The Buzz

Despite making up more than half of consumer spending in the United States, older adults are yet to be accurately reflected in the media, products, and services that target them. A recent campaign and videos from Alive Ventures highlighted areas of opportunity for investment and innovation and the value of tapping into the market of building for older consumers.

A new report from the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging identifies technological opportunities to advance health and home care solutions.

The Aging and Disability Business Institute developed an Evidence Bank to help community-based organizations (CBOs) highlight their value as contracting partners to health care entities.

The American Society on Aging (ASA) 2022 meeting theme is advancing economic security. Program content is organized within five areas: justice and aging, innovation and social impact, health and well-being, economic security, and ageism and culture. We are taking part in several sessions on April 12:

• Preparing for an Aging State: Getting Started with a Master Plan for Aging (see related resources)
• Can Medicare Help Promote Economic Security for Older Adults? An Overview of New, Nonmedical Benefits in Medicare Advantage (see related report)

Finally on April 13, President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty will contribute to the Advancing Tech-Enabled Health and Home Care discussion.

Health care providers and payers are increasingly using Social Health Access Referral Platforms (SHARP) to refer patients to community-based organizations (CBOs). The Aging and Disability Business Institute identified key issues for CBO’s to consider when deciding whether to work with a SHARP.

Dr. Mohanty recently reflected on 2021 and looked ahead to efforts TSF is advancing. Read her Perspectives and watch the related clip.

The Center for Health Care Strategies recently convened innovators who developed seven considerations when designing and refining complex care programs.

Also, Health Affairs will be hosting a virtual forum tomorrow that highlights key elements from its series on complex care along with the voices of patients, caregivers, and advocates who have firsthand experience in the field.

California’s MPA has inspired unprecedented levels of coordinated action across the state’s network of aging and disability providers, policymakers, researchers, and advocates. See what’s planned for 2022 and hear from Dr. Mohanty at Friday’s anniversary event.

1. We are building momentum for Master Plans for Aging across the nation! Our policy brief highlighted states with Master Plans for Aging, shared key elements of those plans, and discussed how states can get started. Just last week, New York’s Governor Hochul committed to develop a Master Plan.
2. Website visitors continued getting to know TSF staff.
3. Our 2021 annual forum was last fall. Access the recordings and materials, and learn about other recent events.
4. Since COVID-19 emerged, Americans have had a lot of time to think about what they want their life to be like, including what it means to age well and equitably. Our popular webpage showcased videos of three older adults who are thriving at home in community.
5. Visitors kept up to date with our annual Innovation Award. In 2021, we celebrated Covia, a Front Porch Partner, for their Well Connected Program. Empowered Aging and the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living were honorably mentioned. In December, we hosted a webinar to share more about each organization’s achievements.

For the past decade, AARP Policy Institute’s Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) State Scorecard has offered a way for policymakers to assess state performance as we strive to improve the lives of older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers. With COVID-19 exposing LTSS system challenges, how can we redesign the system and improve our measurement methods? Read the latest AARP blog.

1. You welcomed Dr. Sarita A. Mohanty as our new President and CEO one year ago.
2. You learned about of our successes, projects, and ongoing work in our 2020 Annual Report.
3. You explored our 2021 virtual Forum agenda and checked out our annual Innovation Award. You can still catch up on the recordings, get all the materials, and learn more about our 2021 awardee.
4. You tracked the historic progress of California’s Master Plan for Aging and learned how other states are charting their own course.
5. Finally, you trusted us to unpack how California’s 2021-22 Budget and Home- and Community-Based Spending Plan are impacting older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.

The 2021 Innovation Award recognized organizations that employ human-centered design principles to build and/or modify products, programs, or services that help older Californians thrive. Join our webinar tomorrow at 12 pm PT to learn how human-centered design principles were implemented by this year’s winner and honorable mentions.

At last week’s Forum, we celebrated Covia, a Front Porch Partner, for its Well Connected Program! Well Connected is a virtual community created through human-centered design principles to improve the lives of older adults. Watch a video about the Innovation Award winner and see which organizations received Honorable Mention.

Join ATI Advisory and Long-Term Quality Alliance on November 16 to hear the latest research insights and policy recommendations for nonmedical supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage (MA).

We partner with UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program to build awareness on aging in America and elevate how myriad sectors affect the lives of older adults. See the latest coverage below.

• An article in The Sacramento Bee (subscription required) examines how climate change is impacting older adults and inspiring a wave of activism. Read about climate-friendly aging in California’s Master Plan for Aging.
• A piece in The New York Times illustrates needs at the intersection of aging, public health, and housing.

The TSF 2021 Innovation Award recognizes organizations that embrace the principles of human-centered design to improve the lives of older adults in California. Learn more and apply today!

In 2020, TSF acknowledged the depth of disruptive change, focused on resiliency through creativity, and remained committed to its mission. Read our annual report.

The TSF 2021 Innovation Award seeks to recognize organizations that engage older adults in developing and crafting products and services for older Californians. Learn more and apply by July 15!

