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Running Head: AARP

American Association of Retired Persons

Nikki L. Howell
Stanbridge College

Running Head: AARP

Abstract

This paper explores an Internet website that is dedicated to senior citizens and focuses on
how this website is relevant to the senior citizen population. The website is the AARP
formerly known as American Association of Retired Persons which was founded by a
retired school teacher named Ethel Percy Andrus in 1947 as the National Retired
Teachers Association before being changed to AARP in 1999. This paper will discuss
how the website is beneficial to older adults and why this website is an integral part of
assisting the senior citizen population navigate in our every growing and changing as
well as technologically advancing society. This paper will delve into the different aspects
of the AARP website and its services offered to its 37 million members and millions of
nonmembers it services.
Keywords: AARP, American Association of Retired Persons

Running Head: AARP

American Association of Retired Persons

The AARP formerly the American Association of Retired Persons is a nonprofit
organization that is dedicated to the 50 years and older population. The company AARP
has multiple subsidiaries all directing their focus on the older adult population. The
AARP has a website by the same name that has a multitude of resources for their
clientele as well as the geriatric population that hasnt signed up for their website. The
AARP website has current world news, explanations of current laws being voted on,
travel, money advice and even work/retirement. Their website seems to have content for
every possible need or question making their website many times a one-stop-shop for
many of the elderly population that find the Internet difficult to navigate and confusing.
The AARP website also provides assistance with understanding the current political
happenings of our ever changing society. The AARP company itself has for many years
been a nonprofit group dedicated to helping the retired age community in being a voice in
society whither it be for regulations or lobbying for initiatives to help protect their future.
The AARP is one of the largest lobbying groups in the United States. They also lend their
name to marketing insurance companies, which is the majority of their revenue, even
more than their membership fees. One of the AARP subsidiaries is the AARP Foundation,
which assists by providing protection, security, job training, legal assistance, tax

Running Head: AARP

preparation, education, and empowerment for senior citizens in need making sure that
they can live a life of dignity and independence.

Among the resources it provides it allows users to search topics by the spyglass or
by selecting what letter of the alphabet they are looking into. Their website seems to
actually have all of the things a person, elderly or not, may be looking for. The site does
not require users to log in or have a special pass code to access this information but
instead has the information nicely grouped into topics for ease of maneuverability. By
making the site so apparent it is extremely helpful in making the older adult decide if it is
a site they would be willing to pay a membership fee for. Many older adults would not
care to spend their money on a membership with no actual experience of the content it
provides.

I find the AARP website to be extremely relevant and useful to our senior citizens
since its is so easily navigated and contains such a plethora of information to even
nonmembers. To be a member you must be older than 50 but no password or code is
required to use the resources available. I feel making the information and resources free
has a tremendous positive impact on many people who otherwise may not be able to
afford the membership.

Running Head: AARP

References

Tabloski, P. (2014). Violence and Elder Mistreatment. In Gerontological nursing (3rd ed.,
pp. 320-324). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.

American Association of Retired Persons. (n.d.). AARP. Retrieved

December 6, 2014, from AARP web site: www.aarp.com