United Way’s 211 Brings New Resources to Rhode Island Caregivers

Published in RINewsToday on July 6, 2026

According to AARP Rhode Island, over 200,000 caregivers provide 111 million hours of care, and will have easier access to critical support through the expansion of the Caregiver Support Program offered via United Way’s 211 – the 24/7 confidential 3-digit helpline.  There is no charge for accessing the program.

Over two weeks ago, AARP and United Way Worldwide announced the program’s expansion into 10 additional states — Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Rhode Island — along with regional support in California and Colorado.

Expansion into an additional 211 call centers brings the program to 32 states and Puerto Rico, now reaching 50% of the total U.S.population, making this resource accessible to an estimated 36 million family caregivers, says AARP.

AARP notes that the existing participating states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with regional service in parts of Florida, Georgia, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. The program is also offered in Puerto Rico. With this expansion, the program is currently available within 32 states and Puerto Rico.

Launched in 2021, this groundbreaking resource initiative connects family caregivers to essential services for themselves and their loved ones through the 211 helpline and has already helped 2.5 million caregivers access the resources and support they need.

“Being a family caregiver is a labor of love – but it can also be a tremendous challenge,” sand Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, in a statement announcing the expansion of the 211 program. “Through this expansion of 211, we’re making it easier for family caregivers to find the help they need, when and where they need it,” she said.

In a statement, AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor said: “Through this expansion of 211, we’re making it easier for Rhode Island’s 206,000 family caregivers to find the help they need, when and where they need it.”

“Caregiving is one of the most important and challenging roles someone will ever take on,” said Cortney Nicolato, president and CEO, United Way of RI. “When you’re a caregiver, there is real courage in picking up the phone and saying, ‘I need help.’ Half of the equation is asking, the other half is getting the right guidance. And that’s what this partnership is all about,” she said.

The confidential 211 helpline program is the answer: available 24/7, offered in 180 languages, and accessible to anyone seeking assistance, whether or not they are a caregiver. Often without pay, training, or support, 63 million caregivers who care for their loved ones (parents, spouses, and friends) need access to trusted help.

Through this specialized Caregiver Support Program, caregivers residing in the participating locations can simply dial 211 to connect with trained Community Resource Specialists and receive tailored AARP resources that cover a wide range of topics, along with direct connections to local services, including:

  • Local referrals for transportation, food delivery, home safety, respite care, veterans’ benefits, and more
  • Support to address the caregiver’s own basic needs, like housing, employment, or emotional support

By the Numbers

According to United Way of Rhode Island’s 2023–2024 Community Impact Report, released online in January 2025, the nonprofit’s 211 information and referral service handled more than 190,000 contacts (phone calls, emails, texts, and walk-in visits) during the reporting period, connecting Rhode Islanders with info on food assistance, housing, health care, utility assistance, mental health services, and other critical resources.

The report notes that the free, confidential service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with staff able to assist callers in more than 200 languages and dialects.  After business hours, 211 also answers calls for The Point.

Approximately 75% of 211 staff are bilingual and bicultural. United Way also reported that 211 operates three walk-in resource rooms and a mobile outreach RV that provides services at 15 community locations and participates in more than 250 outreach events annually.

Meanwhile, the report found that 211 handled 6,342 Medicare-related contacts, 4,371 Medicaid-related contacts, 647 Medicare enrollment requests, and 689 Medicaid application requests during the year.

Reaching Out for Help 

If you need assistance, you can always call 211 to reach out to a local specialist. Simply dial 211 from your cell phone or landline to speak with a live, highly trained service professional.

If you are looking for a 211 service in another community, or prefer to text, chat online, or search an online database, go to Your Local 211 | United Way 211

For more information about the Caregiver Support Program, visit www.aarp.org/211care. To connect with a 211 specialist, simply dial 2-1-1 or visit www.211

Congress Must Confront the Financial Realities Facing Older Americans

Published in the Blackstone Valley Call & Times on June 30, 2026

Timing is everything. With the midterm elections looming – just 126 days away – the AARP Foundation is putting the spotlight on affordability – a key campaign issue closely tied to economic security that deeply concerns both older Democratic and Republican voters.  But for millions of older Americans living on limited incomes, the rising cost of food, housing, transportation, and health care isn’t simply a political issue to them—it’s a daily struggle

As a result, strategists in both major political parties are scrambling to tailor their policy messages to offer voters comprehensive solutions to address the high cost of living.

A new report released June 25 by the AARP Foundation highlights just how financially strained many older Americans have become. Rising housing, food, transportation, and health care costs are creating hardships long before many people become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits.

A Crisis in Plain Sight

“Today, 39 million Americans age 50-plus with low incomes are living one emergency away from financial hardship. That’s not a warning sign. It’s a crisis hiding in plain sight,” said Claire Casey, president of the AARP Foundation, in a statement announcing the release of the report.

