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**AoA Update**-See also:**BackIssues**

**Volume 3 Issue 2- Administration on Aging - Feb.-March 1998**

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#### New AoA Chief Travels to Nevada and Rhode Island,Testifies Before Senate Special Committee on Aging**NAIC Corner**AoA Prepares for International Year of Older Persons in 1999Calendar of EventsCulinary Institute of America Trains AoA NutritionistFalls Are Strong Predictors of Nursing Home PlacementsDetermination Is Key to IndependenceAmerica Walks Works for Pedestrian AccessCompendium of Grant Resources for Native American EldersAvailableAoA Issues New Fact SheetsMassachusetts Hotline Aids EldersAARP Honored for Legal HotlinesPresident Proposes Increased Support for Social SecurityMasthead

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### New AoA Chief Travels to Nevada and Rhode Island,Testifies Before Senate Special Committee on Aging

In her first official state visit, January 12 and 13, Assistant Secretary for Aging,Jeanette C. Takamura, traveled to Nevada at the request of Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) totestify at two field hearings of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The hearingscentered on the future of long-term care. Senator Reid, a key member of the Committee onAging, convened the hearings in Las Vegas and Reno, which included Congressman Jim Gibbons(R-NV), Nevada Attorney General, Frankie Sue del Papa, and others.

Medical professionals,health care administrators, researchers, service providers, and families of older personshighlighted many of the challenges of providing long-term care and the special problemsfaced by caregivers.

Dr. Takamura’s testimony focused on federal long-term care and home andcommunity-based care programs, such as those provided under the Older Americans Act. Shealso outlined key issues facing families and policy makers at all levels. 

During her visit, the Assistant Secretary was escorted by Administrator, Carla Sloan,and staff of the Nevada Division for Aging Services, to several senior centers, health andlong-term care facilities, where she observed some of the state’s most exemplaryservice programs in action.

Nevada has the most rapidly growing older population in the nation. By 2020, there willbe 330,000 older persons in the state, which received $4,298,823 in Title III OlderAmericans Act funding in fiscal year (FY) 1998. 

Throughout her stay, Dr. Takamura stressed the importance of preparing America for itscoming longevity revolution through improved consumer education and protection, increasedpublic-private partnerships that generate additional resources, and testing innovativeprograms to determine what works and at what cost.

On January 21, the Assistant Secretary traveled to Rhode Island to accompany SenatorJack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, to senior centers andhealth care facilities across the state. Senator Reed is also a member of the SenateCommittee on Labor and Human Resources, which has jurisdiction over programs authorizedunder the Older Americans Act. 

Senator Reed and Dr.Takamura, accompanied by the director-nominee, Barbara Rayner and staff of the RhodeIsland Department of Elderly Affairs, toured and visited with participants and staff ofthree unique sites--the Central Adult Day Care Center in Warwick, the Cumberland SeniorCenter and the Landmark Senior Health Center in Cumberland. 

The Assistant Secretary addressed Senator Reed’s Senior Advisory Council andtoured the Cranston Department of Senior Services which provides comprehensive services toan urban-suburban community and operates one of the state’s largest senior centers. 

Senator Reed and Dr. Takamura addressed concerns raised regarding the status of theOlder Americans Act reauthorization, funding challenges, managed care, immigration issues,and Alzheimer’s disease and respite care.

There are some 170,000 persons 60 and older in Rhode Island. In FY 1998, the statereceived approximately $4.2 million from AoA to provide supportive and nutrition services,health promotion programs, in-home services for the frail elderly, ombudsman services, andelder abuse prevention programs.

In 1997, AoA provided a grant for anti-fraud activities to Aging 2000, a statewidenon-profit, consumer-focused organization to conduct a pilot project to recruit and trainretired professionals to work with local seniors in identifying and reporting fraud andabuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Go Back toContents Menu***NAIC Corner

The National Aging Information Center (NAIC), a service of AoA, is a central source fora variety of program and policy-related materials, demographic, and other statistical dataon the health, economic and social status of older Americans. NAIC is open Monday throughFriday, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (EST). You can reach NAIC by calling (202) 619-7501 or bye-mailing at [email protected]. You may also be interested in visiting their Website <www.aoa.dhhs.gov/naic> where their current publications list is available aswell as AoA’s new Conference Calendar of aging events.

