Older American's Act Supporting Senior Centers, Meals on Wheels, up for Reauthorization

At 92 years old, Elizabeth Marshall has been independent all her life, she says. And she’s not about to stop—thanks in part to the Older Americans Act, which affects millions of seniors and may be in for some changes this year.

Testifying before the Senate Special Committee on Aging in May, Marshall revealed an independence ingrained in her psyche. She broke new ground in 1977, becoming the first female mayor of York, PA—a city of about 300,000 people at that time.

After a career in public service and real estate, Marshall retired at 81 years old. Today, she still lives in the first and only home she bought with her late husband 57 years ago.

Marshall maintains her independence in part through Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that provides meals to older Americans. For Marshall, they also ensure a safety net. Because they deliver three days a week, she said, if she were to fall or have another health problem, someone would soon find her.

Meals on Wheels, senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging—they all receive federal funding under the Older Americans Act. It’s up for reauthorization this year.

What Is the Older Americans Act?

“The Older Americans Act supports a wide range of social services and programs that help more than 10 million older Americans,” Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, told Caregiverlist.com in an email.

“For more than 45 years, the programs authorized under OAA have helped people live independently in their communities through home care, home-delivered and group meals, family caregiver support, transportation and other programs.”

The OAA was passed in 1965 as a sort of social-services cousin to a couple of new programs called Medicare and Medicaid, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the aging committee, explained during the hearing. It established the Administration on Aging and the local Area Agencies on Aging, which contract with community organizations to provide the services. And it requires states to have long-term-care ombudsman programs. These help people who have complaints against senior-care facilities—including allegations of elder abuse.

The OAA’s current authorization expires at the end of September, and insiders foresee an easy reauthorization. “Historically, OAA has attracted bipartisan support, and I hope that this year will be no different,” Kohl said.

However, given the state of Washington these days, sources say the act may not get voted on at all. That means it will remain as-is, likely being funded at the same level as before—with no changes to the programs. You can read more about what the OAA says here.

What Should You Do to Express Your Opinions About the Older Americans Act?

 
To help inform them during the reauthorization process, the Administration on Aging started asking for input last year. Testifying before the Special Committee on Aging in April, Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee revealed some themes they’d heard. She said people want:

• Evidence-based interventions to help seniors prevent diseases
• Broader community partnerships
• Flexibility in responding to nutrition needs
• Increased efforts to fight Medicare and Medicaid fraud

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter testified in the May hearing specifically about caregiver needs. Her organization, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, presented a number of recommendations.

For one thing, the institute wants family caregivers and people who work with them to have access to affordable, evidence-based training. It also recommends tax breaks for family caregivers, along with Social Security considerations. One idea: Allow three or four years worth of caregiving time to count as covered employment, with an assigned wage.

How to Find Programs Funded Through the Older Americans Act

“Many recipients of services are like me. They just need one or two little bits of help,” Marshall said during the hearing.

To learn about programs funded in your community, click here to find your local Area Agency on Aging.

To keep track of news about the OAA, and other issues relevant to older Americans and caregivers, you can sign up for the Administration on Aging’s eNews alerts here.