The Guardian You Probably Haven’t Heard That Is Protecting RI’s Aging Population – Lori Light and Carol Anne Costa
As Rhode Island’s population rapidly ages, our state stands at a demographic crossroads. Nearly one in four Rhode Islanders is now age 60 or older, and RI consistently ranks among the highest in the nation for the proportion of residents aged 85 and above. Whether living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or receiving licensed care at home, thousands of older Rhode Islanders rely on long-term care services and support every day.
And yet, behind the doors of long-term care facilities, a critical system of protection often goes completely unnoticed until a resident, patient, or family faces a crisis.
That protection rests in the office of the Rhode Island State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program…