EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Alaska Community Services Senior Companions Clara Rice (left)
and Edna Pendleton (right) visit June Stanfield, a resident of the Fairbanks Pioneer Home.
(Photo by Jeanne Thomas.)

Alaska’s statewide senior citizen community is, proportionately, the second most rapidly growing in the country. Each of us confronts the question: how do we fully realize our potential and sustain our independence in the later years of our lives? The Alaska Commission on Aging engages Alaskans from across the state to ask these questions and work together to answer them. In turn the Commission advocates for state policy, public and private partnerships, and citizen involvement that assists each of us to age successfully in our home community, or as close to home as feasible. Our work involves planning, advocacy, grant making and administration, and interagency collaboration on issues affecting older Alaskans. The Commission was established under AS 44.21.200 in 1982. It is housed in the Division of Senior Services, Department of Administration. Increasingly the Commission is called upon to advise the Division in its work, and to provide representatives to project workgroups convened by the Division.

The Commission has broad-based responsibilities. It is the designated sole State agency that develops and administers the State Plan on Aging. The Commission reaches out to inform Alaskans of the dramatic growth in the older Alaskan community. The Commission continues to expand this outreach and education with advocacy and service organizations statewide. The Commission funds and administers senior services grant programs. Services are now delivered by 66 non-profit organizations statewide. Under the terms of the Commission’s grant awards, grantees assure that they will comply with state and federal requirements associated with the types of grant funding awarded. These organizations generate additional monies to fully fund the cost of these vital services. Commission grants are funded with a mix of monies from the Older Americans Act, the State of Alaska, and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (AMHTA). Grants include Nutrition, Transportation and Support Services (hot meals, essential transportation and selective support services), and the Senior Community Service Employment, funded through the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) and state monies. Home and Community-Based Services grants (care coordination, adult day services, in-home respite care, and related caregiver services) are funded by AMHTA, the Older Americans Act, and state funds. Senior Residential Services grants are supported solely by state monies. The Commission has a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority under which the Trust provides oversight and administrative support for Alaska’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Office (LTCO). The Commission continues its working relationship with the LTCO office, and will annually transfer Older Americans Act funding for operation of the LTCO to the Trust, as well as any OAA increases earmarked for LTCO programs. The Commission will continue to receive regular LTCO reports regarding the work of the office, emergent issues, and trends, as well as their input and considerations regarding legislation affecting the safety and well-being of Alaskans age 60+ receiving long-term care.

ACoA grantee programs are anchored by a strong base of locally supported, community-directed programs for Alaskan elders. In FY 00, these senior programs were supported with approximately 4.9 million federal dollars through the Older Americans Act and a comparable amount of state funds, including the required matching funds and Mental Health general funds.

Local community contributions, including local match and clients’ donations, accounted for 50 percent of the funds necessary to support local senior programs. State and federal dollars accounted for 47 percent of the reported cost to operate local senior programs.

An additional three percent of funds came from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Authorized Receipts (MHTAAR) for innovative pilot projects. Ongoing programs are targeted to low-income, minority, and frail seniors, and those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. All are encouraged to contribute what they can afford toward the cost of services.

Finding the Common Ground Conference Series
Leaders in Alaska’s senior community met in Anchorage in January 2000 for the Common Ground II conference. The conference series’ purpose is to expand participants’ knowledge of aging issues, build upon their leadership skills, and nurture a statewide community of informed Alaskan seniors. Over 150 concerned Alaskans attended the conference. With Alaska’s senior population expected to triple in 20 years, Common Ground develops strategies for reaping the full benefit of this growth and anticipating problems that may arise as a result.

The Commission cohosted Common Ground II with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). Many partners joined the conference steering committee. These partners represented the Commission, AHFC, the Alaska Geriatric Education Network (AGENet), the Title VI Directors Network, AARP, Older Persons Action Group (OPAG), Alaska Alzheimer’s Association, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA) and the State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Common Ground II Partners with the Commission and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation:

The conference report, Common Ground II Conference Proceedings, a summary of speakers’ points, breakout sessions, and other findings, is available from the Alaska Commission on Aging.

LEGISLATION AFFECTING ALASKAN SENIORS

The cumulative effect of constructive legislation comes into focus through the short review below. This is from a 2001 report, and covers legislation through the 22^nd Legislative session. These bills and related actions improve state policy and practice in regard to health and personal care, personal safety, and recognition and respect accorded to older Alaskans. These will improve the basic quality of life we experience as we age.

1999 Legislation

• Alaska Housing Finance Corporation budget items: