Dan  Malloy:  

Supporting  Connecticut  Seniors  

What   does   it   say   about   Connecticut,   collectively,   that   we   would   allow   so   many   people   who  
sacrificed  so  much  for  us  ƚŽŐŽƵŶĂƚƚĞŶĚĞĚĂŶĚƵŶĚĞƌƐĞƌǀĞĚ͍dŚĂƚ͛ƐĞdžĂĐƚůLJǁŚĂƚǁĞ͛ƌĞĚŽŝŶŐ
when   it   comes   to   our   senior   population.     Increasing   health   care   costs,   a   decimated   social  
services   safety   net,   nursing   homes   hampered   by   outdated   staffing-­‐level   regulations   and  
continuous   underfunding,   and   rising   property   taxes   that   disproportionally   affect   seniors   on  
fixed  incomes.  
 
In  addition  ƚŽďĞŝŶŐĂŵŽƌĂůŝŵƉĞƌĂƚŝǀĞ͕ŝƚ͛ƐĂůƐŽĂŶĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐŽŶĞ͘ŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͛Ɛ  problems  are  
exacerbated   by   the   fact   that   our   population   is   already   among   the   oldest   in   the   country,   and  
getting   older.     In   fact,   current   projections   show   that   by   2030   Connecticut͛Ɛ ŽůĚĞƌ ĂĚƵůƚ
population  is  expected  to  increase  by  64%.1    We  need  to  make  the  necessary  systemic  changes  
now,  or  the  challenges  are  only  going  to  become  that  much  more  daunting  in  the  years  ahead.  
 
Connecticut   can   and   should   do   better.     With   that   thought   in   mind,   what   follows   are   some  
thoughts  on  how,  as  a  state,  ǁĞĐĂŶďĞƚƚĞƌƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĂŶĚƐĞƌǀĞŽƵƌƐĞŶŝŽƌƉŽƉƵůĂƚŝŽŶ͘dŚŝƐŝƐŶ͛ƚ
meant  to  be  an  exhaustive,  fix-­‐all  solution  ʹ  the  truth  is  there  is  not  silver  bullet  answer  to  this  
problem.    Instead,  this  ŝƐŵĞĂŶƚƚŽďĞĂƐƚĂƚĞŵĞŶƚŽĨƚŚĞǀĂůƵĞƐ/ǁŝůůďƌŝŶŐƚŽƚŚĞ'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌ͛Ɛ
office.    
 
 
Assuring  Choices  in  Health  Care    
 
As  Governor,  my  guiding  principle  will  be  ensuring  choice  for  our  seniors  regardless  of  where  
they  fall  on  the  continuum  of  care.    What  does  that  mean?    It  means  investing  in  services  and  
reforms  that  allow  every  senior  who  needs  care  more  options  in  terms  of  where  and  how  that  
care  is  administered.    
 
Although   Connecticut   is   home   to   many   really   good   nursing   homes,   those   homes   and   their  
workers  will  be  the  first  to  tell  you  that  not  every  senior  who  needs  care  should  be  forced  into  a  
home.    Connecticut  Home  Care  Program  for  Elders  (CHCPE)  is  a  great  tool  for  providing  choice,  
but  has  unfortunately  been  under  attack  in  recent  years.    CHCPE  helps  seniors  who  want  to  live  
independently  do  so,  but  in  recent  years  the  amount  of  costs  that  seniors  had  to  pay  rose  as  
                                                                                                           
1
 Connecticut  Commission  on  Aging  Fact  Sheet,  June  2006  

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high  as  15  percent,  forcing  hundreds  out  of  their  homes  and  into  nursing  homes. 2    Thankfully,  
the   State   Legislature   has   been   able   to   reduce  that   percentage   back   down   to   a   manageable   6  
percent.  
 
/Ŷ ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ,W͕ / ƐƚƌŽŶŐůLJ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƚŚĞ ͞DŽŶĞLJ &ŽůůŽǁƐ ƚŚĞ WĞƌƐŽŶ͟ ĞŵŽŶƐƚƌĂƚŝŽŶ ŝŶ
Connecticut,  a  program  which  not  only  helps  seniors  return  to  their  homes  from  assisted  living  
facilities,  but  also  saves  taxpayer  money  on  nursing  home  care  that  can  be  costly.      
 
¾ With  federal  funding  for  the  demonstration  extended  as  part  of  the  Patient  Protection  
and  Affordable  Care  Act,  Connecticut  should  look  to  expanding  the  program  as  rapidly  
as  possible.      As  Governor  I  will  support  that  process  and  ensure  that  seniors  are  made  
aware  of  the  program  and  given  assistance  in  applying.  
 
Another   part   of   ŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͛Ɛ   problem,   however,   is   that   even   with   lower   rates,   too   many  
seniors   have   been   labeled   ineligible   for   the   program.     More   than   17,500   Connecticut   elders  
were  served  by  CHCPE  in  20083  ʹ  the  eligibility  of  those  seniors  is  based  not  an  income,  but  on  
assets,   which   can   be   a   difficult   measure   when   used   exclusively.     The   measurement   is  
particularly   troubling   in   a   high-­‐cost   state   like   Connecticut,   where   living  slightly   above   the  
poverty  level  can  still  leave  some  seniors  ineligible  for  certain  programs  like  CHCPE.  
 
¾ As   Governor,   I   will   work   to   support   home   care   and   other   services   that   give   seniors  
choices  in  where  and  how  they  receive  care.    And,  I  will  advocate  for  expanding  access  
to   those   programs   by   reviewing   and   reforming   eligibility   requirements   so   that   they  
more  fairly  reflect  cost  of  living  and  other  factors  impacting  our  senior  population.  
 
Supporting  seniors  who  want  to  stay  home  will  save  the  state  money  in  the  long  run  by  helping  
to   relieve   some   of   the   burden   on   our   nursing   homes.     To   be   clear   ʹ   home   care   should   be  
encouraged   as   a   cost-­‐effective   alternative   to   nursing   homes   that   helps   seniors   stay   in   their  
homes͕ĂŶĚďĞĐĂƵƐĞŝŶŵĂŶLJĐĂƐĞƐŝƚ͛ƐĞdžĂĐƚůLJǁŚĂƚƚŚĞƉĞƌƐŽŶǁĂŶƚƐƚŽĚŽ.    I  will  not  allow  it  
to  be  used  as  justification  for  slashing  jobs  at  nursing  homes  or  reducing  their  quality  of  care.    
 
Finally,  a  large  part  of  providing  choice  will  be  to  lower  the  cost  of  health  care  across  the  board,  
which  would  give  seniors  more  flexibility  in  their  decision  making.    For  example,  the  high  cost  of  
prescription   drugs   is   something   that   every   senior   deals   with;   the   ConnPace   program   helps  
thousands   of   seniors   in   this   regard,   but   here   again   many   are   boxed   out   if   they   feel   to   meet  
necessary  requirements  for  assistance.    nope,  this  is  fine.      
                                                                                                           
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 ͞Seniors  Face  New  Charges  for  In-­‐Home  Care͘͟ƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚWƌĞƐƐ͘DĂƌĐŚϴ͕ϮϬϭϬ͘  
3
 2008  CHCPE  Annual  Report  to  the  Legislature  

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More   of   my   plans   for   ƌĞĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͛Ɛ ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĐĂƌĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ and   lowering   costs   can   be  
read  at  http://danmalloy.com/policy/health_care.      
 
 
Nursing  Homes  
 
I  know  something  about  nursing  homes.    Actually,  I  know  a  lot  about  them.  
 
As   a   young   child   growing   up,   my   mother   would  drive   me  to  nursing   homes   ʹ   usually   once   or  
twice  a  week  -­‐-­‐  drop  me  off  in  front,  and  tell  me  to  go  inside  and  talk  to  people.    She  told  me  it  
would  teach   me   things.     Boy,  was   she   right   (as   she   always   was).     It   taught  me   compassion,   it  
taught  me  respect,  it  taught  me  about  kindness  and  decency.    Mostly  it  taught  me  that  in  the  
twilight   of   their   lives,   those   people   who   end   up   in   nursing   homes   need   to   be   treated   with  
ĚŝŐŶŝƚLJĂŶĚƌĞƐƉĞĐƚ͘ĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞLJ͛ǀĞĞĂƌŶĞĚŝƚ͘  
 
As  Mayor  of  Stamford,  I  oversaw  the  operation  of  one  of  the  only  city-­‐run  nursing  homes  in  the  
state;   the   Smith   House   is   staffed   by   more   than   100   skilled   and   dedicated   health   care  
employees.      
 
