Tag Archives for Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island

2025: A Year on the “Age Beat” in Rhode Island

Published in RINewsToday on December 29, 2025

Throughout 2025, this “Age Beat” columnist published a weekly commentary covering an extensive list of aging, healthcare, and medical issues. During this year, this columnist followed Congressional debates inside the Beltway involving Medicare, Medicaid, reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, and Social Security, reporting on how these federal policy proposals would affect older Rhode Islanders.  During the latest legislative session of the Rhode Island General Assembly, policy debates on Smith Hill were also covered in my weekly commentaries, examining how the proposed bills or enacted laws would impact state programs and services serving Rhode Island’s growing older population.

After reviewing the latest U.S. Census Data, it becomes very clear that the state’s aging population continues to grow.  For more than twenty-five years, I have tracked and continue to follow the graying of Rhode Island’s population.  Through more than 50 articles published in 2025 in Blackstone Valley Call & times and its sister publications, RINewstoday, Senior Digest and other statewide outlets, these stories have decoded complicated public policy debates, and demographic trends to shed light as to how they affect the daily lives of older adults, their caregivers, and nonprofit organizations that serve them.   

Some might interpret my weekly reporting as a way that specifically looks at older adults as one group of people.  However, others might see them on how aging impacts our own family members and our neighbors, and how we all deal with real-life challenges as we get older.

 Themes from Past Year’s Coverage

 Over the past year, several themes have become clear:  the economics of growing older and financially surviving retirement; staying safe from increasing sophisticated scams, public health issues surrounding loneliness and food insecurity; limited public transportation, finding a primary care physician, and managing multiple chronic illnesses.  Many of these commentaries also looked closely at state and federal policies that led to cuts in Medicare and Medicaid; the pressure points placed on Rhode Island’s safety net; and the ongoing policy questions the Rhode Island General Assembly is asking about how to help older adults stay independent at home—not just to live  longer, but live better.

You learn very quickly that national policy debates don’t go the same way here,, if you’ve lived in the Ocean State for a while.  A change in federal requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or changing eligibility requirements and cuts to Medicaid funding are not distant Washington stories reported by the Washington Post or New York Times especially if they affect food, meal deliveries and health care provided in Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, or Westerly. A change in Medicare drug pricing is not an abstract concept if it determines whether your older neighbor can fill a lifesaving prescription—or whether your spouse’s non-drug compliance stretches pills just to make them last.

 Many of these articles were tied to timely triggers—AARP reports detailing findings of national surveys and polls, a Senate Aging Committee or Congressional hearing putting a spotlight on an aging issue, a proposed legislative proposal being considered by Congress or the Rhode Island General Assembly. But the reporting doesn’t just give a concise summary of a policy issue. The point of these commentaries is to shed light on the issues by asking: “So what does this mean for older Rhode Islanders?” Where are the funding gaps?”  “Who is being left out?  “What can be done now while larger reforms slowly grind their way forward, only to be enacted years later?”

 Many of the commentaries published this year focused on out-of- pocket costs that increase with one’s aging —especially skyrocketing medical expenses. Even when Medicare covers a significant portion of one’s care, many older adults still face overwhelming costs, from premiums and co-pays to dental and vision needs, to uncovered services and especially costly prescription drugs and nursing home care.  The reporting also examined pending questions about Medicare’s financial future, including whether the program will be able to pay beneficiaries full benefits beyond 2033, or face potential benefit cuts.  Even the Washington, DC-based National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare’s call for expanding the retirement program, along with raising the cap to enable Social Security to pay its bills made it into these commentaries.

 Another common theme in this year’s published commentaries is the recognition that aging affects not only our bodies and wallets, but also our emotions and relationships as well. The past year’s reporting on the role of loneliness and isolation serves as a reminder of how harmful they can be, especially when they lead to worse health outcomes.  In these writings, the goal is not to romanticize “community” but to show how social connection and networks in a “community” can be a good way to improve one’s health.

 The commentaries on loneliness do not regard the negative emotional response as a personal deficiency but rather as a significant policy concern influenced by the persistent scarcity of affordable housing, inadequate public transportation, mobility limitations, the loss of spouses and friends, and communities designed around the use of cars rather than their pedestrian walkability or accessibility.  How we view this matters because it is the framing that shifts the discussion away from “Why don’t older adults get out more?” to “What community barriers make connections harder to make—and what public supports are needed to make community connections possible?”

