Long Term Services and Supports

This document describes the State of Connecticut’s plan on aging in accordance to Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission, organization, and strategies of the Connecticut Aging Services Division and how it plans to coordinate supportive services for its aging adults. Amongst some of the goals for FY11-13 is empowering older adults to make informed decisions, enabling seniors to remain in their homes, and promoting prevention and wellness programs.

This document describes the State of Colorado’s plan on aging in accordance to Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission and strategies of the Colorado Division of Aging and Adult Services and how it plans to coordinate supportive services given funding restrictions. Amongst some of the goals for FY12-15 is access to meaningful and rewarding work, disease prevention, access to transportation, and diversion from institutional settings.

The California State Plan on Aging describes the goals of California’s Department of Aging to promote independence and well-being for its older adults. This Plan identifies the key areas it wishes to pursue, including access to transportation, community involvement, and wellness programs, in collaboration with the local and regional agencies. The Plan also explains the organizational structure of California’s aging network and the unique population it serves.

This document sets forth Arkansas’ State Unit on Aging (SUA)’s mission and goals and how it plans to pursue these. Many of the community-based services include Older Americans Act Unit, Home and Community-Based Waiver Services, Adult Protective Services, and Aging and Disability Resource Center. The mission is to promote informed access to quality health services. The Plan includes a description of Arkansas demographics as well as a funding formula for local agencies serving these populations.

This document lays out Arizona’s state plan on aging. It describes the demographics of the aging population and the goals and strategies for adhering to Older Americans Act stipulations. As one of its goals, the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) has improving accessibility to integrated care. Some of the core programs and services include Independent Living Support Services (ILS), Adult Protective Services (APS), and Community Services.

This document lays out the State of Alabama’s plan on aging in accordance to Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission and strategies of the Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS) and how it plans to coordinate supportive services given funding restrictions. The FY11-12 plan has its goals promoting independence for its aging population and enabling seniors to remain in their homes via home and community-based services.

This document offers recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Older Americans Act (OAA) services upon its reauthorization. Recommendations are made under each Title of the Act. More general recommendations include increasing interaction and coordination with other federal programs that deliver services for older adults such as the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Senior Corps, and Adult Protective Services.

This Fact Sheet highlights some of the most important features of the Older Americans Act in providing quality home care. Some areas of the OAA that are covered include supportive services, nutrition services, caregiver support services, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, and funding for OAA services.

Review additional discussion of assisted living and residential care in the states, and learn more detailed data on assisted living and residential care capacity. Assisted living and other residential settings represent a critical component of the LTSS system for older adults who cannot live alone, but do not require the skilled care provided by nursing homes. In 2010, states reported a total of 51,367 licensed residential care settings with a total capacity of 1,233,690 beds.

What are the fundamental principles of caregiver assessment and why do assessments have an important role in a high-performing long-term services and support system? Caregiver assessment is a systematic process of gathering information about a caregiving situation to identify the specific problems, needs, strengths, and resources of the family caregiver, as well as the ability of the caregiver to contribute to the needs of the care recipient.