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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Community Help Available for Isolated Seniors in ND

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Thursday, April 2, 2020   

BISMARCK, N.D. -- As the global pandemic continues to unfold, friends and family of seniors worry about them being cut off from the rest of the world.

In North Dakota, there's a new tool to help these individuals get the help they need.

People across the country are being asked to engage in social distancing to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

These guidelines might result in fewer checkups on older North Dakotans.

Josh Askvig, state director of AARP North Dakota, says the agency has created an online platform where caregivers and seniors can find and facilitate help.

"It really allows users to organize and/or find these local volunteer groups that would help them get the needed resources," he points out.

The website, aarpcommunityconnections.org, gives users the opportunity to search for mutual aid groups in their community that have formed in response to the crisis.

The groups can help with a variety of needs, including grocery pick-ups, financial assistance and emotional support.

Prior to the pandemic, there already were concerns that an increasing number of seniors were feeling lonely in today's society.

Askvig says the crisis only exacerbates that problem, and that this effort will allow seniors in isolation to connect with others, even if it's just to talk.

"We have more than 600 trained volunteers across the country who are standing by, ready to call anyone who wants to hear a friendly voice -- to hear from somebody, just to check in on them and make some of those social connections that I think we're all beginning to understand how much we thrive on them," he states.

AARP also wants seniors to stay informed through trusted resources during the pandemic. To do that, it's hosting weekly telephone town halls each Thursday at noon Central Time, where anyone can call in with a question and get answers from established experts. The toll-free number to call is 1-855-274-9507.

Disclosure: AARP North Dakota contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues, Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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