Taken  together,  my  lifetime  of  experience  being  in,  and  being  in  charge  of,  nursing  homes   has  
made   me   acutely   aware   of   how   vital  these  facilities   are   and   how   ďĂĚůLJƚŚĞLJ ŶĞĞĚƚŚĞ ƐƚĂƚĞ͛Ɛ
support  to  continue  providing  high  quality  care.  
 
A   discussion   of   properly   funding   our   nursing   homes   has   to   begin   with   a   discussion   of  
ŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͛Ɛ DĞĚŝĐĂŝĚ ƌĞŝŵďƵƌƐĞŵĞŶƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘  /Ŷ ϮϬϬϮ͕ ĂŶ Ě ,ŽĐ dĂƐŬ &ŽƌĐĞ ŽŶ EƵƌƐŝŶŐ  
Home  Costs  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  found  that  nursing  home  reimbursement  rates  
as  currently  determined  do  not  reflect  the  actual  costs  of  providing  care 4.    This  was  true  then,  
ĂŶĚŝƚ͛s  true  now.  
 
¾ Connecticut  must  properly  fund  its  nursing  homes  to  cover  the  actual  costs  of  providing  
care.     As   Governor   I   will   ďĞŐŝŶ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƚŚŽƌŽƵŐŚ ƌĞǀŝĞǁ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ dĂƐŬ &ŽƌĐĞ͛s  
recommendations,   especially   in   regard   to   the   reimbursement   rates   for   direct   versus  
indirect  care.    
 
A   sometimes   overlooked   problem   (although   certainly   not   this   summer)   is   that   many   nursing  
ŚŽŵĞƐŝŶŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚĚŽŶŽƚŚĂǀĞĂŝƌĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶŝŶŐ͘hŶĨŽƌƚƵŶĂƚĞůLJǁĞĚŽŶ͛ƚĞǀĞŶŚĂǀĞĂĐĐƵƌĂƚĞ
                                                                                                           
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 ͞&ŝŶĂůZĞƉŽƌƚŽĨƚŚĞĚ,ŽĐdĂƐŬ&ŽƌĐĞŽŶEƵƌƐŝŶŐ,ŽŵĞŽƐƚƐŝŶŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͘͟&ĞďƌƵĂƌLJϭϱ͕ϮϬϬϮ͘  

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data  in  regard  to  how  many  homes  currently  go  without   ʹ  but  what  we  do  know  is  that   heat  
ǁĂǀĞƐůŝŬĞǁĞ͛ǀĞĂůƌĞĂĚLJƐeen  this  summer  can  cause  dangerous  conditions,  especially  for  our  
elderly.  
 
>ŝŬĞƐŽŵĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌƉƌŽďůĞŵƐŝŶŽŶŶĞĐƚŝĐƵƚ͕ǁĞ͛ǀĞƉĂŝĚůŝƉƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƚŽƚŚĞƉƌŽďůĞŵďƵƚƚĂŬĞŶŶŽ
substantive  steps  to  fix  it.    In  2003,  the  state  passed  a  law  that  would  require  the  Dept.  of  Public  
Health   to   adopt   recommendations   for   minimum   and   maximum   temperatures   in   our   nursing  
homes.     But   nothing   has   happened   since.     Most   Connecticut   residents   remember   a   nursing  
home  fire  that  killed  10  residents,  finally  spurring  action  on  the  state  level  to  mandate  sprinkler  
ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘>Ğƚ͛ƐŚŽƉĞǁĞĚŽŶ͛ƚŶĞĞĚĂŶŽƚŚĞƌƚƌĂŐĞĚLJŝŶŽƌĚĞƌƚŽĨŝdžƚŚŝƐƉƌŽďůĞŵ͘  
 
¾ As  Governor,  I  will  order  an  immediate  audit  of  our  nursing  home  systems  to  determine  
exactly  how  many  homes  are  operating  without  air  conditioning.    I  will  also  work  with  
the   Dept.   of   Health   to   define   minimum   and   maximum   temperature   regulations,   and  
develop   mechanisms   for   assisting   homes   in   emergency   circumstances   when   those  
temperatures  limits  are  in  danger  of  being  exceeded,  either  by  bringing  in  cooling  units  
or  by  moving  residents  to  state  provided  cooling  centers.  
 
