Caregiving

A guide to when, where and whether to get a COVID-19 vaccine

2021 was a very unusual year at the Connecticut General Assembly. The Connecticut Capitol may have been closed to the public because of COVID-19 restrictions, but AARP Connecticut staff and volunteers were still vocal and active, virtually advocating on behalf of older adults and submitting nearly 50 pieces of legislative testimony. Below is a summary of the AARP Connecticut-supported bills that successfully passed both the House and Senate and are expected to be signed into law.

AARP Connecticut issued the following comment in response to passage of Senate Bill 1030:

AARP is pleased with portions of Governor Lamont’s plan for ARPA Funds, but sees opportunities for additional investments in Home and Community-Based Services

AARP Connecticut State Director Nora Duncan provided the following statement in regards to the budget proposals of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee:

AARP Connecticut sent the below letter to Governor Ned Lamont calling for a continued focus on the need to equitably, safely and effectively distribute COVID-19 vaccines.

The following post was submitted by Phyllis Ayman, an eldercare advisor, author, family care strategist and mediator, advocate, speech/language pathologist, speaker and trainer for the public and private sector, and holds various certifications for dementia training. She’s worked with thousands of residents, families, and health care workers in almost 50 nursing homes during a career that spans 45+ years. Ayman brings informative conversations to the senior years of our lives as host and creator of the SeniorsSTRAIGHTTalk podcast, including with AARP Connecticut State Director Nora Duncan.

No matter where you are in the caregiver journey, these local agencies and organizations can help make the process easier

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented public health crisis, and despite the best efforts of government officials and healthcare workers, nearly 13,000 Connecticut nursing home residents have contracted the virus since March, and more than 3,600 residents have died. These devastating losses have exposed long-standing and serious deficiencies in the systems that we rely on to serve older adults and people with disabilities.

AARP Connecticut is pleased that the State has convened a Nursing Home and Assisted Living Oversight Working Group to discuss the impact of COVID-19 and how to protect residents moving forward. However, we are very disappointed that this working group, despite having 34 members, does not include a single person who resides in a nursing home or assisted living facility, or who receives long-term supports and services in a community setting.