Senior Agenda Coalition of RI Unveils 2026 Legislative Agenda at Annual Briefing

Published in RINewsToday on March 16, 2026

At its 10th annual Legislative Leader’s Forum, the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) unveiled its 2026 legislative agenda. More than 160 participants, including older adults, advocates, and state and federal officials, gathered at Gaige Hall at Rhode Island College for the event.

The event, “Voices of Advocacy — Anchors of Hope,” addressed the challenges facing Rhode Island’s growing older population and the policy changes needed to improve affordability, health care access, housing, and community supports.

The briefing opened with remarks by Rhode Island College President Jack R. Warner, SACRI Board Chair, Kathleen McKeon, and Executive Director Carol Anne Costa, who served as host. 

Costa began with a thank you to Rep. Joseph Solomon and Senator Mark McKeeney (who were present) for introducing the bill creating the Office of the Elder Advocate.  SACRI Policy Advisor Maureen Maigret outlined an Affordable Policy Agenda. Other speakers included representatives from the Rhode Island Coalition for Elder Justice, Economic Progress Institute, and Rhode Island Organizing Project.

A number of top elected officials followed, including U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressman Seth Magaziner, Gov. Dan McKee, State Treasurer James Diossa, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, and Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, who discussed previous and current legislative efforts affecting older Rhode Islanders.

Rhode Island’s Aging Demographics

“One in five Rhode Islanders is 65 or older,” Maigret said, adding the state is also among the top five for residents 85 and older.

The share of residents 65 and older rose from 16% in 2016 to 19% today. Maigret reminded officials that older residents are a powerful voting bloc. In 2024, over one-third of ballots were cast by older voters.

Nearly 73% of households led by those 65 and older own their homes, while 28% rent. Housing costs burden 31% of older homeowners and 52% of renters, who spend over 30% of their income on housing.

Around 4% of older Rhode Islanders live in nursing facilities, and about 485 aged 55+ are unhoused including 164 persons aged 65+.

Older adults drive Rhode Island’s economy: 40% of the workforce is 55+, about 40,000 provide unpaid family care, and approximately 45,000 volunteer formally in their communities.

Residents aged 50 and older contribute $27 billion annually to Rhode Island’s GDP. Social Security brings $3.9 billion into the state each year, with every $1 in benefits generating about $2 in economic output.

Despite these contributions, financial insecurity persists. Older adult poverty has increased and now exceeds 11%, and nearly a quarter of older households live on less than $25,000 a year.

A healthy single older homeowner without a mortgage needs nearly $29,000 annually to cover basic expenses, exceeding what about a quarter of older households have.

SACRI’s Legislative Priorities

Maigret said affordability is the central challenge facing older residents especially those with modest incomes, and SACRI has organized its agenda around four “building blocks”: health care, economic security, housing, and community supports.

Eliminating the $9,950 asset limit for the Medicare Savings Program is a top priority. SACRI recommends removing this limit entirely to allow more low-income residents to qualify for help with Medicare costs.

 “In 2025 the legislature raised the income eligibility to about $27,000, this year we want to take the next step,” Maigret said. “And the next step is to eliminate the very restrictive asset test.”

Maigret also urged lawmakers to fully fund provider rate increases as recommended by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, specifying that these funds are needed to close workforce shortages in home care.

These increases address shortages of home care workers. The coalition also urges nursing home cost-of-living adjustments to the federal 3.1% recommendation, ensuring increases reach frontline workers.

Additional SACRI recommendations include increasing funding for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to expand oversight and supporting an all-payer Primary Care Investment Target to increase access to primary care.

To address Rhode Island’s housing shortage, SACRI recommends a housing bond of at least $120 million, with a requirement that at least 30% be allocated to populations including older adults, persons with disabilities and the homeless. SACRI further urges that new residential developments be required to include more accessible units than the current 8% rate.

