October 28, 2021, Washington, DC—A national aging services leader praised the inclusion of resources for home care, affordable housing and other key support for older adults in the president’s budget reconciliation framework as an “historic step”—while reminding lawmakers that the long-overlooked needs of millions of older adults and their families won’t be met without greater investments to strengthen America’s aging services infrastructure.

The organization lauded provisions for older adults in the reconciliation framework announced by the president including:

• $150 billion to expand home and community-based services for older adults
• $150 billion to increase the supply of affordable housing, including $450 million for the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program and other investments
• $35 billion to expand Medicare to cover hearing benefits
• $130 billion to provide tax credits for up to 4 million uninsured people in states that have not expanded Medicaid benefits available under the Affordable Care Act
• $425 million to expand the Health Profession Opportunity Grant
• $1 billion for Direct Care Workforce Competitive Grants
• $ 20 million for Direct Care Workforce National Technical Assistance Center
• $40 million to support unpaid caregivers of older individuals behavioral health needs
• $20 million for hospice and palliative nursing
• $350 million for individuals to carry-out nontraditional apprenticeship programs, including serving individuals with disabilities or non-traditional apprenticeship populations

“This is an historic step to address the critical needs of older Americans and their families,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association representing more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers. “We can’t let up now. The number of Americans 65 and older will more than double over the next 40 years, and half of us will need long-term services and supports as we age. Without further investments in our aging services infrastructure, too many older adults will not have their basic needs met.”

We represent more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership, which now includes the providers of the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, encompasses the continuum of services for people as they age, including those with disabilities. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org.