AARP
AARP is a
United States-based
non-government organization (a
special interest group) dedicated to the interests of persons aged 50 and over. It was originally entitled
American Association of Retired Persons, but as the activities of AARP diversified, it became broader than only retired people. With over 35 million members, AARP is the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over in the United States. Membership is expected to approach 70 million via
baby boomers by
2015.
Dr.
Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired high school principal, founded AARP in
1958. 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 retired teachers for health insurance. After ten years, Andrus opened the organization to all Americans over 50, creating AARP. Today, NRTA is a division within AARP.
AARP is widely known for defending and advancing the interests of aging populations through a multitude of initiatives, including
lobbying efforts at the state and national governmental level, an activity permitted by its
501(c)(4) status. AARP is non-partisan and does not support, oppose or give money to any candidates or political parties.
Its AARP Services (ASI) division negotiates and offers reduced rates for members at various
tourist attractions,
automobile rental companies,
motel and
hotel chains, etc. ASI provides programs for reduced-cost medical and automobile
insurance, opportunities for managing retirement and scam alerts about
predatory lending and refinancing. AARP Services founded AARP Financial Incorporated, a subsidiary that manages AARP-endorsed financial products including AARP Funds. AARP Foundation is also the
501(c)(3) non-profit AARP division raising donated money for such elderly causes as legal assistance, job training, driver education, etc.
AARP's public stances influenced the
United States Congress' passage of the
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which authorized the creation of
Medicare Part D, in 2003, and the Congress' resistance to changes to
Social Security in 2005.
The organization also publishes
AARP The Magazine (known until 2002 as
Modern Maturity [http://www.aarpmagazine.org/modern_maturity.html], a
magazine focusing on
aging issues. The
editor is Steve Slon. Established in 1958, the magazine, distributed
bi-monthly, is sent to every AARP member, giving the magazine a
circulation AARP claims to be the "world's largest". AARP also publishes the AARP Bulletin, Segunda Juventud, Live & Learn, and has a books division.
*
Official website of the AARP*
Official website of AARP The Magazine*
Official website of AARP Bulletin*
Official website of AARP Segunda Juventud, AARP's bilingual publication
