RI’s Division of Elderly Affairs is now The Office of Healthy Aging
Rhode Island wants people to celebrate the gift of growing older. Recognizing that language matters, the Division of Elderly Affairs underwent an official name change to The Office of Healthy Aging earlier this month. In an announcement, the office’s director, Rosamaria Amoros Jones, noted:
“This week, our agency officially assumes its new name, Office of Healthy Aging (OHA). It is a welcome departure from a narrative on aging in Rhode Island – and elsewhere – that for too long, has been rooted in ageism; punctuated by negative descriptors, such as ‘frail’ and ‘vulnerable’; and anchored in the past.
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Older Rhode Islanders and adults with disabilities deserve to be celebrated; they deserve to have their stories told, the right to author their own life, and plentiful opportunities to participate in society. They’ve earned it; they’re still earning it. That’s the Rhode Island story. And it’s one brimming with optimism and a healthier outlook on aging.”
The name change was recommended by Gov. Gina Raimondo earlier this year.
This is not the only positive news for seniors (and future seniors) in Rhode Island. The Tufts Health Plan Foundation recently announced almost $2 million of aging-related community health investments in New England. In Rhode Island, those funds will go towards:
- Rhode Island Parent Information Network: funds to be used for four programs that offer advice on healthy living, help with balance and fall prevention, diabetes prevention and tools for caregivers.
- Rhode Island Public Health Institute: to expand its “Food on the Move” mobile-markets program to a new site and to study how healthy diets impact seniors
- Saint Elizabeth Community: funds to expand its services at home program, which provides supportive housing for older people, to three Rhode Island sites that are not managed by Saint Elizabeth Community.
Lastly, our state recently passed several important pieces of legislation related to Alzheimer’s Disease. The legislation does the following:
- establishes a program within the Department of Health dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease
- creates a 13-member advisory council that would provide policy recommendations, evaluate state-funded efforts for care and research and provide guidance to state officials on advancements in treatment, prevention and diagnosis
- requires the Department of Health to assess all state programs related to Alzheimer’s, and maintain and annually update the state’s plan for Alzheimer’s disease
- requires the Department of Health to establish an Alzheimer’s disease assessment protocol specifically focused on recognizing the signs and symptoms of cognitive impairments, and appropriate resource information for effective medical screening, investigation and service planning
- requires a one-time, hour-long training on diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments for all physicians and nurses licensed in the state
- enables Rhode Island to qualify for federal funding that is available to help states with their efforts to support those with Alzheimer’s disease
- allows the spouses or partners of patients residing in Alzheimer’s or dementia special care unit or program to live with them, even if they do not meet the requirements as patients themselves
According to the 2020-2024 State Plan on Aging, Rhode Island has the highest proportion of adults aged 85 and over in the US. Kudos to all these departments, lawmakers, and organizations working towards making life healthier, happier and safer for these people and their loved ones.