USAging Conference – Answers on Aging

I had the honor of attending the annual USAging conference in Tampa, Florida, last week. It was hot, but the trip was worthwhile. It helped expand my understanding of one of the most important programs that supports older Americans: the local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). A little background . . .

“USAging represents and supports the national network of Area Agencies on Aging and advocates for the Title VI Native American Aging Programs that help older adults and people with disabilities live with optimal health, well-being, independence, and dignity in their homes and communities.” 

USAging is a unique organization that supports all the Area Agencies on Aging which are located all over the United States. You might not even know that there is a local government agency that is focused on ensuring you have “optimal health, well-being, independence, and dignity.” I’ll give you information on how to get in contact with your local AAA at the end of the blog. These local AAAs receive the bulk of their funding from the Older Americans Act, but their funding is often supplemented by state and local grants from a variety of sources. It became evident, as I talked with people and heard different presentations, that the leaders of these state and local agencies are very creative in obtaining funds in support of the seniors in their area. It was refreshing to see how carefully these funds were monitored and how efficiently they were administered. It strengthens my belief that the closer the decisions on the use of government funds are to the person being served, the better the efficiency and the outcome.

It is interesting that Area Agencies on Aging were transferred in 2012 to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which is under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This transfer combined three offices that dealt with senior services. This transfer highlighted one of the basic goals of the AAAs: allowing seniors to age in the place of their choice. They later continued to combine services under the ACL which again gave me some hope that these area agencies will have more resources and expertise at their disposal to better serve their local aging population.

The conference theme was Answers on Aging and there certainly were some issues that came forward. The number one focus of discussion was the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA). This is the primary funding vehicle for the AAAs, and it is usually reauthorized every 5 years. It is coming up for reauthorization this year and much of the discussion centered around the reauthorization. At one of the presentations, Amy Gotwals, Chief of Public Policy at USAging, was asked if she ever wished the act could be made permanent so she didn’t have to go through the periodic OAA reauthorization. She answered, not at all, she said that the reauthorization gave everyone a chance to refocus and realign their services, to bring them up-to-date to the current needs. I thought this was a great answer, and it made me think that sunset legislation might be an answer to realigning out-of-date legislation.

One public policy priority that was discussed was the support of aging in place. It was pointed out that 85% of seniors want to grow old in their homes. One of the salient points was the fact that it saves our healthcare system money when older Americans age in place. It was also pointed out that during the pandemic, assisted living centers were one of the unhealthiest places for seniors. Many of the workshops were centered around what services best allowed seniors to stay in their homes. The importance of caregivers was emphasized in these discussions.

It became very apparent at the conference that caregivers are central to maintaining the long-term health of seniors. It was recognized that unpaid caregivers, the family, and friends of older adults, are responsible for much of the savings generated by staying out of healthcare institutions. It is estimated that there are 53 million unpaid caregivers in the US who contribute an estimated $600 billion worth of support to older adults annually. I have been involved in many issue discussions over the years on how we can financially support these unpaid caregivers and encourage others to participate. The discussions at the conference continued this discussion. The discussion turned to the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, a result of years of work by two advisory councils at the urging of Congress, which passed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act in 2018. USAging is advocating strongly for the implementation of the Act and subsequent efforts to build upon the act. Everyone was adamant about the importance of this issue.

The AAAs have become a very important resource for older adults all over the US. While you might not have known about them by name, you’ve probably seen Meals on Wheels, senior lunch at senior centers, and door-to-door transportation services. These are all services administered by your local Area Agency on Aging. While some services are income-based, many are not, with only age, disability, or functional limitations as criteria. It is true, however, that many AAAs prioritize low-income individuals.

As promised, here is the link you can use to locate your local Area Agency on Aging. I found in looking up my local AAA they offered; senior lunch (in senior centers and home-delivered), information and assistance, transportation, health insurance counseling, caregiver support & education, case management to coordinate in-home services, Long-term care Ombudsman, RSVO Volunteerism, recreational, social, and educational programs. My experience in meeting these people at the conference is that they are dedicated, resourceful, and empathetic. They really want to help the older adults in their area. Don’t hesitate to contact your AAA and find out what services may benefit you.

Best,

Thair