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Walktober with AARP: Neighborhood Walks and Walk Audits across Providence

Published in RINewsToday on September 29, 2025

As part of AARP Rhode Island’s ongoing Livable Communities initiatives, the state’s largest aging organization will launch a series of “Walktober” events next month in collaboration with America Walks, local elected officials, municipal departments, planners, outreach specialists, volunteers, and community groups. The effort will feature neighborhood walks and walk audits across Providence. Accessibility is a priority, ensuring that people using mobility aids are included.

According to AARP Rhode Island, walking through neighborhoods allows volunteers to document and report infrastructure issues such as missing or uneven sidewalks, unsafe crosswalks, inadequate lighting, and the lack of benches, shade, and green space. These findings will help shape proposals for community improvements. The goal is to raise public awareness and highlight the importance of well-designed, well-maintained, and inclusive sidewalks, curb cuts, bump outs, and pedestrian-friendly spaces that contribute to a thriving community.

AARP Rhode Island notes that Walktober is a collaboration between the nonprofit and America Walks has organized nearly a dozen free, engaging community events aimed at helping residents appreciate walking as an enjoyable and healthy alternative to other means of getting around.

They Walk Their Talk

Taking part in Walktober is internationally known “multidisciplinary walking artist” and mobility justice activist Jonathon Stalls, who founded Walk2Connect (now Walk America) in 2012 after completing a 3,030-mile walk across the nation in 2010. Stalls will join America Walks board member Garrett Brumfield, a disability rights advocate and popular “sit-down” comedian, at the kickoff event scheduled for Wednesday, October 8. The event begins with a free “connection walk” at 5:00 p.m., followed by a free public walk, talk, book signing, and reception at the Providence Public Library.

Stalls, a respected author, wrote WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1–3 Miles Per Hour. The 240-page book, published by North Atlantic Books, is a collection of essays exploring the benefits of walking—for both individuals and communities—and how walking can be transformational. Attendees will receive a free copy.

Over the years, Stalls has documented his long walks, including a 200-mile trek from Providence to New York to explore how built environments affect communities, especially marginalized residents who cannot or do not drive. Walking, he argues, reveals how public spaces can become safer and more inclusive for all. At national and international conferences, Stalls advocates for transportation systems that prioritize pedestrians and calls for incorporating mobility justice into urban planning.

Joining him is Garrett Brumfield, a Roanoke, Virginia resident and disability rights advocate living with cerebral palsy. He calls for improved public transportation, mobility infrastructure, and community planning that make cities accessible to all—older adults, wheelchair users, and families with strollers alike.

On LinkedIn, Brumfield explains:“It is my mission to use my story and my experiences of living with Cerebral Palsy to help others overcome whatever obstacles stand in their way. Whether your obstacle is big or small, permanent or temporary, I believe you have the power to overcome it. The steps may be small, and the journey may be long, but I guarantee it’ll be worth it. I’m overcoming mine—how will you overcome yours?”

Also known as a sit-down comedian, Brumfield uses humor to break down barriers and promote empathy and awareness around disability issues. His performances challenge stereotypes and encourage new perspectives about what people with disabilities can do.

Brumfield serves on the board of Walk America, based in Seattle, Washington, which advocates for walkability, accessibility, and disability rights nationwide. He completed his Walking College Fellowship through America Walks in 2017 and has since become a mentor in the program, while collaborating on initiatives to improve walkability and “rollability” across the country.

Walking Audits in Providence Neighborhoods

As part of Walktober, AARP Rhode Island has scheduled additional walks and audits throughout October. On October 9, a Broadway Walk/Roll Audit will take place, along with other events including a Comedy Walk & Roll with Brumfield and a Glow Stick Walk/Roll Dance Party.

Other Walktober walks are being hosted by Village Common Walking Group, Providence Preservation Society and Ocean State Center for Independent Living.

Through AARP’s 2025 Community Challenge grants, Providence’s Age-Friendly PVD initiative is funding four walk audits in neighborhoods with high concentrations of older adults to identify pedestrian safety challenges.

