By Jason DeaBueno

Last winter, one of the older adults we serve at Silver Key shared something that has stayed with me. She begun turning her heat down at night — not because she wanted to, but because she was worried about her electric bill.
For many older adults living on fixed incomes, that kind of choice is becoming more common.

Through our work at Silver Key in Colorado Springs, we serve thousands of elders every year. Many have spent decades contributing to our community — raising families, serving in the military, volunteering and building the very neighborhoods we all benefit from today. But increasingly, we are seeing more older adults struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Housing costs continue to climb. Food prices have increased dramatically in recent years. Health care expenses grow steadily. For older adults living on fixed incomes, these increases leave little room for unexpected expenses or sudden price changes.

Utility costs are now adding another layer of financial pressure.

For many older adults, the monthly electric bill is not simply another line in the household budget. It can be the difference between paying for medications, groceries, or rent. When essential expenses rise too quickly, elders often have no way to increase their income to compensate.

We see the warning signs across our community. Since 2019, El Paso County has led the state in applications for the Low-income Energy Assistance Program. Colorado Springs Utilities has also reported significant increases in requests for payment assistance. Behind those numbers are real people making difficult decisions about how to stretch limited resources.

Colorado has made important commitments to clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Those goals matter. Clean air, environmental stewardship and long-term sustainability are important for future generations.

But the path toward those goals must also be affordable for the people living here today.

Policies that dramatically increase the cost of essential services like electricity can place disproportionate strain on older adults and other vulnerable residents. When people living on fixed incomes face sudden or steep increases in basic expenses, the consequences can affect their health, their independence, and their ability to remain in their homes.

Senate Bill 26-022 attempts to address that challenge by recognizing the need to balance environmental progress with affordability and reliability. The bill allows utilities facing significant challenges meeting current clean energy timelines to adjust their planning while placing guardrails on the pace of electric rate increases.

Silver Key does not take positions on energy policy itself. But we do advocate for policies that protect affordability and stability for older adults.

For elders living on fixed incomes, predictability matters. A steady, manageable cost for essential services like electricity allows people to budget, plan, and maintain their independence. Large or sudden increases in those costs can quickly destabilize households that already operate with very little financial margin.

Colorado can continue moving toward a cleaner energy future while also protecting the residents who helped build our communities. Affordability, reliability and sustainability should not be competing priorities. With thoughtful policy decisions, they can move forward together.

For the older adults we serve every day at Silver Key, the affordability of basic utilities is not an abstract policy discussion. It is a daily reality that affects their ability to age safely and independently in the community they call home.
As lawmakers continue shaping Colorado’s energy future, I hope they will keep those residents in mind.

Jason DeaBueno is a Colorado Springs native and serves as president and chief executive of Silver Key, leading efforts to strengthen community impact and enhance the lives of older adults. He is a licensed clinical social worker with master’s degrees in business and social administration.