Maigret called for stronger support for caregivers and community services. Proposed policies include a caregiver tax credit up to $1,000, increasing the Medicaid home care asset limit, funding homemaker services, awarding a state grant to the Village Common of Rhode Island to aid aging in place, and establishing an Office of the Elder Advocate.

Other Policy Concerns

Nina Harrison, policy director at the Economic Progress Institute, argued that Rhode Island’s tax system places a heavier burden on lower-income residents.

“The lowest-income earners in the state pay a higher portion of their wages in taxes than the top income earners,” Harrison said. She supports creating a new tax bracket for annual income above $640,000, which she said could generate about $203 million annually for public services.

Ray Gagné of the Rhode Island Organizing Project called for restoring recent service cuts at the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority and creating a stable, long-term funding source for the system.

Lawmakers Respond

House Speaker Shekarchi shared a personal story about caring, along with his siblings, for their 100-year-old father with Alzheimer’s disease, stressing the importance of allowing older adults to age in place.

“Everything is a compromise. Everything is a negotiation,” Shekarchi said of the legislative process. He highlighted recent state investments, including $18 million to keep Roger Williams and Fatima hospitals operating, $12 million added last year to nursing home funding to address workforce shortages, and more than $40 million to increase reimbursement rates for primary care physicians.

Shekarchi also pointed to legislation allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a step toward addressing the state’s housing shortage.

“That’s a big benefit,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Ciccone said lawmakers are considering 17 bills to make health care more affordable and accessible. “Throughout this session, we will evaluate the financial burdens facing Rhode Islanders and the programs they rely on,” Ciccone said.

Gov. McKee argued that his “affordability for all” plan would benefit all Rhode Islanders, with key provisions for seniors, including the complete elimination of the state tax on Social Security and policies to control rising utility costs.

The Governor outlined several proposals in his budget, including increasing funding for senior centers by $200,000 for a total of $1.8 million and phasing out the state tax on Social Security income over three years, beginning with lower-income residents.

His budget also includes $9.5 million to assist nearly 10,000 residents whose HealthSource RI insurance premiums have increased sharply.

State Treasurer Diossa gave an overview of agency programs spanning the age spectrum, from baby bonds to retirement planning. He noted that his Secure Choice retirement program addresses the needs of the 40% of private-sector workers who lack access to retirement benefits.

At the federal level, Sens. Reed and Whitehouse warned that changes to federal policies could threaten Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner also called for federal action to lower costs, including expanding Medicare drug price negotiations and creating tax incentives to increase the housing supply. He also announced plans to pursue bipartisan legislation to establish a permanent House Select Committee on Aging. “Seniors deserve a dedicated forum in Congress focused on the challenges they face,” Magaziner said.

SACRI’s Costa ended the Forum with a call to collective action, urging attendees to leverage their influence for unified advocacy on behalf of older adults and people with disabilities in Rhode Island.

Let’s make our voices heard and ensure Rhode Island’s leaders are held accountable for advancing these critical priorities. Together, we can drive lasting change and truly roar for progress.

Two Attendees’ Perspectives

Mary Lou Moran, director of Pawtucket’s Division of Senior Services/Leon Mathieu Senior Center, said the briefing successfully brought together leaders from across government to focus on the needs of older residents.

“The continued work to eliminate the Medicare Savings Program asset limit, create an Office of the Elder Advocate, and expand funding for programs such as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Medicaid home care was all highlighted,” Moran said.

Moran emphasized legislative and federal efforts to support older adults and expressed optimism that the initiatives discussed will drive progress in the next session.

“The Governor’s FY 2027 State budget is fully committed, has little new revenue & substantial federal cuts in the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Housing Voucher & food subsidies will leave an unresolved budget hole,” says North Kingston Resident David R Kaloupek. Kaloupek, 87, asks: “How will the Rhode Island General Assembly narrow its spending targets for the state’s most vulnerable, frail older adults, nursing home residents, home care beneficiaries, and unhoused older Rhode Islanders?  When the dust settles after the upcoming legislative sessions conclude, we’ll see who will be helped and who will be abandoned.”

