A Work of a Voluntary or Community Organization - Assignment Example

? AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS (Your teacher’s due 1 Introduction American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is a non-government organization in United States. Its main aim is to provide special products, unique benefits and services to the retired person at the age of 50 and above. It has its offices in 50 states and provides facilities to such people that are affordable and beneficial to them and to the society as a whole. AARP does not make any contribution to political campaigns or practices. It is an affiliated charity which provides empowerment, protection and security to older persons and is supported by many sponsors, donors and volunteers. It has two affiliated organizations i.e. AARP Foundation it is a nonprofit organization and AARP Services which is wholly for profit. Programs AARP Foundation affiliated with charity offers various programs to its members. It provides empowerment, protection and security to the old persons. Old workers with low income are provided job training and placement facilities in order to join again the work positions. Tax preparation facility is provided for people with low and moderate income especially within the age of 60 and above. The litigation staff of the company protects legal rights of its members in employment situation, long-term care, services, education and critical health. These facilities are provided to the old aged persons so that they can live their life freely with care, dignity, purpose and independence. These foundation programs are supported by tax-deductible contributions, grants and AARP (Birnbaum Jeffrey H, 2007). 1.2 Social problems or issues AARP is facing many social problems, the main reason of which is the present condition of the economy. Due to this 60,000 members of AARP have quitted the company in 2010. A sense of dissatisfaction has occurred among people in relation to AARP, because of the rumors in political magazines and other enterprises. This is unethical behavior. Some of the issues faced by the company are discussed below: Shortage of funds and reputation Company is facing problems to maintain social security for its members. They have demographic and political pressures. It is facing debts issues and it have been noticed that a large number of people are going towards retirement. This ratio may affect the surplus funds of the company. Therefore, people are thinking either company would be able to fulfill their needs or not. A survey conducted by AARP in 2010 indicated 25% of old American people are confident in relation to the programs offered by company compared with 58% which is a large number (Ohlemacher Stephen, 2011). Political pressures Presently, in US a congressional committee is considered in which a deal is made to cut all Medicare and social security’s benefits in order to cover the deficits of the country. This is an ill practice and may harm many old aged people. This committee includes lawmakers who are also looking forward to increase the federal budget of next year. The main thing which they emphasized to reduce is social benefits provided by various companies to old age persons (Lynch Frederick R, 2011). Changes in the program Enterprises are forced to make changes in their programs. Economy had reduced the life of trust funds which is the main support of social enterprises. The trustee of the company is of the view that the worse financial condition of the company indicates that congress should make changes in the policies to avoid the disruptive effect on the future of the people who are mainly depended on health care facilities and pensions. This has also led to increase in health care cost and medicines. Life is becoming difficult for the people as well as the NGO’s to perform (Van Atta, 2003). 1.3 Preventive measures taken by AARP AARP have taken some measures to control the present situation of the company as well as the economy. Through its national television it has guided lawmakers not to make cuts in Medicare or social benefits. But instead they should try to reduce waste and other tax loopholes. It programs includes such practices which guide higher authority that senior persons should not be treated as line items in budget. They estimated that 50 million old people are counting on the NGO companies for protection of their benefits (Pear Robert, 2007). In these programs company highlighted the main mishaps which will occur due to these cost cuts. Some of which are: Lead to increase in the cost of health care for seniors as well as for future retires. Reduction in the benefits of checks which seniors rely on to pay their bills. It will threaten senior access to hospitals and doctors. Change in the cost of living AARP advised that instead of creating cost cut in Medicare and social practices people should try to reduce the cost of living. It will help to protect the benefits related to buying power of people against inflation. CPI index should be used to increase income of the country. It advises that committee should consider the present CPI in order to identify the flows in the system. It will also help to increase the benefits of social security to the people by reducing consumer price index. Research estimated that through CPI economy can save $108 billion in coming tem years. So it is ruthless to focus cost cuts of social practices and one should focus on economic indexes to improve the deficits (Rand A Barry, 2009, p.16). Usage of means test for benefits Social security cannot be as means test, like the other welfare programs are used to measure the benefits driven by them. It function as an earned right of individuals. AARP is entitled to provide benefits not only to the old aged peoples but as well as the economy. Therefore, large number of people has opposed to these cost cuts and are supporting in the cause of AARP opposition against the lawmakers. This is the main reason that social security has received a strong support from public i.e. due to the supporting activities of NGO’s. But lawmaker is arguing against this act and considering that this approach of AARP is unsustainable. These social activities are creating more expenses for the economy. While, due to the practice of government many NGO companies are facing gap in their expenses and revenue and are cruising the act of government (Gandel Stephen, 2011). 1.4 Conclusion AARP is a nonprofit organization and is one of the most powerful NGO in United States. It mainly provides benefits to old persons. It provides programs on training old people, counseling, tax preparation, safe driving and crime prevention. It believes on one vision i.e. a country should be free of poverty and old persons should not feel vulnerable. Though present situation of company is not stable, it is facing many social issues which are not only harming the company as well as the economy. In order to prevent this situation AARP tried to create awareness of its affect to economy as well as lawmakers through it TV programs. It have highlighted the main cause of this situation as well as advised right measures which lawmakers should take in order to achieve stability in the economy (Alexander Estelle, 2005). References Alexander, Estelle. (2005). What is the future for social security? AARP research information Centre. Birnbaum, Jeffrey H. (2007). On Issues from Medicare to Medication, AARP's Money Will Be There. The Washington Post. Gandel, Stephen. (2011). Social Security: What does AARP’s move mean for the debt debate. AARP News Release. Lynch, Frederick R. (2011). One Nation Under AARP: The Fight Over Medicare, Social Security, and America's Future. University of California Press. Ohlemacher, Stephen. (2011). Social Security Changes off Table; Problems Remain. Associated Press Online. Pear, Robert. (2007). AARP says it will become major Medicare insurer while remaining a consumer lobby. The New York Times. Rand, A. Barry. (2009). Health Care Reform Marches On: Why AARP Endorsed the House. Health Care Bill. AARP Bulletin: AARP Publications, 50 (10), pp. 16–17. Van, Atta. (2003). This isn’t the old AARP. Los Angeles Times. Read More