 Taking a New Look at Being Age-Friendly

The commentary on “age-friendly” thinking shows how Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns can change their programs, services, and public spaces to keep older adults engaged in their community instead of primarily isolated. The announcement that the City of Pawtucket had joined Newport, Cranston, Providence, Westerly, and Bristol to become one of Rhode Island’s Age-Friendly Network Communities is an example.  We hope to report on more communities doing the same.

Over the past year, coverage of food insecurity, and a profile on the Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, have helped to answer bigger policy questions:  What happens when demand goes up but and payments don’t? How do people get on waiting lists?  “What does “service disruption” mean for someone living at home? And how much does it cost—both in money and in people, when these programs have to be cut back?

One of the most important things we’ve reported on this year is consumer protection, especially when it comes to scams that target older people, because they are often the ones that more easily fall for scams because they have savings and are concerned about them, aren’t as familiar with digital manipulation, or have cognitive impairment.  There are many reasons why this topic is important right now, especially with new technology being used to spread scams.  And the Rhode Island General Assembly has been quick to act.  One commentary informed readers that Rhode Island has passed a new law to crack down on Crypto ATM fraud, making it the 12th state to do so.

 The best reporting on scams doesn’t just explain the tricks and why people fall for them – it also keeps the reader updated as to how scams keep changing.  Plus, it gives you practical tips as to how to avoid them, like pausing before you respond, double-checking what you’re told, and turning to someone you trust if something feels off, verifying, and seeking trusted help before acting. I wrote about these tips in great detail.

These consumer protection commentaries didn’t blame the victims, rather by framing scams as a systemic program caused by new technology and weak verification standards. And it makes this point clear.  Scams are not just seen as financial crimes; they can also cause shame, isolation, and stress that can harm your health.

 Caregiving is also another common topic in this year’s published commentaries. Aging advocates will tell you that caregivers are the hidden backbone of providing care to those in need.  They will tell you that family members, friends, and neighbors help out in ways that would otherwise need paid services or institutional care.  An AARP report says that about 121,000 in Rhode Islanders provided unpaid care to others in 2021 – estimated to be valued monetarily at over $2.1 billion.

 These commentaries on caregiving don’t talk about it in terms of sentiment, but in terms of policy, taking a look at time costs, impact on jobs, burnout, and the lack of enough respite support. The reporting also helps to shed light on common caregiver stress, and that needing help is not a personal failure but a normal result of  demographics and underfunded state programs and services.

When National Policy Hits Close to Home

In Rhode Island, where community-based services are important  to “aging in place,” the weekly coverage has helped readers to understand the whole long-term care continuum—from home care to day care to senior centers to assisted living to nursing home care, if needed.

 At best, access to health care is uneven; transportation is a barrier to many; affordable, accessible housing is limited; and the Medicaid-funded workforce that helps people stay at home is overworked and underpaid.  Older adults are dealing with rising costs for food, utilities, and rent or home upkeep, as well as the effects of inflation.

 Although many of this year’s commentaries put the spotlight on policy issues that need to be fixed, they also provide state policy makers ideas to solve these issues.  These are advocacy groups age-friendly planning; stronger protections for consumers; smarter use of technology; and increased state funding that treats community-based supports as cost-effective interventions rather than optional add-ons.

New Detailed Aging Report Will Help Officials, Policymakers

Published in RINewsToday on May 17,2025


By Herb Weiss

In an era of tightening budgets and shrinking federal and state resources for aging programs, legislators, service providers, and advocates now have access to vital data that can help identify and address the unmet needs of older adults in their communities.

Just over a week ago, the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston released the latest Healthy Aging Data Reports (HADR), funded by the Point32Health Foundation. These reports offer a comprehensive, neighborhood-level view of aging in America—insights often unavailable from other sources.

Rhode Island’s updated report, released on May 1, 2025, follows previous editions published in 2016 and 2020. This year’s release also includes updates for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, and introduces a first-time report for Maine. The HADR team is now expanding its reach to additional regions, including parts of the Deep South (such as Mississippi) and the West (including Wyoming).

“This is what’s magical about our report: we provide data at very local levels,” says Dr. Elizabeth Dugan, principal investigator and associate professor of gerontology at UMass Boston. “That empowers local advocates, helps policymakers make smarter investments, and allows philanthropists to assess the impact of their contributions,” she says.

