visibility and safe driving. If you have trouble seeing well at night, get your vision checked and consider taking a driver safety course to learn more about how to compensate in dark conditions and make sure you’re driving when you feel most comfortable.

To focus attention on roadway safety, AARP is proclaiming this November Driver Safety Month. Since folks will be driving more at night, AARP offers the following tips:

· See and be seen. Get your headlights checked, and turn them on one hour before sunset and keep them on one hour after sunrise to ensure maximum visibility.

· Stay alert on the road. With reduced visibility, it’s important to reduce your speed, be extra alert, and maintain a three-second following distance.

· Recognize and prevent drowsiness. The change in time can throw off our internal clock and may cause drowsiness, so run errands in the morning when you are fresher and more alert.

· Avoid sun glare. You may need to adjust to early morning or late afternoon sun glare that can cause reflections off car windows and hoods and decrease your visibility.

Now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the AARP Driver Safety Program has provided instruction to more than 12 million participants nationwide seeking to refresh their driving skills. The no-test course updates drivers’ knowledge about relevant laws and offers strategies to compensate for age-related changes that affect driving ability.

The course also includes a section on assessing driving abilities, and since November is also National Caregiver Month, now may be a good time to have a “family conversation” about driving to help ensure your loved one stays safe on the road.

Depending on insurance providers and state regulations, graduates of the AARP Driver Safety Program courses – both classroom and online – may be eligible to receive a discount on their auto insurance premiums. All participants should check with their provider for further details.

Find information on local courses, via telephone 1-888-227-7669 or online. www.aarp.org/drive. Find more information about AARP’s online course. www.aarp.org/drive/online.

Added: November 2, 2009
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How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu This Season

How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu This Season

With the arrival of the novel H1N1 (“swine flu”), many people are understandably confused about how to protect themselves against the flu this year. AARP is working with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) to encourage older Americans to protect themselves and those in their care by getting vaccinated.

Experts say that, this year, a seasonal flu vaccination for people 50 and over is as important as ever. Even before novel H1N1 became a threat, flu claimed an average of 36,000 lives and hospitalized more than 200,000 Americans every year. Health authorities have long recommended that people 50 and over get a seasonal flu vaccine each year.

Experts also recommend people 65 and older get a pneumococcal vaccination, which they can get at the same time as their seasonal flu vaccination. Pneumococcus is a bacteria that can cause a range of conditions, including pneumococcal pneumonia, blood infection, and meningitis. Young children and people over 65 are the hardest hit.

Both pneumococcal and seasonal flu vaccines are available now. Have you gotten yours?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), older Americans are less likely to get sick from novel H1N1, perhaps due to exposure to a similar virus many years ago. However, they are more likely to suffer serious complications – and even death – from seasonal flu. Vaccination is the first line of defense, but good hygiene habits, like frequent hand washing and covering your mouth when you cough are also important. If you get sick, antiviral medications are also available to help treat the flu.

“We must not get distracted by H1N1 – we must remember our annual seasonal flu vaccination,” said Dr. Susan J. Rehm, Medical Director of NFID. “Pneumococcal vaccination is also important, and now is a great time to get both vaccines.”

Last year in Arizona, 33% of adults age 50-64 and 71% of adults 65+ got vaccinated for influenza.

70% of Arizona adults 65+ have received the pneumococcal vaccine.

“Vaccination will help more Americans stay healthy this fall and winter, so that we can keep moving – at home and at work,” said David Mitchell, AARP Arizona State Director.

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are free for anyone in Medicare and are available now at doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and health departments in our area. For more information, speak with your healthcare provider or visit www.aarp.org/flu or www.nfid.org. For up-to-date information on flu activity in Arizona, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm.

Added: November 2, 2009
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Discharge. Readmit. Discharge. Readmit.

It’s Time to Break this Unhealthy Pattern.

One in five people in Medicare leaves the hospital and has to go back within a month, wasting billions of tax dollars and disrupting the lives of patients and their families. Providing follow-up care after discharge is a common-sense way to save money and serve patients better. Find out more at http://bit.ly/nqnMR .

Added: September 28, 2009
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Tax-Aide Recruiting Volunteers for 2010 Tax Filing Season

The fall season is upon us and the AARP Arizona Tax-Aide program is beginning to recruit volunteers to help with the upcoming 2010tax filing season. The need for volunteers is important, especially as Tax-Aide looks to expand the program in more communities throughout the state. “We would like to offer Tax-Aide service especially in more Hispanic communities and although many of our current volunteers are bilingual, we need more volunteers to help us reach more people,” says AARP Arizona Tax-Aide State Coordinator Diane Pearson.