“AARP Rhode Island is pleased to work with so many community partners and with America Walks to promote access and safety for walkers and rollers of all ages and abilities,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor. “Walktober is truly a celebration, and we hope, at times, an inspiration as well as a wake-up call, as walk audits throughout the city reveal barriers and unsafe conditions that need to be addressed.

Added Taylor, “Walking is great exercise, and as walking groups become more and more popular, they serve as an opportunity for socialization that is very important to many people as they age.”

Here is How It Works…

According to AARP Rhode Island, walk audits involve participants walking through neighborhoods and noting infrastructure issues: missing or uneven sidewalks, unsafe crosswalks, poor lighting, or lack of benches and shade. Participants then document and report their findings so changes can be proposed and considered.

The events are meant to be inclusive, with accessibility a top priority. Walk audits not only identify safety concerns but also raise public awareness and encourage cities to take action.

Get Involved

·         For kickoff event and registration details and locations of walk audits visit register: www.aarp.org/RIWalktober, where you also will find an interactive Walktober Map.

·         To learn how to assess and report on the safety and walkability of a street, intersection, or neighborhood, visit the AARP Walk Audit Tool Kit at https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/aarp-walk-audit-tool-kit.html

Advocates call for Governor to reject budget cuts they say would harm older adults

Published in RINewsToday on Oct. 28, 2024

As the state’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) holds its Revenue & Caseload Estimate Conference to discuss the economic and revenue outlook for the upcoming legislative session, the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI) warns of “onerous budget cuts” proposed by state agencies overseeing programs and services for Rhode Islanders. At press time, the state’s Medicaid and the Office of Healthy Aging offices proposed 7.5 percent budget cuts to be included in the upcoming fiscal year 2026 budget. 

“It is unconscionable that at a time when our older population is growing – projected to reach one out of every four Rhode Islanders in a few years — to propose budget cuts for programs proven to keep them healthy and safe and that in the long term can save taxpayers money,” says SACRI Board Chair, Diane Santos.

According to Santos, the requests put forward by the Office of Healthy Aging (OHA) include a reduction in state funds for the Meals on Wheels home-delivered meals program projected to cause 13,000 fewer meals to be delivered to persons unable to shop and prepare meals; cuts in funding for local Senior Centers and programs for older adults; elimination of grants to provide security services in elderly housing; and decreased funding to support the Elderly Transportation program. 

Santos warns that proposed changes in Medicaid eligibility guidelines are projected to cause hundreds of vulnerable older adults and persons with disabilities to lose state Medicaid coverage for their nursing home care and cause nursing homes, many of which are already struggling financially and face critical worker shortages, to lose millions of dollars if implemented. In addition, changes in the Medicaid CNOM (Costs Not Otherwise Matchable) program could reduce federal dollars that match state funding and impact hundreds of persons receiving home care and adult day services that help keep them living at home, the proposed cuts could result in greater spending in other areas.

For example, says Maureen Maigret, SACRI Policy Advisor, “Brown University researchers have shown that funds spent on home-delivered meals can delay or even prevent costly nursing home care.”

Over the years, Maigret noted that SACRI has worked to boost state funding to communities to assist them to operate local senior centers and programs. These serve hundreds of older adults and families across the state with a wide range of programs that keep older adults healthy, informed and connected to their communities, she noted.

SACRI has called for the state’s budget to provide ten dollars for each person aged 65 and over to Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns, says Maigret, calculating that this amounts to about $20 per older adult. “The proposed cuts now being considered fail to recognize the increased need for these services due to the significant growth of our older population,” says Maigret.

Drawing a line in the sand

At press time, SACRI and its partners delivered a letter to Gov. McKee urging him to not balance the state budget on the back of Rhode Island’s older adults, stressing that the “potential ripple impact on families will be significant.

“Nonprofits and those who will be impacted need to know that SACRI and its partners are closely watching this process and are ready to advocate to protect programs and services which may impact our varied constituencies,” says Carol Anne Costa, SACRI Executive Director.

