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.

• Protect Medicare – so that seniors and future generations have the health coverage they need when they retire.
• End Age Discrimination – so people are not denied insurance because of their health or age.
• Preserve Choices – so that seniors have the freedom to choose the doctors and specialists they need and that no one—not insurance companies or the government—can tell you which doctors to see or what treatments to seek.
• Protect Benefits – so that seniors can continue to get all the benefits they’ve earned.
• Provide Consumer Protections – so that people’s health care doesn’t take a back seat to insurance companies.
• Eliminate Waste – so that tax dollars go toward care, not insurance company subsidies. 

Research shows it’s important to have family conversations with your loved ones about long-term care before health problems arise. But how can adult children show concern for their aging parents’ health, safety and independence without bruising their feelings? How can you get your older parents to begin planning for—much less talk about—their eventual need for care?

AARP Hawaii and the Honolulu Elderly Affairs Division are offering a free workshop that explores family dynamics on the potentially touchy subject of planning for long-term care. The featured speaker is Michael Cheang, assistant professor of gerontology, family resource management and family policy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

WHAT: Caregiver Workshop: What Do We Do About Mom?

WHERE: Mission Memorial Auditorium (next to City Hall)

WHEN: Saturday August 15 (9:30 – 11:30 a.m.)

An AARP survey found that most parents feel better about having this discussion when life is going well. Breaking the ice can be tricky, so consider these tips for beginning the conversation, dealing with resistance, focusing on the most important points, and keeping things positive:

• Let your parents know what you need – Example: “What kind of help would you want if you were not able to do everything yourself but wanted to continue to live safely at home?”
• Share your own emotions about your parents’ changing situation, and urge them to do the same – Example: “Dad, I know you’ve always cherished your independence. I imagine it’s difficult for you to ask for help. Is that right?”
• Raise the issues indirectly, related to someone else’s experience or something you have read or seen in the news – Example: “I know you’re taking pills for arthritis, your heart, and cholesterol. I saw a commercial for a pill organizer that keeps track of which pills to take when.  Would it help if you had a medication organizer what a slot for each day of the week?”
• Watch for opportunities your parents provide – Example: “You mentioned problems with your eyesight. Have you seen the doctor lately? How does it affect what you normally do, like reading or driving?”

For more information, including a wealth of interactive features about caregiving , visit

Don't let myths about healthcare reform scare you.  There are special interest groups trying to block progress on health care reform by using myths and scare tactics.

Some special interest groups have been spreading misinformation to folks in the hopes of killing health care reform legislation; in short, they perpetuate myths and use scare tactics to make people think that reform is a bad idea. (For example, like the contention that health care reform would ration your care, hurt Medicare or be a government takeover.)

So when these myths are being made, we want to make sure we're here to give the correct information to dispel any fears about what health care reform can do for you. And we'll be debunking them every day this week on the blog!

Myth 1: Health care reform is socialized medicine.

Fact: Health care reform will preserve the employer-based health care system, meaning an estimated 200 million Americans will continue to get their coverage through their employers.

Fact: For people buying coverage for themselves, there would be a range of private health plans to choose from. Also, the so-called "public plan" option would seek to give American consumers another choice if they can't find affordable, quality coverage in the private insurance market. The goal of the "public plan" is to give consumers the best value for their money and force greater competition among insurance plans for our business.

Fact: Every proposal that Congress is considering would allow people to choose their own doctors and hospitals.

Health care reform isn't about a government takeover. It's about guaranteeing all Americans a choice of health care plans they can afford.

Check out more info on health care reform here and check in tomorrow for the next myth debunking!

AARP volunteer advocates from Hawaii and across the country are converging on Capitol Hill this week to make the case for health care reform. Volunteer Mary Protheroe of Kaneohe was one of just 30 people in the studio audience today when President Barack Obama visited AARP headquarters for a ‘tele-town hall’ meeting with AARP members.

On Thursday, July 30 Protheroe and volunteer Gail Breakey of Waipahu will visit the Capitol to push for health care reform in face-to-face meetings with members of Congress and staff before Congress heads home for its August recess.

The aging of the baby boomers poses significant challenges for the planning and design of Hawaii’s roads and transit systems—including pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Jana Lynott, a transportation and aging expert with AARP’s national office will discuss state and county readiness to meet those challenges at the Ala Moana Hotel’s Garden Lanai Room on Wednesday, July 8 (7:30 – 9:30 a.m.).