On December 3, 2025, the Senate Special Committee on Aging will hold a hearing focused on how strong community networks can support older adults during the holiday season. The hearing, titled “Aging in Place: The Impact of Community During the Holidays,” is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET at the Hart Senate Office Building (SH-216) and will be livestreamed online.
Committee Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the session will examine ways in which nonprofit organizations, service groups, and faith-based organizations help families—including those in the so-called “sandwich generation”—navigate increased caregiving demands during this time of year. According to the committee’s announcement, “This hearing will explore how strong community networks can support older adults during the holiday season when isolation peaks, offering a look at how these support systems help seniors stay connected, engaged, and independent.”
The panel of witnesses includes John Offerdahl, President of Offerdahl’s Hand-Off Foundation; Jason Resendez, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving; Alison Barkoff, Associate Professor of Law and Health Policy at George Washington University; and Emily Ladau, author of "Demystifying Disability."
Building on previous committee work—including a March hearing on senior loneliness and July and November hearings on Older Americans Act (OAA) programs—Scott and Gillibrand said they would focus on practical community-driven solutions to strengthen social ties and reduce reliance on institutional care. They stated that “this hearing continues the committee’s bipartisan commitment to advancing programs that promote dignity, independence, and better quality of life for America’s aging population.” They added that during the holidays “these support systems become even more essential to ensure older adults feel included, valued, and part of their communities.”