NAIC and AoA will exhibit at the American Society on Aging Conference held in SanFrancisco, California, March 25-28, 1998. Please stop by their booth to pick up variousstatistical reports, the 1997 Profile of Older Americans and the newly-issued AoAfact sheets.
**GoBack to Contents Menu
AoAPrepares for International Year of Older Persons in 1999
Last year, the Administration on Aging (AoA) assumed the role as the focal point forthe federal government’s activities related to the United Nations-sponsoredInternational Year of Older Persons designated for 1999. The AoA’s dual goals will beto highlight the aging-related activities of federal agencies prior to and during the yearand to encourage them to consider the implications and needs of the aging population asthey develop their policies and programs.

To meet these goals, AoA has established a Federal Ad Hoc Committee to Prepare for theInternational Year of Older Persons, consisting of government agency representatives whowill work with AoA in developing activities for the International Year.

The Committee’s kick-off meeting, held in Washington, D.C. on December 12, wasco-hosted by the American Association of Retired Persons’ (AARP) InternationalOffice.

Over 30 federal agencies, commissions, and departments took part in the meeting andagreed to serve on the committee, including the Departments of Defense, Education, Housingand Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, the Federal TradeCommission, the Social Security Administration, the Veterans Administration, the Voice ofAmerica, the Peace Corps, and agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services.

Keynote speakers included Dr. Alexandre Sidorenko, the U.N. Officer on Aging, ElizabethMullen, Director of the AARP’s International Office, and Assistant Secretary,Jeanette C. Takamura, who said that her vision for the committee "is that it play asignificant role in spurring Americans toward longevity preparedness, as the longevityrevolution is sure to affect every aspect of American life in the next millennium." 

The Assistant Secretary went on to say that the committee should "use theopportunity provided by the International Year of Older Persons to highlight what ourfederal government is doing for older people." Committee members enthusiasticallyagreed to develop activities and materials related to the U.S. government’s role inserving the needs of older people. 

Dr. Sidorenko discussed the unifying theme of the Year, "Towards a Society for AllAges." He announced that October 1, 1998 is the U.N.’s International Day ofOlder Persons, thanks to the efforts of the Ambassador at Large from the DominicanRepublic to the U.N., Julia Alvarez, as well as the official launching date of theInternational Year of Older Persons. Ambassador Alvarez sent a message to the meetingsaying that her fondest wish for "the upcoming Year of Older Persons to be anoccasion for seeing older citizens less as a needy group on the borders of our lives andmore as members of society whose problems and potential contributions are intertwined witheveryone else’s."

Dr. Elizabeth Mullen discussed establishment of Coalition ‘99 by AARP in 1994 toencourage the global exchange of information concerning the Year. The coalition is now aninternational clearinghouse which produced the periodical "Coalition ‘99"which is available in French, English, and Spanish.

For updated information on the International Year of Older Persons, go to the AoAInternational Website at: http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/international/

Go Back toContents Menu******
**CALENDAR OF EVENTS**

(* dates to be announced)**MARCH 1998

National Nutrition Month. National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics, AmericanDietetic Association, (312) 899-0040, ext. 4653; [email protected]
**Red Cross Month. American Red Cross National Headquarters, (202) 728-6427
**Announcement of the Department of Labor's, Administration on Aging's and Green Thumb's"Oldest Worker" Search. Green Thumb, Inc., (703) 522-7272
**16-22. American College of Health Care Administrators**Long-Term CareAdministrators Week,** (703) 739-7900
**17-20.**American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging AnnualLegislative Conference,** Washington, DC, (202) 783-2242
**21-24. Alzheimer's Association 10th Annual Public Policy Forum, Washington, DC,(312) 335-5734
**25-27. Minority Outreach, Information and Referral Conference, Adams Mark Hotel,Tulsa, OK, (800) 482-4594
**25-28. The American Society on Aging 44th Annual Meeting, San Francisco HiltonHotel and Towers, San Francisco, CA, (415) 974-9600
**30-2. Vital Aging: Partnering for the Future, Washington Hilton and Towers,Washington, DC, National Council on Aging & Generations United, (202) 479-6991
**APRIL 1998

