By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia announced on Sunday the signing of House Bill 1845, which amends Law 121-2019, known as the “Bill of Rights and Government Public Policy for Senior Citizens,” to expand public policy and establish new mechanisms for the well-being and healthy aging of the island’s senior population.
“With this law, we reaffirm our commitment to the senior population, ensuring that their rights and well-being are protected by the government and the agencies that have the responsibility of ensuring their health and safety,” the governor said in a written statement.
The amendments to Act 121-2019 will take effect immediately.
The legislation modifies several key parts of Law 121-2019, in addition to incorporating new provisions that cover areas such as the definition of abuse toward older people, rights in care facilities, and the implementation of a relocation plan to avoid arbitrary transfers. Among the most significant changes are new responsibilities for key government agencies, including the Family, Health, Housing, and Public Safety departments, all with the goal of improving services and protections for seniors.
The measure also includes new articles that define the responsibilities of government agencies to promote healthy aging and establish the obligation to submit an annual report to the governor on the progress made in the implementation of the public policy.
The amendments complement the Ten-Year Plan for Healthy Aging, which was presented by Pierluisi in May of this year along with Health Secretary Carlos Mellado López; Family Secretary Ciení Rodríguez Troche; and the Health Department’s Assistant Secretary of Services for Comprehensive Health, Marilú Cintrón Casado. The comprehensive plan, designed in response to Law 121 of 2019 and framed in an executive order, establishes a long-term public policy aimed at promoting a longer healthy life expectancy and socioeconomic well-being for older adults in Puerto Rico.
The Ten-Year Plan describes the profile of older adults in Puerto Rico, identifying five areas of action that include changing the perception of aging, fostering the capabilities of older people in their communities, providing primary health care, guaranteeing access to long-term care, and establishing a monitoring and evaluation system.
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