AARP Tax-Aide is the largest, free, volunteer run tax counseling and preparation service to low and middle-income people across the country sponsored by the AARP Foundation in cooperation with the IRS. Last year in Arizona, over 1100 Tax-Aide volunteers helped file nearly 83,000 tax returns (Federal 44,000 and State 39,000). Initial training for the Tax-Aide program begins in the fall. Pearson adds that recruitment efforts start early so that volunteers receive the support and training they need to be involved in the Tax-Aide program when it begins in February.

People of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels are encouraged to become an AARP Tax-Aide volunteer. Volunteers need not have previous tax skills and AARP membership is not required.

The AARP Tax-Aide program is set to begin early next year with tax preparation sites set up at churches, libraries, banks and senior centers. The program ends April 15, the last day of the tax-filing season.

For more information on becoming a volunteer for AARP Tax-Aide in Arizona call toll free 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277) or visit the AARP web site at www.aarp.org/taxaide .

AARP Tax-Aide is administered through the AARP Foundation in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated, 501 (c) (3) nonpartisan charitable organization, established in 1961. It administers publicly and privately funded programs, such as AARP Tax-Aide and the AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program. The Foundation also carries out the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy programs funded through Legal Counsel for the Elderly, Inc. These programs also receive support from AARP.

Added: September 22, 2009
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AARP Tucson Information Center Seeks Volunteers

Retired seniors looking for an opportunity to engage in rewarding community service should contact the AARP Tucson Information Center. The Center has volunteer openings for seniors interested in providing AARP information and assistance on a variety of issues. Training is available for new volunteers, basic computer skills are helpful. The AARP Tucson Information Center is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A variety of volunteer shifts are available. For further information on volunteering at the AARP Tucson Information Center call (520) 571-9884 or visit the Information Center at 6700 N. Oracle Road, Suite 331.

Added: September 22, 2009
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Where AARP Stands on Health Care

There's been a lot of confusion about what's involved in health care reform, and even more confusion about who is supporting what. At AARP, our core goal remains the same. We are fighting for our members today, just as we've fought for them for the last 50 years. Today, that means we're fighting to protect the Medicare benefits you’ve earned. To guarantee that you’ll never be denied coverage because of your health or age. To prevent anyone from coming between you and your doctor. And to make sure patients don’t take a backseat to insurance companies.

More specifically, AARP is fighting to:

Protect Medicare Benefits.Medicare is a sacred promise that was made to seniors – because no one should be left to struggle with medical bills after a lifetime of hard work. We must protect the Medicare benefits seniors have earned and strengthen the program for future generations. We’re also working to fill in gaps in today’s benefit package, such as closing the Part D prescription drug coverage gap (the so-called “doughnut hole.”) and eliminate out-of-pocket costs for important preventive care like cancer screenings and diabetes tests.

Eliminate Waste: We must reduce waste in Medicare so we can ensure today’s seniors continue to get the benefits they’ve been promised. Currently, Medicare hands out billions in subsidies to private insurance companies. These are tax dollars that should be going to seniors’ care not insurance company subsidies. By eliminating this waste, we can protect senior benefits and fill in some of the gaps in Medicare.

Preserve Your Choice of Doctor: AARP is fighting to ensure doctors get paid fairly so seniors will have the freedom to choose the doctors they need. Without health reform, Medicare doctors will be forced to take a 21 percent pay cut.

Protect Your Right to Make Medical Decisions: AARP is fighting to ensure that all health decisions are made by you and your doctor, not your insurance company or the government. No matter what your age, your care should be your choice.

Prevent Discrimination. Health reform must end insurance abuses, such as denials of coverage due to a person’s health history, or using age as an excuse to charge sky-high premiums. Such discrimination has become a serious problem for Americans age 50-plus who need insurance, and AARP is fighting to make sure needed protections are in a final health reform plan.

Protect Consumers: AARP is fighting to stop the high prices charged by drug companies by: enabling drug price negotiation; allowing safe, legal importation of lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad; and permitting the sale of generic versions of biologic drugs – costly medications for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.

AARP will continue to scrutinize health reform proposals, to determine whether they make sense for our members and their families. We are watching this process closely and will continue to work to make sure all Americans have the health coverage they need.

Stay informed. Read the latest news on how AARP is fighting for you. http://www.aarp.org/getthefacts

Added: September 22, 2009
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AARP Comes to Las Vegas for 'Vegas@50'

AARP, the world's largest member organization for people 50+ with 40 million members, has announced it will bring its annual National Event & Expo to the city of Las Vegas on October 22-24, 2009.

Aptly named Vegas@50+, this three-day event for AARP members, their friends and families will have something for everyone with exhibits, experts and entertainment at the Sands Expo Center.

