Aging/Older Adults

This report discusses what is known about effective programs to support family caregivers and emphasizes evidence-based programs for family caregivers of persons living with dementia. Evidence-based programs to help caregiving families are not widely available in communities. This report looks at barriers to scaling up effective programs and draws attention to programs that have been shown to improve one or more aspects of the quality of life of family caregivers.

The ADvancing States created an infographic that depicts an overview of the oral health experiences of older adults and persons with disabilities. This resource highlights who is impacted, what happens as a result, why this happens, and where we can go from here.

In 2017, ADvancing States administered a survey of state agencies that deliver LTSS, including aging and disability agencies as well as Medicaid programs, regarding the significant policy, fiscal, and operational issues occurring within each state. During the survey, we collected detailed information about the structure of agencies, the supports provided, and the populations served by state programs.

The Administration for Community Living’s National Adult Protective Services Technical Assistance Resource Center has released their first National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) FFY 2016 data report. NAMRS is a voluntary data reporting system which collects data from state and local Adult Protective Services systems. This report contains information about the quantity and type of data submitted by states, the District of Columbia, and territories.

This is the first major research paper in this emerging field of managed long-term services and supports (LTSS) that addresses family caregivers’ needs. Family caregivers of people with self-care needs often make it possible for the members of managed care plans to live at home rather than in institutions. Managed care plans, therefore, have strong financial incentives to support these family caregivers, thus improving quality of life and reducing the overall cost of care.

A report by The Menges Group on behalf of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans estimates the current savings of the managed care model in Medicaid and the additional savings that can occur if remaining fee-for-service (FFS) expenditures were moved into a capitated MCO setting. The report estimates that in 2016, the MCO model delivered nationwide Medicaid savings of $7.1 billion. This represents an overall savings of 2.6% on all the funds paid via capitation.

A national survey of Area Agencies on Aging is conducted every two to three years. The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) has released their 2017 survey report. They surveyed 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), with 412 completing the survey, to discover what services they commonly offer, how AAAs address funding, and what their policy priorities are.

This guide highlights the work of State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging who engage and include the LGBT community in their planning and services. It includes an extensive list of tools and resources to assist with outreach to LGBT communities, data collection, needs assessments, writing LGBT-inclusive planning goals and objectives, and suggested organizational best practices for LGBT-inclusive planning.

AARP has released an update from their Public Policy Livable Communities division, which explains that communities need to encourage more accessible homes for older adults and their families by requiring that single family homes meet visitability requirements with features such as having an entrance without steps, kitchen counters set at multiple heights, and half-bathrooms at the ground level.

The Partnership for Healthy Outcomes, a project of the Center for Health Care Strategies, Nonprofit Finance Fund, and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, has published a report that captures and analyzes lessons from health care organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs) that are partnering to address both the clinical and the social determinants of health. This report is based on a survey of more than 200 health care related partnerships.