A final note…  The coming together of aging advocates and Gov. McKee, the House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader might just create the political will to support key parts of SACRI’s legislative agenda, such as eliminating the Medicare Savings Plan asset limit, the state tax on Social Security, or creating an Office of Elder Advocate, which could significantly boost the chances of those proposals becoming law. The agreement between aging advocates and state lawmakers on several fronts suggested a strong potential for legislative progress on senior issues in the upcoming session.

SACRI’s 2026 Legislative Leaders’ Forum was sponsored by: Age-Friendly Rhode Island, Delta Dental, United Healthcare, Neighborhood Health Plan, SEIU Local 580 and Capitol TV.

https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/11856

Caregiving Still a Crisis in America, Pew Report Confirms

Published in RINewsToday on March 9, 2026

Last summer, AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) released their 133-page report, Caregiving in the U.S. 2025, widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive sources of data on family caregivers in America. Seven months later, the Pew Research Center (PRC) expanded the national caregiver debate, releasing its own report, Family Caregiving in an Aging America. This report confirmedthe results of AARP and NAC’s sweeping report, while adding fresh insight to a rapidly growing body of research on caregivers.

These two caregiver reports highlight a powerful demographic trend: the continued graying of America’s population, creating a growing need for Congress and state governments to enact laws to assist the nation’s 63 million family caregivers. At the same time, mounting evidence reveals that increasingly family members are stepping into caregiving roles and responsibilities. The Pew survey released last week which examined the experiences of caregivers, found that the demands of caregiving intensify as family members reach the age of 75 and older.

“Aging in America is one of the most profound demographic trends shaping our society today,” observes Kim Parker, PRC’s director of social trends research, in a Feb. 26, 2026, statement announcing the results of its first-ever caregiver study. Parker emphasized that caregiving for an aging family member encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including running errands, managing finances, navigating medical issues, and providing hands-on personal care.

“Helping in these ways has a direct impact on the lives of caregivers,” Parker said, stressing that caregiving often strengthens relationships between caregivers and those receiving care. But particularly when it comes to supporting an aging parent, many caregivers say it has taken a toll on their personal well-being, finances, careers, and even their social lives, Parker added.

Taking a Look at Key Findings

The study findings revealed that one in ten U.S. adults reported being a caregiver for a parent aged 65 or older. Another 3% cared for a spouse or partner in that age group.  Fewer than 1% reported caring for both an aging parent and an aging spouse or partner. However,  survey data show that caregiving rates rise significantly among those with older loved ones: 24% of adults with a parent aged 65 or older identify themselves as caregivers, as do 25% of those with an aging spouse or partner.

Consistent with previous research, gender plays a role in taking on caregiving roles and responsibilities. Among adults with an aging parent, spouse, or partner, 28% of women identify as caregivers, compared with 23% of men.

Men and women caring for an aging parent are about equally likely to say that helping with activities of daily living has strengthened their personal relationships.

However, women note that they are more likely than men to report negative effects on their emotional well-being (47% vs. 30%) and physical health (38% vs. 26%).

As to finances, the study found that income also plays a role in who becomes a caregiver.  Among adults with an aging parent, spouse, or partner, 39% of lower-income adults identify as caregivers, compared with 23% of middle-income adults and 16% of upper-income adults.

What Caregivers Do

Roughly two-thirds of adults caring for an aging parent (68%) and a similar share caring for an aging spouse or partner (66%) regularly provide help with at least one key activity of daily living. These tasks include running errands, managing household chores and home repairs, scheduling medical appointments, managing medications, handling finances and paying bills, and also assisting with activities of daily living such as bathing or dressing.

