Connecticut has the seventh oldest population in the country, according to the CT Healthy Aging Report. In an effort to meet the growing needs of seniors, political leaders and home care agencies are advocating for legislation that supports caregivers. One of the state’s largest agencies, Assisted Living Services, Inc. (ALS), is leading the collaboration by inviting human services committee members to observe their award-winning organization in action. State Senator Paul Cicarella (R-North Haven) and State Representative Dave Yaccarino (R-North Haven) will meet with the owners and caregivers on Thursday, April 19, 2024 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the ALS headquarters located at 290 Highland Avenue in Cheshire.

“Our state is facing a care giver crisis that cannot keep pace with the demand for elderly care at home,” said Mario D’Aquila, MBA and Chief Operating Officer of the family-owned homecare agency with offices in Cheshire and Westport. “We are honored to host these proponents of age-friendly policies who share our goal of providing cost-effective, comprehensive home care.”

For more than two decades, ALS has led the charge to raise the standards for quality of care in the homecare industry. In alliance with private and public agencies, D’Aquila is the Chairman of the DSS Medicaid Committee for Home Care Association of America, Connecticut Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home (HCAOA Connecticut). The local chapter has more than 100 members that employ several thousand caregivers and advocates for home care agencies.

D’Aquila highlights several policies in the 2024 legislative session that would help improve the delivery of home care; protect seniors, consumers and caregivers; and support small businesses and the economy:

• Ensure safety of Home and Community-Based Service (HCBS) Providers. Establish additional reimbursement rate for medical and non-medical home care services in high-risk situations. Require transparency for referral information for all HCBS.
• Fund Personal Protective Alarms for Rapid Emergency Response for front line providers.
• Implement a paid caregiver model for spouses within the Adult Family Living services and Family Caregivers within Skilled Continuous Nursing Home Health for Complex Care of Pediatrics and Adults programs.  
• Provide funding to recruit and retain staff and to educate and prepare healthcare workers for tomorrow.
• Senate Bill 311 to expand access to the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly by establishing presumptive eligibility for Medicaid-funded services, reducing copayments, increasing asset limits, and expanding categories of persons who may be covered under the state-funded program and to authorize compensation for family caregivers.
• Transfer registration and oversight of home care agencies from the Department of Consumer Protection to the Department of Public Health. HCAOA Connecticut and member agency owners seek to serve as a resource to officials and participate as stakeholders in the study adopted by Public Act 23-48, advise on the plan and ensure a smooth transition.

Conversely, the group opposes current policies that are significantly raising costs for Home Care Agencies, making it more challenging to increase caregiver pay and to provide quality nonmedical home care services at an affordable price to seniors, veterans and persons who are disabled.

“We are asking all legislators to enact any Bill that would assist in the support of the nation’s largest population, seniors,” said D’Aquila. “Most people prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes. As facilitators of that care, we are fostering positive relationships with policy makers to make that possible.”

About Assisted Living Services, Inc.

Since 1996, award-winning home care agency Assisted Living Services, Inc. (ALS) in Cheshire, Putnam and Westport has provided quality care to residents across Connecticut. Its unique CarePlus program blends personal care by over 600 employees and caregivers with technological safety and monitoring devices from sister company Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. ALS was ranked on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies and recognized by Home Care Pulse® as a “Best of Home Care Leader In Excellence”, a designation given to the best home care providers in the nation. Learn more by visiting www.assistedlivingct.com or calling 203.634.8668.

PHOTO: Connecticut State Senator Paul Cicarella (R-North Haven) and State Representative Dave Yaccarino (R-North Haven) will meet with the owners and caregivers at Assisted Living Services on Thursday, April 19, 2024 at the company’s Cheshire headquarters to discuss legislation that addresses the current senior care crisis in Connecticut.