Connecticut   nursing   homes   are   also   chronically   understaffed,   a   condition   that   leads   to  
decreased  quality  of  care  when  staffers  are  forced  to  spend  less  time  with  individual  residents.    
A  large  part  of  the  problem  is  that  staffing  level  regulations  have  not  been  changed  or  updated  
in   Connecticut   since   1981.     The   regulations   are   based   on   an   outdated   hours   of   care   per   day  
formula,   and   do   not   include   important   variables   like   staff-­‐to-­‐patient   ratio   in   a   given   home,  
changes  in  care  needs  during  different  shifts,  and  more.      
 
Compounding   the   problem   is   that,   since   the   last   regulation   changes   nearly   30   years   ago,   the  
nature  of  our  nursing  homes  has  changed  dramatically.    Given  that  more  state  residents  rely  on  
home  care  and  assisted  living  facilities,  the  nursing  home  population  overall  is  older,  more  frail,  
and  in  need  of  higher  levels  of  care.      
 
¾ As   Governor,   I   will   work   with   the   Dept.   of   Public   Health   to   review   and   modernize  
staffing   regulations   at   our   nursing   homes   to   bring   them   more   in   line   with   the   current  
demands   being   placed   on   these   facilities   and   their   workers,   and   to   consider   more  
relevant  factors  when  determining  how  much  care  is  really  needed.  
 
Finally,  no  discussion  of  nursing  homes  would  be  complete  without  recognizing  the  basic  rights  
ŽĨ ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŵƵƐƚ ďĞ ŐƵĂƌĚĞĚ ǀŝŐŝůĂŶƚůLJ͘  tŚŝůĞ /͛ǀĞ ďĞĞŶ ĐůĞĂƌ ƚŚĂƚ ŵĂŶLJ ŚŽŵĞƐ ĂƌĞ
underfunded,   that   is   absolutely   not   an   excuse   for   undocumented   or   unreported   instances   of  

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neglect.     Further,   Connecticut   needs   to   ensure   that   nursing   home   owners   and   operators   be  
held  criminally  liable  for  any  neglect  or  abuse  that  takes  place  at  their  facility.  
 
¾ As   Governor,   I   will   actively   partner   with   the   Dept.   of   Public   Health   in   aggressively  
seeking  out  instances  of  abuse  or  neglect  in  nursing  homes,  and  harshly  penalizing  those  
responsible.    I  will  also  advocate  for  legislation  that  ensures  stricter  liability  of  nursing  
home  owners  for  any  neglect  that  occurs  in  their  homes.  
 
I   want   to   be   clear   that   properly   supporting   our   nursing   homes   is   a   moral   imperative.     It   also  
makes   perfect   financial   sense.     According   to   the   Connecticut   Commission   on   Aging,   in   2006  
nearly  17  percent  of  nursing  home  residents  had  to  be  hospitalized  for  a  health  condition.    That  
number   was   up   22   percent   from   2000.     These   hospitalizations   lead   to   disruption,   decreased  
quality   of   life   and   increased   costs.     The   Commission   on   Aging   calculates   that,   if   Connecticut  
performed   at   the   level   Minnesota   (the   national   leader   in   this   regard),   the   state   would   have  
increased  quality  of  care  while  saving  an  estimated  $17  million.5  
 
 
Property  Taxes  and  Housing  Affordability  
 
Right   now   Connecticut   is   less   affordable   for   families,   workers,   and   businesses   than   many  
metropolitan   areas   across   the   country.     Affordability   is   key   to   attracting   and   retaining   young  
ƐŬŝůůĞĚǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ͕ĂŶĚŝƚ͛ƐĂůƐŽŬĞLJŝŶĞŶƐƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĂƚŽƵƌƐĞŶŝŽƌƐare  able  to  continue  living  in  their  
homes  for  as  long  as  they  wish   and  are  able   later  in  life.    Building   more  affordable  housing  ʹ  
including  supportive  housing  facilities  for  seniors  ʹ  is  critical  in  enhancing  Connecticut's  quality  
of  life  for  all.      
 
As   Mayor   of   Stamford   I   was   a   strong   advocate   for   affordable   housing.     In   fact,   during   my  
administration  the  city  built  more  affordable  housing  than  any  other  municipality  in  the  state.    
We   also   went   after   federal   funding,   securing   two   Hope   VI   grants,   a   portion   of   which   helped  
build  a  new  supportive  housing  complex  for  seniors.  
 