5-7. Assisted Living Federation of America's Annual Conference, San Diego, CA,(703) 691-8100
**7. World Health Day. American Association for World Health, (202) 466-5883
**6-12. National Public Health Week. American Public Health Association, (202)789-5600; http://www.apha.org
**19-25. National Volunteer Week. Points of Light Foundation, (202) 223-9186; email: [email protected]
**20-21. N4A's 4th Annual Legislative Briefing, Phoenix Park Hotel, Washington, DC,Jean Daniel, (202) 296-8130
**27. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Announcement of National Awards for RoleModels of Healthy Aging, (312) 297-6161
**MAY 1998
**Older Americans Month 1998, Theme: Living Longer, Growing Stronger in America.Administration on Aging, (202) 619-0724
**National Arthritis Month. Arthritis Foundation, (800) 283-7800
**National Mental Health Month. National Mental Health Association, (800) 969-NMHA
**National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. President's Council on Physical Fitnessand Sports, (202) 690-9000
**Stroke Awareness Month. American Heart Association, (800) AHA-USA1
**2-6. American College of Health Care Administrators 32nd Annual Convocation,Atlanta, GA., (703) 739-7900
**10-16. National Nursing Home Week. American Health Care Association, (202) 898-2814
**10-16. National Osteoporosis Prevention Week. National Osteoporosis Foundation,(800) 223-9994
**13-16. National Rural Health Association's "Collaborating for Access"Conference, Orlando, FL, Carlos McClain, (816) 756-3140
**14-15. Safety for the Elderly Conference, Consumer Safety Institute, Leiden, TheNetherlands. Mrs. Elise van Rooij, (31) (71) 518-1885.
**JUNE 1998
**2-4. American Association for Retired Persons Biennial Convention, Minneapolis, MN,(202) 434-2760

* **American Medical Association National Meeting
 JULY 1998

1-3. National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs Annual Conference,Seattle, WA, (616) 531-9909
**8-11. National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. 1998 National Health Symposium,Washington, DC, (202) 347-0895 (fax)
**19-22. N4A's 24th Annual Conference, Adams's Park Hotel, Tulsa, OK, Jean Daniel,(202) 296-8130
**SEPTEMBER 1998

13-17.**National Association of Retired Federal Employees National Convention,**Orlando, FL, (202) 234-0832, E-mail: [email protected].
**OCTOBER 1998

Crime Prevention Month. National Crime Prevention Council, (800) NCPC911; email: [email protected]; http://www.weprevent.org
**"Talk About Prescriptions" Month. National Council on Patient Informationand Education, (202) 347-6711
**3-4. American Heart Walk. American Heart Association, (800) AHA-USA1; email: [email protected]; http://www.americanheart.org
**18-24. National Consumers Week. U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs, (202) 565-0040
**NOVEMBER 1998

American Diabetes Month. American Diabetes Association, (800) 342-2383; http://www.diabetes.org
**19-23. Gerontological Society of America Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, (202)842-1275.
**GoBack to Contents Menu
CIA TrainsAoA Nutritionist 
Region I nutritionist, Joseph M. Carlin, may well be the first member of AoA’sstaff to be trained by the CIA--the Culinary Institute of America, that is. At the 80thAnnual Meeting of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Mr. Carlin was awarded thefirst annual Culinary Institute of America Scholarship from the Food and CulinaryProfessionals (F&CP) Dietetic Practice Group of the ADA. 

The scholarship is awarded to a member of the F&CP to increase the applications ofculinary knowledge and awareness of the importance of food in the dietetic profession. Inaddition to a plaque, the scholarship includes tuition for a one-week course at the CIA,meals, lodging, and travel to Hyde Park, New York, and a knife kit which will certainlyput Joe on the cutting edge in his new culinary adventures at the CIA.

Mr. Carlin has long been recognized as a national expert in nutritional gerontology aswell as a culinary historian and authority on food and culinary literature.

Go Back toContents Menu******
**Falls Are Strong Predictors of Nursing HomePlacements**

Falls and resultinginjuries are strong predictors of nursing home placements according to a report publishedin the October issue of the *New England Journal of Medicine*. The study, conductedby researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, linked even a single noninjuriousfall to an almost five times greater risk of admission to a nursing home. 

