into law on 14 July, 1965. This law,
and its amendments, established and
funded the Areas on Aging that have
become parts of many communities across
the county. This community agency for
seniors has slowly developed into a
major organization provided a variety of
services and information to older
Americans and their families. The
authorization of 2000, established the
National Family Caregiver Support
Program, to help provide support for the
increasing numbers of caregivers who
support an elderly relative.
The OAA was to be reviewed in 2005, but
the United States Congress only
continued the program as it had been.
That program included the concept that
all seniors should have access to legal
assistance, transportation services,
meals, nursing home ombudsmen, elder
abuse prevention and opportunities for
employment. The law mandates that every
state have its own community agency for
seniors. All seniors should have access
to the agency through their local
communities.
Many components of this important
community agency for seniors are aimed
at helping the frailest of the elderly
remain as active and healthy as
possible. These seniors also should
have the right to be treated fairly and
well. Each community can construct its
own community agency for seniors to
serve its senior population in the most
appropriate way, befitting the needs of
the seniors and the community.
Subsequent modifications to the original
act authorized local communities to have
access to funding in order that each
community could create a community
agency for seniors that was appropriate,
useful and fit the needs of the local
seniors. Many communities have
established a variety of health related
programs that can offer health promotion
and disease prevention programs for the
local seniors. Many communities can
offer some form of nutrition and meal
programs as part of their local
community agency for seniors.
Congregate meals as well as the familiar
"Meals on Wheels" programs were able to
be established through the OAA.
Since the number of seniors is expected
to increase greatly in the next ten
years, the next review and authorization
of the Older Americans Act is viewed as
important. If funding isn't increased
and if the numbers of seniors does grow
rapidly as expected, many of the current
programs may need to be cut, simplified
or have increased waiting times. Some
people believe that the people who will
become eligible for the local community
agency for seniors in the future may not
need the services as much as seniors in
the past needed them. Anyone who
expects to become a senior in the next
decade or two should become interested
in the legislation related to the OAA
and its components.
If anyone wants to access more
information on the OAA, one of these two
web sites should be helpful:
http://www.tcsg.org/law/oaa/reauth.htm
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