By Lynn Kellogg
Some ideas are just genius. We go through life, and if we’re fortunate, make it to older ages. Whether rich or poor, we all just want to keep doing our thing, whatever interests or passions that entails, until we don’t, and are gone.
Our lives change at every age, from childhood through adulthood. Some changes make life easier, some harder. When change is a challenge, it’s important to adapt, not stop. The trick however, is sometimes knowing how to adapt.
Our country is so large, rich with many cultures and lifestyles and environments. Wouldn’t it be great if there was an objective, no cost, special someone, everywhere, who knew the cultures, the services and local options to consider for making sound choices?
That’s the genius idea, stemming all the way from the 1960’s. With WWII veterans approaching and passing age 60, the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA) came into being with broad bi-partisan support to create services to ensure maximum independence for life.
By the 1970’s, they realized the diversity of the country didn’t lend well to planning from the federal level. So, they famously “lowered the center of gravity”, having states develop substate regions and designating entities to serve as Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) charged with planning and developing an array of services that blended with local infrastructure, cultures and resources, all designed to maximize independence for life.
Funds for some service development were a part of the AAA designation to assure nationwide availability of specific things. The biggest example is assurance of nutrition. AAAs everywhere started programs like Meals on Wheels and community meal sites and remain their largest single funder.
Throughout the years, the plethora of services, products and business start-ups spurred by the Older Americans Act across the country have been a resounding success. The Return on Investment of the OAA is amazing, ringing in years ago at 300%, or $3 for every $1 invested and growing ever since.
Along with assessing local needs and developing services, AAAs are required to become nonpartisan political advocates. The role is to help elected officials at the local, state and national levels know not only local needs, but also how well key systems such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are working and how they can be made more efficient and impactful.
Based on AAA knowledge and demonstrations, tweaks to those systems and partnerships across sectors, such as bridging medical care and home-based support, are prevalent nationwide. The resulting dollar savings in better health outcomes is astounding, with the new efficiencies becoming a powerful tool in achieving desired results and eliminating waste.
Many OAA successes have been expanded nationwide through another far-sighted component of the OAA. Congressional reauthorization of OAA is required every few years to update supportive services, adapt programs to the changing needs of the population, and promote development of known success demonstrations. Every authorization since the Act’s inception has been passed with bi-partisan support.
Reauthorization is being now considered and has already passed the Senate with bi-partisan support. The same will come up in the House and on to the President. Once members of Congress understand what the Act does and how well it works, it’s a no-brainer. This column is an attempt to help educate and expand bi-partisan champions.
Knowing how to adapt successfully to change is key for all of us, rich or poor. Having objective, no cost, special people, nationwide, including Tribal Nations, who know cultures, services and local options to help people make good choices is such a simple yet profound key to success. Another required service of the OAA: access to information and services.
Locally we have the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 1-800-654-2810 and nationally for other areas, The Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. They empower people and change lives daily. Genius.
Lynn Kellogg is former CEO of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in Southwest Michigan. Questions on age or independence services? Call the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org. The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.