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FY 2007 Budget in BriefAdministration on AgingOn this page: Administration on Aging Overview Table
Administration on AgingThe Administration on Aging promotes the dignity and independence of older Americans and helps society prepare for an aging population. The FY 2007 budget request for the Administration on Aging (AoA) is $1.3 billion. This includes $28 million within Program Innovations to pilot Choices for Independence, which seeks to help older individuals and their families conserve and extend their personal resources and remain at home through the use of low-cost community-based alternatives. The budget request also provides funding for core formula grant programs, which deliver nutrition, supportive services and caregiver support through the national aging services network. Finally, the budget includes small reductions in core services totaling -$6.5 million. In FY 2006, the first wave of the baby boomers will turn 60. They will add to the over 49 million Americans who already are age 60 or older, including the over 5 million who are older than age 85. While advances in medicine and technology are enabling seniors to live longer and more active lives, those of more advanced age are at increased risk of chronic disease and disability. The FY 2007 budget request seeks to address these challenges by accelerating some of the key systems changes that are needed to fully prepare for the aging of the baby boomers and their long-term living needs. Choices for Independence will advance the President's New Freedom Initiative; it also strengthens the roles of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and individual States in promoting consumer choice, control and independence. Program InnovationsProgram Innovations funds have in past years provided the framework to test new models of home and community-based care. The lessons learned from these projects led AoA to invest $28 million in Choices for Independence, which is intended to help older individuals delay or avoid the need for expensive nursing facility care. Choices has three components, each of which builds off existing HHS programs and best practices in the field. The first component, Consumer Empowerment, will help individuals make informed decisions about their care options, plan ahead for their long-term care needs and streamline their access to publicly supported long-term care programs. The Healthy Lifestyle component will assist seniors to make behavioral changes that have proven effective in reducing the risk of disease and disability. Finally, Community Living Incentives will give States more flexibility in helping moderate-to-low income individuals avoid or delay institutionalized care. In addition to funding for Choices for Independence, the budget request for Program Innovations maintains funding for activities of ongoing national significance, including national resource centers and inter-generational opportunities. Finally, funds will support program evaluation for Choices and other activities. Home and Community-Based Supportive ServicesThe FY 2007 request for Home and Community-Based Supportive Services is $351 million. This grant program to States and Territories serves as the foundation for the national aging services network by helping to bring together and coordinate a variety of activities for seniors, and includes funding for multipurpose senior centers that coordinate and integrate services for the elderly. The array of services provided to seniors and their caregivers includes access services such as transportation, case management and information and referral; in-home services such as personal care, chore, and homemaker assistance; and community services such as adult day care, respite care and disease prevention, health promotion and physical fitness programs. Together, these services help keep seniors independent and enable them to stay in their homes and communities as long as possible, delaying the need for costly institutional care. Addressing Long-Term Care The approaches adopted as part of Choices for Independence will provide seniors with expanded supports at home, helping to delay or avoid the need to spend-down their assets to afford expensive nursing home care. Studies consistently indicate that seniors express an overwhelming preference to remain at home and out of long-term nursing facilities if at all possible. Choices has three components: Consumer Empowerment, Healthy Lifestyles and Community Living Incentives. Nutrition ProgramsThe FY 2007 request for Nutrition programs-including Congregate and Home-delivered Meals and the Nutrition Services Incentive Program-totals $712 million, over half of AoA's funding. Nutrition services help over 2 million older adults have access to the nutritious food they need to stay healthy and decrease their risk of disability. Congregate meal settings also provide opportunities for social engagement and meaningful volunteer roles, which contribute to overall health and well-being. Finally, while meals are the core service, these programs also provide related services such as nutrition screening, assessment, education, and counseling to vulnerable elders at home and in group settings. Family Caregiver Support ServicesThe FY 2007 budget includes $160 million for the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Services, which are closely integrated with other AoA core services programs, include information, training, counseling, respite and in-home assistance with activities of daily living. Now in its sixth year of operation, the program has demonstrated results: data indicate that it has positively affected caregivers' ability to provide support and care to their loved ones. Native American Nutrition and Supportive ServicesThe budget requests $26 million for nutrition and supportive services grants for Native American seniors. These grants will enable 238 Tribal organizations serving approximately 300 tribes to continue to provide American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian elders with nutritional and supportive services that help them remain healthy and independent. In addition, $6 million is included within Family Caregivers for services for Native American caregivers and the seniors they assist. These services are closely integrated with AoA nutrition and supportive services and include information, training, counseling, respite and in-home assistance. Protection and Aging Network SupportThe FY 2007 request includes $19 million to help protect the rights and dignity of vulnerable elders both at home and in institutional settings, and $13 million for ongoing projects that help seniors and families to obtain information about their care options and benefits, and which assist States, Tribes and community providers of aging services to carry out their mission. Protection activities help increase the quality of care for residents of long-term care facilities and increase public and professional awareness of elder abuse. Aging Support funds activities such as Eldercare Locator and Pension Counseling services, as well as Senior Medicare Patrols, a program that educates seniors about potential Medicare fraud. Program Eliminations No funding is requested for Preventive Health Services or for Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration Grants for FY 2007. Prevention is already a focus and an underlying principle of each of the AoA services provided by States and communities; States can continue to use their community-based supportive services dollars as they do now for a large portion of their preventive health activities. Further, most States have received funding for one or more demonstrations that tested and implemented successful, cost-effective approaches for serving persons with Alzheimer's Disease. The lessons learned and the models developed through these demonstrations are ready to be integrated into ongoing service programs; a number of States have already done so. Program AdministrationA total of $18 million is requested to maintain staffing levels, cover staffing costs related to implementation of the Choices for Independence initiative, and for related program management and support activities necessary to effectively administer a wide array of AoA programs. This request also supports efforts to strengthen management through greater efficiencies and economies of scale in information technology, financial systems, and personnel operations. Two of AoA's long-term performance goals address caregivers: Increase to 75 percent the percentage of caregivers who report that OAA services definitely help them provide care longer; and increase the total number of caregivers served to one million. In FY 2004, 52 percent of caregivers reported that services helped them care longer for an older individual, a 4 percent increase over FY 2003. Also in FY 2004, AoA exceeded its target of serving 500,000 caregivers by five percent. |
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Last revised: February 20, 2006
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