MISSSION

AARP’s mission is to empower people to choose how they live as they age.

Enhancing the quality of life for all as we age—not just serving our nearly 38 million members—is our mission. At its heart, the work that AARP and its affiliates do can be summed up in just 12 words: “We fight for and equip each individual to live their best life.” It’s all about real possibilities.

Input from AARP's diverse membership shapes everything we do as an organization. Feedback comes from surveys, public opinion polls, phone calls, emails, social media, face-to-face conversations with volunteer leaders and staff, letters to the editors of our publications and more. Members' views shape our decisions about everything from advocacy positions to volunteer opportunities to new online health tools.

 

Forming Public Policies

AARP is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all as we age. We lead positive social change and deliver value to members through advocacy, service, and information to make things better for society and play a positive role in communities of all kinds. AARP’s public policies serve as the foundation of our work to fight for people 50-plus and help them choose how they live and age.

The process for developing our public policy is overseen by AARP’s Board of Directors to ensure commitment to the organization’s mission and purpose. It includes extensive input and analysis of the views of AARP members and other people age 50 and older throughout the nation, as well as studying policy options to develop innovative and thoughtful solutions that address the needs of the 50+ population.  AARP staff and volunteers, as well as internal and external policy experts from a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, contribute to the formulation of AARP’s policy.