The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) was founded by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired high school principal, in 1958. The association pretty much goes by AARP now – much more hip than their full name. I receive their mailings since someone, my brother, I think, signed me up when I turned 30.
AARP has expanded beyond their initial task of providing health insurance for retired teachers and others (their founder discovered a retired teacher living in a chicken coop, in poor health and unable to afford health insurance, and set out to find a solution which led her to found AARP). She successfully created insurance programs for retired teachers and then expanded to offer it to others. Now the National Association of Retired Teachers is just a division of AARP.
AARP offers many benefits that all of us should consider tapping into when the need arises, including safe driver tests, a work training program for low-income persons age 55 and over, free tax preparation and counseling, legal hot lines, training and assistance for aging advocates in elder law and advocacy, support for housing counselors in their work with older homeowners seeking reverse mortgages, and a community of support for all senior issues on their website.
AARP also offers a variety of discounted insurance programs for seniors.
As their membership has grown with the aging populatioin, AARP has become a very strong political lobby. Their magazine and radio program provide updated information on their initiatives.
Check out their services on their website: www.aarp.org
