Introduction to the Older Americans Act
The Older Americans Act (OAA), originally enacted in 1965, supports a range of home and community-based services. These services include meals-on-wheels and other nutrition programs, in-home services, transportation, legal services, elder abuse prevention and caregivers support. These programs help seniors stay as independent as possible in their homes and communities. In addition, OAA services help seniors avoid hospitalization and nursing home care. As a result, OAA saves federal and state funds that otherwise would be spent on such care.
Who Benefits from the Older Americans Act?
The intent of the OAA is to promote the dignity of older adults. This is accomplished by providing services and supports that enable them to remain independent and engaged citizens within their communities. The original OAA established the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the aging services network that provides essential home and community-based supportive services. For local info, see Palm Beach Senior Resources or Broward County Senior Resources. AoA is now part of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). OAA funding is distributed to 56 state agencies, over 200 tribal organizations, two native Hawaiian organizations, more than 600 area agencies on aging and 20,000 local service providers.
While the program is open to older individuals, generally defined as 60 and older, it focuses on offering assistance to persons with the greatest social or economic need, such as low-income or older adults living in rural areas.
What are the Benefits?
The OAA authorizes a range of services and supports. This helps older Americans remain as independent and productive as possible in their own homes and communities. The OAA consists of seven titles.
Title I, II & III
Titles I and II declare the Act’s objectives and establish the AoA, the federal coordinating agency for OAA services. Title III – Grants for States and Community Programs on Aging – covers supportive services such as case management, senior center services, in-home services, transportation, and information and referral. Also included under Title III are nutrition programs, such as meals-on-wheels and senior center group meals; family caregiver support; and health promotion and disease prevention services. Funds for Title III programs are distributed based on a state’s proportionate share of either the age 60 or older population or, in the case of caregiver support programs, the age 70 or older population. Each state then has its own formula for allocating OAA funding to area agencies on aging which enables the delivery of services to local areas.
Title VII
Finally, Title VII provides support for programs to ensure protection of the rights of older adults. This includes the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and elder abuse prevention services. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is required to investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of nursing facility residents or other institutionalized populations. Title VII funds are allocated based on the state’s proportion of residents age 60 and older.
