Aging/Older Adults

Find a user-friendly toolkit outlining a community-based planning process to promote healthy aging. The guide includes an overview with key elements of an aging well planning process, step-by-step guides for data gathering activities, case studies of communities addressing these needs, and a resource list of web sites and organizations offering information. Also attached is a related article co-authored by the Center for Civic Partnerships staff.

Examine the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a model of care that enables frail elders to live independently in their communities. Designed as an alternative to nursing homes, PACE has received many accolades for meeting the complex needs of this population while reducing the need for hospitalization. Read about PACE's history in California, how other states are successfully increasing their PACE programs, and ideas for promoting expansion in California.

This report is the latest in a series of annual reports that present expenditures data for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers authorized under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. Table 1 presents reported Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 expenditures for each HCBS waiver in effect during that year. Table 2 presents HCBS waiver expenditures data from FY 2004 through FY 2009 by state. The remaining tables present data according to the populations served in waivers.

Review six fact sheets that compile national figures and provide basic information on some of the most important issues surrounding long-term care. Each 2-3 page document presents a critical long-term care issue, highlighting main points in bullet format and providing a comprehensive list of citations. Topics range from demographics and economic characteristics of the aging population, to who needs, provides and pays for LTC, and where it is provided.

This report is the latest in a series of annual reports on Medicaid long-term care expenditures. Table 1 presents national expenditures data for FY 1997–FY 2009. Tables A through T present state-by-state expenditures data for FY 2004–FY 2009 for specific categories of service. Tables U, V, and W present the distribution of each state’s LTC expenditures among institutional and community-based services.

First in a series, this brief presents findings from AoA’s National Survey of Older Americans Act Program Participants. Findings indicated that Title III participants were at a higher risk of entering a nursing home compared to others in their age group. The authors conclude that AoA, however, is effectively reaching those most at risk of institutionalization, and that Title III services play an important role in helping elderly adults remain living independently in the community.

Ten grants were awarded to states to develop a profile of the publicly funded LTC system and to assist CMS to develop national benchmarks that will be used to measure the degree and success of states' efforts to offer community based LTC services. Review Michigan’s report which focuses on the priority population of the elderly and adults with physical disabilities, but also includes systems that serve adults with developmental disabilities, adults with mental illness and children.

The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging sponsored PPAR’s Winter/Spring 2010 issue. It includes seven articles written by national experts describing recent and notable changes in LTC policy, with its increasing emphasis on HCBS services. An introductory essay provides a 30-year review of the evolutionary process of LTC. Consumer-directed initiatives, caregiver and workforce issues, maturation of the service delivery system, and a review of recent state-level initiatives are discussed.

Predictors of service use was examined among four in-home and two community-based services. Results showed that race did not have a significant effect on service use, but gender had a significant effect for some services. The results indicated the importance of social supports and structural factors in predicting use. Implications for policies and practice to improve community outreach, access and utilization of services by different racial groups of elders are discussed.

What are the housing challenges facing older adults? Find out in this report that also explores strategies to better enable older adults to age in place or in their community. It discusses accessible, safe, and affordable housing, access to social services and transportation, and housing models that help to allow aging in place. Also included is a link to an online toolkit, and a series of fact sheets on housing for seniors.