AARP Maryland worked with the Governor's team to help develop the Accessible Homes 4 Seniors (AH4S) pilot which will provide interest-free, 30- year deferred loans to help cover the cost of installing grab bars and railings, widening of doorways and installation of ramps. The loans are expected to average $1,000 - $15,000 per home.

"The vast majority of older Marylanders own their own homes, and in a recent survey of AARP's 800,000 members in Maryland, six in ten wanted AARP to work with Maryland's elected officials to make aging in place - both in sickness and in health - a reality. Our work over the last year with Governor Ehrlich and his team to develop this pilot brings us closer to that reality. We applaud the state for taking this first step," said DeMattos.

"Older Marylanders are vibrant threads in the fabric of our state. This pilot will allow them to remain in the communities they treasure and enable them to continue contributing to this tapestry," he added.

At the conclusion of the 2006 Legislative Session, AARP Maryland was successful in getting an amendment added to HB 315, the Family Caregiver Assistance Program, which enables low- and moderate-income caregivers to receive up to $500 for care-giving including modifications that would help keep a loved one at home.

AARP was also actively involved in property tax relief, prescription drug affordability, expanding health care through the Healthy Maryland initiative and worked to have the state follow Federal guidelines for determining Medicaid long-term care eligibility.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, http://aarp.org/. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Source: AARP Maryland