The Buzz

Building on the opportunity for further coordination and greater impact to address racial and ethnic disparities, our United for Health Equity in Aging Summit convened the aging and disability sectors with the racial equity and social justice movements for a day of informative panels and energizing dialogue.

The TSF event was rooted in the lived experience of older adults from marginalized communities and we were honored to have several of them join us in person.

Materials from the Summit, including older adult video stories and a photo gallery are now available, as well as a full livestream recording. Take a look!

TSF champions Multisector Plans for Aging (MPA) in California, as well as at the regional and local levels. See the latest.

STATE

• As the state’s MPA implementation advances, the Little Hoover Commission is reviewing efforts to ensure accountability and progress toward MPA goals. TSF President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty recently testified before the Commission to highlight successes and continued priorities. Read her testimony and watch the recording. A second hearing is scheduled for August 24 at 9:30 am PT.

LOCAL

• We launched a two-year rural MPA initiative, funding three members of the California Advocacy Network to develop local MPAs. Early findings from this work were highlighted in Generations, a publication of the American Society on Aging.
• Visit California’s Data Dashboard for Aging for a map of age-friendly communities reporting activity around developing local MPAs.

Health disparities among older adults are further exacerbated for individuals from historically marginalized communities. Efforts to address racial and ethnic disparities in aging exist, but there is an opportunity for further coordination and greater impact.

Last week, we held our inaugural United for Health Equity in Aging Summit, convening the aging and disability sectors with the racial equity and social justice movements. Panels were informative, conversations were energizing, and the stories shared by older adults throughout the day grounded us.

We’re still reflecting! Materials and next steps from the meeting will be shared in the coming weeks. Until then, learn about the Advancing Health Equity in Aging initiative and meet individuals from the movement.

TSF Director of Strategic Initiatives Natalie King discussed the unique needs and challenges of our aging population with Unite Us, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration and technology in developing comprehensive and effective solutions.

King conveyed the importance of elevating the voices of older people of color, older adults with lower incomes, and older residents of geographically underserved areas. She also brought to light some data and technology inequities experienced by older adults. View the recording.

The majority of older adults want to remain in their own homes and communities as they age, and home- and community-based care tends to be more cost-effective than institutional alternatives. Estimates indicate that gradually shifting Medicaid spending from institutional services to home- and community-based care, a process known as rebalancing, can reduce state costs by about 15 percent over 10 years.

The federal American Rescue Plan Act temporarily increased funding states could use to improve Medicaid home- and community-based services, known as HCBS. States have through March 31, 2025, to use the funding for a variety of HCBS services.

Learn more from the National Conference of State Legislatures, and watch a related webinar.

Earlier this year, Senior Services Coalition of Alameda County convened local stakeholders for a virtual conference, Making the Difference: Striving for Equity at the Intersection of Health, Housing and Aging in the Community. Event presentations, conference materials, and recordings of the sessions are now available on the Coalition’s website.

Last week, the Alliance for Health Policy held a webinar to discuss telehealth policy and other considerations for using the public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities to improve person-centered, equitable care for adults. Watch the recording, as well as access the transcript and presentation.

The related PHE Flexibilities Roadmap for Policymakers resources supported by TSF and released earlier this year provide concrete and consensus-driven recommendations to federal and state policymakers on which temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities should be made permanent.

A Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) is an umbrella term for a state-led, multiyear planning process that convenes cross-sector stakeholders to address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.

A Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) blog from Kim McCoy Wade – Senior Advisor on Aging, Disability and Alzheimer’s for the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom – offers advice to states that are beginning the journey. Also, watch a recent Future Proof Live episode all about MPAs.

Watch a recent California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports (CCLTSS) webinar, which shares how regional coalitions are elevating local Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) in rural areas. Another helpful CCLTSS recording dives into the benefits of assessing regional strengths.

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.

Older adults can age well in their community of choice with proper supports and services. This can take the form of family, friends, neighbors, and even community centers where older adults can connect with people their own age. Watch as three older adults share their stories.

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.

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. Watch three older adults who are thriving at home in community with the support of loved ones.

This work is one example of how our communication partners give voice to issues of aging and support enhanced storytelling. Learn more.

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.

Review highlights from the recent Forbes Health in Action event. Our president and CEO discussed person-centered care and health care transformation in a post-pandemic world.