Older Americans – Where Do We Stand?

Last week I attended the yearly American Society on Aging conference. I’ve agone to this conference for years and have always found it a great place to stay in touch with those who serve older Americans. The theme of this year’s conference was ageism and culture, focusing on identifying and eliminating ageism in all our dealings. It certainly was an honorable theme but, as you might imagine there was a palatable anxiety given the uncertainty that has enveloped our healthcare institutions as they react to the first 90 plus days of the new administration. There were people who had seen valued colleagues who took early retirement, lost their jobs to a reduction in force (RIF), had their whole office dissolved or absorbed into another office or were fearful of losing the funding or grants for their office. There were businesses that were fearful that big changes would make their future plans obsolete. The concern was evident and often took over the discussions in many panels and seminars, but surprisingly it didn’t seem to cause a paralysis of action. From what I saw, even in this time of uncertainty, support for older Americans stands pretty solid, both now and in the future.

People seemed to focus on ways they could work together to find opportunities to soldier on. They reminded each other that the older Americans that they served everyday were what was important. Then they talked about how they could keep showing up and supporting them in meaningful ways. Many times, I heard people say to each other that what was true today may not be true tomorrow.  People who were RIFed one day were hired back the next. Tariffs were implemented and then changed, delayed, or cancelled. There were legal challenges that needed to be resolved before many changes could go into effect. I thought it was a great way to address and work through all the proposed changes.

One of the central themes was the importance of the Older Americans Act (OAA). It is a long-standing program that supports seniors with programs like:

·       Meals - delivered at home (meals on wheels) and available in the community

·       In-home assistance

·       Preventative healthcare

·       Job training

·       Transportation

·       Protection from abuse

Many of us may be taking advantage of some of the benefits without even knowing they are available due to the OAA. The Act does require periodic reauthorization which was last accomplished in 2020. These are done to update the law to better serve seniors and it was very close to being reauthorized last year but didn’t make it. The fear now is that with all the proposed changes the OAA will be put on the back burner. It is an important program that needs to be updated, it is critical to many older Americans.

Many of the conference attendees were concerned with the cuts to Health and Human services (HHS). They work with HHS people as they implement programs at the federal and state level and are regulated by the agency. Many are tasked with using funds and grants from HHS to service seniors, so they are trying to assess the impact of proposed changes.

As a veteran I was interested in a seminar that explained a VA program that I hadn’t heard of. It was the Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program. It was designed to help veterans live independently in the comfort of their own homes. By providing tailored support services such as personal care, respite services, and home modifications, the VDC program ensures veterans receive the necessary resources to maintain their independence and enhance their quality of life. A unique aspect of this program is that the veteran directs the ways the funds are used by hiring and paying for the services they need to continue to age in place. The VDC has shown to save money by keeping the veteran out of expensive assisted living facilities or veteran’s homes. I am always encouraged by these types of programs.

For me, the most interesting session was presented by Ken Dychtwald, founder of Age Wave, who discussed The Longevity Revolution: Triumph or Tragedy? He discussed five points that will impact older Americans as they age,   

Reimagine lifestages which are being transformed by increasing longevity.

He started out by pointing out that we are living in an unprecedented era of human longevity. Traditional lifestages are shifting, the journey through life is no longer linear and we are redefining what it means to age with possibility. It made me think that getting old just made me freer to dream of things I can do and become.

Match our healthspans to our lifespans

He defined our lifespan as being how long we live, with our healthspan as being how long we live healthy. He pointed out that as people live longer than ever before, we face a critical challenge: ensuring those extra years are lived in good health. Despite spending more per capita on healthcare than any other nation, the U.S. continues to lag behind in both lifespan and healthspan. From medical research to training the healthcare workforce and embracing the power of technology, we must build systems that help people thrive—not just survive—through later life. He championed the promise of artificial intelligence in helping is prolong our healthspans. I am a believer that technology may have the biggest impact on lengthening our healthspans.

Averting a new era of mass elder poverty

He asserted that even though the poverty rate among older adults has decreased over time, many of us are unprepared for the financial realities of aging. Resilience in later years comes from a combination of strategies: improving health, downsizing housing, working longer, embracing shared living models, and fostering community support.

Eliminate ageism

He pointed out that this is the first time in history we’ve had such a large aging population, yet society hasn’t caught up. Ageism can go both ways, but its impact on older adults is especially harmful—shaping policy, limiting opportunity, and distorting public perception. We must become the voice of this movement, demand representation, and shift the narrative: aging is not something to fear—it’s something to celebrate.

Activate a new purpose for maturity

He concluded with the statement that never before in history has humanity had access to the depth of knowledge, wisdom and lived experience that older adults hold today. Yet too often, this powerful resource goes untapped and overlooked by systems that fail to value it. We are part of an extraordinary network of big thinkers and advocates that can change this. Our country needs the insight, resilience, drive, and bold voices of older Americans now more than ever.

I always come away from these conferences with a renewed belief in the people that care for and support older Americans.

Best, Thair