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New Approaches to Elder Care Sought by
Administration on Aging
Aug.
6, 2004 Up to $1-million is expected to be awarded to community-based
aging organizations that present innovative approaches to care
management for the elderly, according to an announcement today by the
Administration on Aging.
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The Aging Services
Network
State aging
networks provide a range of nutrition and supportive services
for older adults aimed at promoting independent living in the
community. Among those services are congregate and
home-delivered meals, transportation, health insurance
counseling, adult day care, and elder abuse prevention. The
aging services network also implements a variety of health
promotion/disease prevention programs for older adults.
Designated by the SUA, area agencies on aging which may be
municipal/county governments, regional councils, or nonprofit
organizationswork to ensure that optimal health and social
services are available to older Americans.
State and Area
Agencies on Aging
State and Area Agencies on Aging
- Click to list |
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The
program will fund existing practices and new ideas that can promote the
integration of health and social supports for older people, and
strengthen the position of the Aging Services Network in health and long
term care.
AoA
expects to award up to 20 projects at up to $50,000 each under this
program in Fiscal Year 2004. Eligible applicants include non-profit
community-based aging services provider organizations that currently
receive funding under the Older Americans Act, and Area Agencies on
Aging.
We
believe this new program holds great promise for demonstrating how the
core values and competencies of our Aging Services Network can be
effectively combined with managed care models and approaches to enhance
the quality of care for our growing elderly population, said Josefina
G. Carbonell, AoAs Assistant Secretary for Aging. This program is part
of a larger strategic effort AoA has undertaken to strengthen the role
of community aging services programs in promoting a more balanced and
integrated system of health and long term care for older people.
As
new options for older people are emerging in health and long-term care,
managed care is playing an increasingly important role. The grants
program is specifically designed to identify and support innovations in
aging services that involve the use of partnerships with managed care
organizations, and capitated financing arrangements that improve the
quality of care for older people.
Three
types of projects will be funded:
1. Promising Practices projects that identify and document existing
models and approaches that can be replicated in other community
organizations;
2. Program Enhancements projects that build on existing partnerships
or approaches already in place; and,
3. New Models or Approaches projects that support the design and/or
implementation of new models or approaches in care management.
The
program advances AoAs 5-Year Strategic Plan and builds on other
initiatives the agency has launched over the past 3 years that support
the Aging Services Networks role in health and long term care.
Additional information about the new Integrated Care Management Grants
Program, including a copy of the full program announcement with
application instructions, can be found:
Here
The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging (AoA),
works with a nationwide network of organizations and service providers
to make support services and resources available to older persons and
their caregivers. For more information about the AoA, please contact:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging,
Washington, D.C. 20201, Phone (202) 401-4541.
http://www.aoa.gov
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