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There’s No Aging in Vegas because we’re too busy living and loving life! If you don’t love AGING, how the hell you gonna love LIVING?
Unknown Speaker 0:00
This is a Kun V studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Unknown Speaker 0:22
You're listening to there's no aging in Vegas, a one stop shop for all things positive aging in the Vegas valley, and any place within ears reach, This show features topics relevant to adults 50 and over that help them live their lives to the fullest. Listeners will meet a variety of residents who've taken the reins of aging and are willing to share their tips and tools for creating a positive mindset and lifestyle we're starting now.
Unknown Speaker 0:57
Hello, hello and welcome. Welcome to there's no aging in Vegas. This is my positive aging playground where I get to share a lot of my experiences with you. And other people come on and they share their experiences with you. Now, like I said last show, I have neglected to mention that, um, there's a video version of this show. I had people going, you're always talking about, well, check the pictures out on the where's this video? So I'm telling you, there is no aging in vegas.com. That's where the video is, and the videos of all the shows and even some extras, some AARP clips and different things like that. So check it out. The other thing I wanted to say that I don't think I've ever mentioned, is I do a monthly column in the Vegas voice magazine. I've done it for like, four years. It's a monthly magazine here in Las Vegas, in Nevada. It's a you can pick it up and read it, or you can go online and read it, but it's for people 50 and over. So all the articles and features are tailored to seniors, and like my articles run the gamut. I've written everything from social aspects of aging to clinical aspects of aging, emotional intelligence and aging just about everything. So I would love for you to check those out as well. They're on my website, but they're also@vegasvoice.net I and then again, I want to thank clay T she was on the last episode. Such a great job. She's the oral historian here at UNLV. Amazing person. Told a lot of great stories, and we're going to do a second show with her. We didn't even come close to all the information that I wanted to have her share with us, so we'll be doing that as well. You can also go online and check out the library. They have so many archived things over there, so check it out. Learn the history of Vegas through her. She voices so many things. I mean, she has really done an amazing job over there with that library. But today is no exception, because I have AARP state director, Maria Moore with us today, and I've personally, personally witnessed her drive and commitment to making sure Nevada has the resources it needs for its older adults. Normally there's an AARP segment here, but today we're gonna dedicate it all to AARP, because the chief is here. Welcome Maria. Thank
Unknown Speaker 3:32
you. Thank you, and I'm in good company with clayti.
Unknown Speaker 3:34
That's right. Yeah, I love her, yeah, so you've met her before. Oh
Unknown Speaker 3:38
yeah. I served with her doing oral histories, and she actually roped me into doing my oral history. What? Yes, so I'm in the library somewhere.
Unknown Speaker 3:46
Oh, my goodness, I'm surprised with all the videos I watched that I didn't see the one with you in there. Well, I'll tell you what. I mean, you definitely should be archived, because what you have done, I'm gonna take a minute and I'm gonna read a little bit about you for the audience. So and this says, I'm just going to read it as is, so don't don't blush or anything. Maria Mora AARP, Nevada State Director, brings a wealth of experience in aging community services and multicultural engagement to her work with the aging residents of the Silver State. She is responsible for the development and implementation of programs which actively involve volunteers in all aspects of AARP work. I'm just interject right here. I don't even know how she keeps up with all of it, because if I'm learning something new every show, every now and then, oh my goodness,
Unknown Speaker 4:43
it's a terrific staff I have and volunteers. I know you have terrific staff and volunteers.
Unknown Speaker 4:48
Well, guess what? You're a graduate of the California State University Fullerton. You earned your Bachelor's there in psychology and gerontology.
Unknown Speaker 4:58
That's why I love positive a. Jake, yes,
Unknown Speaker 5:01
you know, I took some courses at USC in gerontology. So fascinating. I mean this. Now when you read this, you see how you landed, where you landed. Let me just keep going here. After serving seven years with South County Senior Services in California, you relocated to Vegas in 1994 and upon arriving you manage the volunteer programs for Sierra Health is that still it's United Healthcare now? Oh, okay, yeah, her work there led to an opportunity with Catholic Charities administering key programs for aging adults, including low income Las Vegas, having served as AARP Nevada's Community Outreach Director since 2003 before moving into the state director's position in 2016 Maria is very visible in the community. That is for sure, engaging AARP members, volunteers, legislators and community partners in AARP work on caregiving, financial security, age friendly and local community presence. Work statewide. Maria has received several awards for her efforts. I mean, no surprise there the Latin chamber ASA, new adventures in leadership. I'm on a council with ASA. We've got to stop connecting. This is nuts
Unknown Speaker 6:21
across paths of cross obviously.