The survey findings also indicate that adults who provide care for an aging parent with at least one of the tasks tend to report that this has had a more positive than negative impact on their relationship with their parent. On balance, caregivers find that this experience has a more negative impact on their physical health, emotional well-being, job (among those employed), finances, and even their social life.

While caring for an aging spouse or partner regularly involves helping them with activities of daily living, they say that this experience has had a more positive impact on their relationship. But unlike their peers caring for an aging parent, their views on physical health, emotions, finances, and social life are more mixed, rather than mostly negative.

Advocates Say Caregiver Crisis Demands Swift Action

“The PRC’s survey findings further validate what other research and caregivers themselves have been telling us — that they’re sacrificing their health, their finances, and their careers to care for the people they love, often with very little support,” says Jason Resendez, NAC’s President & CEO.

According to Resendez, the PRC’s survey findings confirm the findings of AARP and the NAC’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 report.  He noted that caregiving falls hardest on those least equipped to handle it. Lower-income families and women carry a disproportionate share of the load. These patterns are consistent with what caregivers on the ground routinely describe.

Like other research findings, Resendez notes that PRC’s report highlights that social isolation, financial strain, and career disruption are widespread among caregivers — yet these tend to get overshadowed in public conversation by the more visible emotional toll. The sharp increase in caregiving demands once a parent crosses into older age brackets is also an underappreciated threshold that catches many families off guard, he says.

PRC’s survey findings, says Resendez, paint burnout not as a single breaking point but as a compounding experience — emotional exhaustion layered with their own declining physical health, shrinking social lives, strained finances, and career setbacks, all happening simultaneously.

“Women in particular experience this accumulation more acutely than men, suggesting burnout has a deeply gendered dimension,” he says.

“The PRC report shows broad, bipartisan public support for concrete interventions: tax relief, respite care, paid family leave, and direct financial assistance,” says Resendez.  Preparation means building infrastructure around these supports before the aging population surge overwhelms families who are already stretched thin, he adds.

When asked what success would look like in reducing caregiver burden by 2030, he responded: “Success would mean closing the income and gender gaps in who bears the caregiving burden, fewer caregivers reporting harm to their health and well-being, and widespread adoption of the financial and workplace supports that the public already overwhelmingly favors. The benchmark is simple: caregiving should not systematically impoverish or exhaust the people doing it,” he says.

Inside the Beltway, aging groups are pressing Congress to support financially struggling caregivers. AARP, representing 38 million older adults, reports that on average, family caregivers spend over $7,200 annually—26% of their income—on out-of-pocket expenses.

“America’s family caregivers put family first, helping their parents, spouses, and others stay at home,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “They spend thousands of dollars every year on this care, while juggling work and family responsibilities. We urge Congress to put money back into the pockets of hardworking family caregivers by passing the bipartisan bill, The Credit for Caring Act,” she says.

The Senate bill (S 925), introduced in the Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and in the House (H.R. 2036) by Representatives Mike Carey (R-OH) and Linda Sánchez (D-CA), offers up to a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit to help offset caregiving expenses, addressing the significant personal and financial sacrifices caregivers make to support their loved ones.

AARP says respite care is essential to preventing caregiver burnout, yet access remains limited and uneven, leaving many caregivers without the breaks they need to continue caring for loved ones. The aging advocacy group is calling on Medicaid to strengthen home- and community-based services, reduce unnecessary red tape, and ensure that family caregivers can access supports such as respite care and training.

Family caregivers provide more than $600 billion worth of care each year, and that labor should earn them benefits through Medicare and Medicaid, says Maggie Ornstein, PhD, a public health geographer, guest faculty member at Sarah Lawrence College, and a family caregiver for more than 30 years who writes extensively on caregiver issues.

Ornstein agrees with AARP’s call to strengthen Medicaid and argues that home care should be a required benefit under the program, just as institutional care is. “Wages for home care workers need to be increased,” she says, noting that providing living wages would make these jobs more desirable and, in turn, better support family caregivers.

