Aging/Older Adults

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 offers options & financial incentives for states seeking to expand systems of long-term services and supports. Many of these opportunities work together & build on existing initiatives, resulting in a strengthened infrastructure for service provision & an LTSS system that meets the needs of Medicaid beneficiaries. Key provisions of the ACA are summarized in this issue brief, followed by considerations for states seeking to take advantage of new opportunities.

Individuals who are aging or living with chronic illness or disability, along with their families, face multiple challenges in defining and creating a network of supports. There is no easy path to figuring out how to support loved ones or how to navigate a maze of medical & community supports. This manual provides a set of tools to help professionals and families navigate complex issues. An 11"x 17" fold out Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model® adapted to person-centered planning is included.

Older Americans Adults (OAA) reauthorization presents a unique opportunity to make significant improvements to the advocacy provisions under the Act. This paper presents three dimensions and five principles that form the basis of advocacy under the OAA, and it offers seven recommendations to strengthen advocacy within the next OAA reauthorization. Virtually every program and funding stream created by the OAA requires that the entire aging network advocate on behalf of older Americans.

Certain states significantly outperform others in the delivery of long-term services and supports (LTSS) to older adults and people with disabilities. The report examines four key dimensions of state LTSS system performance: affordability and access; choice of setting and provider; quality of life and quality of care; support for family caregivers. It assesses each state's performance overall as well as on 25 indicators, some of which measured for the first time. Compare data on the website.

With the first wave of 70 million baby boomers turning 65 this year, use of long-term services and supports (LTSS), which include home care, assisted living, and nursing home care, is on the rise. In this podcast, the authors and funders of a new scorecard measuring the performance of state LTSS systems, a resource that should help policymakers and providers identify gaps and develop solutions.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 offers a number of options and financial incentives for states seeking to expand their systems of long-term services and supports. Many of these opportunities can be leveraged to work together and to build on existing initiatives. Key provisions of the ACA are summarized, followed by considerations for states seeking to take advantage of these new opportunities.

This online resource archives a national signature event. The Conference provides excellent workshops focused on the most promising opportunities and pressing issues, specifically care transition. Review past presentations, general sessions and hot topic videos.

Review this policy brief which summarizes 15 states' preliminary proposals to better coordinate care for people who are in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The design contracts are an outgrowth of new efforts under the health reform law to develop service delivery and payment models that integrate care for the nation’s nearly 9 million "dual eligibles," whose medical needs and health care costs typically exceed those of other Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Adult day services (ADS) centers are a key provider of long-term care services. As well as providing direct service, they benefit family caregivers by enabling them to remain in the workforce or receive needed respite. Data was collected and analyzed from a representative sample of centers, focusing on the characteristics of services, profile of participants, and the range of services offered. The study provides a picture of current adult day services and offers a look to the future.

A national survey of over 10,000 local governments follows up on a 2005 survey of aging communities across the nation. This report highlights 11 distinct transportation options important to older adults in local communities and underscores the importance of further outreach efforts to involve older adults in the planning process as only 30% of the communities surveyed had the direct involvement of older adults.