Aging/Older Adults

NAMD spoke with Medicaid Directors and senior program leaders to understand where they are focusing their time as they continue to respond to the pandemic, pursue long-term program innovation and improvement, and manage their staff. NAMD has found that Medicaid Directors and senior leaders are currently focusing on program innovation and strategic initiatives, stakeholder engagement, program operations, staff management, COVID response.

A panel of State Units on Aging senior leadership discuss their use, and the impact of, Joy for All robotic Companion Pets. They share the intended use cases, distribution methods, volume of pets distributed (if appropriate), and specific stories of impact. Leaders also speak to their plans regarding the ongoing use of Companion Pets to combat social isolation and loneliness post-pandemic.

Through a national survey, focus groups and a series of documentary videos, NCOA has collected data from grandparents providing part-time child care to young grandchildren. This research has helped helped NCOA create a one-of-its-kind Grand Connections workshop series to support grandparent caregivers.

The EngAGED National Resource Center has released this data brief summarizing a survey of organizations within the aging network to see what social engagement programs were offered during the COVID-19 pandemic to older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers.

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs released their August 2021 newsletter highlighting Miami-Dade County's Age-Friendly Initaitive. The county's Age-Friendly Initiative was launched in 2012 and has grown into a collaborative network of individuals, stakeholders, and organizations working together to bring housing, transportation, employment and health services to their older adult population.

This n4a spotlight focuses on the Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities of Southwest Washington's Community Paramedicine program. Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington (AAADSW) has integrated health care and long-term services and supports by partnering two different Accountable Communities of Health in Washington state: Cascade Pacific Action Alliance (CPAA) and Southwest Washington Accountable Community of Health (SWACH).

NASHP has published an Appendix K interactive map, supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation, to track each state’s new flexibilities in modified 1915 (c) and 1115 waivers. States are using these waivers and amendments to ensure that their older adults and family caregivers are receiveing the LTSS services they need during the pandemic.

Funded by ACL, this resource library collects digital materials from the Older Adults' Equity Collaborative member organizations to provide tools and guidance to the aging services network, providers, older adults and family caregivers. The resources included cover topics of social isolation and mental health, Alzheimer's and Dementia, disabilities, caregiving, retirement income and security, and emergency planning.

NADTC has released it's 2020 Annual Trends Report, highlighting challenges in transportation over the past year and solutions being immplemented across the United States. Topics include: Volunteer Driver Programs in the Age of COVID-19, Transportation for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, A Fixed-Route Response to Assisting Communities During a Pandemic, Meeting the Transportation Needs of Diverse Older Adults and People with Disabilities, and more.

Georgia’s Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services (DAS) used WellSky’s configurable platform to meet the case management, data collection, decision making, and reporting needs of the state during the pandemic. Download this case study to read about how Georgia was successful in meeting the increased needs of seniors during COVID-19.