ROSAMARIA AMOROS JONES was recently named the new director of the R.I. Office of Healthy Aging, previously known as the R.I. Division of Elderly Affairs. Jones previously led the Division of Policy and Public Affairs for the R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
In your previous role with EOHHS, you helped shape the governor’s office’s policy agenda for older Rhode Islanders and people with disabilities. What did you introduce to the governor’s office on this matter? At the direction of Gov. [Gina M.] Raimondo, I spent much of 2018 in conversation with older Rhode Islanders, adults with disabilities, their families, caregivers, providers and advocates. The goal was to understand people’s lived experiences and to use these insights to shape budget and policy recommendations for the 2020 state fiscal year and beyond. People want, and deserve, an opportunity to healthfully age and to author their own story. Our work continues to be guided by what we hear from Rhode Islanders.
The office rebranded recently. What prompted the name change? People age 50 years and older and adults with disabilities are central to our economic and social vitality as a state. Older Rhode Islanders represent nearly 40% of our workforce and 60% of consumer spending. Yet, our narrative on aging has been punctuated by negative descriptors, such as “frail,” “costly” and “vulnerable.” We’re taught that growing up is cool; growing older, not so much. It’s a toxic mindset. The shift from “Elderly Affairs” to “Healthy Aging” aims to refocus the conversation around a positive view on growing older, and it unites us in a process that we are all part of – aging.
You led the “Let’s Talk About Mental Health Series.” What was able to come out of those discussions in order to improve mental health in the state? Through this series, we created a space to share stories and begin to erase the stigma around mental illness and addiction. We wanted people to know that it’s OK to not be OK – and to get help when it’s needed. Rhode Islanders – of all ages – have been touched in some way by the addiction crisis and/or mental illness. We have to continue to give our experiences voice and, at the same time, invest in programs [such as Behavioral Health] Link – the state’s new 24/7 crisis and triage center for mental health and substance-use concerns.
What do you currently feel is most needed to improve the quality of life for seniors and adults with disabilities? Respect. We all deserve to feel valued – and supported in authoring our own life, and aging healthfully and happily. At OHA, choice is an anchoring value, driving our work every day to connect people with the right resources, at the right time. Our needs and preferences are diverse and multidimensional as we age. Promoting quality of life means respecting people’s right to choose and building systems and programs that are responsive to a varying set of experiences.
What are your future plans for the office as director? Our state, like the nation, is rapidly aging. My goal is to help prepare our state to meet the demands of a growing and vital, older adult population. We recently developed a new strategic plan at OHA, with a focus on strengthening and promoting our services and advocating for new policies and investments that benefit our constituency. This work takes a village, and I feel honored to be building upon a respected legacy of advocacy and service at OHA and with many committed partners across the state. n