“There is also an urgent need for Medicare to cover home care and related services,” Ornstein adds. “Coverage should also be available to caregivers before the standard age of eligibility. Similar to how people with permanent disabilities qualify for Medicare, eligibility could be expanded to caregivers who provide more than 20 hours of care per week,” she says.

Ornstein notes that direct payment to caregivers is popular (63% in PRC’s study) and would have the biggest impact on caregivers. “We know that caregivers often have to reduce paid employment or leave work entirely, so direct payment in the form of wages or ‘caregiver allowances,’ as provided in countries like Canada, Australia, Germany, and the UK, would help with financial security,” she says.

Research suggests, says Ornstein, that caregivers lose more than $300,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetimes. “Tax credits, while often the most widely discussed policy response, would do little to help the lowest-income and most vulnerable caregivers. Proposed tax credits would need to be refundable to have the most impact, but even then, direct payments would better bolster financial well-being, which should be a main policy priority,” she says.

Other policies, such as the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act, need more public attention, too, says Ornstein, emphasizing that providing Social Security credits to caregivers who leave work to provide care would be transformative for their retirement.

Finding a Care Giver Policy Fix in Rhode Island

With the release of the PRC caregiver survey findings, it is more important than ever to spotlight the vital role of our state’s caregivers, says SACRI Policy Advisor Maureen Maigret, who calls caregivers the backbone of Rhode Island’s long-term services and supports system.

According to Maigret, the PRC report highlights that lower-income adults with an aging parent, spouse, or partner are more likely to serve as caregivers than those with higher incomes. “That is why SACRI views the passage of a caregiver tax credit bill as a priority,  one that will help offset the financial burden faced by so many caregivers,” she says.

H7241, sponsored by Rep. Susan R. Donovan (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth), and S. 2246, sponsored by Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol), would provide a tax credit of up to $1,000 for a family caregiver caring for an older adult or a person receiving Social Security Disability who requires assistance with two activities of daily living. The proposal would cover up to 50 percent of eligible expenses, capped at $1,000.

Supporters say that establishing a caregiver tax credit would help older adults and people with disabilities remain in their homes while also reducing costly Medicaid expenditures on nursing home care, which can exceed $100,000 annually.

A Final Note…

One of the biggest unanswered questions about caregiving in America today is whether there is the political will in Congress to support family caregiving.

“The PRC’s report shows that relationships are strengthened through both providing and receiving care. When caregivers are not supported in that care, they experience significant stress,” Ornstein said.

“We have an opportunity to value the care provided by family and non-kin caregivers across the country and, in doing so, strengthen our communities. Instead, we have a system that abandons, neglects, and exploits family caregivers. We need more people to decide that this is unacceptable and to demand the support caregivers earn through the work they do every day,” Ornstein adds.

To read PRC’s caregiving report, go to https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2026/02/26/family-caregiving-in-an-aging-america/

To get a copy of Caregiving in the US 2025: Key Trends, Strains, and Policy Needs, go to https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025/

For state-specific caregiving data, go to https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-us-2025-caring-across-states/

Challenging Ageist Language in Rhode Island

Rep. Carson’s Bill Challenges Ageist Language in Rhode Island Statutes

Published on March 2, 2026

During the 93rd Legislative Session, a law enacted in Massachusetts caught the attention of Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport), who chairs the House Study Commission on Services for Older Rhode Islanders (HSCORI). Carson was convinced of the need to confront ageism in the state’s statutes. She understood the importance of how Rhode Island lawmakers talk about aging.

On Jan. 9, 2025, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed Senate Bill S. 3006, “An Act Renaming the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Executive Office of Aging and Independence,” into law. Sponsored by Joan B. Lovely (D–Second Essex), the measure formally changed the name of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Executive Office of Aging & Independence to better reflect the agency’s mission of supporting older adults in maintaining independence and dignity.