The Rhode Island report features 41 community profiles—covering each city and town, along with two neighborhoods in Providence. Drawing on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Medicare Summary Beneficiary Files, the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and state health departments, the report highlights disparities that may be hidden in broader state- or county-level statistics.

“What’s powerful about this approach is that we can observe health outcomes that vary dramatically even within a 10-minute walk in the same city,” adds Dugan.

Spotlight on Rhode Island

Several key findings emerged from the 2025 Rhode Island report:

  • Health: Rhode Island ranks highest in New England for rates of high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and peripheral hearth disease, stroke, multiple chronic conditions (four or more), and anxiety disorders.
  • Gender Disparities: Women experience anxiety and depression at rates 15% higher than men and are also more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and PTSD.
  • Housing: Roughly 39% of older renters spend more than 35% of their income on housing. Additionally, 46% of Rhode Islanders aged 65 and older report annual incomes under $50,000.

“The Rhode Island Healthy Aging Data Reports are invaluable,” says Maureen Maigret, Policy Advisor for the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island and a member of several state aging commissions. “They provide essential data down to the ZIP code level, which is useful for legislative testimony, policy recommendations, program planning, and grant writing.”

With Rhode Island’s older adult population rising from 16.5% in 2020 to 18% in 2025, this data is more critical than ever. “The report shows how age and racial diversity vary widely across communities,” Maigret says, noting that in some smaller towns, older adults now make up over 30% of the population.

Maigret notes that availability of localized data helps municipalities develop comprehensive plans and adopt age-friendly strategies. Interactive maps within the report allow comparisons with state averages, making it easier to target resources where they are most needed.

The report also reveals demographic shifts, including a rise in the Hispanic older adult population—from 4.9% in 2020 to 5.9% in 2025. “There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes,” says Maigret. “Black and Hispanic older adults are more likely to be dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and to be enrolled in Medicare managed care,” she says.

As lawmakers navigate complex budget negotiations and potential changes to federal programs such as the Administration for Community Living, Medicaid, and the CDC, Maigret stresses the importance of leveraging this data in decision-making.

“Despite the growth in our older population and increasing reports of elder abuse, neglect, and substandard nursing home care, the Office of Healthy Aging’s budget has remained relatively flat,” she warns. “With half of its funding coming from the federal government, proposed cuts could seriously undermine vital programs such as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman,” she adds.

The report also shines a light on mental health, showing high rates of depression and anxiety—especially among older women. Maigret believes this supports increased investment in the 988 mental health crisis line and other behavioral health services.

Another notable trend is the continued shift toward Medicare managed care, now covering more than half of Rhode Islanders aged 65 and older. While rates of arthritis and depression have increased, the report also notes a decline in nursing home stays, inpatient admissions, emergency room visits, and several chronic conditions such as diabetes, COPD, hypertension, and heart disease.

Since the 2020 report, communities have taken meaningful steps to support aging in place. “The Village Common of RI has built age-friendly communities that enable older adults to live independently with the care and resources needed to promote health and well-being,” says Maigret. “There are now 11 local villages across 14 communities, supported by trained volunteers who help members stay connected and independent.”

Data Driving Policy and Innovation

Marie E. Cimini, MSW, Director of the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, says the HADR report has broad implications. “As a state agency, we must lead with policies that prioritize inclusion, access, and dignity throughout the aging journey.”

“The report reinforces our commitment to advancing the goals outlined in the RI 2030 Plan, especially around expanding in-home care, supporting workforce development, and strengthening behavioral health services,” Cimini continues. “But it also challenges us to go further—to integrate aging into every aspect of public life and ensure that the voices of older adults inform policy at every level.”

For Meghan Grady, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island (MOWRI), one of the most important takeaways is the persistence of health disparities, particularly in managing chronic conditions. Grady supports legislation introduced by Sen. Victoria Gu (D-Dist. 38) and Rep. Justine Caldwell (D-Dist. 30) to integrate medically tailored meals into healthcare delivery. “This report validates our advocacy,” she says. “Food is a fundamental part of care, especially for aging populations facing health disparities.”

The HADR report is also proving instrumental for nonprofit organizations. “We use the data in community presentations, grant proposals, and to guide our work in promoting health equity,” says Debra Burton, Executive Director of RI Elder Info. “With so much uncertainty around policy and funding for programs that impact older adults and caregivers, this data helps us identify where changes will have the greatest impact,” she says.

