The Older Americans Act: More funding needed to keep promise to the nation’s seniors
By Senator Edward M. Kennedy (Dem)
The idea for the Older Americans Act was originally developed at the White House Conference on Aging in 1961, hosted by President Kennedy. This landmark legislation is more important today than ever. The Act remains one of the most important means of providing nutritional and social services to older persons. We owe it to our nation’s seniors to provide the resources to make it work.
More than 37 million Americans are 65 or older. The Older Americans Act is essential to the wellbeing of the generation that did so much to make America what it is today. Congress reauthorized and strengthened it last year, and it continues to provide many important services that keep seniors healthy and connected to their communities through programs ranging from Meals on Wheels and senior transportation services to home health care and respite care that extend and improve the quality of seniors’ lives.
The Act emphasizes the importance of keeping older adults actively involved in their communities and bringing older people and younger people together. It requires state and local agencies to develop emergency preparedness plans for the elderly and promotes long-term care plans that enable seniors to continue living with their families. It also funds the Community Service Employment program to promote part-time job opportunities for low-income seniors– a program that served 91,000 individuals in 2006.
These programs make a huge difference in communities in Massachusetts and across the country. They actually save taxpayers money, by reducing premature nursing home placement, preventing malnutrition, and controlling chronic health conditions, thus reducing Medicaid and Medicare costs.
Despite the efficiency and importance of these programs, the Act’s funding hasn’t increased since 2002. As a result of inflation and the growing number of older Americans in need, the Act’s ability to improve seniors’ lives has diminished. Our failures to increase funding for programs that help preserve the health and independence of our seniors shows that our priorities are profoundly out of place.
I’ve urged Congress to increase support for the Act’s programs by 10% this year. Like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the Older Americans Act is part of our solemn commitment to care for our nation’s seniors in their golden years, and I’ll continue to fight for the additional resources this vital program needs to fulfill our commitment.
Thank you for your interest in the issue, and please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or comments.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy is one of Massachusetts' U.S. senators.