The study looked at 1,103 people living in New Haven, Connecticut who were 71 and olderover a three-year period. Compared to those in the study who suffered no falls, the riskof admission increased progressively with the number of falls and the incidence of injury.It was 4.9 times greater for those who had one noninjurious fall, 8.5 times greater forthose having multiple falls without an injury, and 19.9 times greater for those whosuffered a fall resulting in serious injury.

Researchers pointed out that falls may be the easiest of the major causes of nursinghome admissions to prevent or correct. They noted that safety features, such as grab barsin bathrooms, good lighting, and nonskid rugs, could help to prevent accidents, while aregular program of exercise can strengthen the bones and muscles of older people andimprove their balance and ability to walk and climb stairs safely.
**GoBack to Contents Menu
Determination Is Key to Independence
A joint Swedish-American study of Swedish elderly, featured in the November 1997 issueof the*Journal of Gerontology*, concluded that sheer determination may help the veryold overcome the adversities of physical decline. The study, led by Pennsylvania StateUniversity researchers, found that the more determined elderly use a strong sense of"personal mastery" to keep disease from spiraling into disability.

The researchers conducted extensive interviews in 1987-88 with 324 Swedish elderly aged84 to 90 years. Follow-up interviews were conducted in 1990 and 1993. At the time of thesecond follow-up interview, 147 elderly were still alive. 

At each interview, the elderly were asked about their ability to carry out activitiesof daily living, their view of their own health, and their sense of mastery over theirlives. Routine health examinations also were conducted. 

The investigators found that three factors were common in those elderly who maintainedtheir mobility and daily functioning ability over the course of the study--independentliving, a subjective belief in their own good health, and a sense of "mastery."Living independently in one’s own lodging may reinforce a sense of independence,while personal determination to remain independent "may enable a person to compensatefor increasing frailty," says study co-author Dr. Elia Femia.

Go Back toContents Menu****America Walks Works for Pedestrian Access
America Walks, a national coalition of walking advocacy groups, is dedicated topromoting livable communities where people have the option of walking when and where theywant. America Walks provides advice about how to get started and how to be effective withpublic officials and engineering and design professionals. At the national level, they areworking to increase funding for pedestrian transportation and advocating for publicpolicies that support walking. America Walks was founded in 1996 on the principle thatlocal grassroots advocacy is the most effective way to transform our country’stransportation system. 

Walking can be one of the best, safest and easiest exercises for people of all ages andhelps to prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. Itis also helpful in controlling diabetes and arthritis. Anyone interested in establishingsafe and accessible walking trails in their communities can contact America Walks at 156Milk St., Boston MA 02109.
**GoBack to Contents Menu
 Compendium of Grant Resources for Native American EldersAvailable
The "Compendium of Grant Resources for Native American Elders Programs" wasdeveloped in partnership with the AoA Region VIII office, the Community Resource Center inDenver and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. The Compendiumcontains resources on funding, publications, resource agencies, profiles of funders andInternet resources targeted to Native Americans. 

According to Dr. Yvonne Jackson, Director of the Office for American Indian, AlaskanNative and Native Hawaiian Programs, "the section on Internet resources provides justa sample of numerous sites on the World Wide Web--since the number of new sites increasesdaily! Many federal agencies, including the Administration on Aging, are now including the*Federal Register* announcement for all their grants and contracts on their Websites. Most of the sites also provide links to other government, educational and privatesites."

The Compendium project was initiated in Region VIII when Tribal Elders Programsrequested additional funding information from the regional office to augment moneysreceived under Titles VI and III of the Older Americans Act. This Compendium identifiespotential resources for Tribes to develop a new program or expand existing services forNative American elders.

The AoA Bi-Regional Administrator for Region VIII, Percy Devine, said that, "It isour belief that preserving the dignity and independence of Indian elders through expandedprograms also helps preserve Native tradition and culture for the whole Tribe. It is ourhope that this Compendium will generate ideas and resources to help address the needs ofan aging society, now as well as into the 21st century."

For more information contact:

Elizabeth ClintonAdministration on Aging1961 Stout St.Denver, CO 80294(303) 844-2951[email protected]
**GoBack to Contents Menu****AoA Issues New Fact Sheets
The AoA has published l5 new fact sheets covering a range of subjects relating to OlderAmericans and their families. "The fact sheets which are designed primarily forprofessionals in the field of aging, service providers, and policy makers also are usefulfor older Americans and their families," says Assistant Secretary for Aging, JeanetteC. Takamura, "and will, we hope, do much to prepare everyone for the coming longevityrevolution, by heightening awareness of the demographics and challenges of the rapidlyadvancing 21st century."

