It is with a great sense of pride and admiration that I am reminded of Latina trailblazers who give us reason to believe we can overcome any of life’s challenges just like our “pioneras”:

The queen of salsa, Celia Cruz was an entertainer that transcended cultures. She left a rich legacy for future generations to enjoy.  The Smithsonian Institute honored her as an American icon whose unique persona and music are world renowned.  Her name is synonymous with rhythm, flavor and Azúcar! She has the distinction of being immortalized in a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp.  Celia achieved all of this success without knowing a word of English, arriving to our country after fleeing from Castro’s Cuba.  Success didn’t come easy.  She struggled like many new immigrants, but her perseverance, hard work and incomparable talent made her an international icon of Cuban music. Who could think of Cuban music without picturing Celia?   Celia’s musical influence and stage presence remain second to none and her influence is ever-present in many of the new, upcoming talent trying to emulate her style and charisma.

Another Latina that transcended culture and language with her art is Frida Kahlo; this famous artist continues to headline the list of important and outstanding women. Frida’s health issues were very well known and publicized throughout her entire life, but those very circumstances were her fountain of inner strength and inspiration, giving her a peculiar way of looking at life that captivates audiences to this day. Modern audiences revisited her life through Salma Hayek’s portrayal of her tumultuous life in an Oscar-nominated role that showcased all these traumas and virtues that accompanied her until her untimely death.

As Latinas our future is bright and full of possibilities.  Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor reminds us to dream big. Sotomayor grew up in the South Bronx, considered by many a neighborhood where people can decide to rise above it all as she did, or get side tracked by the distractions.  Having suffered the passing of her father at a young age, she stayed the course, looking forward. She obtained one of the highest ranking and most important jobs in the country.   How? Sotomayor is the first to acknowledge that it was due to the hard work and sacrifice of one of the most influential Latinas in her life–her mother. I highly recommend reading her book, ‘My Beloved World’ to learn more about Justice Sotomayor’s path to success, the obstacles she faced and how she overcame them.  Times have changed. Our country accepts its rich diversity, and rewards individual achievements not based on ethnicity, but on the merit of hard work and excellence.

The legacy of these exceptional women has given us a message of hope and reminds us of the winning attitude every Latina woman in the United States brings to their own life and work environment on a daily basis. It’s very important to give recognition to all Hispanic women in our society, as this will strengthen our community and motivate the younger generations to aspire to bigger and better things in life. At AARP, we will continue providing tools and resources to empower and help women make their aspirations a real possibility.

Since 1980, the Academy of Nutrition has pursued a month-long event dedicated to eating healthy; after generating public interest since its initiation in 1973, where nutrition was only celebrated for a week. This year’s theme, “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” emphasizes the importance of individual food choices and preferences.

This means you can still enjoy all your favorite foods, as long as you pay attention to how you cook, how much of “this and that” you’re really using, and the proper portions of food that should be on your plate.  It’s well known how strong the link to Latinos and diabetes is and with a little healthy cooking and exercise we can all help prevent diabetes in our own lives. Here are just a few noted truths:

• It is estimated that in the United States, 25.8 million people or 7.1% of the total population has diabetes; when you look at diabetes among Hispanics that number jumps to 11.8% of the over 20 years of age category.

• Diabetes tends to strike Hispanics at younger ages than the non-Hispanic white population. Among adults aged 18 to 44 years, 3.2% of Hispanics had been diagnosed with diabetes compared to 1.3% of non-Hispanic whites in that age group.
• Diabetes rates more than doubled for obese Hispanics. Among those with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or less, 7% reported they had diabetes while 15.3% of those with a BMI of 30 or more had diabetes. BMI is the ratio of height to weight.(Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevalence of Diabetes among Hispanics in Size U.S. Locations)

It’s time that we gain full control of our health and our future by following a few simple steps that include regular exercise and paying attention to how we prepare our meals. As this year marks the 40^th anniversary of National Nutrition Month®, Tuesday March 26^th marks the American Diabetes Association® [ADA] Alert Day®. Alert Day® offers the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if you are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. This may be a one-day event, but the test is offered year round. It asks you some simple questions about age, weight, family history, and other potential health factors; you can also pick up some preventative tips and talk with their healthcare provider.

(Source: American Diabetes Association®, American Diabetes Association® Alert Day®)

Now back to the important stuff, food! As you know, Latin food is all about the flavor, and AARP offers some great healthy recipes. Denisse Oller knows all the goods, so be sure to check out her recipes as well; you can find a great video of what she is cooking up here.

