Older Americans are dying from drug overdose or suicide at much higher rates now compared with a decade ago, according to the latest America's Health Rankings Senior Report from UnitedHealthcare.
The report found suicides have increased by 13%, depression is up 9%, and drug deaths among people 65 and older have doubled in the last 10 to 12 years.
Greg Smith, executive director of the Missouri Coalition of Recovery Support Providers, said during the pandemic, attention has been drawn away from the opioid and addiction crisis, but he urged refocusing to tackle the issue.
"People are dying all around us every day," Smith pointed out. "Each year, it's been record deaths. And last year 107,000 people died nationally of drug overdoses. And primarily that's due to fentanyl and opioids."
Smith noted recovery is often not just stopping using drugs and alcohol, but also accessing wraparound services such as stable housing and employment. Among people ages 65-74, the drug-related death rate spiked 147% in the last decade. In addition, the early death rate shot up for adults 65-74 during the pandemic, after falling for a decade before.
Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare employer and individual, said the social distancing required during COVID has taken a particularly heavy toll on older people.
"The risk of social isolation is measuring a lack of meaningful social connectedness among seniors," Randall explained. "Things that put you at risk are being never married, widowed, divorced, separated, living alone, living in poverty."
The report did have some good news: Researchers found the percentage of adults 65 or older who report being in "very good or excellent" health increased by 13 pointed from 2011 to 2020. And flu vaccinations are up. More than 67% of seniors get flu shots, compared with about 60% in 2011.
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AARP Colorado is accepting applications from nonprofits and local governments across the state for this year's Community Challenge grant program.
The grants are part of AARP's national Livable Communities initiative.
Associate State Director Marissa Volpe said they're meant to fund quick-action projects that help rural, suburban, and urban communities make improvements - with a special focus on the needs of people 50 and older.
"These are really small dollar, big impact grants," said Volpe, "that aim to make communities more livable for people of all ages."
AARP has invested more than $20 million in some 1,700 projects since 2017, including 32 in Colorado.
Grants have helped launch community gardens, and disaster preparedness training, increase high-speed internet access, and improve housing, and public transportation.
This year's projects must be completed by December 15. Applications are online at AARP.org/communitychallenge. The deadline is 3 p.m. Mountain Time on March 5.
Volpe said capacity-building micro grants are a good way to get neighbors to work on projects that can lead to long-lasting improvements.
For example, walkability audits help people see their community from a pedestrian's perspective, and create a checklist of improvements for city planners.
"Can two people walk down the sidewalk together?," said Volpe. "Is it accessible for somebody who may be rolling in a wheelchair? Are there cracks, are there tree stumps coming through? Are there places to sit and rest, are there benches?"
Volpe says AARP is committed to getting resources into communities that have traditionally been left behind when it comes to investments in green spaces, playgrounds and even streetlights and sidewalks.
"We absolutely want to think about those communities that have been underserved," said Volpe, "and how this grant is going to address those disparities."
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The city of La Crosse is hoping a new online design library of Accessory Dwelling Units will help inspire residents to build one.
The units have been touted as a possible solution to housing shortages. After the city was awarded nearly $20,000 last year through AARP Wisconsin's Community Challenge, it asked residents to submit designs to show the community what is possible in their own backyards.
Lewis Coleman, environmental and sustainability planner for the city of La Crosse, said the secondary housing units can be attached to, or separate from, the main house.
"The top three ADU designs that we picked were based on affordability, accessibility, and sustainability," Coleman outlined. "We wanted to make sure that these were residences that were in reach from a cost perspective."
The three finalists were selected from 26 submissions and were each awarded $3,000. Coleman pointed out what is left of the grant money will potentially be used to make the winning concepts into ready-to-build plans.
The city faces a potential landlock because of the Mississippi River, steep slopes and adjacent jurisdictions. In addition to seeing Accessory Dwelling Units as a way to increase homes, Coleman noted they can offer financial support for homeowners who rent them out. They can also provide multigenerational housing for parents of children with disabilities or children who want to live near their aging parents.
Coleman acknowledged there are some downfalls, especially in light of rising construction costs.
"In some cases, it could cost as much as a house, as a full size house," Coleman emphasized. "That's still a challenge. And one of the things we're looking at is working with our local lenders to put together financial packages that could make it easier for homeowners to add this to their backyard."
Other past AARP grant-supported projects in Wisconsin include dementia-friendly parks, medicinal plant gardens, senior and veteran home programs and rural community enhancements. The nationwide initiative serves to support improvements that meet long-standing and emerging challenges in communities.
Wisconsin residents can submit an application for this year's AARP Community Challenge until March 5.
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Valentine's Day is this Friday and AARP Arizona wants to caution Arizonans to be careful with who they are talking to online.
The National Retail Federation estimated more than 50% of consumers will spend more than $27 billion on the holiday.
Dawn Alexander, communications analyst for AARP Arizona, does not want people to fall victim to "romance scams." She explained the scams start online through social media or dating apps. Scammers often target people who have gone through some sort of hardship and are in search of companionship.
"The problem is that once you engage with them, then it is going to move really, really fast," Alexander pointed out. "The red flags are you never want to give money to people, they're going to tell you that they're in the states and that they need help, they're going to tell you how much they want to be with you and how much they love you. They won't stop until you're able to give them money."
Alexander acknowledged many times, people feel embarrassed and shameful once they realize they have fallen victim to a romance scam. But she added it is important to report incidents to local authorities, because if it goes unreported, law enforcement officers and policymakers will not know it is a problem. She advised if you're in doubt about a situation give the free AARP Fraud Watch Network a call at 877-908-3360.
Alexander considers technology a blessing and a curse. She noted while the internet, social media and now artificial intelligence have all facilitated connecting with others, there are bad actors out there taking advantage of it.
"These scammers are reaching out to people and using it to a disadvantage on people and really taking advantage of their weaknesses," Alexander emphasized.
It is also tax season, and people have started to receive fraudulent text messages claiming they are eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check. Alexander said the text messages normally include a link that looks like the IRS website but clicking on it could put your personal and financial information at risk.
"You know your instinct is curiosity," Alexander observed. "Curiosity killed the cat, you want to know what that said, but if you don't know who that is, don't open those. Because if you click on that link you're going to become very susceptible to a scam."
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