Aging/Older Adults

The National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA) is pleased to share a comprehensive set of recommendations for reform of the Older Americans Act (OAA) when it is reauthorized by the 109th Congress in 2005. NASUA believes that the forthcoming reauthorization of the Act provides an opportunity to modernize its structures, programs, and services to prepare to serve the next generation of older persons and their families.

State aging and disability agencies have operated within a tumultuous environment for the past several years. It has become increasingly more difficult to reconcile the needs of older adults and people with disabilities with the resources available to address those needs. Five themes are identified from the 2012 state of aging and disabilities surveys, which include the acceleration of Medicaid managed long term services and supports and continuing loss of historical knowledge around the nation.

In 2009, television stations ceased to broadcast in analog and became digital. Adults over the age of 65 are more likely to have analog television sets and therefore are likely to require assistance into digital transition. This brief helps highlight some important facts about analog to digital transition, including options available to analog consumers and rebate and discount programs. This brief also identifies the different ways in which state governments have prepared to address this issue.

A Silver Alert program establishes a notification system to alert the public of missing persons who are elderly or have cognitive impairments. This report identifies which states have Silver Alert programs, those that do not, and those with pending legislation. This report provides a brief summary of the legislations that established programs in certain states, the agencies administering the program, and the program requirements for initiating an alert.

The goal of this coordinated national campaign from n4a & NASUA is to provide the resources to implement consumer-centered and cost effective long-term care strategies authorized in the 2006 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. Empower the Aging Services Network to implement these strategies through a three-pronged program encompassing person centered access to information, evidence-based disease management and health promotion activities, and enhanced home and community-based services.

Are you struggling with what should and should not be included in an I&R resource database? NASUA has put together a compilation of suggestions, experiences, and ideas from the field related to establishing a database. The paper also addresses specific elements of designs and policy development.

Held in May 2005 this national conference was designed to meet the unique training needs of waiver program operators. This year’s conference, titled "The Sun Shines Brighter at Home," offered substantive opportunities to learn about the national initiatives, policy directions and grant programs that shape the current environment. The attached agenda has links to all of the presentation overheads.

The findings from a fourth economic survey of the state units on aging conducted in May 09 revealed that despite the funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 60% of states must reduce their agencies' budgets for FY10. While ARRA funding allowed states to maintain food and nutrition programs, over 20% of states indicated they will cut back services and programs include Older Americans Act, disability, Medicaid, and home- and community-based services and supports.

The recession continues to affect state programs for older individuals and adults with physical disabilities. Demand for publicly funded services has grown, and resources, including staff, are stretched thin, according to this new 50-state study. 31 states have cut non-Medicaid aging and disability services programs in FY 2010, and 28 states were expecting to cut these programs in FY 2011. Find the research report, brief, video and compiled State profiles.

ADRC grantees must serve at minimum two target populations by the end of the grant. This document details target populations and pilot sites for the twenty-four grantees.