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.

In a recent blog, we teamed with Milbank Memorial Fund to discuss how states can overcome challenges and make the most of American Rescue Plan Act funding for home- and community-based services (HCBS).

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.

Our Sustaining Flexibilities in Medicare and Medicaid initiative engages partners to expand the knowledge base through reporting on the implementation and outcomes of the Medicare-Medicaid flexibilities. Watch a Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy video that discusses leveraging reforms to expand home-based care. 

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

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.

Our monthlong series explored aging and engaging with our health care and long-term care systems. We highlighted personal experiences of older Californians, consulted with experts, and captured visual summaries.

The Forum culminated with a poem written in real time bringing us back to the heart of the matter: What do we mean by “aging well” and “aging equitably”? View all the Forum recordings and resources.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our virtual 2021 Forum: Amplifying All Voices in Aging. It’s not too late to watch previous weeks’ recordings and register for our final session!

Tomorrow, TSF President & CEO Sarita A. Mohanty will moderate a futurist discussion on how to reimagine and build a society where all populations can age well. We’re looking forward to hearing insights from experts in the fields of public health, media, and technology. In addition, we’ll recognize the recipient of our 2021 Innovation Award. See you there!

We hope you’re enjoying Amplifying All Voices in Aging each Wednesday in October. It’s not too late to watch previous weeks’ recordings and register for our third session!

Tomorrow, we will examine the temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities enacted in response to COVID-19. Come consider what flexibilities should become permanent to achieve person-centered care for the future.

We hope you’re enjoying our 2021 Forum: Amplifying All Voices in Aging. Our virtual series, Wednesdays in October, continues with a focus on supporting older adults and people with disabilities who have complex needs.

Tomorrow, join us to learn about applications of the core competencies created by the National Center for Complex Health & Social Needs (National Center). These competencies are helping the health care and social service sectors deliver team-based and person-centered care.

Register for this week’s panel!

Amplifying All Voices in Aging is a four-week virtual series, every Wednesday in October, to share people’s experiences engaging with health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS).

On Wednesday, October 6, learn about the pressing issues facing California’s LTSS system, engage with leaders to better understand the state’s policy landscape through an equity lens, and consider where you can play a role.

It’s not too late to register!

Our updated policy brief shares the latest on states that have developed Master Plans, examples of their key elements, and how states without a Master Plan can get started.

Also, read our recent fact sheet on California’s 2021-22 budget to learn about key investments to support implementation of the Master Plan and the state’s Home- and Community-Based Spending Plan.

Amplifying All Voices in Aging is a four-week series to share people’s experiences engaging with health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS). Every Wednesday in October, we’ll hearfrom experts and stakeholders and discuss how to advance person-focused, policy-driven solutions to support older adults and families. Register today!

October 6 – Amplifying All Voices in LTSS Systems Transformation: California State of the State 

For California’s older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers, the past year brought significant challenges, including equity issues magnified by COVID-19. The Master Plan for Aging demonstrates a commitment to addressing system issues and related inequities with transformation on the horizon through opportunities such as the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative. In this session…

October 13 – From Theory to Practice: Delivering Care for People with Complex Needs

Supporting older adults and people with disabilities who have complex needs can be challenging, but services have become more integrated and focused on a person’s goals. This makes it essential to enlist providers who can deliver person-centered care. The National Center for Complex Health & Social Needs created a set of core competencies for the health care and social service sectors. This session will provide…

October 20 – Transforming Medicare and Medicaid Beyond COVID-19 for a Person-Centered Future 

While COVID-19 exposed problems in meeting the medical and nonmedical needs of older adults, the federal government allowed states and local providers substantial flexibilities in how care could be organized, delivered, and paid for through Medicare and Medicaid. This emergency response unveiled new ways to deliver care to those living with complex needs beyond what was previously imagined. In this session…

October 27 – A Future Vision for Aging Well and Equitably Beyond COVID: Reflections from Public Health, Media, and Technology Leaders

By 2034, the United States will have more older adults than children and increasing racial and ethnic diversity across the population. How do we reimagine and build an equitable society where all populations can age well, particularly in light of reshaped perspectives from the COVID-19 crisis? This discussion will include…

This year’s virtual Forum, Amplifying All Voices in Aging, is a four-week series sharing people’s experiences engaging with health care and long-term services and supports. Each week we will hear from experts and stakeholders on a range of topics. View information on each session and register today!
Week 1
Amplifying All Voices in LTSS Systems Transformation: California State of the State (October 6)

Week 2
From Theory to Practice: Delivering Care for People with Complex Needs (October 13)

Week 3
Transforming Medicare and Medicaid Beyond COVID-19 for a Person-Centered Future (October 20)

Week 4
A Future Vision for Aging Well and Equitably Beyond COVID: Reflections from Public Health, Media, and Technology Leaders (October 27)