Unknown Speaker 6:26
Let's see here the graduate class of the Latin chamber in leadership, volunteer Manager of the Year by the directors of volunteer and aid in agencies in the North Las Vegas Elks Citizen of the Year Award when the Elks give you something you something you must be doing. So that was a special award, because they don't get that out easily. Moore has served on several boards, including coma Jean Commission on Aging, for the VA Alzheimer's Association, the United Way emergency food. Okay, so I don't know how you got your job. You have absolutely no qualification.
Unknown Speaker 7:01
I love the work we do. Forget about all that. Let's talk about, let's talk about what we're doing here at ARP, Nevada, and the good work that's happening. Well, hey,
Unknown Speaker 7:12
I'm more than happy to talk about that. I want to know what you tell me, what you see your leadership role involved.
Unknown Speaker 7:20
You know, that's that's a very good question. I came out of outreach with AARP, and so I was heavily involved in the community. So community work and volunteerism has been really my backbone. But my job as a state director is really to guide and lead and move us into a position where we are trusted, where we're bringing great information, where we're connecting partners and coalitions, where we're guiding work and issues that matter, such as preserving Social Security, making sure that the unpaid caregivers are taken care of, that things like fraud, which were high on the list we're addressing, and how are we addressing them? And how are we really giving folks an opportunity to live, grow, play, however they want to do it as they age. You know, it kind of ties into that positive aging. We want people to really do things that that help them age as they wish, yeah, in a very positive way. So in addition to all that sometimes heavy duty stuff that we do, we have some really delightful things, like we go to the movies just for fun. Now it might be a movie on one of our recent movies that we did had to do with the woman who was defrauded, and I care a lot, yeah, and so it ties in with the work we do, but it gives folks an opportunity to be with other folks. Because, you know, lots of our people move into Nevada and have no family, so they connect with others. We are going bowling this.
Unknown Speaker 8:59
You guys do a lot of stuff. We're going to talk a lot more about all of those things that you do, and you seem to be at most of them, which is amazing, because you're flying here, flying there, then I see you over at this event, then I see you in a picture, and you're pinning people, and then you're over here, you know,
Unknown Speaker 9:15
not really, you know, I could not, I could not the work that we do. I have a because I knew you were going to ask me some tough questions, and I thought I better bring my my calendar of what the staff is doing.
Unknown Speaker 9:27
None of it could be happening. And I appreciate how humble you are. Without a good leader, thank you, a giving leader, a leader who allows you to expand and do your thing. And that's what I've noticed, is you let them go out there and do their thing. Tell Call me if you need me for something other than that. I'm trusting. I hired the right person. I think that's fabulous.
Unknown Speaker 9:48
You know, if and our volunteers will will bring opportunities to us, we have our opportunities. Who we this morning, before we left, a volunteer was in the office. She had she had. Early, set up a walking club. And now she said, I think we should do the Senior Games, and then I think I can help you guys. You guys are not you guys are so busy. Let me help you with this. Yeah, so they bring opportunities and and, you know, they're out there. They know what they what people want. I I really fortunate to work for an organization that gives us that opportunity, the resources to really do the things we do in the community. No,
Unknown Speaker 10:30
it is a group, team effort, there is no doubt. And when I speak to volunteers, I'm only here with you doing this show because of a volunteer who came to a class I was teaching at Hans from library met me said, Oh, you gotta meet That's right. Tell somebody over there, you gotta meet this woman, and that's why we're here. I mean, that's just how everywhere that they are. I had no idea this woman was in my class. I didn't know who she was, but, you know, I'm really grateful for that. But let's look girl, we got so much to talk about, because one important thing that you guys do, and of course, with this year, people need all the assistance and guidance that they can get. Now we can't talk party or anything like this. This is a nonpartisan show. However, you guys play such a huge role in guiding the members on, on voting. What's out there new legislation, what to look for, what to not put up with, what you better know. You know, I love it, and you you put that out there with such firm messaging without saying, Do this vote this way. You know,
Unknown Speaker 11:45
we don't tell we are nonpartisan. We don't contribute to parties, we don't contribute to candidates. And we just did a polling, and we know that the 50 plus, they come out and vote. And we asked, we asked the 50 plus, what are you worried about Top Things are pocketbook issues, social security. How are, how are members of Congress? What are candidates saying about preserving Social Security? Those are really tough questions. I'm 6413 65 and I have to suddenly, not suddenly, but I'm hopefully. I've been planning because at AARP, what is important. So ask those candidates, what are you doing about preserving social security medicare? What are you doing for the caregiver who who, as a woman, may need to leave her job to take care of her mom and dad now she has no resources. How can we help them navigate the systems to help our loved ones through caregiving.