¾ As  Governor  I  will  be  a  strong  advocate  of  affordable  and  supportive  housing,  as  I  was  as  
Mayor  of  Stamford,  and  I  will  personally  and  actively  pursue  federal  funding  to  that  end.  
 
Housing  affordability  in  Connecticut  is  worsened  by  our  overreliance  on  a  property  tax  system  
that   is   among   the   most   burdensome   in   the   nation.   In   addition   to   negatively   impacting   our  
ability   to   attract   and   retain   new   employers,   the   burdens   caused   by   our   outdated   and   unfair  
                                                                                                           
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   Connecticut  Commission  on  Aging  Fact  Sheet,  June  2006  

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system  disproportionately  impact  low  and  middle  income  seniors  whose  taxes  continue  to  rise  
while   their   incomes   remained   fixed.   More   of   my   thoughts   on   taxes   can   be   found   at:  
http://danmalloy.com/policy/taxes_and_the_budget.    
 
¾ As   Governor,   I   will   initiate   long   overdue   comprehensive   tax   reform   for   our   State.  
Establishing   comprehensive   tax   reform   will   be   a   multi-­‐year   endeavor   that   I   will   begin  
pursuing   immediately   upon   taking   office.     As   part   of   that   initiative,   I   will   focus  
specifically   on   expanding   initiatives   that   provide   more   relief   to   seniors,   such   as   the  
ƐƚĂƚĞ͛Ɛ  Circuit  Breaker  program.  
 
 
Transportation  
 
Transportation  is  an  often  overlooked  aspect  of  assisting  our  senior  population.    Many  seniors  
are  unable  to  drive,  and  as  such  must  rely  on  access  to  public  transportation  or,  in  more  rural  
areas,  Dial-­‐a-­‐Ride  services.  
 
As   Mayor   of   Stamford,   I   instituted   Transit   Oriented   Design   (TOD)   to   better   connect   public  
transportation   to   everyday   life   and   to   give   our   residents   options   when   it   comes   to  
transportation,  such  as  leading  efforts  to  study  the  potential  for  light  rail  to  connect  our  north-­‐
side   and   south-­‐side   residential   neighborhoods   to   Metro-­‐north   and   to   integrate   rail   into  
Brownfield   redevelopment   projects.     As   Governor   I   will   partner   with   municipalities   in   similar  
efforts,  where  appropriate.  
 
When   it   comes   to   more   rural   areas,   the   primary   method   for   helping   seniors   get   to   medical  
appointments   and   other   commitments   are   municipal   and   state   funded   Dial-­‐a-­‐Ride   programs.    
Currently  the  Department  of  Transportation  supplements  local  municipalities  in  their  efforts  to  
provide  these  services.      
 
¾ As   Governor   I   will   work   with   municipalities   to   support   their   efforts   to   build   out   local  
public  transportation  options,  and  I  will  work  to  increase  aid  for  Dial-­‐a-­‐Ride  programs  to  
towns  and  cities  with  larger  senior  populations.        
 
My  additional  thoughts  on  transportation  can  be  seen  at:  
http://danmalloy.com/policy/transportation.  
 
 
 

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Conclusion  
 
dŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ǁĂLJ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ƵŶĂĐĐĞƉƚĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƐĞŶĚ ŽƵƌ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ ŝŶƚŽ Ă ƉƵďůŝĐ ƐĐŚŽŽů ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ƚŚĂƚ͛Ɛ
ĨĂŝůŝŶŐƚŚĞŵ͕ŝƚ͛ƐƵŶĂĐĐĞƉƚĂďůĞƚŚĂƚǁĞĚŽŶ͛ƚƐƵƉƉŽƌƚŽƵƌƐĞŶŝŽƌƉŽƉƵůĂƚŝŽŶƚŚĂƚworked  to  give  
ƵƐďĞƚƚĞƌůŝǀĞƐƚŚĂŶƚŚĞŽŶĞƐƚŚĞLJ͛ǀĞŚĂĚ.    dŚĞŝĚĞĂƐ/͛ǀĞůĂŝĚŽƵƚŝŶƚŚŝƐŽǀĞƌǀŝĞǁĂƌĞŵĞĂŶƚĂƐĂ
first  step  toward  a  fairer,  more  equitable  way  of  supporting  a  population  we  should  honor  and  
respect  with  deeds,  not  just  words.  

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