The Foundation’s new Economic Security Monitor (ESM) is based on a nationally representative quarterly survey of more than 2,000 adults age 50 and older living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.

ESM is conducted quarterly, with each quarter tracking the same respondents to capture changes in financial conditions among older adults with low incomes.  The Winter 2025-2026 data was collected December 24, 2025, through January 12, 2026, and the Spring 2026 data was collected March 30, through April 15, 2026.

According to Casey, the survey is the first tool designed to track, in near real time, how rising prices and economic conditions are affecting older adults with low incomes.

“The power of the Monitor is that it helps us see change and challenges as they unfold. By providing timely, actionable data, it gives decision makers the information they need to respond faster and target resources more effectively to address the growing economic pressures that older Americans face,” says Cassey.

One finding, notes Cassey, is especially alarming: adults ages 50 to 64 are among those facing the greatest challenges, often falling into a gap where they are too young for Social Security and Medicare but increasingly vulnerable to economic shocks.

Keeping Your Head Above Water Financially

The Foundation’s new ESM report also found that 56% worry about losing government or essential public benefits, underscoring how dependent many households are on programs that help them stay afloat.

The survey found that inflation remains the biggest financial concern. Nearly nine in 10 respondents (88%) cited rising prices as one of their top worries, ahead of retirement savings (80%) and medical costs and debt (72%).

Higher prices are forcing many households to make difficult choices. Three-quarters (75%) of those surveyed said their necessary household expenses increased during the previous three months, up from 64% in the prior quarter. More than one-third said they struggled to pay at least one bill.

Among those having difficulty making ends meet, food (75%) was the expense most often mentioned, followed by transportation (63%), housing (60%), unexpected expenses (59%), and health care (51%). Thirty-eight percent of these respondents also reported running out of food before they had enough money to buy more.

The survey findings indicated that adults aged 50 to 64 appear to be especially vulnerable. Many have not yet reached eligibility for Social Security or Medicare but are already coping with rising living expenses and limited financial resources.

The survey also found that nearly one-third of respondents in that age group could not cover an unexpected expense exceeding $100. More than half said they could continue paying their bills for only one month or less if their primary source of income disappeared.

Having a job has not insulated many from financial hardship. Nearly half of the low-income adults ages 50 to 64 are employed, yet 63% of those workers admit they are struggling financially.

When money becomes tight, respondents reported taking steps that may provide short-term relief but could create larger financial problems later. Many said they cut back on household spending (41%), paid only part of their bills (39%), relied on credit cards (32%), delayed payments (24%), or borrowed money from relatives and friends (21%).

The survey also highlights the importance of public assistance. Nearly half of those surveyed receive some form of government support, including food assistance, housing assistance, health coverage, or income support. More than half worry about losing those benefits, reflecting how important these programs have become for households already living close to the financial edge.

The ESC findings are especially relevant in Rhode Island, one of the nation’s oldest states. Communities across the Ocean State are seeing steady growth in their older populations, increasing the demand for affordable housing, transportation, health care, and supportive services. For many older Rhode Islanders living on fixed incomes, rising prices are making it increasingly difficult to remain financially independent.

The ESC report warns that for older, low-income adults, “public benefits are not a supplement, they are a lifeline.”  Nearly half of the survey respondents currently receive at least one form of public assistance. This includes food, housing, health coverage, or income support.

As Congress continues to debate the future of Social Security and Medicare and hammer out policies to ensure the programs’ financial viability, 56% of the low-income older respondents say losing public benefits is a financial concern to them.

A Final Note

With the midterm elections nearing, both political parties are expected to make affordability a central campaign issue. Older voters will be listening closely, but they are likely to judge candidates less by campaign promises than by whether elected officials take meaningful steps to address the financial pressures many Americans now face.

The AARP Foundation’s survey provides a timely reminder that economic insecurity is not an abstract policy issue. For millions of older Americans—including many here in Rhode Island—it influences their everyday decisions about which bills to pay, how to buy groceries, and how to obtain needed health care. Those realities should remain part of the national debate on affordability long after the campaign season is over.

For a copy of the ESC report, go to AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor Detailed Findings.

SSA Trustees Report Calls on Congress to Fix Social Security and Medicare

Published in RINewsToday on June 22, 2026

Congress faces the urgent legislative task of ensuring the long-term viability of the nation’s Social Security program. As in previous years, the Social Security Board of Trustees’ 2026 report warns that without congressional action, the OASI and DI Trust Funds will pay full benefits only through 2034. Afterward, payroll tax revenue will cover about 83% of scheduled benefits, highlighting the need for timely Congressional intervention.

