ELIZABETH HOWLETT, a former elected official who served both in the R.I. Senate and two terms as the state’s lieutenant governor, was recently appointed as the president for AARP Rhode Island. During her time in elected office, Howlett served as both a member and chair of the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council. In 2015, she was appointed by then-Gov. Gina M. Raimondo as secretary of health and human services.
What drew your interest in wanting to lead AARP Rhode Island? After formally retiring, I was fortunate to discover an opportunity as volunteer president at AARP to continue the work of much of my public career, which focused on improving the health and well-being of older adults. The role especially appealed to me because AARP has always been at the forefront in supporting adults in living full and engaged lives as we age.
What is your goal as the organization’s new state president? I am excited to be working in partnership with the staff, led by State Director Catherine Taylor, and our committed volunteers to expand opportunities for older adults to be financially secure and participate fully in their communities. AARP Rhode Island has an important role to play, providing resources and advocacy at the state and community level to improve the experience of growing older for all Rhode Islanders. My goal is to be a force multiplier to ensure that AARP’s great work reaches as far as it can.
What is the biggest challenge facing older adults and their quality of life today and how does AARP Rhode Island hope to respond to it? Financial security is fundamental to everything we hope for as we grow older. We must continue to work on housing. AARP Rhode Island’s push for legislation making it easier to build accessory dwelling units has been a key advocacy focus this year. We have fought hard to pass Secure Choice, which will give workers greater access to a workplace savings plan to build retirement savings. Also, AARP has been fighting hard to assure that Social Security is protected so Rhode Islanders have the income to choose how we live as we age.
Do you hope to introduce new programs and initiatives at AARP Rhode Island to better serve older adults? If so, what are they? After considering the many areas in which our volunteers are making a difference for Rhode Islanders ages 50 and older, I was drawn to our work on livable communities. It is an area I care deeply about. We want to stay healthy as we age, but we want so much more than that. We want to be engaged with families and friends, in the community making a difference, and, for many of us, working. We need housing, transportation and community supports that foster fulfilling lives. Newport, Westerly, Bristol, Cranston and Providence have joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, prioritizing the important work of assuring that older adults can thrive in the communities they call home. Working with local volunteers, I want to bring this focus to communities across the state.
