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[Pages S1471-S1472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING OLDER AMERICANS ACT OF 2020
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
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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 ask unanimous consent to
have these letters of support printed in the Record at the end of my
remarks.
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.
____________________
