Aging/Older Adults

Find a comprehensive listing of initiatives across the country to help communities become more aging-friendly. Included in the Compendium are brief summaries of 121 community aging efforts, contacts for each, and listings organized by national affiliation and state.

What are the policy changes related to the continuum of care for older people—specifically long term services and supports (LTSS) and chronic care coordination? This analysis examines major provisions in these areas which are organized into five categories: 1) national insurance for long term services and supports; 2) Medicaid options and incentives to expand LTSS; 3) other LTSS provisions; 4) chronic care coordination; and 5) nursing home reforms.

What role can community colleges play in supporting initiatives to improve the quality of in-home care? The Caregiving Training Institute was created to support a wide range of training programs at Community Colleges. This brief provides an overview of the trend toward in-home services, highlights the importance of well-trained caregivers, and discusses the unique role community colleges can play in this arena.

Looking for information on the CLASS Act? This report compares provisions in both the House and Senate health care reform legislation, identifies key differences between the two bills, and discusses federal budget implications as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the CMS. It also discusses cost and financing for long-term care services and the current market for private LTC insurance.

What can be done today to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are aging? That’s the focus of this issue of Impact, which contains articles that give a variety of responses to this question. From self-advocates and their families you hear of the importance of having opportunities to be active participants in their communities. Researchers and practitioners speak to policy and service issues that address the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.

Looking for journal articles relating to client’s rights, and ethical and legal issues involved in consumer-directed models? Read three seminal academic articles written by prominent professionals in the field.

Review summary findings from evaluations of ADRCs done by entities external to the ADRCs and/or for purposes beyond routine semi-annual reporting (SART). Studies are arranged by topics covering a range of activities including access to services, outreach and marketing, consumer satisfaction and cost effectiveness.

Support Options is a CLP demonstration program that invites consumers who are at-risk of nursing home placement and Medicaid spend-down to actively participate in managing their own services within an established budget. Find marketing materials and a training manual for the Determination of Need (DON) Functional Assessment, a standardized assessment tool used that measures functional impairment and unmet need for care.

Review an evaluation of the Johnson County and Linn County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) pilot sites. The evaluation assesses the process and outcomes of establishing a standardized entry point to long-term care supports and services, with emphasis on the role of the Options Counselor (OC) at both sites. Copies of surveys and interview techniques used are included.

Network with 'Villages' that are sprouting up in communities across the country. These initiatives allow people affordable options for staying in their own homes, and to remain active, independent, and civically connected to their communities. The Village to Village Network is an informal association of these groups, a national peer to peer network to help communities establish and continuously improve their Villages whether in large metropolitan areas, rural towns, or suburban settings.