On July 14^th the Older Americans Act (OAA) celebrated its 50th Anniversary!!

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act (OAA) into law in July 1965. Over the past 50 years, the Act has provided a national network of aging services and funding that helps older adults to live and thrive in communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services include home-delivered and congregate meals, caregiver support, preventive health services, transportation, job training, elder abuse prevention, and so much more. This milestone anniversary is truly a time to celebrate the many ways the OAA has impacted the lives of older adults and their families across the nation. But it also provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of OAA-funded programs, inclusive community living, healthy aging, and aging in place.

Over the years, Congress has amended the Act several times, creating the infra-structure we now know as the ‘national aging services network.’ At present, the network consists of 56 state units on aging, over 600 area agencies on aging, and over 260 tribal organizations representing more than 400 tribes. Further, the network is supported by tens of thousands of service providers and volunteers. This system allows state, tribal, and local entities the flexibility to provide the evidence-based interventions that best meet the needs of their specific communities.

Your help is needed to renew OAA. On July 17^th the U. S. Senate unanimously passed S. 192 and sent the bill to the U. S. House of Representatives which still needs to pass the bill. So contact your U. S. Representative today and ask for their support and swift passage – let your voice be heard!

You can find your U.S. Representative by clicking here.