Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) joined her colleagues in voting to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). Originally passed in 1965, OAA is the primary law covering support and nutrition services for America’s seniors and their caregivers.

“Our parents and grandparents have nurtured and protected us, now it’s our turn to do the same for them,” Frankel said. “The Older Americans Act helps America’s seniors retire in dignity, security, and comfort.”

This reauthorization includes over $160 million for Florida through Fiscal Year 2019.

Included in this year’s OAA reauthorization are:

·         Strengthening law enforcement’s ability to combat elder abuse.

·         Improving services for seniors and their families.

·         Preventing Medicare fraud and abuse.

·         Providing special support to Holocaust survivors.

By the Numbers

·         About 1 in 7 Americans is aged 65 or older.

·         About 3 million people receive OAA Title III services – like meals, caregiver support, transportation, and home care – on a regular basis every year.

·         Today, nearly 30 percent of the population provides care for an older adult or an ill or disabled person.

·         According to a national survey, 91 percent of older Americans say that home-delivery nutrition programs, like those under the OAA, help them to stay in their own home.

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