Older Adults

In a recent blog post by AARP, the importance of updating state emergency plans to better protect vulnerable populations during disasters is emphasized. The post highlights FEMA's updated State Mitigation Planning Policy Guide, which places greater expectations on states to account for the increased risk hazards pose to socially vulnerable populations like older adults and people with disabilities. Additionally, the AARP LTSS State Scorecard introduces a State Emergency Management Plan indicator, recognizing nine states for their proactive measures in mitigating harm to older adults and people with disabilities from disasters...

The Senate Special Committee on Aging recently released a request for information (RFI) seeking input from stakeholders relating to the impact of hoarding disorder (HD) on older adults. Hoarding disorder (HD) is a chronic and progressive condition that leads people to accumulate more objects than their homes can accommodate. HD impacts people of all ages. However, the prevalence of hoarding appears to be significantly greater for older adults (roughly 6.2%) compared to younger adults (roughly 2%). The Senate Special Committee on Aging is charged with studying “any and all matters pertaining to problems and opportunities of older people,” including problems related to health, housing, care, and assistance...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) are launching a pilot project to expand data sharing between the two agencies to simplify income verification for older adults applying for or renewing federal housing assistance. The HUD-SSA pilot project is part of a cross-government initiative to increase equitable access to government programs by improving customer service and reducing administrative burdens.

Nearly one-fifth of older adults live in rural areas and, as a result of their geography, are at higher risk of experiencing social isolation and loneliness. The Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Commit to Connect Initiative recently released a topical guide titled “Rural Communities and Building Social Connection for Older Adults and People with Disabilities,” aimed at assisting staff and volunteer leaders from organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities in rural areas seeking to enhance or initiate social engagement efforts.

On December 15, 2022 U.S. Senate Special Committe on Aging held a hearing to recognize the impact of federal nutrition assistance programs in reducing hunger among older adults. At the hearing, the Committee released a bipartisan report, entitled “Recognizing 50 Years of the Nation’s First Nutrition Program for Older Adults.” The report celebrates the role of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program in reducing hunger, promoting health, and enhancing the wellbeing and quality of life of older adults. The Committee also released state-by-state fact sheets highlighting the impact of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program in each Committee member’s state.

ASTDD has shared a new collection of resources, Older Adult Oral Health Resources for Collaboration. This resource was developed by a workgroup consisting of individuals from state public health programs, academia, and clinicians caring for older adults in a variety of settings. It includes information on the link between oral health and overall health, oral health and chronic disease, special populations, ventilator and non-ventilator pneumonia, nutrition, financing routine dental care, information for non-dental providers, teledentistry and equity.

This report is based on 2021 data from the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS), which is a voluntary data reporting system that collects information from state adult protective services systems throughout all states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The 2021 report features a unique chapter on the potential impacts of COVID-19.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, a program of the Federal Transit Administration administered by Easterseals and USAging with guidance from ACL, is lookig for survey participants to share challenges and promising practices in providing accessible transportation to older adults and people with disabilities. Survey responses will help guide NADTC's work over the next year.

This KFF issue brief describes the anticipated enrollment changes in pathways based on old age or disability (“non-MAGI”) after the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends, state enrollment and renewal policies for non-MAGI groups as of January 1, 2022, and state plans for resuming normal operations when the PHE ends.

This fact sheet from the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, Residents’ Rights and the LGBTQ+ Community: Know Your Rights as a Nursing Home Resident, highlights federal residents' rights and nursing home requirements pertaining to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) residents. The factsheet also provides options for complaint resolution, information for reporting abuse and resources regarding long-term care and LGBTQ+ advocacy.