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HHS Announces $36 Million to Help Older Americans and Veterans Remain Independent
Grants include first-time collaboration with VA to support America’s veterans
On Monday, September 29, 2008, HHS Deputy Secretary Tevi D. Troy announced $36 million in new grant programs to 28 states to help older Americans and veterans remain independent and to support people with Alzheimer’s disease to remain in their homes and communities. Just over $19 million of this funding involves a new collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The joint effort, announced at the 24th Annual Home and Community-Based Services Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, will provide essential consumer-directed home and community-based services to older Americans and veterans of all ages, as part of a Nursing
Home Diversion (NHD) grants program. The new initiative builds on the similar missions of HHS and the VA with regard to caring
for the populations they serve. In addition, Deputy Secretary Troy announced a $17 million investment to improve the delivery of home and community-based services to people with Alzheimer’s disease and their family caregivers. For more information,
visit
http://www.aoa.gov/press/For_the_press/pr/archive/2008/September/9_29_08.aspx
National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2008
On September 12, 2008, President Bush issued a proclamation designating September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. In the proclamation, President Bush recognized the many Americans of Hispanic descent who have made outstanding contributions to our Nation. He also stated that National Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the spirit and accomplishments of Hispanic Americans everywhere. To read the proclamation in its entirety, please visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080912-14.html (offsite)
Click here to read more about Hispanic Heritage Month
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Posted: September 30, 2008
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Personal Emergency Readiness |
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AoA Joins Launch of Aging with Dignity 500,000 Wishes National Call to Action Campaign |
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Recent disasters remind us that personal emergency readiness needs to be a priority for everyone, including older adults and caregivers. AoA recommends a simple, three-step approach:
Step 1: Know the basics . Learn about the risks your particular community faces; know how to do things like turning off your gas and electricity; get to know your neighbors.
Step 2: Have emergency supplies ready . This includes items you would need to survive in your home until help arrives; it should also include a personal evacuation bag, partially packed and ready to go.
Step 3: Make a personal plan. Many older persons have special needs relating to medications, medical equipment, mobility, and support services; making a personal emergency readiness plan increases the likelihood that essential needs will still be met, even in an emergency situation.
For more information about AoA 's Emergency Preparedness and Response efforts, visit AoA's Emergency Preparedness Section
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 Five Wishes is a planning tool that helps individuals express how they want to be treated if they become seriously ill and unable to speak for themselves. To help further the use of advance directives such as Aging with Dignity’s Five Wishes by individuals of diverse cultures, ethnicities and incomes, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging, Josefina G. Carbonell, joined the launch of the 500,000 Wishes Campaign on June 7.
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