Costa continued, “The fastest growing demographic in RI is people over the age of 65. That is an obstinate fact. And cuts to the budget must be re-prioritized.” The Office of the State Ombudsman agreed, “If anything, OHA should be getting an increase, as they manage to complete all of their obligations on a shoestring budget. And kudos to Maria Cimini and her team at OHA for the outstanding work they do,” says Kathleen Heren, the RI Ombudsman.

Costa noted that OHA is Rhode Island’s designated state unit on aging. It serves as the chief advocate for older Rhode Islanders, adults living with disabilities, and family caregivers. “Prioritizing reductions in spending in areas not directly tied to OHA’s core mission or that would not harm vulnerable older adults and persons with disabilities dependent on Medicaid to meet their long-term care needs is clearly a place to start [in determining budget cuts]. Administrative expenses and the millions of dollars being paid out to consultants could be heavily scrutinized for budget reductions,” she says. 

Adds Mirelle Sayaf, Executive Director of Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL), “The proposed budget cuts pose a serious threat to the mission of the OSCIL, which is dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities. Reducing funding, along with changes to Medicaid eligibility and essential programs, will harm those we serve. These cuts jeopardize vital services such as home care, nutritional support, and community engagement initiatives that empower individuals to live independently and maintain their quality of life.”

“Cutting the budget for the OHA when its resources are already extremely stressed to fully meet the needs of a growing older population is unjustified,” charges SACRI’s Maigret, who is also a former Director of the Department of Elderly Affairs.”

Maigret also opposes changes to Medicaid eligibility after advocates have spent years to ensure persons in need of long term supports and services have access to a range of affordable options, and avoidance of long wait lists for service. She calls for increasing resources to the Rhode Island’s cities and towns to help them support local programs for older adults and increasing eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program so lower-income persons on Medicare can afford needed healthcare.  But, Maigret also says that housing needs of older adults must be considered when allocating housing funds.

Food & Shelter important, too

Gerontologist Deb Burton, Executive Director of RI Elder Info also has some thoughts about the state’s proposed budget cuts.

“Cuts to Meals on Wheels that cause our most vulnerable, at-risk, elders to go hungry are simply unconscionable. Taking meals away from our elders cannot happen,” says Burton.

“We must bring back the housing stabilization unit for older adults. Older adult homelessness has increased more than 400% since COVID hit and rents skyrocketed. Rising housing costs, fixed incomes, and wait lists of 2-8 years for affordable elderly housing have all contributed to this crisis. In addition to these challenges, the application process for getting an apartment is onerous and nearly impossible if one does not have access to the internet,” adds Burton.

Eviction prevention is critical in addressing the elder homelessness issue, says Burton, noting that private sector partnerships and philanthropic donations can support a housing stability unit for older adults, ensuring sustainable funding for eviction prevention programs.

“We must find the strength and compassion to provide the funding necessary for food and shelter for our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. If we don’t, what does the future hold for ourselves?” asks Burton.  

A Final Call

“The November Revenue and Caseload Estimating Conferences will provide updated projections to inform budget development which will help set priorities. However, RI’s most vulnerable and fastest growing demographic must be prioritized in finalizing the FY2026 budget,” urges Costa.

Gubernatorial Candidates Put Spotlight on Rhode Island’s Fragmented LTC Continuum

Published in Pawtucket Times on August 8, 2022

Last week, hundreds of seniors and aging advocates gathered at East Providence High School to learn more about aging policy positions from 6 Rhode Island Gubernatorial candidates. Many more watched virtually as the event was streamed online.

During the 143-minute forum, the invited Gubernatorial candidates (five Democratic and one Republican, gave two-minute responses to seven questions previously given to them and hammered out by the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) and its 17 cosponsors, that would elicit how each, if elected Governor, would fix Rhode Island’s fragmented long-term care continuum and provider payment systems.