Federal law requires that trust fund-financed programs such as Social Security and Medicare pay out only as much in benefits as they receive in revenues once their trust fund reserves run out.

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), about 21% to 22% of the U.S. population currently receives Social Security benefits. The released Trustee’s report notes that at the end of 2025, Social Security paid benefits to more than 70 million Americans: 56 million retired workers and their dependents, 8 million disabled workers and their families, and 6 million survivors of deceased workers. Medicare covered an estimated 69.3 million people.

The Trustees also said that recent congressional actions, including the Social Security Fairness Act and changes to the taxation of Social Security benefits, weakened the program’s long-term financial outlook.

The Social Security Board of Trustees is the group that issues the annual report on the financial health of Social Security’s trust funds — the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance fund and the Disability Insurance fund.

It has six seats:

1.    Secretary of the Treasury — also the Managing Trustee

2.    Secretary of Labor

3.    Secretary of Health and Human Services

4.    Commissioner of Social Security

5.    Public Trustee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

6.    Public Trustee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

As of the 2026 Trustees Report, the current government-position trustees are:

·         Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury and Managing Trustee

·         Keith E. Sonderling, Acting Secretary of Labor

·         Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services

·         Frank J. Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security

The two public trustee seats are currently vacant

Demographic Changes Strain Social Security Finances

The annual Trustees Report, released on June 9, said several long-term demographic trends strain the financial stability of Social Security, as fewer workers pay payroll taxes into the program to support a growing population of beneficiaries.

Americans live longer and collect benefits for more years, while millions of Baby Boomers continue to retire. Birthrates stay below historical levels, so fewer workers enter the labor force.  Lower levels of immigration increase financial pressure by reducing the number of workers who pay payroll taxes.

The combined Social Security trust funds are currently projected to pay full benefits through 2034. However, the outlook for the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund has weakened slightly. Trustees project OASI reserves will be depleted in late 2032. At that point, revenues are expected to cover only about 78% of scheduled OASI benefits, compared to the overall 83% coverage for all Social Security benefits after combined depletion.

The Trustees Report also notes that Social Security’s disability program remains financially stable. The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is expected to stay adequately financed throughout the 75-year projection period and pay full benefits without interruption.

Taking a Look at Medicare

Also released on June 9, the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report found that Medicare remains financially stable in the near term but faces significant long-term funding shortfalls caused by rising health care costs and an aging population.

According to the Trustees, Medicare spending will grow faster than revenues dedicated to financing the program. The health care needs of retiring Baby Boomers, growing Medicare enrollment, rising medical costs, and increased spending for services used frequently by older adults—including skilled nursing care, home health care, and hospice services—largely drive this increase.

The Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund, which pays for Medicare Part A services, is projected to be depleted in the second quarter of 2033—three months earlier than last year’s prediction. After depletion, Medicare Part A would be able to cover about 89% of its costs from incoming revenue. Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility services, home health care, and hospice care.

Congress must act within the next seven years to prevent significant reductions in Medicare payments to providers. Addressing the projected shortfall before the 2033 trust fund depletion is essential to avoid an estimated 11% funding gap.

Unlike Part A, Medicare Parts B and D are not expected to face trust fund insolvency because they are financed through a combination of beneficiary premiums and general federal revenues.

Max Richtman, President & CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), says a range of proposals could help extend the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund without reducing benefits.

Among the options, says Richtman, are raising the Medicare tax rate on earned and investment income above $400,000 from 3.8% to 5%, and closing loopholes that allow some high-income business owners to avoid Medicare taxes by structuring income in ways that escape both payroll taxes and the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT). NCPSSM also supports redirecting revenue from the 3.8% NIIT—currently deposited into general federal revenues—directly to the HI Trust Fund, he says, noting that the group estimates this change could generate roughly $500 billion over 10 years.

In addition, Richtman recommends building on the prescription drug reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act by expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug prices, accelerating negotiations as more medications are added, and extending inflation-rebate requirements to commercial insurance plans. Savings from these measures, he says, would be credited directly to the HI Trust Fund, further strengthening Medicare’s long-term outlook.

Reactions From Advocacy Groups and Lawmakers

In a statement, AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan warned that the 2026 projections show Congress still must close a financing gap of nearly 20%, or Americans could face benefit reductions they cannot afford.

“This should be a wake-up call: Congress needs to act. Americans have worked hard and paid into Social Security their entire lives, and they deserve to count on it when they retire,” she said. “They planned for retirement, followed the rules, and now Congress must keep its promise by strengthening, not cutting, Social Security,” Minter-Jordan added, urging lawmakers to work across party lines to strengthen the program.

“The Social Security Trustees Report is a clarion call for Congress to strengthen the program now before the looming depletion of the trust fund becomes a full-blown crisis,” said NCPSSM’s Richtman in a released statement.

