AARP Arizona hopes Hobbs administration will do more to support older adults

By Kathy Ritchie
Published: Friday, January 6, 2023 - 9:36am
Updated: Friday, January 6, 2023 - 9:37am

Arizona is home to millions of older adults, people 65 and older. And their needs, from long-term care to aging at home, are costly.

Dana Kennedy is the director of AARP Arizona. She says now that there’s a new governor at the helm — Gov. Katie Hobbs was publicly sworn in on Thursday — AARP is working on a wish list, of sorts. 

"So one of the first things that I think really needs to happen is a single point of access for any reports of abuse and neglect. Right now, it's a very fragmented system," she said.

That’s not all. Kennedy would like to work with the department of health to improve transparency and increase penalties for long-term care facilities for health and safety violations. She would also like to see more support for those living with dementia.

Dana Marie Kennedy
Kathy Ritchie/KJZZ
Dana Marie Kennedy of AARP of Arizona moderated the panel discussion about homeless seniors in 2019.

Politics Aging