On January 4, 2011, the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) (Public Law 111-375) was signed into law. The Act defines "Alzheimer's" as Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) and requires the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the National Alzheimer's Project to:
- Create and maintain an integrated National Plan to overcome Alzheimer's disease;
- Coordinate Alzheimer's disease research and services across all federal agencies;
- Accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's disease;
- Improve early diagnosis and coordination of care and treatment of Alzheimer's disease;
- Decrease disparities in Alzheimer's disease for racial and ethnic minority populations that are at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease; and,
- Coordinate with international bodies to fight Alzheimer's disease globally.
The law also establishes the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services (Advisory Council) and requires the Secretary of HHS, in collaboration with the Advisory Council, to create and maintain a National Plan to overcome AD/ADRD.
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It is important to engage Hispanics in health services as they age to promote health and wellbeing; reduce health disparities; and prevent social isolation, injury due to falls, and the development of chronic conditions. These engagement strategies must meet individuals where they are and provide information in a way that is easy to understand and relates to their cultural values and norms.
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American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) communities face significant health disparities compared to the general United States population. Specifically, Elders manage a high burden of chronic conditions and report the greatest percentage of falls (34.2%) of all races and ethnicities. In an effort to address these disparities, some organizations serving AI/AN/NH Elders have implemented evidence-based health promotion programs in the community to empower individuals to manage chronic conditions and prevent falls.
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Evidence-based programs offer proven ways to promote health and prevent disease among older adults. Use this tool to search for evidence-based programs that match your community's needs and are approved for funding through Older Americans Act Title III-D. The programs included are not exhaustive and represent those that have been approved through the Evidence-Based Program Review Process.
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A collection of resources from a May 13, 2021 webinar (video below) that introduces a systems approach and three practices for building healthy communities and advancing health equity through senior nutrition programs. Download the slide deck and summary sheet below:
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Most older adults would prefer to live out their golden years in the comfort of their homes. This population continues to grow more diverse – by 2060, Hispanic Americans are projected to make up 21% of the entire older adult population.1 For Hispanic/Latino elders, there are unique challenges to safely aging in place including managing multiple chronic diseases, language barriers, difficulty navigating the US health care system, minimal financial resources to meet the needs that come with aging at home, receiving sufficient support for family caregivers, and maintaining important connections with loved ones. As this population grows, it will become even more important for service providers to understand how to meet these needs.
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Healthy eating in the modern world is not always easy. Fast food and prepackaged foods offer inexpensive and easy alternatives to healthier foods or cooking from scratch. Even in remote locations, you can count on finding snacks like burgers, chips, candies, and sodas. But these kinds of foods can be harmful to our health in the long run.
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As the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adult population grows, many Aging Network providers are starting to consider their needs and incorporate their perspectives in the planning process. By making some simple changes, LGBT populations can be brought to the table as aging services and programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated. This guide aims to provide the local and state Aging Network (e.g., State Units on Aging (SUA), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC), direct service providers, advisory councils on aging, ombudsmen, etc.) with the tools and resources needed to be more inclusive of LGBT populations during the planning process.
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