Beyond the name change, the law sought to modernize statutory language and reduce the stigma often associated with aging. It replaced outdated terms such as “elder,” “elderly person(s),” and “handicapped” throughout state law with more respectful and person-centered language, including “older adult(s)” and “adult with a disability.”

Carson believed that Massachusetts’ move to systematically remove ageist language from state law was a public policy Rhode Island could follow.

A Rhode Island Response

More than a year later, on Feb. 5, 2026, Carson introduced similar legislation, H. 7496, aimed at reviewing state statutes to identify negative or outdated references to older Rhode Islanders — including terms such as “elders” and “elderly person(s)” — while strengthening advocacy for older adults.  At press time, Sen. Victoria Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingston) plans to introduce the Senate version of this bill.

Carson’s special legislative commission is identifying ways to improve services and maximize resources available to older Rhode Islanders in the face of an expected surge in that population over the next 15 years. Over the more than two years the commission has been meeting, Carson has noted that, with life expectancy having increased over the decades, people over 60 are not all living lifestyles that could be described as “elderly,” and they certainly do not appreciate being labeled as such.

The legislative proposal, referred to the House State Government & Elections Committee, would initiate a review of state laws for references to “elders” and “elderly person(s)” and enable the drafting of legislation next year to replace those terms with the phrase “older adults.”

“Words matter. When we apply labels to people, we are telling them and everyone else how we think of them, what we expect of them. Many people over 60, 65 or 70 are still working like any other adults. They are contributing to their communities, they are active, and they simply are not what we think of when we hear the word ‘elderly.’ They don’t want to be called ‘senior citizens,’” Carson said in a statement announcing the introduction of H. 7496. “Being older than middle age doesn’t mean you are elderly. Our language should better reflect that this is a huge swath of our population that includes a wide range of ages, abilities and lifestyles. They aren’t all elderly.”

Her legislation also specifies that references to “handicapped” and “disabled” in the parts of the General Laws relating to older adults be replaced with the term “adult person(s) with disabilities.”

Carson’s bill, which also includes changes designed to give older Rhode Islanders a seat at the table in state planning and to better empower a panel on long-term care, stems from the work of the commission she chairs to study services provided to older Rhode Islanders.

The legislative proposal makes two additional changes to address issues identified during the commission’s work.

It adds a representative from a statewide aging advocacy organization as a member of the State Planning Council and specifies that the new member must be at least 60 years old. The purpose of the change is to sharpen the state’s focus on issues affecting older Rhode Islanders by ensuring their interests are represented in state planning, helping to prepare and direct resources appropriately as the state’s 60-plus population grows. Currently, more than 240,000 Rhode Islanders are age 60 or older. That number is expected to increase to nearly 265,000 by 2040.

The legislation also makes it easier for the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council to reach a quorum. With 33 members — many of whom are busy leaders of state agencies, organizations or businesses — the panel at times struggles to meet quorum requirements. The bill would allow 12 members to constitute a quorum. The change is supported by Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, who chairs the council.

Talking About Ageism, Language and Older Adults

At a two-hour HSCORI public meeting held Sept. 18, 2024, at the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick, Dr. Philip Clark, director of University of Rhode Island’ Program of Gerontology and Jim Connell, executive director of Age-Friendly Rhode Island, spoke about the negative impact of ageism and the importance of reframing aging using more positive language. It was one of three such meetings held “on the road” in different communities — Newport, Warwick and South Kingstown — to increase public visibility and engagement.

During his 34-minute presentation, Clark argued that language shapes perception and policy, and that the pervasive use of ageist language and stereotypes has detrimental health and social consequences for older adults. Ageism is a significant public health problem, he said, citing research by Dr. Becca Levy of Yale University indicating that negative self-perceptions of aging can shorten one’s lifespan by as much as seven years.

“How we talk about aging matters and particularly ageism language and “older adults.” And the operative word here is older adults. That is the term in the field of gerontology that has become standard language,” says Clark.  He  advocated using the term “older adults” instead of labels such as “seniors” or “the elderly,” which often carry negative connotations.

