AARP Connecticut applauds the final decision by the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) to reject United Illuminating Company’s supplemental rate increase request. An approved increase would have significantly raised the cost of electricity for Connecticut ratepayers, who already pay the highest retail electricity price in the continental United States.
More than 4 out of 5 Americans say they want to receive care at home instead of in an institutional setting if they need long-term care services in the future, according to a recent AARP survey. As part of ongoing state and federal efforts to “rebalance” long-term services and supports, the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) included a 10% temporary enhancement to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for home and community-based services (HCBS). This unprecedented investment in home and community-based services presents Connecticut with a tremendous opportunity to bolster the programs and services that allow individuals to safely remain in their homes as they age.
AARP Connecticut advocates on issues including caregiving, financial security, independent living, prescription drug prices and community programming that supports older adults aging in place.
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 is now accepting nominations for its 2021 Connecticut Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors an outstanding volunteer in the state who is sharing their experience, talent, and skills to enrich the lives of their community members. Do you know an extraordinary volunteer age 50 or over who should receive AARP’s most prestigious Connecticut volunteer award? The deadline is September 15, so nominate them now.
AARP Connecticut’s Disrupt Aging course covers demographic and aging trends, ageism, the importance of recognizing older adults as multidimensional individuals and examining everyone’s stake in the aging trend.
The manufacturing industry is booming in Connecticut and opening doors to opportunities for a new workforce as well as those with experience. The growing demand for skilled workers to meet the needs of the state’s resurgent manufacturing industry – estimated at 25,000 to 35,000 positions in the next two decades – is outpacing supply and has created an increasing need for instructors at colleges and pipeline programs across Connecticut.