AARP Foundation’s Top 5 Moments of 2022
From a surge in inflation to a much-needed Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, 2022 was full of highs and lows for older adults with low income – and AARP Foundation was there to support them along the way. Here are the 5 moments that brought us joy this year:
1. Amid an uncertain economy and employment outlook, we stepped in with the support of Google.org to help older adults gain foundational digital workplace skills, such as how to use video conferencing and office productivity software. The initiative, Digital Skills Ready@50+, will roll out over the next two years in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas.
2. We won the fight to keep the medical information of 5,400 Yale employees private, with the university settling a class action lawsuit over its employee wellness program. The lawsuit alleged that certain university workers and their families were required to participate in the school’s employee wellness program. Some employees faced fees of up to $1,300 per year if they did not participate in the program.
3. We joined the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in over 50 years and made a commitment to expand our research to improve SNAP participation for older adults, which continues to lag behind other populations. "The enthusiasm in the room among attendees was palpable. It was momentous, listening to the president of the United States commit us to ending hunger," said Nicole Heckman, AARP Foundation's vice president for benefits access, who attended the event.
4. We fought to provide nursing facility residents with dignified care by helping them file a class action lawsuit that alleges dangerous, distressing, and grossly unsanitary living conditions at Alden nursing facilities. “We’re drawing a line in the sand and saying this is intolerable,” noted Kelly Bagby, vice president for Litigation at AARP Foundation.
5. We raised $1.1 million to provide relief and assistance to the victims of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, fostering their resilience and restoring hope.