Family & Relationships

Grandparent Alienation has now affected millions, world wide. It has reached epic proportions. It is elder abuse as well as child abuse. It affects all types of families. A well rounded, outgoing grandparent changes immensely when this occurs. They are saddened for themselves and for the effect on their grandchild. 

FROM THE ARTICLE: As it turns 90, the program ‘matters more than ever,’ CEO says. By Andy Markowitz, AARP. Published May 14, 2025. Few things reach as broadly into American life as Social Security.Some 69.4 million people — about 1 in 5 U.S. residents — received a payment from the program in April 2025. Most of them are retired older adults, many reliant on their earned benefits to put food on the table and pay the bills. Almost every working American pays into the system via payroll taxes, with the promise that Social Security will be there for them, too, when they need it. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2025/social-security-milestone-90-years.html

FROM THE ARTICLE: AARP Pushes Back on Effort to Delay New Federal Nursing Home Staffing Standards to 2035.Rule offers dignity and safety to our most vulnerable Americans. By Natalie Missakian and Nancy Kerr, AARP. Published May 14, 2025. A plan to delay long-overdue minimum nursing home standards would cost lives and delay important protections needed for people living in nursing homes.In a May 13 letter to the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce, AARP noted deep concerns about a proposed delay to these standards, which would require an increase in staff at nursing homes and the presence of a registered nurse on-site at all times. The standards are set to take effect in stages starting in 2026, but this plan would delay them until 2035. Republican lawmakers are seeking cuts across federal programs to offset President Trump’s massive tax bill, which would extend and add to tax breaks. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-so

FROM THE ARTICLE: Order Takes Aim at Lowering Prescription Drug Costs.AARP also calls on Congress to protect and strengthen Medicare’s ability to negotiate lower drug prices for millions of older Americans. By Rachel Nania, AARP. *** There are 11 Comments on the AARP Website. Stop by to add yours. *** Published May 13, 2025. President Trump on Monday signed an executive order that aims to cut Americans’ prescription drug costs by bringing the price the U.S. pays for its medications in line with comparable developed nations.The order directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to communicate most-favored-nation price targets to pharmaceutical companies in the next 30 days. If manufacturers do not make significant progress toward these targets, additional steps could be taken, though many questions remain on how the plan will work, specifically, and when Americans could expect to see any potential savings. The order also intends to ensure that

FROM THE ARTICLE: By Sally Balch Hurme. Paperback, E-book. Put your life in order with this valuable new resource from AARP and the American Bar Association. Checklist for My Family guides you through the process of gathering in one place your finances, legal documents, online accounts, wishes about medical care and more. Plus it tells you what you need, why you need it, what’s missing and where to get it. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/books/bookstore/home-family-caregiving/checklist-for-my-family/

My attention was drawn to a court this weekend that allowed an artificial intelligence rendering to "testify" during the phase of the proceeding where family members attest to how the crime affected their family. The odd  subject matter is what caught my eye. The person attesting to how the killing affected the family and their thoughts about forgiveness came from the DEAD PERSON THEMSELF as a created A.I. rendering of the dead person. The court allowed it. This worries me.  What is to keep courts allowing renderings of dead bodies, renderings of mangled children, renderings of decedents with bullet holes visible...... A.I. can create anything.  In this particular case, the defendant got sentenced for more years than the prosecution was asking for. Who is to say that the A.I. talking directly to the judge didn't influence his thinking on sentencing? This is a "advancement" that needs to be "nipped in the bud" and strictly "controlled".  We h

Would you want to do this?  Sign me up !   Is there an age requirement to be young?  

The Farmers Market opened today. Good ole red ripe tomatoes not the store bought.Tomato and bacon sandwich just went to top of the menu at our house. Most of the stuff is coming from Fla. but that is ok.   

FROM THE ARTICLE: Bill would ease financial strain of caring for an aging parent. By Natalie Missakian and Peter Urban, AARP. Published May 06, 2025. RP is supporting bipartisan legislation on Capitol Hill that could provide some financial relief to the growing number of adults who care for aging parents.The Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act was introduced May 1 by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Bill Cassidy (R-L.A.). It would allow caregivers to use their tax-free flexible spending or health savings accounts (FSAs and HSAs) to pay for qualified medical expenses of their parent or parent-in-law. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2025/lowering-caregiver-costs.html

FROM THE ARTICLE: The New Documentary ‘Aging in America’ Shows How Far We’ve Come.Director Neil Steinberg tells AARP what society is doing for the 50-plus: ‘Ageism is a bit better, but homelessness is worse’. By Tim Appelo, AARP. Published April 30, 2025. The documentary Aging in America: Survive or Thrive, narrated by Martin Sheen, 84 (on PBS starting in early May; check local listings), celebrates the encouraging progress society has made in dealing with aging as well as the daunting challenges still faced by a rapidly aging population. In 1975 there were 25 million Americans over 65; today it’s more than doubled to 55 million, and in 10 years the 65-plus will outnumber those under 18 for the first time. Director Neil Steinberg tells AARP what we can learn from the expert testimony and personal stories featured in the film, how far we’ve come in dealing with aging and what remains to be done. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/m

