To the Class of 2022: Age boldly, enjoy your journey – Herb Weiss

A silhouette of a person tossing a graduation cap in the air.

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues According to Research.com, this year commencement speakers at colleges and universities in Rhode Island will impart their “pearls of wisdom“ to 19,782 graduating college seniors and their families. The usual commencement speech, traditionally about 10 minutes in length, offers simple tips and observations that, if taken, just might…

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New efforts on Smith Hill to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates – Herb Weiss

A nurse wearing a blue scrub top and stethoscope.

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues On March 8th, a press conference on Smith Hill put the legislative spotlight on introduced rate setting legislation intended to fix Rhode Island’s long-time problem of paying insufficient reimbursement rates to human-service agencies delivering social, human and clinical services to Medicaid recipients.  Over 80 human service providers,…

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AARP report: 6 Pillars of Brain Health – lifestyle changes and community policies – Herb Weiss

A woman holding a glowing brain in her hands.

By Herb Weiss The Washington, DC-based AARP releases its latest Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) report citing strong scientific evidence that behavior changes and lifestyle habits can positively impact one’s brain health – yet many adults struggle to implement such simple changes. In a new report released last month, “How to Sustain Brain Healthy Behaviors:…

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National Aging Coalition pushes to bring back House Aging Committee in DC – Herb Weiss

An elderly man in a wheelchair looking out of a window.

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues In 1992, aging advocacy groups fought unsuccessfully to keep the House Select Committee on Aging  (HSCoA) from being eliminated. The House had pulled the plug on funding for the HSCoA as a cost-cutting measure and to stream-line the legislative process at the end of the 102nd Congress without much notice in…

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Bill would (re)create a RI Department of Healthy Aging – Herb Weiss

A woman helping an older woman on a computer.

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues (This article has been updated) There are new efforts on Smith Hill to transform the state’s Office of Healthy Aging (OHA) into a department making it far more visible and effective as an advocate for the state’s growing senior population.  H. 7616, introduced by Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-District 75, Newport), would expand the office in the Department of Human Services…

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