Tag Archives for Roger Williams

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

A Physician’s Guide to Living Life Fully, Not Just Longer, with Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

Published in RINewsToday on October 12, 2025

Over two weeks ago, over 300 advocates, providers, and older adults gathered at the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island’s (SACRI) 16th Annual Conference and Expo, “Navigating Choppy Waters – Shelter from the Storm,” held at Rhode on the Pawtuxets in Cranston.

The Sept. 25 event featured a thought-provoking keynote address by Dr. Ed Iannuccilli, state legislative updates, unveiling a new award to recognize two advocates, along with a panel discussion exploring critical topics facing older adults.

“This conference, by all measure, was a tremendous success,” said Carol Anne Costa, Executive Director of the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI, noting that the new venue, the topics, the engagement of the audience was reflected in the energy in the room.

“We are collecting survey responses an the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Costa noting that people are craving the opportunities to reconnect in person and in conversation. “If our vision for this conference helped to achieve that, it’s a win,” she said. 

___

Simple Tips on Aging Gracefully

 Dr. Ed Iannuccilli, a highly respected retired board-certified internist and gastroenterologist and the author of six published books, delivered an impassioned 31-minute keynote shifting the tone from legislation and program updates.  He offered common-sense advice on aging gracefully and called for changes in the state’s health care system to restore compassion and personal connection.

Looking back to the early days of his medical practice, Iannuccilli—who practiced medicine for over 30 years—recalled a conversation with a lively, healthy 80-year-old woman.

“In the innocence of my youth, I said admiringly, ‘At 80, you’re in marvelous condition. You don’t need to worry—age is just a number.’”

“She looked at me, twirled her ring, straightened her smock, squinted, pursed her lips, and said, ‘Young man, I have the number. Don’t you ever tell anyone that again,’” he said.

“And I never did,” he added. “It was an early lesson. As Oscar Wilde said, ‘With age comes wisdom, but sometimes wisdom comes with winters.’ Well, I have the winters now. I have the number. And I’m pleased to say that no one has dared call it just a number again,” said the Bristol resident.

As for reducing the stress of growing old, Iannuccilli shared: “I try to do happy things, avoid too much news, meet friends, and accept loss and mistakes with a spiritual shovel. No one’s judging anymore—history is history.”

He advised, “Don’t make living a long life your goal; living fully, is. If you’re at an age milestone—don’t panic. Laugh more. Call a friend. As Mark Twain said, ‘Don’t complain about growing old; it’s a privilege denied to many.’”

Iannuccilli said he stays curious, reads, writes, and keeps his mind active. “I even take piano lessons. I don’t need to go on a space mission; I’m already on a planet full of adventure,” he joked.

 He also emphasized that longevity and good health are tied to human connection. “Be a helper. Call a friend. Drive someone to a doctor’s appointment. Volunteer at a pantry. Fred Rogers’ mother was right—‘Look for the helpers.’ Better yet—be one,” urged Iannuccilli.

Navigating a Broken Health Care System

“We use words like quality, efficiency, deliverables, and outcomes—but what people want is access and comfort,” Iannuccilli observed. But, fewer long-term physician-patient relationships, financial barriers at every turn, and isolation among older adults all reflect systemic changes in today’s healthcare system, says Iannuccili.

According to Iannuccili, costs for care, medication, nursing homes, and even vaccines are rising. Too many seniors live alone and disconnected.

“When someone is sick, they want to be comforted. They want someone who listens and helps them navigate an increasingly impersonal system,” he says. 

Today it’s [often] a long phone queue, a chatbot, or a portal that needs a password and two-step verification,” he said. “You wait on hold and think, ‘This is my health I’m calling about, not my cable bill.’ We’ve lost the personal touch.”

“Be patient with emerging artificial intelligence,” Iannuccilli added. “With proper tuning, it can increase efficiency, help pair patients with the right provider, contain costs, and even promote equity. But nothing—nothing—will ever replace personal care.”

Patients are now called consumers, he said, a term he dislikes. “You’re not a consumer—you’re a patient. The word comes from the Latin patiens—one who suffers. It deserves respect.”

Recognizing Rhode Island’s Health Care Assets

Iannuccilli called for Rhode Islanders to stop focusing on negatives, like the bridge, and instead recognize their access to high-quality health care facilities.

“Within 20 miles you can reach some of the nation’s best hospitals—Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants, Hasbro Children’s, Butler, Bradley, Kent, South County, Newport, Miriam, Roger Williams, and Fatima,” he said.

According to Iannuccilli, the state’s health care system—from Brown University to URI—is “extraordinary,” featuring world-class nursing programs, physician assistant schools, and a top pharmacy school.

He believes Rhode Island can become a national model for universal access to health care.

“If we can assume our trash will be collected, our children educated, and our homes protected by firefighters, why can’t we assume access to health care for everyone?” he asked. “We have the talent. We have the infrastructure. What we need is the will.”

