AARP Kentucky to lobby next week in Frankfort

Feb. 15—Charlotte Whittaker, AARP Kentucky volunteer state president, is looking to shed light on issues for seniors at the AARP Lobby Day in the Capitol on Feb. 23 in Frankfort.

According to AARP's website, the event will bring dozens of volunteers to Frankfort for committee hearings and one-on-one meetings with lawmakers to speak about legislative priorities such as curbing prescription drug prices and supporting family caregivers.

"(This event) connects our 50-plus population directly with our lawmakers," said Scott Wegenast, communications manager for the AARP Kentucky State Office in Louisville. "(It) gives our members and our volunteers a chance to speak directly with their state lawmakers and administration officials about the 2023 General Assembly and the issues of top concern ...."

Whittaker, an Ohio County resident, has been passionate about helping those in the older demographic since her youth growing up with her father, a Baptist preacher.

"We spent a lot of our time visiting with the elderly," she said. "... I just really came up with a love for seniors, and mainly the needs of the seniors — what they needed that they were lacking to either stay in their home or be able to go to the doctor and so forth."

In the 1980s, Whittaker worked for Audubon Area Community Services, which initially oversaw the Title III of the Older Americans Act.

She also served as the director of the Ohio County Senior Center in Hartford for 27 years, which included overseeing the Fordsville Senior Center and Horse Branch Senior Center.

Whittaker has been involved with AARP for a number of years, eventually becoming a part of the executive council for seven years before being appointed president in 2016.

In recent years, the AARP Foundation has been able to help seniors in the state with two large donations — $1 million to local nonprofits that provide food, shelter and other necessities in response to the western Kentucky tornado and close to $50,000 for those affected by the flooding in eastern Kentucky in July 2022.

Throughout her career, Whittaker's been able to network with people throughout the Commonwealth and country through grassroots advocacy work in Frankfort by supporting lowering prescription drug prices for diabetics, delivering enhanced home and community-based services, basic social services and helping protect consumers from fraud, abuse and exploitation.

Whittaker is pleased with the amount of support AARP receives in her home county, with over 100 members, and said volunteers across the state are "outstanding."

"We have one of the biggest chapters in the state," she said, "as we welcome new members."

Whittaker will have local support next week in Frankfort, as 25 Ohio County seniors are expected to travel to lobby for medication costs to be more affordable while highlighting the need for more caregiving services.

"If you haven't been (a caregiver), chances are you will be one in your lifetime," she said. "I was a caregiver for my mom for about 19 years; and I wouldn't have it any other way. But especially if you're working, it's tough, because most people can't afford to just quit their job."

Wegenast said that other issues include utility rate increases, among others.

"Basically, we're concerned about pocketbook issues ...," he said. "This is an important part of our grassroots outreach, with our volunteers leading these meetings with their state representatives."

Whittaker and Wegenast hope to make an impact next week.

"I hope that one thing that (comes) out of this is they will not only think of AARP as the people that send them that letter when they're 50 years old to join, but that we are there to help to make a difference, to work alongside them (and) to make a difference in the Commonwealth," Whittaker said. "Seniors of today were our leaders of yesterday. It's our responsibility to take care of their needs for tomorrow."

"These are priority conversations, and we want to build relationships with our lawmakers because we want to come back," Wegenast said. "... It's a way for lawmakers to get a sense of what the issues are for our 423,000 AARP members and their families across the state and everyone 50-plus."

For more information about AARP Lobby Day in the Capitol, visit states.aarp.org/kentucky/join-advocates-for-lobby-day-at-the-kentucky-capitol.