Chart an “Age-Friendly” Course for Rhode Island – Vincent Marzullo
Friday, October 29, 2021
These were comments delivered on October 28, 2021 before Governor McKee/Lt. Governor Matos Public Forum (Hope & Main, Warren, RI) on the “working” document: RI2030: Charting a Course for the Future of the Ocean State
Thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts and observations regarding the draft document: Rhode Island 2030 --- issued by Governor McKee and Lt. Governor Matos. I hope that these public forums allow for enhancements to the formal framework that will emerge. This truly is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design a vision that will both strengthen our economy and improve overall livability in Rhode Island.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTOur global community is rapidly aging. For the first time in recorded history, there are more people over the age of sixty-four in the world than children under five. In Rhode Island, over 31 percent of residents are age 55 or older, and by 2030 one-quarter of our population will be over 65. We also know that during the pandemic more than 90% of the deaths were individuals over 60 ---- and 53% of overall deaths were nursing home residents. Don’t we now have an obligation to ensure better healthcare, safety, housing, livability, caregiving, etc. for this aging population?
Many worthwhile recommendations are included in this draft, as well as suggestions from the RI Foundation, and recently the AFL-CIO. However, what is obvious in the current draft is the lack of specific attention, focus and strategy needed to get an “Age-Friendly Network” designation --- which eight other States have obtained in collaboration with AARP and the World Health Organization (WHO).
There are eight domains or bodies of work that determine the Age-Friendly living and economic environment. Current suggestions can be easily assigned to the applicable domain(s).
Therefore, I would respectfully suggest that the Governor issue an Executive Order – charging the Lt. Governor to convene various representatives from the aging community to design and develop an operational plan for Rhode Island to be designated an “Age-Friendly State”. Such agency groups should include Age-Friendly RI (RIC), AARP RI, the Long Term Care Coordinating Council (LTCCC), RI Office of Healthy Aging, United Way RI, RI Senior Center Directors Association, RI Elder Info, Senior Agenda Coalition/RI & the RI Commission on National & Community Service (RIDE).
Again, thank you. I appreciate this opportunity to offer comments for charting an “Age-Friendly” course.
Vincent Marzullo - a current volunteer with the RI Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. For 31 years, Vin served as a federal civil rights and social justice Director in RI for the Corporation for National & Community Service. He is a previous Chair of the RI Federal Executive Council and the President Emeritus of AARP RI. Deployed several times as a Federal Disaster Cadre Coordinator when Presidential Disaster Declarations were issued, he supervised AmeriCorps ground support and long-term recovery assistance to aid FEMA response operations to State/local governments. Vin served three Rhode Island Governors and is the Founder of USA Compassion Corps.