Senator Kelly Applauds Aging in Place Legislation Becoming Law

Hartford – State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) applauded Governor Malloy for signing into law his bill establishing a task force to study “Aging in Place.”

“No one wants to go to a nursing home and we know that home care is less expensive and better, so why can’t our government encourage aging in place?” said Senator Kevin Kelly, who authored the legislation. “The task force will study how to encourage ‘aging in place’ and to begin the process of creating a viable home care alternative to institutional care on a statewide basis. Seniors and their families could see numerous benefits from this initiative, and I look forward to this exciting task force and to review the final results.”

Special Act No. 12-6, “An Act Establishing A Task Force To Study Aging In Place,” establishes a task force to study how the state can encourage aging in place.

The study will focus on infrastructure and transportation improvements, zoning changes to encourage home care, improving nutrition programs and delivery options, strengthened fraud and abuse protections, expanding opportunities for home medical care, tax incentives, and other incentives for private insurance.

Aging in place enables seniors to remain in their homes for as long as possible. It is the preferable and more cost-effective option for many seniors in place of institutional care.

“I am proud to have introduced and authored this important bill,” continued Senator Kelly. “It is another example of what we can accomplish when legislators work together in Hartford.”

The task force will consist of 17 members, including the chairs and ranking members of the legislature’s Aging Committee, the Commissioner of Social Services, the chair of the Long-Term Care Planning Committee, the chair of the Commission on Aging, and appointees of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the majority and minority leaders of both the House and Senate, and the Governor.

The bill passed unanimously in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. It was signed into law by Governor Malloy on June 15, 2012.