According to Bernard J. Beaudreau, Executive Director of the Providence-based SACRI about 300 seniors and aging advocates came to personally see the Gubernatorial candidates outline their position on aging issues. Multiple platforms on Facebook and YouTube were promoted by a variety of senior advocacy groups that resulted in the over 300 virtual audience. Some held “watch parties” at one or more of the 12 senior centers, with approximately 135 people participating from throughout the state.

Before the forum began at 10:00 a.m., Deborah Burton, Executive Director of RI Elder Info, one of the forum’s sponsors, provided the welcome, explaining why it was so important for older voters to understand the aging agenda of the next Rhode Island Governor and their commitment to funnel funding and resources to the state’s aging program and services. “The policies of the incoming Governor will impact a large number of baby boomers in the state,” said Burton, noting that the Gen X’s, often forgotten, are right behind them. “We need to have a system [long-term care continuum] in place that is effective, that is funded, and is what we need and want as we age,” she said.

“It was very evident that these candidates came prepared and took the forum and all the issues impacting older Rhode Islanders very seriously,” said a very pleased Beaudreau.

Talking the Talk about Senior Issues

Here is a sampling of policy issues touched on by the candidates:

The attending candidates gave their thoughts as to how they would rebuild and sustain a viable workforce of nursing homes and homecare providers.

Two term Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea said she felt that we, as a society, do not value caregiving. She called for investing in the workforce of nursing home providers by increases tothe state’s Medicaid rates. The educational sector can become a pipeline to “nurture and grow” jobs for this sector, she said.

Governor Dan McKee stated he addressed staffing issues at home health agencies and nursing homes by expanding the Wavemaker Fellowships to include healthcare workers and increasing reimbursement rates for home health agencies by $ 900,000 annually. McKee also noted that in last year’s budget it gave the state’s nursing facilities a cost-of-living increase to ensure funding to increase their workforce.

Healthcare provider businesswoman Ashley Kalus, a Republican candidate, also called for increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate. “Respect long-term care as a career choice which means there needs to be a path from home health care aide, to certified nursing assistant, licensed practical nursing, registered nurse and Nurse Practitioner through apprenticeship and training programs,” she said.

Former CVS Executive Helena Foulkes supports expanding Medicaid, but we must hold the nursing homes accountable to make sure that the increases of state funding go to workers and not to equity owners of nursing homes.

Healthcare advocate Dr. Luis Daniel Luis Muñoz says we should increase reimbursement rates for providers. He calls for the creation of a state-based medical school to create more dental professionals and physicians. “That is how we can increase the providers necessary to serve Rhode Islanders,’ he says.

Former Secretary of State Matt Brown blamed Rhode Island’s staffing shortage on the General Assembly slashing Medicaid reimbursement rates over the years. He called for an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates and increasing minimum wage to direct care workers in Medicaid nursing facilities to $20 per hour. This would attract workers from Southern Massachusetts, he predicted.

The attending candidates also gave their thoughts as to their strategies for Medicaid rebalancing and the program’s expansion to improve home and community-based care opportunities along with ensuring financial viability of nursing homes.

Muñoz called for a targeted approach to supplementing wages for providers taking care of seniors, noting that “twenty dollars is not a livable wage. We lost the culture of taking care of people,” he said, “but it will take money, increasing providers; but programmatically the state needs to make a commitment to expand its community and home-based programs working with multiple departments, to bring back this culture of care.”

Brown warns that 87 percent of nursing homes are in risk of closing and the state must address this by increasing Medicaid rates so as to give these facilities the financial stability they need. As to home care, pay must be increased to direct home care workers. But do not forget about family caregivers.

“We do not have an adequate paid Family Leave program in the state,” he says. As Governor, Brown would call for creation of a program to give 16 weeks of adequate pay.

Kalus calls for seniors to be placed in the least restricted setting. There should be adequate senior housing available to allow a person to live independently in the community. “We must reimage the continuum of care,” says Kalus, stressing that different types of care must be working together.

