LeverAGE

Alan Gutterman, a long-term partner and senior counsel in law firms, 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 Mick Smyer, who runs Growing Greener, Climate Action for a Warming World, and was Guest Editor of a recent Generations Journal issue on Climate Change, about how older adults can become more involved in solutions around climate change issues, rather than, as we so often see in the news, being solely passive victims of its impacts.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) released the comprehensive 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers in September, with hundreds of actionable recommendations and tactics for federal and state agencies, communities, employers and families. Spend a few minutes with The John A. Hartford Foundation’s Vice President Rani Snyder, ASA Board Member and Health and Well-being Advisory Council co-chair, as she talks with ASA’s Leanne Clark-Shirley about the strategy, how it came to life and why it’s important for you to weigh in.

2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers & Call to Action  https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy  

Submit comments to the national strategy here: https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy/Comments  

Loneliness affects more than one-third of adults, and as we age, experiencing loneliness can increase our risk of adverse emotional and physical health outcomes. Programmatic interventions to decrease loneliness and isolation are growing, but what policy solutions are there to tackle this problem? Daneen Sekoni from the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness joins ASA’s Leanne Clark-Shirley to frame loneliness as a policy issue and talk about about the importance of building a comprehensive, coordinated public/private strategy that supports social connectedness for older Americans.

To learn more:

• CESIL’s Virtual Advocacy Day: https://www.endsocialisolation.org/virtual-advocacy-day
• Generations Journal - Come Together: Preventing Social Isolation and Loneliness https://generations.asaging.org/fall-2020
• Foundation for Social Connection: https://www.social-connection.org/
• Far From Alone: https://farfromalone.com/
• Senior Healthy Living Survey by Silver Sneakers https://www.tivityhealth.com/senior-healthy-living-survey/recent-survey-results/

CMS guidance includes behavioral health services as a key component of fully integrated models of MLTSS. How do MLTSS programs structure integrated models and how should they? Hear from Alice Dembner, Community Catalyst, and Jennifer Raymond, AgeSpan as they talk about the importance of behavioral health and highlight successes in Massachusetts.

The Older Americans Act is the foundation of our aging network. In this episode of Leverage, we take a closer look at its history and promises for the future. Richard Browdie, Guest Editor of Winter 2021-22 Generations Journal: The Older Americans Act, interviews Edwin Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging. Listen as Mr. Walker reflects on the achievements of OAA, interactions with Congress, and how prepared we really are for our aging society.

Peter Kaldes and Leanne Clark-Shirley talk with Sara Kessel and Justin Hong, two ASA interns from Tufts University who have been researching climate change policy. Then, Peter gives a quick update on ASA’s new legislative tracker, which members can access here.

President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal into law. It has historic investments in roads, bridges, and other physical infrastructure improvements. But this new signed legislation also focuses on one of ASA’s policy priorities, bridging the digital divide, as it invests $65B into affordable broadband, ensuring every American can participate in the modern economy. Our guests discuss what’s in the new law, how it is being implemented, and how older adults stand to benefit.

Read more at:
https://www.benton.org/blog/when-do-we-get-our-broadband
https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2021/infrastructure-for-older-americans.html

When it comes to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or ARPA, most people are familiar with the COVID-19 vaccination program, stimulus checks, and unemployment insurance provisions. But there are also significant resources to support older people who want to live in the community. Dr. Maddy Shea and Aaron Tripp from Health Management Associates talk with ASA's Leanne Clark-Shirley about these resources and how states and localities can take advantage of them.

The Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act was introduced in early July by Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island, Queens) to create a new federal Long-Term Care Insurance Trust Fund that would pay for the “catastrophic” period of long-term care for those who need many years of it. In this episode of Leverage, Josephine (Josie) Kalipeni, Deputy Director of Family Values @ Work talks with ASA’s Peter Kaldes about the opportunities and limitations of the WISH Act, and how we should advocate for equitable approaches in long-term care planning and payment.

Hosted by:
Peter Kaldes, President & CEO, American Society on Aging
Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD, Vice President of Programs & Thought Leadership, American Society on Aging

Guest:
Josie Kalipeni, Deputy Director Family Values @ Work in partnership with Labor Project 

The Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2021 was introduced in the House and Senate on August 9. This bill would channel funding to existing and new elder justice initiatives including long-term care workforce, Adult Protective Services and programs to address social isolation. On this episode of LeverAGE, ASA's Leanne Clark-Shirley talks with Bob Blancato and Meredith Ponder Whitmire, both of Matz Blancato & Associates, about this bill, likely next steps and how ASA members can get involved.