Unknown Speaker 12:42
So the what's really great is that the things you're guiding on, their social topics, their social needs, it's not something out there that's like we're never going to touch or feel or see or have to deal with. I mean, caregiving direct impact. I've been a caregiver five times, and not because I expected or anything. One was my own husband. He passed away from brain cancer that came out of nowhere and and, you know, I was married like almost 40 years at that time, so that's a huge part of me that's gone, and I wish I had an organization to guide me, we
Unknown Speaker 13:21
hear that a lot. We do hear it a lot, where people are suddenly thrusted into caregiving, and you don't know what you don't know until you don't know you know. It's really how do you advocate for someone in a hospital that that doesn't want to go to a certain place and is not can't go home because there's nobody there to take care of him, or I don't know how to give an injection. Those are the kinds of things that we really ask. You know, what are we going to do for caregivers? You cannot just suddenly send your husband home and you need to do a wound change, and you don't know how? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 13:53
no, that's, that's, I hear that a lot, because now that I've actually taught courses on caregiving and things like that, and you get a better perspective, because my case is what I went through, my brother who passed away, my second mother, my husband, a dear, dear friend, and you're kind of thrown into caregiving. You're never like, oh, you know, let me prepare this person might be sick soon. So let me get it. None of my situations have happened where I was able to sit back and think it was like
Unknown Speaker 14:25
and you didn't even think of yourself as a caregiver. You did just did it. So that's the other thing that we need to remember. You brought up the elections. The other thing that we really are working on, and you've met our communications director, Aaron, she is really determined to let folks know how to vote, because that's the other confusing thing is folks come from all over the United States. They have different different processes. And here in Nevada, we have our own processes. We have early voting. We have. Day registration, we have all these nuances that may be new to newcomers, and so we really are working hard to educate and give folks resources on how to vote and what that process is about.
Unknown Speaker 15:13
Well, I took a little quote from something I read about you, November's election in Nevada will come down to the crucial group of voters over age 50. And I think that is something that people over 50 don't realize. Because here's my thing, we are holding up this country with our bloody palms and our retirement and our social security, right? I mean, that's basically what the countries but yet we don't realize that, and so we kind of go back and hide in the corner and be told what we should know and what we can do. You have to be informed and educated. You can't sit back and then afterwards complain that you're not getting this and that if you haven't been a part of the conversation or the change. So that does not surprise me. It's just that. What surprises me is that people over 50 don't realize how much power they actually have.
Unknown Speaker 16:09
You know, I think they do in some respects, because they do go out and vote. So when you look at who is voting, it is the 50 plus. So, so so in some ways, I don't want to disagree, but those are the folks coming out. Those are the ones who really are paying attention. What will happen to my social security.
