Throughout my tenure in the legislature, I have served on the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs to better the lives of older residents.  I have focused on providing better wages to the home care workers and home health aides whose work, paid for with state funds, is essential for enabling thousands of older residents and disabled residents to remain in their homes rather than be forced into nursing homes.  I have been recognized for successfully leading the fight for both the homecare aide and home health care aide pay raises.  I continue to work for legislation which would cause their pay and benefits to be evaluated at least every two years.  Unless and until these workers are paid a living wage, thousands of older residents will continue to go without the essential care they are eligible for and desperately need.

I have also filed and advocated for legislation which would more easily allow towns and cities to implement means tested property tax exemptions for senior citizens. In Sudbury, this policy has helped seniors stay in our community after retirement.