Dr. Takamura, who heads the U.S. Administration on Aging, will discuss the President's long-term care initiatives and reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, currently before Congress. This 3rd Annual West Coast Legislative Briefing will also include discussions of federal aging policy issues. While in Arizona, the Assistant Secretary will visit with older citizens and family members in the Phoenix area to hear their personal experiences in caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease or other chronic illnesses. Takamura will explain the Administration on Aging's National Family Caregiver Support Program and the opportunities it proposes for serving family caregivers of older Americans. The program represents a first step in the creation of a comprehensive national long-term care policy and is part of the Administration's proposal to reauthorize the Older Americans Act.
Families are the major providers of long term care in the United States.
Additionally, almost three-fourths of caregivers are women, many who are older themselves or are employed full time and juggle multiple responsibilities in cluding running households and parenting children. The Administration on Aging is the only Federal agency dedicated exclusively to policy development, planning and the delivery of home and community-based support services to older persons and their careg ivers through the national network of state and local agencies on aging, tribal organizations and service providers and volunteers. The Tempe Adult Day Health Care Center and the Escalante Senior Center receive support from the Arizona Office of Aging and Adult Services, and the Region One Area Agency on Aging in Phoenix through administration of Older American Act funds.