Each fact sheet includes an overview of the subject and details related to AoAinitiatives to improve conditions for older persons and their families. The fact sheetscontain resource listings of federal agencies and national organizations that provideinformation and assistance as well as suggested readings. 

The fact sheets include: 
- **Senior Centers;**
- **Housing Options for Older Americans;**
- **Transportation and the Elderly;**
- **Older Women: A Diverse and Growing Population;**
- **The American Indian, Alaskan Native, and      Native Hawaiian Program;**
- **Volunteer Opportunities for Older People;**
- **Employment and Older Americans: A      Winning Partnership;**
- **The Ombudsman Program;**
- **Elder Abuse Prevention;**
- **Protecting the Rights of Older Americans;**
- **Alzheimer’s Disease;**
- **Information and Assistance Services for the      Elderly;**
- **Older and Younger People With      Disabilities;**
- Nutrition; and 
- Age Discrimination.

Copies of the fact sheets can be obtained by contacting the:

**National Aging Information Center**Administration on Aging330 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20201Telephone: (202) 619-0724TDD: (202) 401-7575FAX: (202) 260-1012Internet E-Mail: [email protected]Internet Web Site: http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov
**GoBack to Contents Menu
Massachusetts Hotline Aids Elders
Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger has established a statewide, toll-freetelephone hotline to assist callers on a range of elder issues. The elder helpline isavailable Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and provides a valuable serviceto Massachusetts senior citizens, their families and others seeking information aboutelder-related issues and programs throughout the state. The hotline number is1-888-243-5337.

The helpline, staffed bysenior volunteers, serves as a comprehensive resource for information and assistance on arange of concerns, including health insurance, home health care, long-term care andinsurance, Medicare and Medicaid supplement resources, Medicaid and Medicare coverage,disability rights, age discrimination, credit, telemarketing fraud and other consumerprotection issues. Contact the office of the Attorney General at (617) 727-2200 for moreinformation.
**GoBack to Contents Menu
AARP Honored for Legal Hotlines
The American Association of Retired Persons Legal Hotlines Project, funded by AoA, hasreceived the 1998 Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access. The award is presented by theStanding Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services of the American Bar Association to anorganization for its work in meeting the unmet legal needs of the middle class withlawyers who provide affordable legal information, services, and representation.

"We are delighted to receive this award," said Wayne Moore, director of theAARP Legal Advocacy Group. "The legal hotlines have served nearly a half millionolder Americans over the years and we look forward to seeing their success continue in thefuture."

The AARP developed the first hotline in 1985 under a grant from the AoA. Since thattime, the AARP Foundation, with support from the AoA, has provided technical assistance tocreate other hotlines and has helped to demonstrate that hotlines are effective inproviding free and lost-cost legal services to people of all income levels. Statewidelegal hotlines for older people are in operation in 11 states, Puerto Rico, and theDistrict of Columbia with three additional hotlines scheduled to go into operation thisyear.

Go Back toContents Menu******President Proposes Increased Support for Social Security
In his January 27 State of the Union address, President Clinton called for a projectedsurplus in the federal budget to be used to ensure the long-term solvency of the SocialSecurity system. 

"I propose that we reserve 100 percent of the surplus--until we have taken all thenecessary measures to strengthen the Social Security system for the 21st century,"the President declared. 

Clinton added that the Administration would conduct forums around the nation and host aWhite House Conference on Social Security next December as a precursor to a legislativeeffort in early 1999. The first forum is scheduled to be held in Kansas City, Missouri onApril 7.
Go Back to Contents Menu
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AoA Update

**Jeanette C. Takamura**Assistant Secretary for Aging

**Harry Posman**Director, Executive Secretariat

**June B. Faris**Editor

**AoA Update**Administration on AgingU.S. Department of Health & Human ServicesWashington, DC 20201(202) 619-0724TDD: (202) 401-7575 FAX: (202) 260-1012E-mail: [email protected]Internet Web Site: http://WWW.AoA.DHHS.Gov

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