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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.

One Year Later – Two Surveys Examine Impact of COVID-19

Published in RINewsToday on May24, 2021

Over the year the raging pandemic has impacted on the physical and mental health of Americans. With daily COVID case counts now the lowest since last year and hospitals seeing less coronavirus hospitalizations, most states, including Rhode Island, are now opening up.

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) latest Stress in AmericaTM poll (findings released on March 11, 2021), the nation’s health crisis is far from over. Just one year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, many adults report increased negative behaviors, such as undesired changes to their weight and increased drinking, that may be related to their inability to cope with prolonged stress.

APA’s survey of U.S. adults, conducted in late February 2021 by The Harris Poll, shows that a majority of adults (61 percent) experienced undesired weight changes—weight gain or loss—since the pandemic started, with 42 percent reporting they gained more weight than they intended. Of these individuals, they gained an average of 29 pounds (the median amount gained was 15 pounds) and 10 percent stated they gained more than 50 pounds, noted the poll’s findings.

Gaining Weight Bad for Your Health

Weight changes come with significant health risks, including higher vulnerability to serious illness from COVID-19.  According to the National Institute of Health, people who gain more than 11 pounds are at higher risk of developing Type II diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease, and people who gain more than 24 pounds are at higher risk of developing ischemic stroke. 

For the 18 percent of Americans who said they lost more weight than they wanted to, the average amount of weight lost was 26 pounds (median amount lost was 12 pounds). Adult respondents also reported unwanted changes in sleep patterns and increased alcohol consumption. Two in 3 (67 percent) said they have been sleeping more or less than desired since the pandemic started. Nearly 1 in 4 adults (or 23 percent) reported drinking more alcohol to cope with their stress.

“We’ve been concerned throughout this pandemic about the level of prolonged stress, exacerbated by the grief, trauma and isolation that Americans are experiencing. This survey reveals a secondary crisis that is likely to have persistent, serious mental and physical health consequences for years to come,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr, PhD, APA’s chief executive officer, in a March 21st statement announcing the results of the study’s findings. 

Evans calls on health and policy leaders to come together quickly to provide additional behavioral health supports as part of any national recovery plan.

The researchers found that the pandemic took a particularly heavy toll on parents of children under 18-years old. While slightly more than 3 in 10 adults (31 percent) reported their mental health has worsened compared with before the pandemic, nearly half of mothers who still have children home for remote learning (47 percent) say that their mental health has worsened; 30 percent of the fathers who still have children home said the same. 

APA’s study also found that parents were more likely than those without children to have received treatment from a mental health professional (32 percent vs. 12 percent) and to have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder since the coronavirus pandemic began (24 percent vs. 9 percent). More than half of fathers (55 percent) reported gaining weight, and nearly half (48 percent) said they are drinking more alcohol to cope with stress.

As to essential workers, (either persons working in health care or law enforcement), the majority said that they relied on a lot of unhealthy habits to get through the year-long pandemic. Nearly 3 in 10 (29 percent said their mental health has worsened, while 3 in 4 (75 percent) said they could have used more emotional support than they received since the pandemic began. Essential workers were more than twice as likely as adults who were not essential workers to have received treatment from a mental health professional (34 percent vs. 12 percent) and to have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder since the coronavirus pandemic started (25 percent vs. 9 percent).

Furthermore, people of color noted that unintended physical changes occurred during the pandemic. Hispanic adults were most likely to report undesired changes to sleep (78 percent Hispanic vs. 76 percent Black, 63 percent white and 61 percent Asian), physical activity levels (87 percent Hispanic vs. 84 percent Black, 81 percent Asian and 79 percent white) and weight (71 percent Hispanic vs. 64 percent Black, 58 percent white and 54 percent Asian) since the beginning of the pandemic.

Black Americans were most likely to report feelings of concern about the future, say the researchers, noting that more than half said they do not feel comfortable going back to living life like they used to before the pandemic (54 percent Black vs. 48 percent Hispanic, 45 percent Asian and 44 percent white).  They also feel uneasy about adjusting to in-person interaction once the pandemic ends (57 percent Black vs. 51 percent Asian, 50 percent Hispanic and 47 percent white).

“It’s clear that the pandemic is continuing to have a disproportionate effect on certain groups,” said APA President Jennifer Kelly, PhD. “We must do more to support communities of color, essential workers and parents as they continue to cope with the demands of the pandemic and start to show the physical consequences of prolonged stress,” says Kelly.

COVID-19’s Impact on Seniors

A newly released AARP study, released on May 10, 2021, has found that more than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, most adults age 50 and older say that it has had a negative impact on their mental health. Researchers found that seven in 10 older adults reported an increase in sadness or depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly 8 in 10 said they had increased concern about the future, worry or anxiety. Half of adults 50 and older reported feelings of anxiety in the last two weeks, and 56% noted difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep, say the study’s findings.

“If you are feeling stressed and anxious after the last year, you are far from alone!” said Alison Bryant, Senior Vice President of Research at AARP in a statement announcing the survey results. “As our survey highlights, most older adults’ mental health and wellbeing was affected by the pandemic—and some of the ways we coped might not have been great for our health, either. With many communities returning to normal, we hope older adults will consider taking steps to reclaim their health this spring and summer,” she said.

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic

According to the AARP study findings, seniors are responding to the increased stress in a variety of ways. About one in four of the respondents reported they are eating comfort foods or “unhealthy foods” like chips and candy more often than before the pandemic. And 27 percent of people 50 and over have increased the time they spend praying or meditating. One in 10 survey respondents reported seeking mental health care in the last year, a third of whom did so specifically because of the pandemic. Overall, 15 percent of older adults said that experiencing the pandemic made them more likely to seek help from a mental health provider if they had concerns.

AARP’s survey also highlighted how the pandemic increased loneliness and isolation among those age 50 and over.  Among older adults, 58 percent reported feeling increased loneliness, and 62 percent were less likely to socialize with friends and family compared to before the pandemic.