LeverAGE

American Society on Aging's Patrice Dickerson is joned by Michelle Hoersch from the Illinois Department on Aging and Mindy Ulstad from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. 

This episode explores the growing national momentum behind Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs), highlighting Missouri and Illinois as two of the latest states to launch comprehensive strategies to support their aging populations. Missouri’s Master Plan on Aging provides a statewide roadmap to strengthen services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities, while Illinois’ EngAging Illinois plan outlines a 10-year vision for improving aging across sectors. 

Together, these initiatives bring together key areas such as healthcare, housing, transportation, workforce, and caregiving to better meet the needs of aging residents. This conversation examines what these efforts reveal about state leadership, cross-sector collaboration, implementation challenges, and best practices—and what they signal about the role of coordinated policy in preparing communities for a rapidly aging population.

This podcast is presented by West Health. 

This episode explores brain health across the life course—from early development and midlife prevention to cognitive impairment and dementia in later life—and examines the implications for policy, health system transformation, and care delivery. The discussion identifies key drivers that shape cognitive outcomes and surfaces how aging systems and care models must evolve to implement scientific advances. It also explores how health systems and care models must evolve to meet the growing burden of cognitive and behavioral health conditions—particularly through stronger integration of brain health into primary care, earlier detection, team-based care models, and better coordination across medical and community services. The conversation examines how measurement, quality frameworks, and payment approaches can support this shift, and what policymakers, health systems, and communities can do now to move from fragmented, crisis-driven care toward prevention-oriented, brain-healthy systems that support cognitive health across the lifespan.

This episode of LeverAGE explores how states are using interactive aging data dashboards to turn Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) into measurable, trackable policy action. Drawing from emerging examples in California, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina, and Tennessee, the discussion highlights how dashboards translate complex demographic, economic, and health data into tools that support planning, transparency, and accountability. The conversation examines how these platforms track indicators related to economic security, health and well-being, housing, caregiving, transportation and long-term services while enabling policymakers and communities to identify disparities and monitor progress over time. It also considers the growing role of West Health’s National Aging Readiness Dashboard in providing a cross-state lens on aging readiness and helping states benchmark their progress as they prepare for rapidly aging populations.

This episode explores the U.S. healthcare system as viewed through the experiences of older adults, drawing from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America data. The discussion highlights how older adults rely heavily on the healthcare system due to chronic conditions and ongoing care needs, while often navigating challenges such as affordability concerns, complex insurance coverage, and fragmented care. It  also examines how these experiences reveal gaps in access, care coordination, and patient-centered services, and what they mean for policymakers and healthcare leaders working to build a system that better supports a rapidly aging population.

In this episode, we delve into how states are weaving dementia care into their MPAs. With a focus on early diagnosis, caregiver support, and cross-sector collaboration, this episode highlights innovative strategies that are helping states better support individuals living with dementia and their families. 

In this episode, we explore how states are integrating mental and behavioral health into their strategies for aging—addressing access, stigma, and the unique needs of older adults. From community-based supports to cross-sector collaborations, learn how mental health is being prioritized in planning for an age-friendly future.

The second episode explores the importance of data for developing, implementing, and refreshing MPAs. Listeners will learn about the challenges of finding good data and how a new tool developed by West Health, the National Aging Readiness Dashboard, is helping to address this challenge.

By 2030, older adults will outnumber children in the United States for the first time in history. That demographic shift will reshape our communities, systems, and priorities. The question is: how do we prepare? In this episode, we break down the Top 5 Things to Know About Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs)—statewide, cross-sector blueprints that align government, nonprofits, businesses, philanthropy, and advocates to make sure every American can age with dignity.

In the latest episode of the Leverage Podcast, we review the impactful events of Hill Day 2024. Joined by advocates from the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), the focus was to raise awareness about the unique needs of Indigenous Elders. This episode covers the discussions about the importance of improving access to obesity care for this community and the steps taken during Hill Day to influence policy and drive change. Tune in for an insightful conversation on advocacy, healthcare, and the future of elder care in Indigenous communities.

Alan Gutterman recently launched the Older Person’s Rights Project to advance awareness of the challenges and opportunities inherent in our increased longevity. In this podcast, he speaks with Karl Pillemer, professor in the Department of Psychology and professor of Gerontology in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, about what motivates people to get involved in advocating for climate issues, overcoming ageism, being open to intergenerational activities, and rethinking approaches to bringing older adults into the fold.