senior citizens

U.S. Representative Dingell will host a senior town hall at the Dexter Senior Center on Friday to provide community members with information on healthcare and caregiving resources. WEMU’s Caroline MacGregor reports.

Washtenaw County has joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. It’s the first county in Michigan to receive the designation. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The state is now suing a southeast Michigan nursing home operator over alleged staffing shortages. Colin Jackson reports officials are using a Medicaid fraud law to do it.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is continuing to approve new laws included alongside the state’s budget package that will have an impact on residents in Washtenaw County. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

Newly signed Michigan laws would expand use of the state’s emergency alert system. Colin Jackson has more.

A large majority of adults over 50 look for health information on the internet, but many report having little to no trust in themselves to detect misinformation. WEMU’s Caroline MacGregor reports.

Extreme temperatures are not safe for anyone and even riskier if you are older or have health problems. During the warm weather months, many of our homebound senior neighbors are navigating high summer temperatures alone. WEMU's Caroline MacGregor talked with Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels President and CEO Barbara Niess-May to talk about how the community can help watch out for their elderly neighbors.

State demographers warn that Michigan's aging population and stagnant labor market could have serious consequences if not addressed. One-third of Michigan's population is over 55, putting pressure on elder care and healthcare services. In Washtenaw County, there are a number of organizations working independently and collaboratively to serve the growing senior population. Among them is Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels. WEMU's David Fair talked with Director Courtney Vanderlaan about what her organization is doing on its own and as part of the Big Hearts for Seniors collaborative.

In the November 2024 elections, Washtenaw County residents approved a new tax to support the communities’ elders. The Older Persons Millage is a half-mil levy to be collected for a period of eight years. Last summer, the County Board of Commissioners set the framework for how the money is to be allocated and, in January of this year, named Shannon Effler as the new director of the Office of Aging Services. She will oversee the millage and the services it provides to those 60 and over in our community. Shannon spoke to WEMU's David Fair about the plans for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

There’s bipartisan support behind Michigan bills to expand the state’s missing person alerts beyond kidnapped children. But they’re still having trouble passing. Colin Jackson has more.