James Connell, Executive Director of Age-Friendly RI, agrees. “The Healthy Aging Data Report is extraordinarily helpful for nonprofits across sectors. I used it to support funding for a home-share program that pairs older homeowners with individuals facing housing insecurity—a creative approach to our state’s housing crisis,” he says.

“The ’25 Healthy Aging Report provides vital indicators of older adult well-being that are essential for policymaking, intentional planning, and program development,” says Connell. “The data highlight serious concerns about the mental and emotional health of our community, with one in three Rhode Islanders experiencing anxiety and/or depression.” Connell also emphasizes the report’s finding that women are disproportionately affected, calling it “a clear call to action for improved screening and more accessible treatment options.”

Greg Shell, Chair of the Point32Health Foundation Board of Directors, emphasizes the value of data in shaping policy. “When we use data to guide our work, we can change policies and practices, engage communities, and highlight what truly matters,” he says. “These reports are essential tools in making New England a better place to grow up and grow old.”

The research team behind the Healthy Aging Data Reports includes: Principal Investigator Elizabeth Dugan, PhD, along with Nina Silverstein, PhD; Qian Song, PhD; Taylor Jansen, PhD; Jay Lee, PhD; Yan-Jhu Su, PhD; Han Lin, PhD; Shan Qu, MS; Tiffany Tang, BS; Jeannine Johnson, PhD; Amanda Cox, MS; and Mengshi Liu.

To access the 2025 Rhode Island Healthy Aging Data Report, visit https://healthyagingdatareports.org/ri/rhode-island-healthy-aging-data-report.

Meals on Wheels Should Be Expanded

 Published in Pawtucket Times, October 25, 2013

            A warm, nutritious meal combined with social interaction can go a long way to putting the brakes to a state’s spiraling Medicaid costs.  According to new study findings detailed in this months issue of Health Affairs by Brown University public health researchers, expanding programs like Meals on Wheels, would save 26 of 48 states money in their Medicaid programs, just by allowing a person to stay in their own homes. 

            Kali Thomas, Assistant Professor of Research in the Brown University School of Public Health, says that if every U.S. state in the lower 48 expanded the number of seniors receiving meals by just 1 percent, 1,722 more Medicaid recipients avoid living in a nursing facility and most states would experience a net annual savings from implementing the expansion.

Put the Brakes to Medicaid Costs

            According to the study’s findings, Medicaid cost savings would be different in every state.  For instance, Pennsylvania would see the greatest net savings – $5.7 million – as Medicaid costs for nursing facility care decrease more than costs rose for delivering the additional meals.  Meanwhile, Florida would see a net cost of nearly $11.5 million instead. Overall, 26 states would stand to see a net savings according to the Brown University Public Health analysis, while 22 would end up spending more.

            Every state would enable more seniors, who could live independently except for meals, to remain in their homes regardless of whether they are on Medicaid.

            Thomas, the study’s lead author, believes the study’s findings can provide guidance for state lawmakers and state policymakers as they hammer out budget funding for home-delivered meals programs, which are conducted under the Older Americans Act.

            “We wanted to provide a roadmap for people,” Thomas said.

             To calculate Medicaid savings, Thomas and co-author Vincent Mor, Brown’s Florence Pirce Grant Professor of Community Health, examined data, including how many seniors in each state receive home-delivered meals and how much it costs each state to provide those meals. She and Mor also took a look at nursing facility and Medicaid data to estimate the number of seniors that Medicaid maintains in nursing facilities who are “low-care,” meaning they may have the functional capabilities to live at home. Finally they looked at the per diem Medicaid pays in each state for seniors to live in nursing facilities.

 Keeping Seniors at Home

             The study findings allowed them to estimate the incremental cost of providing meals to 1 percent more seniors in each state, the number of additional seniors on Medicaid who would no longer need to live in nursing facilities, and how much less Medicaid would have to pick up for the higher level of care in each state.

            The researchers found that the 1 percent expansion nationwide would bring meals to 392,594 more seniors at a cost of more than $117 million. Because 1,722 seniors would no longer have to live in costly nursing facilities paid for by Medicaid, total program savings would total $109 million.

            The reason why the study’s findings indicate that additional food delivery costs outstrip Medicaid savings nationwide, even though most states would save money on a net basis, is that in some very large states with relatively few low-care seniors or relatively low Medicaid per diems, food costs outweighed the resulting Medicaid savings on a relatively large scale.

