Older People : The American Association For Retired People

The Older Americans Act (OAA) funds critical services that keep older adults healthy and independent—services like meals, job training, senior centers, caregiver support, transportation, health promotion, benefits enrollment, and more. The Act is overdue for reauthorization—and Congress needs to seize this opportunity to update and renew its commitment to these programs and those they serve. To ensure America’s aging population is able to maintain and live healthy lives provisions are needed to the current OAA. These provisions include:

AARP is a participating association for seniors. It works as a non-benefit advocate for its individuals and is a standout amongst the most capable campaigning bunches in the USA. AARP is broadly known for tending to issues influencing more established Americans through a large number of activities. Including

Experience working in the field of health care lends insight to the growing needs of the older adult population, and the barriers which impede our capacity to meet them. As the Baby Boomer age is approaching older adulthood, the rise for financial,

The challenges and impact of Baby Boomers on long-term care systems are going to modify the manner in which traditional health care, patient access, financial payments and treatment are delivered. Baby Boomers will have an extensive amount of care maintenance needs involving various rehabilitation conditions, acute and chronic illnesses, which will require a significant amount of thoroughly trained gerontologists, skilled nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, community advocates, and family involvement. This article explores options sought to reduce the costs to society and Baby Boomers as innovative savings, tax credit options, and other alternative long-term care financing choices lessening the impact on the long-term care system.

AARP, American Association of Retired Persons, is considered by Human Events as one of the most powerful lobbies. Many websites state that the focus of AARP is not the seniors, nut the money involved. The tactics the AARP are considered “scare tactics.” American Association of Retired Persons used scare tactics by scaring the seniors into thinking their Medicare benefits were going to be taken away from them by congress without their support. Obamacare was highly supported by the members of AARP, why? The AARP convinced its members without Obamacare their Medicare would be reduced. However, this was not the case, it did not protect Medicare benefits, and it actually cut 500 million each year.

The most powerful groups in American politics are the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), the AMA (American Medical Association), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the NRA (National Rifle Association). To begin, the NAACP holds great influence in the political spectrum where there vision is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. Here their purpose and objectives attract the attention of the general public where they hold support and generate major revenue. Now for the AARP, this association represents the views of the older American population where they affect the health care system. Evidently their

They have lobbied for the recent drug coverage that the government offered to help older Americans pay for their prescription drugs (AARP website, n.d.). In addition, they have helped to advocate the Older Americans Act, which allows the older Americans to have continued established programs, such as Meals on Wheels, to help with the aging population. Lastly, they have even helped the older Americans who are of same sex relationships understand how this will affect their benefits in Social Security and Medicare. AARP has evolved to include the issues that the public is most concerned about, thus making them a relevant and strong special interest group to help lobby the United States Congress on possibly new health policy

Recently, the AARP has come under scrutiny of the United States Senate, led by Senator Alan K. Simpson, a republican from Wyoming. The senator questions the AARP’s status as a non-profit organization benefited by a tax exemption and unlimited lobbying privileges. In addition,

The objective of this study is to examine the evolution of programs and services for aging population over the last fifty years. Toward this end, this brief study will conduct a review of literature that addresses these shifts and changes in policy. The timeline of the history of the services and pogroms for the aging population in the United States is shown in the following timeline and an explanation for these develops will next follow the timeline.

AARP is a non-profit organization that helps people over the age of 50. They help support the elderly by giving independence, choice, and control over their lives. They share valuable resources all in one place where one may not of been aware of. AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, was founded in 1958, by Ethel Percy Andrus in the United States. AARP evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA), which Andrus had established in 1947 to promote her philosophy of productive aging and in response to the need of health insurance for retired teachers. It since has grown into all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto

I believe that you said it perfectly in regards to AARP. “They also have the perfect target: older people.” My parents have certainly been targets from the amount of information they receive from AARP. From my understanding, any technologically savvy “senior” would be able to find the same benefits offered by AARP without the fee to join. Also, web surfing would most likely turn up cheaper prices on things like insurance. AARP has consistently managed to package itself as a critically needed, beneficial organization "just trying to help the old folks get by," thereby targeting the elderly. In actuality, it is a huge insurance conglomerate out to make a profit. “Obamacare, which AARP lobbied heavily for, could yield the group windfall profits of more than $1 billion over the next decade by forcing seniors off Medicare Advantage plans and into Medigap supplemental coverage.

The growing concern regarding the financial security of Medicare is one of particular interest to the nearly 72 million baby boomers that become eligible for this government-assisted, and tax-payer bolstered, program over the next two decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2010), there will be a rapid increase in baby-boomers between 2010 and 2030, as the entire baby boomer population move into the 65 years and over category (p.3). Political and financial revisions must be made to ensure the security of Medicare as the numbers of individuals paying into this program are soon to be surpassed by the number of individuals drawing-off this program (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). The elderly are also at a disadvantage with transportation to health care visits, picking up prescriptions, and rehabilitation services. There needs to be an establishment of access not only to primary care providers, hospitals, and rehabilitation services, but access to other aspects of the health care system for the elderly population.

One program that is often over looked is the protection of older Americans. This programs has reporting systems to protect the elderly who may be suffering from neglect or abuse. We may not think of the elderly population being abused but it happens in nursing homes and even in the elderly person’s home from caregivers of family member neglecting their care. The ACL is providing much needed programs for elderly adults and raising awareness for Alzheimer’s. By doing this they are keeping health care costs down by keeping people in their homes and not in nursing homes. They are helping fund research for Alzheimer’s. This program can continue to grow and will be a great necessity as we are experiencing the baby boomer’s reaching the age where they will need extra care either in nursing homes or help staying in their own homes.

They, along with other old-age interests, however, have had to shift their role to a defensive one.11 The defeat of President Clinton’s health care reform package, which the AARP supported, dealt them a measurable political blow.12 The republican congressional take over of 1994 led to a scaling back of the federal government’s role, including programs designed to benefit seniors. The AARP believes big government to be essential to the welfare of seniors. This view comes in direct conflict with the Republican view stated in the “Contract With America”, that individuals and businesses can make more effective use of funds than the governmental bureaucracy.13 An understanding of this fundamental philosophical distinction provides one with the perspective to understand the AARP’s opposition to the privatization of programs important to seniors. These programs include social security, which the AARP describes as its “number one issue”, and Medicare.14 It also explains their fervent opposition to reductions in the rate of growth of the aforementioned

After four decades of failure to enact a universal healthcare program, advocates decided to refine their approach in the 1950s, and the strategy that ultimately led to the passage of Medicare and Medicaid was formulated. Wilbur Cohen and I.S. Falk recognized that a health insurance plan focused on Social Security beneficiaries would be much easier to sell than a plan for all Americans. By limiting its benefits to the elderly, Medicare could be portrayed as a program for people who met two important criteria: they had greater need for healthcare coverage and they were especially deserving of public assistance. Because of their age, seniors have relatively high medical costs--when Medicare was passed, average healthcare expenses for people sixty-five or older were twice the average expenses for younger persons. (Orentlicher, D. (2012).