And equally as important as diet, is exercise, so don’t forget to include that in your daily regimen.  But, let’s be honest, nobody really likes going to the gym, but you can still maintain daily exercise without pounding the treadmill or the stair master. These days, people love their TRX and P90x, but why not have a little more fun with it and stay true to your roots? Get your Latin groove on while working it to some salsa beats, merengue, tejano, and other Latin music. Or take a Zumba class which can help you burn up to 500 calories in an hour. The important thing is you exercise, and more importantly you want to avoid getting injured while exercising.

March your way into a healthier lifestyle, and challenge yourself to start making healthy choices, not just for this month but year round. For more information about getting tested for diabetes and tips to help prevention, check out the American Diabetes Association website, or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383).

For the New Year, we have to deal with Uncle Sam, enjoy with precaution our beautiful winter to then prepare for another warm and colorful season, it is a process of constant renewal. I see the opportunity to reinvent ourselves in a way that you keep your options open and remain in control of your future. At AARP, we work diligently to provide you with the information, tools and services that fit your lifestyle.

Do you want to regain and maintain control of your health? We offer well-researched advice on exercising, eating healthier and managing your relationships with health care providers. The landscape on this front remains under incessant transformation so it is critical for all of us to stay on top of it so we can choose what’s best for our future.

Thinking about managing your money more efficiently? We have developed tools that help you organize your finances like retirement, 401(k) and Social Security Benefits calculators and more. We also suggest smart ways to save when shopping and have to learn more about complex issues like the “fiscal cliff” or dealing with your mortgage.

Ready for a career makeover but not sure where to look for an opportunity? Work Reimagined is the first talent exchange dedicated to helping companies find experienced workers and seasoned professionals to connect with more satisfying jobs. Don’t think because of your age you are not attractive to employers. You have acquired a wealth of experience and skills that make you a very marketable worker. AARP will help you make the connections you are looking for: Feel empowered!

In closing, there’s so much still ahead of us; let all our plans and dreams come to fruition. For now, let’s all enjoy those succulent dishes and family warmth that only the holidays can bring. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Photo Credit: AARP

For us, as Latinos, it is our duty to take care of our loved ones, and often this sense of responsibility leads us to do everything on our own. At times, I’ve had to argue with my dad for him to allow me to help in my mother’s care because of the deep sense of responsibility he feels. Since I am not living in the same city as my mom, I find myself feeling guilty that my other obligations are not allowing me to be with her every day.

My family is a good example of many Latino families that care for a loved one. We accept this responsibility with humility, and even with a sense of joy for being able to help them, but we tend to hide the negative effects these responsibilities can have on our emotional, physical and financial health. Although my dad is not currently facing the health challenges my mom is dealing with, I still worry about the emotional and physical toll  being my mom’s primary caregiver might take on him, particularly since I know he will not ask for help.

If you are not caring for a loved one today, chances are that at some point you will be.  Often times, caregiving responsibilities come on slowly, and we do not even realize when we have become caregivers. When you are caring for a loved one, your tasks may include doctor visits, shopping, domestic chores, cooking and administering medications.

As family caregiving becomes more prevalent around the nation, everyone must realize the importance of reaching out for help and that plenty of resources are available. Caregivers can’t do a good job of caring for someone else if they jeopardize their own health or financial stability by ignoring stress and their own personal needs.

That’s why AARP and the Ad Council recently launched a national public service advertising campaign – both in Spanish and in English – to let the 42 million+ family caregivers across the nation know that support and resources are available; that AARP ‘hears you,’ and you are not alone. Our goal is to provide information to caregivers regarding medical, financial and legal matters, while providing them the opportunity to connect with other people going through similar situations.

By visiting www.aarp.org/cuidar in Spanish and www.aarp.org/caregiving in English, visitors are taken to AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center – Centro de Recursos Cuidando a los Nuestros.

This website connects caregivers to a wealth of resources, including a toll-free caregiver support hotline, available 9am-5pm ET, Monday through Friday (1-877-333-5885 in English or 1-888-971-2013 in Spanish).

I encourage you to visit the site and share the information you find with your friends and family, just as I’m doing with you right now. As we continue to evaluate my mother’s health, I have learned three important things:

• It’s okay to ask for help.
• It’s important to take time to learn about and utilize the resources at your disposition
• And finally, in order to take better care of your loved one, you need to take better care of yourself

(Photo Credit: AARP)

Diabetes is one of those illnesses. It is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of sugar in the blood; and it has become “an urgent health problem in the Latino community,” according to the American Diabetes Association.