“Vegas@50+ showcases the best of how people are redefining life after 50 and is a great way for us to get close to our members, thousands of people at a time,” said A. Barry Rand, CEO of AARP. “Not only is this event a chance to get together, attend great concerts, and learn new things, but attendees will also benefit from exhibitors showcasing various products and services, see and hear from dozens of celebrities and visit a great city.”

Catering to 50+ America, nearly 25,000 people are expected to attend the event to connect with people from across the country, learn something new, and have fun.

In addition to three top-notch concerts featuring The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Tito Puente, Jr. Orchestra, and Kool & The Gang, among others, attendees will also experience an interactive exhibit floor; lifestyle, education and feature sessions; and health and fitness classes.

Speakers include Maya Angelou; television icons Norman Lear, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, John Amos, and George Takei; TODAY Show host Al Roker; CNN personality Soledad O’Brien; AARP Ambassadors James Brown, Martina Navratilova, Peter Greenberg, Gail Sheehy, and Jonathan Pond; Irish tenor/paralympian/Renaissance man Ronan Tynan; fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo; entrepreneur/philanthropist/Chief Shoe Giver for TOMS Shoes Blake Mycoskie; and the founding mother of breast cancer advocacy Dr. Susan Love; among others.

“People age 50+ want to enhance their daily lives and Vegas@50+ is one way AARP contributes to this need,” said Jennie Chin Hansen, President of AARP. “Our members want to stay in good health, secure their finances, connect with others, give back to the community, and enjoy themselves. At this event, AARP gives its members a taste of all of this in one place.”

Vegas@50+ will feature an exhibit hall covering more than 360,000 square feet with over 300 vendors offering valuable information and various products and services for sale, all targeting the 50+ demographic.

AARP is pleased to welcome back UnitedHealth Group and Walgreens as Platinum sponsors for the 2009 Vegas@50+ event. Additional sponsors include Chase Card Services, Crestor, Genworth Financial, New York Life Insurance Co., and The Hartford who is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with AARP. Exhibits will feature new and future technologies, appliances, travel and leisure destinations, and other products and services.

Additionally, attendees have the option to sign up for eleven distinct local tours that will give them the real flavor of the history, charm, and energy of the greater Las Vegas area. For the first time, Vegas@50+ will also offer a premium experience for event attendees. These three “Day of Play” options are available for attendees who arrive to Las Vegas early on October 21st and consist of a golf outing at Angel Park Golf Club; a day at the Canyon Ranch Spa; or a day at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, each for an additional cost of $200.

Admission to Vegas@50+ for AARP members is $25, for non-members, $35. The entry fee includes access to the Exhibit Floor, the Exhibit Floor Performance Stage, Opening and Closing Shows, and Educational Sessions for all three days at one great price. Tickets for the dance party and concerts are an additional fee and start at $25. Additional information on Vegas@50+ can be found online at www.aarp.org/events.

Added: September 18, 2009
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AARP is Fighting for Your Medicare

AARP is fighting to protect Medicare benefits for seniors and ensure future generations have the health coverage they need when they retire. We have made it clear to elected officials that we will fight with the strength of our 40 million members against any proposal to cut your benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs. For more on proposed changes to Medicare, go to http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medicare/articles/medicare_question.htmland for more information on what health care reform means for you, go to www.aarp.org/getthefacts.

Added: September 18, 2009
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There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Help Fight Investment Fraud in Arizona

Americans are often bombarded by junk mail; unwanted phone calls during dinnertime, and, in many cases, people are solicited with “free lunch” investment seminar invitations. Although many of these seminars sell legitimate products, there have been far too many reports of people being scammed out of their life savings.

AARP, in collaboration with the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), is working diligently to fight consumer fraud by encouraging individuals to join the Free Lunch Monitor program. Thousands of people have already joined this national campaign to help monitor free lunch investment seminars.

By becoming a Free Lunch Monitor, you can help to fight fraud in Arizona. If you plan to attend a seminar, take the “What to Listen for Checklist” and report your findings to AARP. We are sharing this information with securities regulators nationwide. Please visit the web site www.aarp.org/nofreelunch to download the checklist and help make the market place safer for all investors.

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Added: September 11, 2009
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Check out AARP's Blog about Myths on Health Care Reform

Throughout the debate on how to fix what’s broken about our health care system, AARP pledges to help you cut through the noise and find the facts about what health care reform means for you and your family. When we see special interests using scare tactics, we’ll make sure you’re given the facts so you can make informed decisions about health care reform. Check out AARP’s blog this week, which is highlighting some of the most common myths being spread about health care reform and the facts that prove them wrong.

Added: August 4, 2009
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My Journals (20)