“Ageism is the last of the ‘ism’s’ to be recognized and confronted as discriminatory.  Even older adults themselves fall victim to ageist attitudes and believes,” says Clark.  He identified veiled ageism — including patronizing language such as “dear” or “sweetie” and infantilizing humor — that reinforces negative stereotypes about aging.

Clark stressed the vast diversity within the older population, repeating the mantra, “If you’ve seen one older person, you have seen one older person.” He warned against policies that treat this diverse group as a monolith.

“Older adults are more unique than any other age group,” Clark said, noting that they have had a lifetime to become who they are. Their needs, abilities and desires vary widely, and policy must reflect this diversity rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions.

“We must analyze the meaning of words and the wording of meanings,” Clark added, urging policymakers to critically examine language and underlying assumptions in policies and programs to ensure they are grounded in accurate data and reflect values of independence and dignity rather than ageist bias.

During Q&A, Commissioner Maria Cimini, Director of the state’s Office of Healthy Aging, asked Clark how best to balance inclusive language with recognition of each older adult’s unique identity. “When I go into different communities, like the Center for Southeast Asians, they specifically use the word ‘elder,’” she said. “Not ‘older adult.’”

Clark responded, “If you’re in a community where ‘elder’ carries a sense of respect, appreciation, and value, you obviously don’t want to impose your white, middle-class values on that group.”

“We use catastrophic language. It makes the problem seem unsolvable and it makes it very hard for us to be successful in our advocacy,” said Commissioner Catherine Taylor, state director of AARP Rhode Island, reinforcing Clark’s testimony by explaining how negative framing can undermine efforts to secure legislative support for aging-related issues.

“So, to use the right language is really important to the success of our work in getting things through,” adds Taylor.

Following Clark’s presentation, Connell argued that the common negative narrative of aging is incomplete and fails to account for the many older adults who are active, working and seeking new opportunities.

According to Connell, 71% of Americans aged 65 and older say the best time of their lives is right now or still ahead of them. He also cited a recent Harris Poll indicating that 83% of U.S. adults 65 and older feel it is more important to feel useful than youthful in retirement.

Connell introduced the concept of “middle essence” to describe the period from ages 60 to 80, highlighting it as a time for new careers, enrichment and purpose. He emphasized the power of personal narratives and lived experience to counter the societal view of aging as a period of frailty and decline.

Personal stories are a powerful tool for dismantling the dominant negative narrative of aging, Connell said. He characterized the growing older population not as a problem to be solved, but as a “longevity boom” full of potential for personal growth, continued work and community contribution — one that requires intentional, age-friendly planning.

Connell noted that society has gained 30 years of life expectancy since the mid-20th century and said this “longevity boom” must be factored into planning. He warned that “othering” — assuming all members of a group are the same — is the “absolute enemy” of effective planning for an aging population.

Connell concluded by saying: “So this Commission and indeed all of us were well positioned to have the power to change the aging narrative and he use of ageist language in our state. It’s important that lived experience be woven into everything we do.  Please keep telling your stories. It’s really, really important.”

Meanwhile, at the same public commission meeting, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) reported on several recent accomplishments, including passage of accessory dwelling unit (ADU) legislation, a law allowing cameras in nursing home rooms, an increased tax exemption for Social Security income and a state-level cap on insulin costs. He also highlighted a $120 million housing bond question that appeared on the November ballot, calling it a critical opportunity to fund affordable housing for older adults.

Shekarchi further noted the creation of a Senate commission to explore establishing a new medical school in Rhode Island as a long-term strategy to address the state’s primary care physician shortage. He also referenced Gov. McKee’s Healthcare Systems Planning Cabinet as another effort to address systemic issues, including primary care access and long-term care planning.

To watch HSCORI’s Sept. 9, 2024 public meeting, go to  https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/10590.

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