It is important to highlight that when organizations of such caliber use the adjective “urgent,” it is because the statistics are staggering:

• The risk of Latinos developing diabetes is 1 1/2 times greater than non-Latino White Americans.
• A Latino child born today has a 50% chance of developing diabetes in his/her lifetime.
• Latinos aged 50 and older have substantially higher rates of diabetes (24-30%).
• 25% of Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans over 45 have diabetes.

(Source: Joslin Diabetes Center, a teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School)

As an example, my mother was diagnosed with diabetes more than 10 years ago, and has drastically changed her eating habits as a result. In addition, my doctor told me two years ago that I was borderline diabetic and recommended that I change my eating habits and lifestyle to avoid developing diabetes. Thankfully I took my doctor’s warning to heart and began exercising and making wholesome food choices. As a result, I am much healthier and have lowered my risk of being diagnosed with diabetes.

As a concerned Latina, I am compelled to show my unwavering support for Diabetes Awareness Month, celebrated in November every year. This disease is a life-changing event that is also the precursor for even more severe conditions. It is critical for us as a community to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the fact that over 10% of Latinos in the U.S. have diabetes.

At AARP, we provide information, both in English and Spanish, about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatments of diabetes, among many more things. Moreover, we want you and your loved ones to prevent diabetes from ever knocking at your door. Simple changes in your eating habits, quitting smoking and increasing your daily physical activities can lower your risks and improve your overall health.

Likewise, if you are already suffering from diabetes, we provide tips for healthier cooking, how to explore a restaurant menu and find food combinations and portions that fit your new lifestyle. The bottom line, is that it’s time to make your health a priority and make the necessary adjustments to enjoy a more active and fulfilling life.

(Photo Credit: AARP)

This approach is also fully applicable when thinking about the future of your career. At AARP, we call it Work Reimagined. In the past, the mindset was “what am I going to do when I retire?” or “nobody is going to hire me because of my age.” The fact is today, like many in our society, you have accumulated a series of experiences and bring talents that are very valuable for businesses out there.  So, you should feel empowered; your next act could be your best one yet. Work Reimagined is the first talent exchange dedicated to helping companies find experienced workers and to helping experienced professionals connect to more satisfying careers.

Today, more than ever, it is critical to connect with like-minded peers to facilitate exchanges that lend themselves to sharing experiences that can unlock the full potential of networking. For example, the government just released the latest unemployment numbers and they show that our economy is not growing at the pace that we would like and that the job market remains challenging. In addition, LinkedIn is the partner that powers our Work Reimagined platform; it is the one network that has the breadth and depth of participants, contacts, and information you need to succeed in today’s challenging and fluid workplace.

Furthermore, participating companies in the platform have signed a pledge to level the playing field for experienced workers. Work Reimagined is a national effort to also help employers solve their current and future staffing challenges. The web portal also directs job seekers to employers that value and are hiring experienced workers. We know times might be tough out there, but by connecting with others and continuing to reimagine ourselves, we are reminded that  there’s so much we live for.

Photo Credit: AARP

As the great Bill Cosby once said: “What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I’d like to say that grandparents are God’s gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a faster rate.”

At AARP we recognize the selfless sacrifice of grandparents and salute their courage. It is not easy to take grandchildren under your wing in your mature years.

For these reasons, we are launching the GuidingYourGrands.com/Apoyandotusnietos.com initiative. We want to provide you with guidance as you prepare your grandchildren emotionally, financially and academically to achieve their dreams. Ultimately, we hope to strengthen the financial welfare of Hispanic and African American families through the value of education.

On the site, we provide a “Guía Educativa” or educational guide for parents so they can have “the talk” with their grandchildren about making the right decisions that will keep them on the educational track. Furthermore, we want you to also share your experiences with us so other grandparents can feel inspired to carry on by your uplifting story.

In addition, I would like to share other resources, not related to AARP, that also provide valuable information for both parents and students to successfully navigate the educational system:

• Es el Momento: Univision’s hub on everything related to education
• Latinos in College: Provides guidance on students attending and succeeding in college.
• Hispanic Heritage Fund: This is a renowned nonprofit that also helps families with children going to college. Check their website in English and Spanish.
• New Futuro: They offer interactive tools and a large Hispanic scholarship database.
• Education.com: A portal with tons of information for parents with kids of all ages. Information is available in English and Spanish.

Photo Credit: AARP

Unfortunately, a new series of surveys commissioned by AARP shows that a key group of Hispanic voters 50+ are looking at the coming November election with a high level of preoccupation. This seems to be driven by economic anxieties that extend well beyond the single issue of jobs with voters age 50+ wanting the candidates to do better at explaining their plans for Social Security and Medicare.

