Aging/Older Adults

Curious about issues of family caregiving and the workplace? This report highlights three public policy solutions to extend protections for working caregivers and reduce worker turnover: unpaid family and medical leave, paid family and medical leave insurance, and earned sick time. It presents an overview of each policy area, explains why workplace leave policies matter, and highlights states and localities that have adopted these protections.

Ethnic minorities and LGBT older adults will continue to become more represented among the older adult population. A lifetime of discrimination has often adversely affected LGBT elders of color in a myriad of ways, including greater likelihood of financial instability and heightened health disparities. This report offers policy solutions to support the wellbeing of this growing population. Policy solutions include strengthened outreach and community supports to LBGT elders of color.

The Affordable Care Act authorized the Medicaid Health Home State Plan Option, which allows states to design health homes to provide comprehensive care coordination for Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic conditions. States will receive enhanced federal funding to support the rollout of this new integrated model of care. This link directs to the Health Home Resource Center that provides technical assistance services for states as they submit their proposals for these health homes to CMS.

A representative sample of 1,019 adults ages 40 or older were interviewed regarding their experiences and beliefs about their need for long-term care services, what such care would cost, and how such issues fit into their concerns about growing older. This report outlines survey findings. Findings include, 58% of participants underestimate the cost of nursing homes, 41% have discussed long-term care preferences with family and 51% support a government sponsored long-term care insurance program.

This annual summary uses information from the US Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Care Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to display the demographic shift, as well as the health, geographic distribution and economic changes of those over 65 in the United States. This report found that 13.3 percent of the population is 65 and older, but this demographic is expected to grow to 21 percent by 2040. Changes from previous summaries are analyzed and projections are made.

This report examines the importance of Medicaid as a safety net for financing long-term services and supports (LTSS). Most older adults will require some form of LTSS, but paid LTSS can be very expensive. Unpaid, family caregiving has enormous economic value and currently accounts for the greatest portion of LTSS provision. However, if an individual needs paid LTSS, and can't afford LTSS insurance, Medicaid is often needed after an individual spends down their assets.

This report provides insight into how transportation services for older adults and persons with disabilities are funded. With a growing population in need of transportation and limited funds for these services, providers need to creatively leverage existing and untapped funding sources to fill gaps in service. Coordination of these limited resources is also key and must be supported by providers and all levels of government. Learn major sources of federal funding that providers can tap into.

Using data from the National Household Travel Survey, the Small Urban and Rural Transit Center has released a report that examines the travel behavior and mobility of older adults, people with disabilities, individuals in low-income households, and people in rural areas. NHTS data on driving, mode choice, use of public transportation, and issues and concerns regarding transportation are highlighted.

The ACL website brings together three agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services: Administration on Aging, Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Office on Disability. The new website offers resources about programs, services and issues facing persons with disabilities, older adults, and family caregivers. Site features include current issues, assessable icons to learn about ACL programs and information spread to the disability and aging communities.

Review this one-stop resource created by a team of agencies to help providers better understand, develop, and sustain participant-directed programs. The information is applicable whether funded by the Older Americans Act, Veterans Health Administration, State funds or other. The toolkit has two parts: one devoted to designing, managing and evaluating programs; the second on Financial Management Services (FMS). Resources include articles, forms, webinar recordings, state examples and charts.