Area Agencies on Aging
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Area Agencies on Aging Fatima Perkins1 and Andrzej Klimczuk2 1 Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, Cleveland, OH, USA 2 SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw, Poland
President Lyndon B. Johnson. Specifically, AAAs were created with the 1973 reauthorization of the OAA. AAAs create the infrastructure to execute comprehensive long-term support services that ensure the independence of older adults.
Overview Synonyms Aging and disability resource centers; Information about public services for older people and people with disabilities; Resources for older citizens, people with disabilities and their families; Support, services, and information for older people and people with disabilities
Definition An area agency on aging (AAA) is a public or private nonprofit organization designated by the state to address the needs and concerns of all older persons at the regional and local levels in the United States (Administration for Community Living (ACL) 2019). AAAs have a successful history of developing, coordinating, and implementing comprehensive networks of services and programs that enrich communities and the lives of older adults. AAAs were established through a provision of the Older Americans Act (OAA 1965), which was signed into law by
Globally and nationally, demographic shifts reveal a significant increase in the older population. In the near future, worldwide, older adults will outnumber children (Vespa 2019). Though most communities have some resources to address the potential needs of this growing population, the United States will need to ensure continuous funding to support the network of organizations, including AAAs. Nearly 45 percent of older Americans report their health status as being “very good to excellent.” The paradox is that 77 percent of persons aged 65 or above have two chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, high cholesterol, and/or hypertension (AoA 2018). Due to progressive healthcare practices and other positive societal variables, the average individual will live well into their late 70s. With the increase in longevity, many older adults will experience a myriad of challenges and opportunities. In order to experience the optimal quality of life, the nation will need to keep at least 11 considerations at the forefront: (1) access to food resources that support nutritional needs; (2) case management to assist
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 D. Gu, M. E. Dupre (eds.), Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_219-1
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the most vulnerable with accessing care; (3) community and virtual focal points to facilitate coordination of services; (4) support employment opportunities; (5) improve healthcare and health literacy; (6) provide information, assistance, and referral; (7) foster lifelong learning opportunities that engage and empower; (8) provide resources to support caregivers; (9) provide safe universally designed and accessible housing; (10) improve technology adoption and procurement of devices; and (11) ensure transportatio
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