Irma Rappaport of CT is a National Advocate for H.R. 9641, "The Essential Caregivers Act of 2026" and is a Cosponsor Outreach Leader for this bipartisan and bicameral bill. The Essential Caregivers Act prevents nursing home isolation and loneliness by allowing at least one resident-designated "essential caregiver" in-person access to their loved one, while following the same safety protocols as staff. Irma's advocacy began after her mother died of dehydration and neglect while living in a local nursing home during the COVID pandemic.

Irma received the Carol Rosenwald Spirit of Advocacy Award from the CT Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Sharon Wilder Award by North Carolina Friends of Residents in Long-Term Care. She is a member of the Essential Caregivers Movement, a Steering Committee Member for the Moving Forward Coalition, and a member of the CT Virtual Family Council, sponsored by the CT Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

She recently became involved with the R.O.A.R. (Respect, Oversight, Advocacy, and Reform) National Movement that was co-founded by Susie Singer Carter ("No Country For Old People") and helped lead the first R.O.A.R. Event in CT for Quality Care in Long-Term Care.