Kelly commits to protecting senior services

Article as it appeared in the Shelton Herald

Senators Tony Hwang and Kevin Kelly, joined by Representatives Laura Devlin and Brenda Kupchick, meet with members of the Southwestern CT Agency on Aging and the Elderly Services Council of Bridgeport at their annual legislative breakfast on Dec. 5.

State Sen. Kevin Kelly (R-21), co-chair of the Aging Committee, joined fellow state Sen. Tony Hwang (R-28) at the Southwestern CT Agency on Aging (SWCAA) and the Elderly Services Council of Bridgeport’s annual legislative breakfast on Dec. 5.

The forum serves as an opportunity for legislators to share their priorities and to learn more about the aging and disability networks that operate in the region.

“As the new year approaches, we have a lot of work ahead of us to protect seniors and make our state a place where all people can thrive,” said Kelly, co-chair of the Aging Committee.

Kelly said that last year many lawmakers joined forces to fight to preserve funding for key aging in place initiatives and supports such as the Medicare Savings Program. He also noted how the legislature successfully implemented new tax breaks for seniors and made health care more accessible.

“But much work lies ahead,” added Kelly. “Hearing directly from the stakeholders in our community who work hard every day to protect the most vulnerable is an important part of developing the policies we need to move Connecticut forward.”

SWCAA is the premier senior services agency in the southwest region of the state. They are a great resource for seniors and their caretakers by bringing together all the information you need, whether that is information about certain care facilities, how to apply for state and federal aid programs, housing options, or transportation. Marie Kelly, Executive Director of SWCAA, feels that “The Legislative Breakfast is an opportunity for the aging community to understand the priorities for the upcoming legislative session and for elected officials to learn what is most important to their older constituents.  This year’s dialogue included critical priorities like the Medicare Savings Program and a commitment from our legislative leaders to support access to healthcare and prescription drugs for older adults.”

Topics discussed on Wednesday included securing continued funding for the Medicare Savings Program, controlling prescription drug prices and co-pays, expanding eligibility for Medicaid, issues with the Department of Social Services like improved training and administrative practices, and more. The new legislative session begins Jan. 9, where legislators will tackle the issues discussed at the Elder Care forum, among others.