According to Kalus, if you go to a hospital there should be an incentive to discharge you to a nursing home with rehab, if that is possible, and then provide an incentive to move a person to less restricted continuum of care from there, such as home care and then independent living. An organization, like an Accountable Care Organization, must ensure there are no incentives to keep you in one type of care environment, over a less restrictive one, she says.

McKee touted the $10 million dollars invested this year to rebalance the long-term care continuum. He announced that he plans to shortly issue an Executive Order to direct state agencies to review existing policies through a healthy aging lens and address accessibility and impacts on Rhode Island’s aging population. He will also direct state agencies to appoint a representative to the task force that will create a Statewide Aging Plan.

Foulkes called for the state to create a long-term comprehensive plan for providing programs and services for seniors. Politicians seem to implement short term fixes year to year, making small timeframe moves. She urges improving discharge planning and technology and compensating family members to keep seniors at home. Nursing home care should be changed to provide single rooms with single-use bathrooms to ensure their dignity of living in a nursing home, and prevent spread of infectious diseases, a lesson learned from the pandemic.

Gorbea says Rhode Island is “clearly off the mark” as to how it spends its Medicaid dollars on home care services. Twenty six percent of the state’s Medicaid budget is spent on home care, compared to many states allocating over 41 percent. “That’s where we have to go,” she says. “If you are going to encourage people to stay at home, you must have housing and transit options,” she notes.

In Retrospect…

“While there were similar opinions, each candidate presented their own perspective,” said SACRI’s Beaudreau, noting that he did not hear anything anyone said that would be objectionable to aging advocates. “We now have on record their pledge and commitment that there will be a plan and anaction agenda that will benefit all seniors of the state,” says Beaudreau, “if they are elected Rhode Island’s 77th Governor next November.

“It is clear we have a slate of very quality candidates,” says Beaudreau at the conclusion of the forum.

Maureen Maigret, chair of the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council’s Aging in Community Subcommittee and SACRI Board Member stated, “the Forum exceeded my expectations in terms of attendance (in-person and virtual), and I consider it an absolute success.”

Maigret reported that all candidates supported: “making the Office of Healthy Aging a full cabinet/department with review of sufficiency of resources; expansion of Medicare Savings Program which I have been advocating for at least 5 years and adding a state COLA to SSI payments; requiring better data on minority older adult inclusion; addressing community living, housing and transportation needs of older persons and developing and implementing a comprehensive, interdepartmental strategic Plan on Aging.

What was most important is that this event made them really pay attention to the fact the state has a significantly growing number of older persons which calls for transformative change. By highlighting some policies needed to address these demographic changes and getting candidates on record in support of them, they can be held accountable,” says Maigret. “The other significant outcome was to have so many co-sponsors come together in support of the policies put forward,” she added.

“There needs to be immediate leadership and follow-thru with all appropriate stakeholders to design and implement a seamless state/local delivery system for “aging in place” services, including increased care payments and efficient reimbursement to providers,” says Vincent Marzullo, well-known aging advocate who served as a federal civil rights and national service administrator. “With vision and commitment, Rhode Island can be a more appealing retirement community by aggressively addressing healthcare disparities and elevating the RI Office on Healthy Aging to full Departmental status with broader authority/responsibilities. This conversation must now include our General Assembly leaders,” said Marzullo, a West Warwick resident who serves on SACRI’s Board.

Co-sponsoring this event was a broad coalition of 18 service providers and advocates: 

A Community Together, Alzheimer’s Association of RI, Carelink, Community Partners Network of RI, Economic Progress Institute, Leading Age RI, NAACP Providence Branch, Ocean State Center for Independent Living, PACE, Progreso Latino, RI Assisted Living Association, RI Elder Info, RI Health Care Association, RI Organizing Project, RI Senior Centers Directors Association, SEIU Healthcare 1199, Senior Agenda Coalition of RI and Village Common of RI.

To watch the forum, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okQ5FguKMao.

For info about the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island, go to https://senioragendari.org/.