Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, last night the Senate unanimously passed my legislation, the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020. I developed this important legislation with Senator Bob Casey, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, which I chair, to reauthorize and strengthen the landmark Older Americans Act. A bipartisan group of 24 Senators cosponsored this reauthorization, and 128 national organizations endorsed it. I rise today to commend this bipartisan achievement that will ensure that vital services for our seniors continue and are strengthened.

Since 1965, the Older Americans Act has helped to ensure that millions of seniors receive the support they need to age independently and with dignity. Administered by the Administration for Community Living, the Older Americans Act authorizes an array of services through a network of 56 State units on aging and more than 600 area agencies on aging, serving more than 10 million Americans throughout the Nation each year. OAA programs provide nutritious food, transportation, assistance to caregivers, and in-home services for older adults. These investments foster a sense of community for older adults and save taxpayers money by reducing hospitalizations and the need for long-term residential care.

As our population ages, demand for Older Americans Act services has grown. Our legislation extends OAA programs for 5 years and provides increased investments to meet growing demands. For example, one hallmark OAA program is Meals on Wheels. Last year, this home-delivered nutrition program provided seniors with 358 million meals. In many States, however, the need is soaring. In Maine, there is a waitlist of 400 to 1,500 people, depending on the time of the year and the location in our State. That is why it is so important that this bill helps to ensure that more seniors in need of nutritious food can be served through important programs such as Meals on Wheels.

At $11 a day, a meal is far cheaper than the $2,400 average cost of a hospital stay. Using Older Americans Act dollars, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging conducted a pilot study that provided seniors discharged from the hospital with 4 weeks' worth of food. The results were astounding--hospital readmissions were reduced by 38 percent--a 387-percent return on investment. On a national scale, the savings would be an astronomical $51 billion annually.

Our legislation also includes several provisions to combat social isolation, which can have devastating health effects, particularly on older adults who are already vulnerable.

As the executive director of the Eastern Maine Area Agency on Aging, Dyan Walsh, said, The Older Americans Act is a great victory for the aging services network and those we serve. There are many important provisions in the bill, not the least of which is the focus on research to study the negative consequences of social isolation and loneliness which impacts so many rural older adults. We look to the future with a renewed focus to integrate innovative strategies that will advance our mission to support communities and those who are the most vulnerable.

The Older Americans Act is a shining example of a Federal policy that works. Every $1 invested into the Older Americans Act generates $3 by helping seniors stay at home through low-cost, community-based services. I thank the dozens of stakeholders we have worked with over the past several months to reauthorize and strengthen OAA, including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, AARP, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the National Alliance for Caregiving, Meals on Wheels America, the National Association of Counties, and the Alzheimer's Association.

I urge my colleagues in the House to support this important reauthorization so that we can swiftly send it to the President's desk to get signed into law.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source