I am grateful he is safe. I am the only mother he knows....but I still feel so cheated. I'm only 47. I raised my children and I only had a year to myself. The toll it has taken on my life is immense. My relationship I have which was fun and new has now become chores and meals, schedules and freedom restrictions. My son is useless to help. I can't help but resent my son very, very much for laying this on me. I am lonely, my love life is ruined. We now fight in front of the child, this is so very wrong but he is a mean nasty tempered man. Now I'm stuck because I don't have a car (broke down and junked)of my own,  fiance sells cars but will not give me nor sell me one we live 20 miles from anything. I am verbally assaulted daily. moral of the story is, be very very careful whom you trust. Now I'm stuck, homeless without this nightmare relationship and I do have some savings but not much. Any advice? Does anyone have a place I can move into with  my grandchild. I am desperat

I have noticed of late in my Google News Feed, SEVERAL discussions on this topic. [1] Do you think it should be banned? [2] Has it been banned in YOUR location? This can be the United States or a foreign country. Thanks,Nicole  👵  (Friends & Family Forum)

I sure though tarheel had a good one going. My computer didn't pick up the post that they said got it tossed.If anyone thought any of that was bad, well, don't come to our house for Thanksgiving Dinner.

FROM THE ARTICLE: AARP Foundation Experience Corps celebrates an anniversary. By Elise Ceyral, AARP. Published April 29, 2025. Laurie Bowers, 73, owes a lot to being a good reader. “Not everyone needs a college degree, but everyone needs to be able to read, write and communicate,” Bowers says. A former report technician for the police department, Bowers has been teaching reading to students in Buffalo, New York, for six years as a volunteer with AARP Foundation Experience Corps.Launched in 1995, the program pairs elementary school students with older adults with one goal: improve the kids’ reading skills before the end of third grade. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2025/experience-corps-celebrates-30-years.html

FROM THE ARTICLE: 10 Simple Financial Tasks You Can Tackle in an Hour.You won't believe how much you can accomplish — and save — in just a few minutes. By Daniel Bortz, AARP. *** There is 1 Comment on the AARP website. Stop by to add yours. *** Published April 28, 2025. Have 60 minutes to kill? You could spend it watching TV or playing games on your smartphone. Or you could spend it saving money, by ticking some easy but important financial tasks off your to-do list.Get one — or more — of these 10 smart money moves accomplished on your next lunch hour. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/quick-easy-financial-tasks.html

FROM ARTICLE: AARP has championed state efforts to help those without access to workplace retirement plans build savings. By Kenneth Terrell, AARP. Published April 22, 2025. LaVante’ Dorsey knew that before her business could focus on helping young women, she first needed to take care of her employees.Since it opened in Newark, Delaware, in 2018, LaVante’ N. Dorsey & Associates has provided mental health and therapeutic counseling services to help women — and men, too — feel empowered and reach personal goals. But it couldn’t provide a retirement benefit to the seven therapists on staff. Like many small businesses, it didn’t have the resources. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2025/auto-ira-one-million-savers.html

Something to think about as we sip our coffee - I am curious what people think of Daylight Savings Time - Should it be made permanent or do we keep doing this "fall back / spring forward" every year. I have a (rather old) "bird clock" and in order to keep the bird sounds correct, it is a big deal to change it twice a year or else I have one of the owls belching out whippoorwill songs - have to do it right or it gets really messed up. This year in March the Senate passed "The Sunshine Protection Act" (bipartisan) a move that could make daylight saving time permanent in 2023, but the bill hasn’t been voted on by the House. The way it goes, as I understand it, is that various states can approve making DST permanent, as many have, but until it is passed by Federal legislatures, it is only a paper thing.   This link gives many of the pros and cons of leaving DST in place all year -  it also has numbers on how many Americans feel about it. &n

This item was moved by the AARP Online Community Team. This thread has been removed for violating community guidelines. -Venting and/or ranting -Being mean, bullying

Happy Earth Day!   As an original participant in 1970, I so appreciate the founders and the hope and mission! Thank you to all who still consider this important!

Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 ... before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land ... all because of public pressure. I am asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around. *Congressional Reform Act of 2025* 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay w

Down here in my neck of the woods it is making a lot of people uncomfortable. March came in like the lion and for a few days in the middle the lamb showed up. But the lion came back to end March and start April. The April showers that people talk about ain't showers. It's more like "Get to Noah's boat shop in a hurry."

I took care of my daughter, my niece, and sometimes my nephew.  They suffered from emotional and physical abuse at times.  My daughter is now a doctor, my nephew a pharmacist and my niece a nurse.  I believe the reason they are all doing well is I took them places and showed them how to enjoy themselves at an early age.  I think the best way to help our communities is for aarp to work with our communities to help preschoolers and after school programs to take kids to places around the community, zoos, museums, nature.  It’s a win-win for lonely seniors and helping our children be prepared for school and less susceptible to gang and criminal influences.  Especially low income families who are struggling.

How to find a person to take care of your needs when you are the only one. That consists of friends lawyer who do you trust. Can you have someone that you pay to take care of your well being.  If you be come sick who can you rely on to take care of issues. Yes theirs a will lawyer is in charge but can you trust a lawyer to do the right thing and honor your wishes.  With layers being busy how can you rely on them. What to do all by one self. 

 I'm starting to play a game and of course here comes the ad. The ad is the reason for the question. Does anyone know the US Marines would be running an ad on a AARP game?

  It isn’t a new movie (2019)- stars Diane Keaton, Rhea Perlman, Pam Grier among others.  I laughed, I cried, I was totally entertained from beginning to end.  Inspired by the true story of the Sun City Poms, a cheer squad with members ranging in age from 55 to 88. Highly recommend it.   Watch the trailer https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5125894/