“If Congress fails to act, the combined retirement and disability trust fund reserves will run dry in 2034, and beneficiaries will suffer an automatic 17% cut—a scenario few want to see happen. Lawmakers should not wait until the last minute when options become more limited and remedies more costly,” he said.

Richtman also argued that benefit reductions are not necessary to restore Social Security’s financial health and that beneficiaries living on fixed incomes should not bear the burden of strengthening the program.

In a statement, Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, likewise emphasized that the Trustees Report demonstrates the consequences of inaction.

“As the Trustees Report plainly states, if there is insufficient revenue, Social Security benefits will be automatically cut,” Altman said.

On June 15, 2026, House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a Louisiana radio interview that Republicans would like to address the growth of mandatory federal spending programs in future budget discussions, including Social Security. He argued that the federal budget is increasingly driven by automatic spending commitments and said that Social Security and other entitlement programs “have to be adjusted and fixed.”

Responding to Johnson’s remarks, Altman argued that some Republican proposals would move Social Security toward privatization, a characterization that supporters of those proposals dispute. She also criticized proposals that would reduce future benefits rather than increase revenues to strengthen the program.

Public opinion surveys consistently show strong bipartisan support for preserving Social Security benefits. Altman argued that proposals to reduce benefits through means testing or other changes would be unpopular with voters and called on congressional candidates to explain how they would address the program’s long-term financing challenges.

During a June 10 morning hearing of the Joint Social Security and Work & Welfare Subcommittee with Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, held in room 1100 at 100 Longworth House Office Building, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) noted that Social Security benefits have only been modified twice in 40 years, most recently in 1983, with only minor changes under his chairmanship of the House Committee on Ways and Means in 2025.

“Congress needs to get its act together to address Social Security and the insolvency that’s coming instead of poking blame at other people when it is our duty, our responsibility,” Smith said, urging bipartisan cooperation between Republicans and Democrats to reform the program. He called for the protection of vulnerable populations who depend entirely on Social Security for retirement and a dignified standard of living, particularly in the rural communities they represent.

“This latest report from the trustees is proof that Congress must step up now to protect Social Security before it’s too late. It’s only going to cost more and be more difficult to solve the longer we wait,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in a statement issued on June 10, outlining his plan to rescue Social Security by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund.

Cassidy joined Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in issuing a bipartisan statement following the release of the Trustees Report. The senators said that “Congress shouldn’t delay any longer” and urged lawmakers to begin debating and voting on proposals to strengthen Social Security’s long-term solvency.

Putting Social Security on the Ballot

The Trustees’ Report makes it very clear that Social Security and Medicare are not facing an immediate financial crisis. Both programs will continue paying benefits for years to come. However, these reports also warn Congress that delaying action will make the eventual policy solutions more difficult to achieve and potentially more disruptive.

Many Republican proposals focus on slowing future benefit growth through measures such as raising the retirement age, modifying cost-of-living adjustments, or expanding means testing, while many Democrats favor increasing revenues by requiring higher-income Americans to contribute more into the system.

Over a year ago, lawmakers introduced a major bill to rescue Social Security and Medicare. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced the Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act (S. 1690) to ensure both programs remain stable in the future. The plan raises money by closing tax loopholes for ultra-wealthy Americans, but it completely shields anyone making under $400,000 a year from paying higher taxes. Representative Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) brought the exact same bill to the House floor at the same time.

Legislative proposals, such as Whitehouse’s, to adjust the taxable wage cap or apply payroll taxes to certain forms of investment income have also been offered as ways to ensure Social Security’s fiscal solvency.

A new voter education campaign is highlighting the financial challenges facing Social Security. Led by NCPSSM’s Richtman, the “Social Security is on the Ballot” initiative aims to build public support for legislative solutions, including Sen. Whitehouse and Rep. Boyle’s proposed Fair Share Act, to help secure funding for the program.

There are many issues competing for voters’ attention this year,” explains Richtman, “But few will have such a profound effect on your future. Voters should insist [at the ballot box] that the fundamental promise of Social Security be preserved – as the program is strengthened for the future,” he said.

This multi-faceted campaign will encompass social media, short web videos, special editions of our “You Earned This” podcast and radio show, mailings, and grass-roots engagement/activism.

For over 70 million older Americans who rely on their Social Security and Medicare benefits, the Trustees’ Reports deliver a very clear message: Congress must act sooner rather than kicking the proverbial can down the road (as it usually has). As the projected trust fund depletion dates draw closer, lawmakers will need to work across the aisle to strengthen these programs and ensure they remain financially sound for current beneficiaries and future generations.

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For a copy of the 2026 Social Security Trustees Report, go to The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report

For a copy of the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report, go to 2026 Medicare Trustees Report