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June 5, 2018DES MOINES, Iowa |  By: INS

New Director of Iowa's AARP looks to help seniors make most of life

One out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and the new director of Iowa's AARP wants to make sure they can make the most of it.

Brad Anderson assumes the role this week, knowing the number of Iowans aged 65 and older is projected to grow from 16 percent to 20 percent by 2050. Because of its low cost of living, Iowa regularly is cited as a great place to retire. And as the concept of aging continues to change, Anderson says AARP wants to be at the forefront of making sure seniors are doing things that help improve their lives.

AARP works on behalf of all Iowans 50 and over and has more than 370 thousand members statewide. Anderson most recently served as executive director of Above And Beyond Cancer, an Iowa-based cancer survivorship nonprofit. For more information about AARP services, go to aarp.org/IA

Forty-six percent of Iowans age 65 and over lived alone in 2016, and Anderson says that's why it's important that Iowa's AARP pursue statewide strategic partnerships that provide members value and address community needs.

According to the 2018 Senior Report, compared with other states, Iowa has a low percentage of seniors living in poverty and high vaccination coverage. In the challenging category, Iowa seniors have a higher rate of obesity, and many who live in nursing homes require only minimal care.