With a growing shortage of primary care physicians, Iannuccilli called for the creation of a medical school at the University of Rhode Island dedicated solely to training primary care physicians.

He concluded by issuing a call to action: “Let’s make Rhode Island the envy of the nation—a state where health care works for everyone, where education, research, and delivery come together. We can do better. We must do better. And guess what? We don’t have a choice.”

SACRI Recognition

At the conference, Costa recognized the advocacy of Ray Gagne Jr. for his advocacy work as Senior Organizer at RI Organizing Project and Sister Norma Fleming, RSM, for her direct work with adults with disabilities at ReFocus, Inc. by presenting them with the inaugural Marjorie Waters Award for Service. Honoring the legacy of Marjorie Waters—a Rhode Island College graduate, former Director of Information Technology for a Tribal Nation, Six Sigma Process Excellence Coach in the finance industry, and Executive Director of Providence’s Westminster Senior Center—the award celebrates her dedication as a lifelong community activist.

Legislative Greetings, and a Look to the Future

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) brought greetings from the House, emphasizing his strong commitment to supporting the state’s growing older population.

“As long as I’m Speaker of this House and I’m in Rhode Island government, you will have a friend in state government,” he pledged to the attending advocates and older adults.

The Warwick lawmaker shared how his 99-year-old father, who is battling Alzheimer’s and has mobility issues, has given him a personal understanding of older Rhode Islanders’ desire to remain at home—insight that has shaped his aging policy agenda.

Shekarchi highlighted several recent legislative successes, including the expansion of the Medicare Savings Program after 14 years of advocacy, which will save low-income beneficiaries over $2,000 annually. He also cited the state’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Law, which allows in-law apartments or “granny flats” (in the colloquial), to help residents age in place in their homes.

Senate President Rep. Lauren Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport), also detailed her legislative work on behalf of older Rhode Islanders. As Chair of the House Study Commission on Aging, she announced her intention to introduce legislation to make the commission permanent to help guide the state’s aging policy.

Another planned bill for next year would replace the term “senior citizen” with “older Rhode Islander” in state law to promote a more positive view of aging.

Maria Cimini, Director of the State’s Office of Healthy Aging, stressed that the guiding principle of her office’s work was to ensure older Rhode Islanders had the “choice to age as they wished” with dignity and independence.

She pointed out a significant demographic shift, noting that Rhode Island now had more people over 65 than under 18. “We are all aging. My goal is to be sure that Rhode Island is a great place to grow up and grow old,” she says.

A panel discussion followed the keynote, covering practical aspects of end-of-life planning, including legal documents such as wills and trusts, funeral pre-planning, financial planning for dependents with disabilities, suicide prevention, and the role of the long-term care ombudsman.

To watch SACRI’s Sept. 25th program, go to https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/11543?site=1

The wall of separation, church and state

Published in RINewsToday on December 23, 2024

Lawmakers with strong religious beliefs can be found serving in state houses, congress, and state departments of education, etc., throughout the nation. Occasionally, we’ve seen the wall of separation of church and state crumble, or be taken up in the courts.

According to PEN America, between July and Dec. 2022, “Texas school districts had the most instances of book bans with 438 bans, followed by 357 bans in Florida, 315 bans in Missouri, and over 100 bans in both Utah and South Carolina. The topics of banned books included race and racism, gender identity and explicit sexuality and health. 

In Oklahoma, the state is purchasing 500 bibles to be placed in public schools. Louisiana becomes the first state to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, while some have long done so. With the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and returning the abortion issue to the states, there have been state by state challenges, as well.

Those who oppose a strict separation of church and state say that these words do not appear in the  U.S. Constitution. However, those calling for the wall to be made stronger say the concept is enshrined in the very first freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” is the opening line of the First Amendment.

Plurality of Religions and Spiritual Seekers, too

The largest percentage of Americans identify with a Christian religion (Protestantism, Catholicism, and Non-specific Christians

). Others identify themselves as non-Christian, including Mormonism, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam,  Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Unitarian Universalism, Baha’i, Wicca and other Neopagan religions, and Native American religions.  

And let us not forget those who do not believe choose to not affiliate with an organized religion, specifically, those who consider themselves an atheist or an agnostic. The main difference between the two being that an atheist does not believe in a God, or a higher power, while an agnostic does not believe it is possible to know if God exists.

But there are a growing number of Americans who view themselves as spiritual but not religious (SBNRs).  These individuals do not believe in a formal need for a “middle-man” and attending a service in a defined structure in order to celebrate Easter, Christmas, Yom Kippur, or that attending weekly services is a way to connect with God. 

Pew Research study

Last December, the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Center released a study whose finding indicated that in recent decades less Americans are identifying with organized religion.  Seven in 10 adults describe themselves as spiritual in some way, including 22% who are spiritual but not religious (SBNRs) and don’t attend religious institutions, say the findings. 