The TSF 2021 Innovation Award recognizes organizations that embrace the principles of human-centered design to improve the lives of older adults in California. These could include a range of contributions, such as:

• Research with older adults to better understand their needs, wants, and preferences;
• Ideation and iteration with older adults in product, program, or service design

Learn more about the 2021 Innovation Award and apply today!

The Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) and ATI Advisory released a “Frequently Asked Questions” brief on new supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage. For more information, watch their latest webinars, Advancing Nonmedical Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage: Part 1 and Part 2.

Apply now for the The John A. Hartford Foundation 2021 Business Innovation Award. The award recognizes community-based organizations for their strategic partnerships with health care entities serving older adults and people with disabilities.

Nominations due by May 14, 2021.

Read Manatt Health’s updated resource guide, spotlighting how states are transforming long-term services and supports during COVID-19 and planning for the future.

A new analysis from ATI Advisory and the Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) shows that more Medicare Advantage plans are offering Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) and with wider availability. Learn more about ways to advance new nonmedical supplemental benefits in Medicare:

• Explore a new data brief and chartbook on Medicare Advantage plan offerings in 2021.
• Hear new insights on opportunities for policymakers.
• Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of a webinar series and review the slides.
• Read the Roadmap for plan considerations and policy opportunities.

The field of complex care is creating models and innovative approaches to better serve people with complex care needs.

Grantmakers in Aging released Creating New Connections: How Philanthropy Can Support Better Care for People with Complex Health and Social Needs, which summarizes key issues and includes case studies for funders to deepen their work.

Read Dr. Chernof’s latest Perspectives, which reflects on our 2020 Forum: Honoring the Journey of Growing Older. You can also now access all the Forum materials and recordings.

TSF celebrates DayBreak Adult Care Centers as this year’s Innovation Award winner! DayBreak is a member organization of our California Advocacy Network that has delivered initiative-driven leadership to improve the lives of older adults in California.

Learn more.

Register now for our 2020 Forum: Honoring the Journey of Growing Older on October 19-20! It will include livestream plenaries, breakout sessions, performances, and more. Materials for our sessions are now available in the Forum Lobby.

• Wondering if you have time to join us?

  Check out our detailed agenda and read our attendee frequently asked questions.

• Use the Forum App to network and receive helpful notifications throughout the two-day event.

  Search for “The SCAN Foundation Forum” in the App store (Apple or Android) and select “Download.” The Forum App is totally free! You will need to log in using the email address you used to register for the Forum and sign up for notifications.

Our virtual lobby is now open for our 2020 Forum: Honoring the Journey of Growing Older! The two-day event, October 19-20, will include livestream plenaries, breakout sessions, performances, and more.

Register today for our all-virtual 2020 Forum on October 19-20!

Our two-day event will include livestream plenaries, breakout discussions, performances, networking opportunities, and more. Watch the video!

Register today for our all-virtual 2020 Forum on October 19-20! Our two-day event will include livestream plenaries, breakout discussions, performances, networking opportunities, and more.

Watch the video!

With Alive Ventures, we aim to inspire and support leading entrepreneurs and innovators to gain better insights into what older adults want. Dr. Chernof discussed the opportunity with Grantmakers in Health.

Have you missed any of Alive Ventures’ Alive Live discussions on designing better products and services for aging? Check out and follow the YouTube channel.

TSF supported Village Capital to explore how startup companies can improve the design of products and services for older adults.

The report found opportunities for innovation beyond health care needs – which is where most startups tend to focus – particularly considering designing for independence and community.

Join Alive Ventures as it further explores the topic Old People Are Cool, Design for Them Sucks with Greg Isenberg and Zack Onisko. This Friday, they’ll discuss establishing and nurturing vibrant older adult communities.

Join Alive Ventures as they continue to explore the topic Old People are Cool, Design for Them Sucks with Stefan Sagmeister and Robert Wong this Friday, May 29. This ongoing series looks at design and innovation with experts and emerging voices.

High-quality design has made its way into just about every category of products and services except for those serving the 55 million Americans that are age 65 and older.

Attend a webinar this Friday with American researcher, professor, and author Don Norman.

Today at 10 am, PT, tune into AARP’s Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall on caring for family, friends, and neighbors during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. They’ll talk about creating a care plan, coordinating backup care, staying connected to isolated loved ones, and accessing local resources.

In addition, check out the following:

• We’re sharing ideas on ways to cope with the near and long-term effects of the pandemic—because we are all in this together.
• Family Caregiver Alliance has compiled a list of resources and articles for caregivers and their loved ones.
• An article from Recode shares how older adults can use technology to stay healthy and connected during this challenging time.

• Old People Are Cool, Design for Them Sucks: High-quality design has thankfully made its way into just about every category of products and services…except for things made to serve Americans age 65 and older.
  Learn what TSF is doing to improve design efforts with older adults.
• Treating the Other 1% – Americans with Unmet Needs: One percent of people with complex care needs account for 20 percent of U.

  S. health care expenditures, and they often experience multiple medical and long-term care challenges. Join Dr. Chernof for a discussion on delivering better care to these individuals.

• Learn about TSF Initiatives.
• Review past e-blast content on The Buzz.
• Explore our Resources & Tools.

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report on how artificial intelligence (AI) applications can support independent living for older adults and people with disabilities.