Tennessee Bulletin State News

By: States: Tennessee | Source: AARP.org

April 2008
Balancing act – In the state that ranks last in federal funding for home- and community-based care, AARP Tennessee is hoping change is in the air.

Gov. Phil Bredesen, D, told lawmakers in his January State of the State address that he would like to give more residents alternatives to nursing home care. If adequately funded, programs such as adult day care and respite for family caregivers could help more people remain in their own homes as they age.

AARP Tennessee is working to raise support for home- and community-based care by meeting with lawmakers, placing ads, dispatching e-mail alerts and holding news conferences on polls showing that residents want more long-term care choices.

To learn more or to read an interview with Bredesen, visit www.aarp.org/tn. To urge your legislators to support home- and community-based care, call 1-800-865-1218.

November 2007
Walking tall – Retirees from the nation’s largest public utility teamed up with AARP to get fit this fall.

A 10-week walking program for members of the Tennessee Valley Authority Retirees Association began in October and will conclude in December. The program features virtual walking tours between Tennessee Valley Authority locations that help participants gauge their accomplishment. They’ll find that 100,000 steps equal a trek from Knoxville to Morristown, Tennessee, for example. Those who log 720,000 steps will walk the equivalent distance from Huntsville, Alabama, through Memphis to Tupelo, Missisippi.

July 2007
Local relief – Tennesseans voted overwhelmingly last November for a constitutional amendment allowing local governments to enact property tax relief programs for residents age 65 and older. In June both chambers of the legislature unanimously passed bills setting income limits for eligibility, and Gov. Phil Breseden, D, was expected to sign the measure into law.

County commissions and city councils may now choose whether to freeze property tax bills at current levels for eligible homeowners age 65 and older. To qualify, a household’s income cannot exceed $24,000 or the median income of county residents 65 and older, whichever is higher.