On Wednesday, Congress passed a temporary spending bill that keeps the government funded beyond Sept. 30. Yet, even in light of lawmakers averting a shutdown, there is another end-of-moth deadline looming they’ve largely ignored: expiration of foundational aging and disability legislation called the Older Americans Act (OAA).
The OAA supports the delivery of home and community-based social and services that improve the lives, dignity, safety and wellbeing of older adults. A reauthorization bill was passed in a Senate committee this summer, but further progress has stalled. If Congress doesn’t finalize an OAA bill before or in next year’s omnibus package, critical funding for the supportive services older adults rely on would be threatened.
Congress’ delay in OAA reauthorization is worrying for a number of reasons, but a particularly important concern is the need to address growing climate risks among older adults — especially the risks posed by extreme heat. In the U.S., where heat waves are the No. 1 weather-related killer, older adults make up more than 80% of all heat deaths. And heat is only getting more intense: This summer was Earth’s hottest ever recorded. As extreme heat has worsened, heat-related deaths among older adults have risen by 88% in recent years. Even more older adults will die without action.
OAA services — such as home-delivered meals, transportation, medication reminders, health and wellness programs, caregiver support, and general household assistance — are crucial for helping older adults manage health and social conditions that can heighten heat risk, such as chronic illnesses and social isolation. These resources are especially critical for the more than 4 in 10 older adults living with disabilities, who face additional barriers and higher health risks in face of heat threats. For example, extreme heat can exacerbate cognitive conditions, which in turn increases heat sensitivity: people with Alzheimer’s disease are 8% more likely to die on a hot day. Mobility challenges can hinder access to safe shelter or public cooling centers during heat events, leaving people exposed to unsafe indoor temperatures. And older adults with hearing and vision impairments may also not receive heat warnings in accessible ways.
But just extending the current program is not enough. The OAA needs to go further. With more federal support from the OAA, the country’s aging and disability network — which serves more than 11 million older adults and their families — could be better leveraged to reduce these heat risks. OAA service providers such as senior centers, community-based organizations and state and local agencies could provide education on heat safety; monitor for signs of heat exhaustion; and secure transportation to cooling centers. Already trusted messengers, OAA service providers could also help older adults access groundbreaking federal investments, like programs supported by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. These new resources can help older adults lessen their heat risk through, for example, free or low-cost weatherization services that improve home energy efficiency and save money.
However, since 2014, OAA funding has not kept pace with demand for services. The population of U.S. adults over age 60 who would be served by OAA programs has increased by 29% since that time, while inflation-adjusted OAA funding has declined by $170 million. This shortfall creates critical gaps in access to existing health and social services, with little room to adapt to the growing and urgent need for climate-related supports. Congress must capitalize on the potential of this critical infrastructure to improve climate resilience among older adults, by both clarifying the role of climate preparedness in OAA programs, such as the using the home modification program for weatherization services, and by increasing OAA funding through reauthorization to expand service capacity.
Marquisha Johns is the associate director for public health policy at the Center for American Progress. Casey Doherty is a policy analyst for the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress.