On Thursday mornings in Baton Rouge, Carolyn Johnson sets up her laptop, a chair and dumbbells. She never misses this weekly workout.

“I’ve always been into fitness all of my life, and now that I’m the age I am ... it’s more important for me to be fit,” she says.

Johnson, 76, is one of dozens of participants who log in for AARP Louisiana’s Turn Up Thursday, a free virtual fitness class held at 10:30 a.m. CT. The 45-minute sessions blend easy cardio dance moves with strength and balance training tailored for older adults. It streams live on Zoom.

Frederick Griffith, 37, leads the class from New Orleans. A certified personal trainer, he began to specialize in working with older adults in 2018 after his mother lost part of her leg due to a foot injury that became infected. When insurance no longer covered her physical therapy, Griffith stepped in to rebuild strength at home.

Over six months, he saw his mother’s upper-body strength improve. She could maneuver herself into and out of a vehicle.

“We are like a car,” he says. “So if you don’t start that car up, after three weeks, the battery dies.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults who engage in regular physical activity lower their risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and dementia—all while strengthening bones, improving balance and helping maintain independence.

Johnson appreciates the low-impact format of the fitness class and Griffith’s encouragement to work at her own pace.

“At my age, I don’t need to be jumping up and down,” she says.

Even though the class draws participants from across the country, Johnson says the experience feels personal.

“I consider him my personal trainer,” she says. “That’s why I have to see him every week.”

More information at aarp.org/lagetmoving.

—Stacey Shepard

Crypto scams As cryptocurrency ATM scams surge, Florida lawmakers have passed legislation aimed at increasing oversight of the machines. As of early April, it awaited action by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

If it becomes law, the legislation­—backed by AARP Florida­—would require licensing or registration for virtual currency kiosks through the state Office of Financial Regulation and set new operating standards for the machines, including daily transaction limits of $2,000 for new customers and $10,000 for existing customers. It would also set rules for mandatory refunds—if certain conditions are met—to first-time customers who had money stolen due to fraud.

AARP Florida and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement warned residents earlier this year about a surge in cryptocurrency ATM fraud. Scammers often pressure victims to deposit cash into crypto ATMs, which convert money into digital currency that is difficult to trace or recover.

Learn about avoiding scams at aarp.org/fraudtips. For more advice, call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360. AARP Florida also has fraud information at aarp.org/FLFraud and aarp.org/FLCrypto.

Be ballot ready South Carolina voters head to the polls Tuesday, June 9, to choose party nominees for governor and other statewide offices, including attorney general, treasurer, superintendent of education and commissioner of agriculture.

The ballot also includes a U.S. Senate seat, all U.S. House and state House seats, solicitor races and various local offices.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29.

Early voting for primaries is from Tuesday, May 26, to Friday, June 5, at county voter registration offices and other early voting centers.

Learn more at scvotes.gov or aarp.org/vote. —SS