Moving forward, more than 70% of these Latino voters 50+ want to know more about the candidates’ plans on Social Security and Medicare in order to decide who they will vote for on election day. Adding to the uncertainty, 63% also believe they will have to delay their retirement, 59% worry they won’t have a comfortable retirement, and 43% think that retirement is never going to be within their reach.

You can’t blame them. Social Security And Medicare are extremely important matters to many of us and it’s hard to feel certain about the future when both programs will need to be strengthened if they’re going to continue to be there for our children and grandchildren. For a Life Reimagined, as we see it from the AARP perspective, Social Security and Medicare are crucial support components that enhance our lives after 50 and knowing that they have a solid future may contribute to lessening any anxiety.

“For these voters, ‘retirement security’ and ‘economic security’ are largely the same thing,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President. 97% of survey participants want to see the next president and Congress working together in a bipartisan way to strengthen Social Security and Medicare.

At AARP, we launched You’ve Earned a Say (YEAS), Tu Voz es Tu Derecho in Spanish, a national forum to bring the conversation about the sustainability on Social Security and Medicare from behind closed doors in Washington in to the spotlight. To date, more than 3 million Americans have engaged with YEAS to share their thoughts about how best to protect and strengthen health and retirement security for today’s seniors and future generations.

Access our latest surveys:

What the Economy Means to Voters 50+
Hispanics 50+
African Americans 50+
Colorado Voters 50+
Florida Voters 50+
Nevada Voters 50+
Ohio Voters 50+
Virginia Voters 50+
Wisconsin Voters 50+

Learn more about YEAS in English and Spanish.

AARP Public Policy Institute recently published a study called Nightmare on Main Street: Older Americans and the Mortgage. This is the first study focused on the 50+ population and how they have been affected by the mortgage crisis. The results are worrisome, to say the least; it shows that more than three million Americans reaching retirement age or already retired are at risk of losing their homes.

The highlights of the report are the following:

• Seriously delinquent mortgages have increased 456 percent, from 1.1 percent in 2007 to 6 percent in 2011, among people 50+.
• By the end of 2011, 16 percent of the loans for the same group were underwater, meaning that their debt was greater than the total value of their home.
• For homeowners holding prime loans, the foreclosure rate has climbed 23 times higher since 2007, growing from 0.1 percent to 2.3 percent in 2011.
• For people with subprime loans, the foreclosure rate went from 2.3 percent in 2007 to 12.9 percent in 2011.
• Hispanics are the hardest hit with the highest foreclosures rates both on prime and subprime loans among the 50+ population.

“More policy solutions are needed to assist all homeowners, particularly older Americans. Policy solutions that should be considered include: principal reduction loan modifications; mediation programs; more access to housing counseling and legal assistance programs; and development of short-term financial assistance programs,” the study concludes.

AARP calls for bolder actions from lawmakers to address these climbing trends. The study shows that minorities are the ones suffering the worst from the mortgage crisis and there should be a legal and organized way to rescue them from this debacle.

Read a copy of the report by clicking here. (PDF)

Image Credit: Photo by Jon Boyes/Getty Images

But what does it means for Latinos? It provides access to healthcare benefits and coverage previously unavailable. Once the law goes into full effect in 2014, approximately 9 million Latinos (it’s like the entire population of New Jersey) will be eligible to receive health care coverage, according to White House figures. Furthermore, projections show that almost 5.4 million Latinos will gain coverage under the ACA law, according to a recent research brief published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Also, the Center for American Progress lists 7 ways Latinos benefit from the reform. They’re all important but there are three points that struck me: First, “half of all Latino children born in 2000 are at risk of developing diabetes. Before the [ACA], insurance companies could legally deny coverage to Latino children with diabetes or other pre-existing conditions or charge them substantially more.” Our kids will receive timely counseling and treatment for their conditions.

Second, “Community health workers, better known as promotoras” received a much needed boost and will play a more significant role in helping our community to prevent and treat diseases like diabetes, obesity and heart disease; prevention being the key word here.

Finally, the law upgraded the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health from a Center to a full Institute. With this new emphasis, enhanced data collection and research should help lawmakers and administrators allocate the resources more efficiently.

There’s so much more to the ACA law that I can encapsulate on this post. For more information, please visit the following resources:

AARP Health Law Guide: This a tool to learn more about what the law means for you and your family, and how you can access the law’s benefits now and in the future.

Where AARP Stands: The Affordable Care Act: Our official stance on the recent SCOTUS decision.

Photo Credit: AARP