December 2025 Newsletter

English essayist Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm wrote, “The one real goal of education is to leave a person asking questions.” That philosophy rang true throughout the Aging & Disability Summit hosted by AgingCT and the Centers for Independent Living on October 6, 2025. The Summit focused on four key areas – Connecting Service Systems, Navigating Change, Human Sexuality, and Cognitive Assessment. These themes were designed to strengthen our collective work and foster innovation among professionals within the aging and disability networks. Attendees were engaged from start to finish, and dozens of questions posed to speakers, panelists, and one another provided the fuel for system innovation and improvement.

The session on Accessing Services through the Eyes of the Consumer featured a panel discussion with Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Amy Porter; Department of Social Services Community Options Director Christine Weston; and President and CEO of United Way of Connecticut (2-1-1) Lisa Tepper Bates. Panelists offered a behind-the-scenes look at the collaboration between their agencies and introduced the “No Wrong Door” approach to service delivery. This method assures that an individual will be connected to the appropriate services and resources they seek, no matter the access point used at the beginning of their search for answers.

As examples:

• The 1-800-994-9422 phone number is used to reach the State of Connecticut Aging and Disability, Area Agencies on Aging, AgingCT, and is also published in the annual “Medicare and You” guidebook. This number channels callers to their regional Area Agency on Aging, where they can connect to a multitude of resources.
• MyPlaceCT.org is a free web-based resource designed to help older adults and people with disabilities live with optimal independence, health, and well-being. The virtual home of No Wrong Door, MyPlaceCT.org is sponsored by the CT Department of Social Services, in collaboration with partner state agencies and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
• When it comes to answering questions, 211 Connecticut fields millions of calls each year and makes referrals to thousands of agency services. Calls to the 24/7 helpline service have increased 300% since 2019, a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and significant increases in people experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, housing, utilities, and childcare issues, and mental health and addiction challenges.

The close-out of COVID surge staffing in September 2022 left the 211-contact center under-resourced to meet the demand from Connecticut residents. Lack of state funding and ever-increasing calls continue to outpace resources and capacity, so network collaboration is needed more than ever.

To that end, AgingCT’s Aging Answers is also a trusted resource at 1-800-994-9422.

2-1-1 in CT is a general, statewide information and referral service for all health and human services, while Aging Answers is a specialized program focusing specifically on long-term care services and supports for older adults and their caregivers.

If an older adult requires in-depth, specialized assistance related to aging, they can be referred to the experts at Aging Answers. It’s a person-centered approach to provide the most relevant assistance to address the individual’s specific situation.

Connecticut residents will keep asking questions, and we’ll work collaboratively to make sure they keep getting the right answers.