Unknown Speaker 16:31
But you know, Maria, if we looked at the percentage, yeah, we got a nice to go. But I think the more that we encourage people that to understand that they have the freedom to go out and do what they want, think how they want, and they don't have to be told, because in my classes, when I'm working with older people, I just hear all the time that they feel like they don't have a choice aging, they don't have a voice, and that's What I see really needs to change, but the election, what's another topic? I know caregiving is huge, but what's another topic? Like, give me something a point on Social Security that you want people to really
Unknown Speaker 17:10
Social Security. What happens is, you know, like I said, I'm turning 65 and I have to make the decision, if I quit working, how much is my Social Security gonna be, and can I afford to live in? What I have? I still have a mortgage. I have high electricity bills, you know, I have two pets, which, you know, if I start to cut costs, maybe what,
Unknown Speaker 17:35
you know, steaks
Unknown Speaker 17:36
I don't eat. Yeah, I can't afford to eat steaks because my dogs need to be fed. But there's where the hard choices come in. You know, Social Security is really money that you've earned you've put in, and honestly, some people only rely on Social Security. So we need to be careful how we say, well, you know, whatever you know, we need to start thinking, how does that affect an 80 year old who can't go back to work? Well, too,
Unknown Speaker 18:08
I think that, you know, I had written an article on outliving your your your money, right? Because before you could retire with that, whatever you had in your retirement plan and and be fine. But nowadays, with prices going up and everything, can you actually afford to age is almost
Unknown Speaker 18:27
the question. And a lot of folks don't have traditional retirements like those days have gone by. You know, the you folks retired with a with a retirement account, they got their social security. So you you know, together, you could still afford the lifestyle you had, or maybe cut back on a few things. But a lot of folks in today's world only rely on their social security. And when you hear how much you're getting, it's it's like mind blowing, because you do wonder, how do people make it? How do people make it? I'm in a home with three of us. You know, we're contributing to the household, so we're okay. But you know, my mom lives with my brother and sister in law because, you know, I think they can't my my mom is 91 and she had to go and find a job. You know,
Unknown Speaker 19:16
how do you do how do you do that? You know, after pandemic and when so many families came together because they could not afford to live alone, lost their job, everybody came together and pulling that hasn't really gone back to normal. They're like, you know, the kids came back, mom's making dinner, and all I have to do is contribute some of my check. So it's really kind of worked out for the families. But still, it's hard for people who are aging. You know, the big thing, like you said, Who's going to take care of me and now with these predators out here, oh, my that's there's no protection if you're a single person who's aging, at least, you know, like. Just picking age 7580 and you don't have anybody there to help you. So you've gone out to shop, and you fell in the parking lot of the store, and now you're in the hospital and you can't move, and maybe the first two days, they don't even know who you are, or whatever. And so now they have to send somebody into your home to get your paperwork or whatever they need to be able to take care of you, and that person becomes a guardian, in a sense, to you, and they kind of command what it is that you're trying to do or need to do, or pay your bills or pay the hospital or set it up with the place that's taking care of you. This all goes on. That's
Unknown Speaker 20:39
why planning for retirement and aging positive is very important, and we have lots of tools on our website. You do. We have lots of that, but you touched on an important topic, the fraud piece of it. We do a lot of work on fraud prevention. We and we try to engage folks in funds of like strike out fraud, and we go boldly, but honestly, that is where a lot of our energies, our volunteers, like to go out and talk about how to not give out information, how to not get romance scams. Yes, believe it or not, here in Nevada, that's a big one how to the latest one right now is AI scams. People can pick your if you're doing videos out there and you're on social media, they can actually record your voice and make it sound like that, and then suddenly you are that grandchild that's in trouble, but you're really not that
Unknown Speaker 21:35
grandchild calls you that hey, I call mom. I need something 5000 and then, you know, a grandparent is going to be like, Oh, my God,
Unknown Speaker 21:43
that's right. And it had been that we had gotten that grandparent scam out there really well, and now they've put a twist on it, or, you know, education on making sure that when you write a check, you're writing with a pen that cuts the paper, because, you know, they'll wash that check. A lot of folks still, I know you know that Google pays out there, but a lot of folks still write checks. So how do we prevent from making sure information is not getting out there, getting in the wrong hands and really being scammed? So we do a tremendous work, amount of work in in that arena.
Unknown Speaker 22:19
You know, what do we talk about? Maybe four, five different topics. There's like, 2 billion of them left. Oh, we
Unknown Speaker 22:29
have a lot more. But
Unknown Speaker 22:30
right now, I really appreciate that. We're going to take a little break and we'll be right back.
Unknown Speaker 22:39
Hi, I'm Fran Smith with the OSHA Lifelong Learning Institute, better known as Olli, located on the campus of UNLV and with several satellite locations, Olli features classes on many subjects and has new classes lined up for the fall semester. The Olli open house will take place Tuesday, August 20, from 9am until noon, with opportunities to check out our new building, meet with teachers and learn more about what Olli has to offer. Classes begin on September 16. Information is available@olli.unlv.edu
Unknown Speaker 23:18
let's get back to AARP and Maria. So Maria on Social Security, you were talking about some of the things we need to look out for.
