Hundreds turn out for senior expo in RR

RIO RANCHO — The Senior Living Expo at the Rio Rancho Events Center had engaged a couple hundred people April 16.

Rio Rancho Observer and Albuquerque Journal senior advertising consultant Susan Saunier said about 204 seniors show up throughout the day.

“We had a great event today at the Rio Rancho Event Center,” she said.

There were 33 vendors, including some large companies like Presbyterian Medical, AARP, KDSK Radio and Perfection Honda.

Perfection Honda Sales Associate Angelica Hinojos said she got a lot of questions about tariffs at her booth.

“It’s been good, steady. We’ll have people come by and just ask certain questions about tariffs and stuff like that, because of the whole thing going on with the automobile industry,” she said.

She was referring to a 25% tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on the automotive industry. As of April 15, Trump is considering a pause on that tariff. Hinojos said Honda is considering moving some production work to the U.S. to deal with the tariffs.

Stephanie Bogle and Alex Chapman from Nuclear Care Partners were excited to talk with seniors, especially those who used to work for Sandia Labs.

“Thank you to all of our department energy workers, contractors that worked at Labs. We’re here to provide home health care services, and we want to be a resource for those people,” Bogle said.

She said it was a good day to make connections and inform the masses.

Some vendors walked around to booths to talk shop as well. New Mexico Hearing Aid and Tinnitus Center owner Michael MacDonald was one of them, encouraging people to get checked “even if you think you aren’t deaf.”

Throughout the day, there were several speakers that talked about everything from hearing, vision, insurance and more.

Saunier said the Observer and Journal look forward to holding the event again.