New AARP leader in Iowa brings community development experience to new role

DES MOINES — During more than two decades in community development, Michael Wagler sometimes worked with AARP in Iowa on housing, walkability and accessibility for senior Iowans.

That experience proved to be a bridge for Wagler, who in November — after more than 20 years working with the state’s Main Street Iowa economic development program — was named AARP’s new Iowa state director.

“It was that element of what AARP’s mission and work is doing that really drove me to really take a serious look at how my experiences, my network and my leadership can help move the mission for AARP forward,” Wagler said.

Speaking from his office in Des Moines’ East Village, in the shadow of the Iowa Capitol, Wagler discussed his new role and the work he is doing for AARP, which works and advocates on behalf of Iowans aged 50-plus and has more than 329,000 members in the state, according to the organization.

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Wagler grew up in Bloomfield in Southeast Iowa, where he got his first taste working with Main Street programs. Wagler has a bachelor of fine arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a master’s in community and regional planning from Iowa State University, according to his AARP Iowa biography.

Wagler also serves on the Main Street America board of directors and is president of Varsity Cinema + Des Moines Film, which oversaw the rehabilitation and reopening of Des Moines’ historic Varsity Theater, according to his bio.

Among AARP’s main priorities are “livable communities” — aligning with his work in community development — and family caregiving, which is an area in which he has personal experience, having been a caregiver for his parents.

“Looking at everything from how we support the over 100,000 unpaid family caregivers across the state through resources and networking with partner organizations, all the way up to the federal level of looking at how AARP can help create a caregiving tax credit … and that is to help offset the financial cost that unpaid family caregivers have in their worlds,” Wagler said.

Addressing senior victims of scams and fraud

Another AARP priority this year is financial security, including scam and fraud.

Millions of elderly Americans each year fall victim to financial fraud or other scams, totaling more than $3 billion in losses annually, according to the FBI.

AARP Iowa has partnered with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services on a “Stop the Scammers” tour. During the events, which are open to the public, Iowans can help protect themselves and loved ones by learning about common fraud schemes and how to avoid and report them.

Wagler said research shows that people who become aware of fraud and scams are 80 percent less likely to become victims.

A “Stop the Scammers” event is scheduled Thursday at the North Liberty Community Center. A full schedule and registration forms to attend an event can be found at the tour’s website, iowafraudfighters.gov.

“It’s billions of dollars annually that are lost from scam, and oftentimes older adults have a tendency to more be more vulnerable to scam,” Wagler said. “So a lot of what the ‘Stop the Scammers’ tour is, it’s about awareness-building of the frauds, the resources and the support structures that exist.”

Wagler said military members and families also are vulnerable to scam and fraud because of the many assistance programs established for veterans. Military families are 40 percent more likely to be fraud victims, Wagler said AARP’s research shows.

“A big portion of that is just the elevated amount of programs that exist to support veterans,” Wagler said. “Oftentimes, someone who is implementing a fraud or a scam is looking for points of vulnerability, points of uncertainty, points of change. And as we know, there are a number of really great, credible resources out there for veterans. But that also provides opportunity for people to take advantage of that uncertainty.”

Listening to Iowans

Wagler said much of what AARP’s state director does is to simply listen to Iowans and to inform them about the many — and perhaps sometimes unexpected — ways AARP is working to help older Iowans.

“It’s listening to the needs. It’s listening to the challenges of AARP members across the state, looking at partners that align with our mission, or that could align with our mission,” Wagler said.

“One of the things that I enjoy most about this role is how many different places that AARP shows up and it really forces someone to question, ‘Why in the world is AARP at the Rural Development Summit?’ ‘Why is AARP hosting movies for grown ups at the Marcus Theater?,’” Wagler added. “And it’s that reality of how we can really push people’s understanding of how many places that AARP influences in a positive way all of our lives, whether that be something as direct as our support and fight for Social Security, or as something as indirect as a lunch-and-learn that is helping someone understand a little bit more about a tool or resource that exists out there.”

For more information on the Iowa chapter of AARP, visit states.aarp.org/iowa.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com