Senator Rick Scott, who serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, led a hearing titled “Aging in Place: The Impact of Community During the Holidays.” The session focused on how strong families, community networks, faith-based organizations, and programs supported by the Older Americans Act (OAA) help older adults continue living in their homes, particularly during the holiday season when social isolation and loneliness can become more pronounced.
The hearing builds on earlier bipartisan work by the committee this Congress, including sessions in March about loneliness and reviews of OAA initiatives in July and November. Senator Scott emphasized the importance of practical, locally driven strategies that support older adults’ independence and help them avoid institutional care. He noted these efforts reflect the committee’s goal to strengthen social connections and improve quality of life for aging Americans. As the holidays approach, he reiterated a commitment to supporting both older adults and their families—the so-called “sandwich generation”—to ensure they feel valued and connected within their communities.
Witnesses included John Offerdahl, president of Offerdahl’s Hand-Off Foundation, and Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. Offerdahl described his foundation’s work delivering fresh meals to homebound seniors along with wellness checks aimed at reducing food insecurity and loneliness. Resendez presented new national data highlighting increasing pressures on family caregivers and underscored the critical role OAA programs play in enabling seniors to age at home. Their testimonies stressed that aging in place is not only preferred by most older adults but is also more cost-effective while strengthening families and communities nationwide.
“Aging in place is not just what seniors prefer; it is also more cost-effective and strengthens families and communities across the country,” said one witness during testimony.
The full remarks from Chairman Scott are available online.
