On February 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Retirement Security and Aging held a hearing on reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA). First enacted in 1965, the OAA provides the federal framework for a variety of services for elderly citizens, including employment assistance, health screening and treatment, exercise and recreation, and nutrition programs such as Meals on Wheels. The law was reauthorized for five years in 2000 (see The Source, 10/27/00).
In his opening remarks, Chair Mike DeWine (R-OH) said that “over 36 million people living in the United States are over the age of 65, accounting for about 12 percent of the population. The Census Bureau projects that 45 years from now, people 65 and older will number nearly 90 million in the United States and comprise 21 percent of the population. Further, we know that 4.6 million people aged 65 and older are still employed.” He added, “The Older Americans Act is an important service provider for these Americans. Through this important Act, our parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are able to access services, including congregate and home-delivered meals, community service employment, and services to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older persons.”
Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) expressed her concern that the administration’s FY2007 budget proposes to cut a number of programs authorized under the OAA, including a $3 million decrease for the National Family Caregiver Support Program: “Seniors are living longer, healthier lives. We must do what we can to help them be as independent and active as possible. The majority of senior citizens with chronic conditions live in the community and have their care provided by spouses, adult children and other family members.” She noted that in 2003, the National Family Caregiver Support Program “provided assistance to nearly 600,000 caregivers. Services include respite care, caregiver counseling and training, information about available resources and assistance in locating services. These services are invaluable to seniors and their families. We must ensure that we are doing what we can to help all seniors live healthy, independent lives for as long as possible.”
Former Rep. Barbara Kennelly (D-CT) testified on behalf of the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations. Requesting a 25 percent increase over FY2006 for all OAA programs, she encouraged the subcommittee to authorize $250 million annually for the National Family Caregiver Support Program and $60 million annually for the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention program. In addition, she encouraged Congress to “strengthen provisions and increase the authorized funding levels for Title VII services to enhance access to Legal Assistance to the Elderly and ensure the viability of elder abuse and domestic violence prevention, intervention and related elder justice activities and outreach demonstrations. Also, support Title VII services to enhance capacity and increase training of law enforcement officials and medical staff; broaden public education; and facilitate coordination among all professionals and volunteers involved with the prevention, detection, intervention and treatment of abuse and neglect of vulnerable older adults.”
Suzanne Mintz, president of the National Family Caregivers Association, explained that the FY2007 budget proposes new initiatives to provide services to family caregivers. She stated, “The budget calls for the creation of a new program of competitive grants, Choices for Independence, a $28 million initiative that will provide a flexible care plan of services for eligible individuals and therefore in the process support their family caregivers as well…I am all for more flexible and integrated programs that address the totality of a person’s needs, and providing services for a person with a chronic illness or disability does indirectly help their family caregiver, but it doesn’t address the very specific needs of the caregiver directly, only the National Family Caregiver Support Program does that. I know that money for programs to support needy Americans is very tight right now to say the least, but I fear that the proposed direction of the fiscal 2007 AoA [Administration on Aging] budget will leave even more family caregivers fending for themselves than has already been the case.”
National Advocacy Coordinator for AARP Jo Reed urged Congress to ensure that OAA services are targeted to the most vulnerable seniors, including low-income individuals and minorities: “The flexible nature of the OAA programs is one of its strengths because it helps to garner broad public and political support. However, historically there have been problems in achieving adequate service delivery to older minority individuals. It is critical that new participation data collected by AoA be disseminated so that the adequacy of current service delivery to older minorities can be evaluated. By tracking results, it is possible to ensure that more funding goes to those programs that achieve the best results with the targeted populations.”