            “In states like California and Florida where a 1-percent increase in the 65-plus population is a lot of people, it will cost those states a lot more to feed them,” Thomas said.

            But, as she and Mor wrote in Health Affairs, “Our analyses suggest that 26 states with high Medicaid nursing home per diem reimbursement rates, a large proportion of low-care [nursing home residents on Medicaid], and a relatively small population of older adults, could save money.”

            Thomas said states projected to lose money can opt to focus their efforts in ways that are more precise than an across-the-board expansion.

            “We’re not proposing that all states simply increase the proportion of age 65 plus receiving meals by 1 percent,” she said. “But if they were to target these vulnerable people who are at risk for nursing home placement they would likely see more savings. This is a program that has the potential to save states a lot of money if it’s done correctly.”

            Policymakers should consider not only the fiscal implications of providing home-delivered meals, which the study quantifies, but also the impact on individual seniors, said Thomas, who has seen the benefits anecdotally as a Meals on Wheels volunteer in both Florida and Rhode Island.

            Thomas’s research, detailed in this month’s issue of Health Affairs, which was completed last December, is featured in AARP Rhode Island’s award-winning documentary Hungry in the West End. Creator and director John Martin of the AARP

             Rhode Island state office screened the documentary in August at the Meals on Wheels Association of America National Conference in Boston. You can watch Hungry in the West End online at www.aarp.org/hungry.

             Although the quality of life argument is easy to see, other researchers, like Thomas, are closely looking at how the Meals on Wheels program can lower Medicaid costs.

             Based on a study by the Washington, D.C. based Center for Effective Government released in April 2013, every dollar invested in Meals on Wheels today could save taxpayers up to $50 in Medicaid costs down the road.

 Other Benefits of Meals on Wheels  

             Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of the Meals on Wheels Association of America, observes that both Brown University and the Center for Effective Government studies specifically focused on Medicaid savings attributable to nursing homes, but do not take into consideration significant savings that would be realized through reduced Medicare costs as well, through fewer visits to physicians and the emergency room and less hospitalization or reduced readmissions.

             Hollander says, “We have long known that the value of Meals on Wheels goes beyond the social and moral imperative of helping to address the epidemic of senior hunger in America.  “The friendly visit and a safety check are a lifeline enabling seniors to live more independently and healthy in their own homes, which in turn avoids far more costly health care alternatives often paid through Medicare and Medicaid,” she says.

             “The Brown University research proves what our work has long suggested to us: the Home Delivered Meals Program not only makes a positive impact for the senior, it is a good investment for the state as well,” says Executive Director Heather Amaral, Meals on Wheels of RI.

            Another study is in the works to support Thomas’ efforts to closely look at the impact of nutritious home delivered meals.  According to Hollander, a $350,000 grant from the AARP Foundation and the Meals on Wheels Association announced on Oct. 6 will enable Thomas to begin her randomized controlled trial of 600 seniors representing a cross-section of rural, urban, low income and minority populations across the country and a majority of the grant will be used to feed these seniors.            

            In this upcoming study, 200 seniors will receive meals daily, 200 more will receive a delivery of frozen meals once a week and then another 200 will continue on the waiting list as before as a control group. The study will compare quality of life, isolation, and health care utilization among individuals before and after they begin receiving meals and across the three groups.

             Holland says, “Through our generous grant from AARP Foundation, and with Dr. Thomas and Brown University’s help, we will seek to monetize the value add of the “more than a meal” component of Meals on Wheels.”

A Call for Support

            On AARP.org, Kathleen S. Connell, Rhode Island AARP State Director, calls on state lawmakers to take a very hard look at how they fund the state’s Meals on Wheels program.  Connell urges Congress not to put the Meals on Wheels program on the budgetary chopping block as a way to chop the huge federal budget deficit.

            Connell says that “Leaders need to be reminded that Meals on Wheels recipients aren’t unemployed workers waiting to return to jobs that will accompany an economic recovery. They are older retirees living on limited fixed incomes. With the cost of prescription medicines, healthcare and utilities going up, they sometimes can’t afford to eat. Many commonly sacrifice on food because of money worries – real or feared.”

            Connell notes, “Meals on Wheels is a big deal [to seniors]. No one should take it for granted.”

            Herb Weiss, LRI ’12, is a writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.