SBNRs is a relatively new term, actually derived by dating apps as a way to say a person was spiritual but not identifying with one religion or another. Respondents were more likely to see spiritual forces at work in nature than religious-and-spiritual Americans. For example, the findings indicated that 71% of SBNRs believe that spirits or spiritual energies can be found in parts of nature like mountains, rivers or trees while 59% believe that being connected with nature is “essential” to what being spiritual means to them.

Additionally, many SBNRs (45%) do claim a religious affiliation, although they don’t consider themselves religious or say religion is very important in their lives. They expressed more negative views of organized religion than religious-and-spiritual Americans, with 42% saying that religion causes division and intolerance.

The Pew survey also found that belief in spirits or a spiritual realm beyond this world is widespread, even among those who don’t consider themselves religious.

According to the Pew survey’s findings, 83% of all U.S. adults believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body while 81% believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if “we cannot see it.”  Seventy four percent say that there are some things that science cannot possibly explain while 45% noted they have had a sudden feeling of connection with something from beyond this world. And 30% say they have personally encountered a spirit or unseen spiritual force.

Overall, 70% of U.S. adults can be considered “spiritual” in some way because they think of themselves as spiritual people or say spirituality is very important in their lives, noted the researchers.

Most of these people also consider themselves religious or say that religion is very important in their lives. There is enough overlap between what people mean by “spirituality” and what they have in mind by “religion” that nearly half of U.S. adults indicate they are both religious and spiritual.

However,  22% of U.S. adults fall into the category of spiritual but not religious. The new survey offers a rich portrait of this group, showing what beliefs, they hold, how they practice their spirituality and how they tend to differ from those who embrace the “religious” label.The researchers asked all surveyed respondents to describe, in their own words, what the term “spiritual” means to them.  Their responses ranged from “Being one with your soul, emotions, feelings, actions,” or “Connecting with the creator who is the source of my existence, providing strength, guidance, hope and peace. The word of God provides direction for my life.”

Others responded by saying they believed in something larger and more creative than science. While not adhering to a particular religion, some acknowledged “a higher power that exists above all that is.”

These open-ended responses from the surveyed respondents illustrate the difficulty of separating “spirituality” from “religion,” say the researchers suggesting that “for many Americans, there is no clear dividing line.”

The survey findings also indicated that 27% define “spiritual” by mentioning beliefs or faiths associated with organized religion. Many (24%) say the word “spiritual” is about connections, frequently with God, but also, in some cases, with one’s inner self. One-in-ten say “spiritual” relates to understanding themselves or guiding their own behavior.

Taking a Close Look, One’s Spiritual Beliefs

Half of the respondents believe that spirits can inhabit burial places, such as graveyards, cemeteries or other memorial sites, say the Pell researchers, adding that about 48% says that parts of the natural landscape – such as mountains, rivers or trees – can have spirits or spiritual energies.

Death is not the end of a person’s existence, say more than half of respondents (57%). They believe that in the afterlife, people definitely. or probably. can reunite with loved ones who also have died. About four-in-ten or more say that dead people definitely or probably can assist, protect or guide the living (46%), be aware of what’s going on among the living (44%) or communicate with them (42%).

Spending time in nature can enhance one’s spiritual connect, say 77 percent of the respondents who note they spend time outside at least a few times a month. Twenty-six percent see spending time with nature as a way to “feel connected with something bigger than themselves or with their true self.”  Twenty-two percent say that meditation is one way to connect with their “true self or with something bigger than themselves.”

Finally, more than one-third of respondents revealed that they own a symbolic cross for spiritual purposes. Also, 15% admitted that they maintained a shrine, altar or icon in their home; 12% possess crystals for spiritual purposes; and 9% have a tattoo or piercing for a spiritual purpose.

A Final Note…

Roger Williams, a Puritan minister and founder of Rhode Island, called on a “high wall” between the church and state to keep the “wilderness” of governments out of the activities of religion. He also believed in all religions, rather than no religion, a common misperception of Williams’ intent.

According to a posting on the Jefferson Monticello website, “Thomas Jefferson sought to create a ‘wall of separation between Church & State,’ rejecting the historical entanglement of government and religion he believed denied people a fundamental right of conscience and the right to think and decide for oneself so essential to a republic.”

The U.S. motto, e pluribus unum, that we, as a nation, are gathered together as one out of many. With a new Congress and administration taking the reins of government next month, the rights and freedoms guaranteed to us in our Constitution are important to know and protect. We Americans believe that a variety of formal religions and other belief structures all lead to God.

The Pew Research Center survey of American spirituality, conducted July 31-Aug. 6, 2023, had a nationally representative sample of 11,201 members of our American Trends Panel. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

To read the Pew Research Center’s (PRS) Report on Americans and Spirituality, click here: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/spirituality-among-americans/

Also, check out PRC’s reports on Separation of Church and State.  Go to

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/10/27/45-of-americans-say-u-s-should-be-a-christian-nation/  and

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/10/28/in-u-s-far-more-support-than-oppose-separation-of-church-and-state/.