Unknown Speaker 23:28
The biggest one is solvency. In 2034 that's when we start to get cuts. And so we need to ask our members of Congress, our candidates, what are they going to do to protect and preserve Social Security? Because in 2034 which is not far off, they'll there's going to be starting cuts, and if you're only making 900 and you start to get cut, what will that do
Unknown Speaker 23:55
so in terms of the election and legislation like how the biggest
Unknown Speaker 24:01
thing that we can we can offer is we have lots of resources on our website around social security, caregiving, Medicare, all that. But if you want to learn more about ARP, text envy votes to 22777, again. Tex envy votes to 22777, or NV voter, NV, V OTA, 222777, and then and I put those up, so thank you. And also I wanted I know we talked, we did, we read, we were running out of time, but we for all the local stuff, the educational the resources, the fun stuff, simple, go to aarp.org/local and it'll take you right here. Local help things,
Unknown Speaker 24:53
yeah, you know, when Erin was on the show last month, she did such a great job of overviewing a lot of that we. Put up the QR code. Oh, yeah. And she directed us how to use it and everything. You know, it's so funny, because as she was talking about, I was visualizing in the QR code all these activities. She was like, wow. And so I think that when people are sitting at home and they don't realize and they're looking for something to do for their age group, or something not too far away, or something simple. Now you can just scan this and see what's going on right then and there, and
Unknown Speaker 25:27
you can do it. And there's lots of stuff to do right from your home. Yeah, like, you could learn to cook, if you I mean, that's probably what I'll have to do when I retire. Learn to Cook, but yeah, or garden or or see movies, or, do you know there's lots of online stuff I'm starting to do preparing for Medicare, because I'm gonna be 65 so you can go have ice cream unless, or you could learn how to cook right
Unknown Speaker 25:52
at home. No, it's just, it's endless, like, or you could take a driver safety class. Yeah, that's a huge that is. That
Unknown Speaker 25:59
is a big one, because you get a discount on your insurance. When
Unknown Speaker 26:02
I was up in, I think, Reno or Vegas, when I did the talk, I met this gentleman, and he was driver safety and and I said, You need to come do that at Ollie. And I gave them his name, and I think he's doing that now. We
Unknown Speaker 26:17
do it in class. We do it online that is just so terrific. And again, you get a discount on your insurance. Yeah, well, I'll
Unknown Speaker 26:26
tell you what. I mean, we did eat up this time really quickly. I know that there's probably tons of trending topics that you guys are working on. And again, I'm going to be putting up websites and anything you need so that you can connect on those things that that they're doing.
Unknown Speaker 26:47
Let's see, and if they want to volunteer again. Oh, yeah, yeah, we are always looking for these fabulous volunteers to join our fabulous team. Yeah, and hang around with our fabulous but are they fabulous? They are, they are, they are. That's why, that's why I'm always so happy, because I, you know, I have nothing to worry about.
Unknown Speaker 27:07
Yeah, no, they definitely have your back over. Yeah, there's no doubt about it. But yeah, you know, there's just so many resources and opportunities for you out there who may want to be a speaker or have a program or learn how to do something like they will train you how to do stuff that you never even imagined you could do. But they will train you. They have tax preparation. They've got a lot of different things, people I don't even you know. We're gonna have to do another show to do the other another third of what you guys do. Yeah, what's really happening? Yes, what's really happening. But Maria, I wish we had more time. I really appreciate you coming and stopping by and and you know, just really, really, really opening the doors.
Unknown Speaker 27:51
Thank you, see,
Unknown Speaker 27:52
thank you. And you know this show, everybody is all about positive aging. AARP, best partner I could have, because I'm all about positive aging, and that's all they do over there is help you have the best aging experience possible. And so I just want to say to remember to go to there's no aging in vegas.com. To see the video version now the radio version is the fourth Sunday of the month at 830 in the morning on KU and B 91.5 FM. That's where you'll hear, you know, everything we just talked about. And, you know, it's a, I think this shows when I always say this is a good show to just listen to, you know, just sit back and listen, because there's so much information. Again, on my soapbox, I can't even see this. Oh, owning your age. That's one of the things I've got this project that I'm going to be doing over at Olli where you own your age. You're going to write it on a card and be proud and say it and now that because the more we embrace it and take pride in it, the better we can live if you can't live, hiding behind, not wanting to tell your age, and again, as I always say, if you can't love aging, how in the heck are you gonna love living? They go together. All right, so everybody, I'll see you on the next show. Thank you so much. Thank you, Maria. I appreciate it, and we'll see you next time
Unknown Speaker 29:19
this program is underwritten by AARP Nevada, currently seeking volunteers for a variety of roles, including speakers for meetings, tech support for member events and people who just want to meet and greet others. AARP Nevada offers training and support to help individuals help AARP Nevada. More information is available at states.aarp.org/nevada
Unknown Speaker 29:37
the
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