Advocacy
What:
We ensure that the needs of older adults are addressed at the Federal, State, and Local levels.
How:
We work with policy experts across our organizations to address the needs of the growing majority of millions of older people
Why:
As the DEC, we produce original policy analysis and resources, speak with policymakers and advocates to highlight the issues of our communities and share solutions, and work to ensure the needs and perspective of older adults are at the forefront of national and local conversations on aging.
Advocacy Areas
Equitable Access
Ensure all federally funded programs include person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate and accessible services to reduce disparities in aging services and supports for older adults. The DEC strives to ensure access to the spectrum of services and lifelong needs for all older adults.
Family Caregiving
The DEC is working to increase support for family caregivers, who are providing unpaid labor to ensure that their family members, friends, and neighbors can age with health and dignity. This includes advocating for comprehensive, universal paid family and medical leave for family caregivers caring for older adults
Aging in Place
The DEC is working to ensure adequate resources to enable older adults to age in a place of their choice, within age-friendly communities. This includes advocating for federal standards for measuring equitable access to Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in Medicaid.
Data Collection
Expand data collection, disaggregation and reporting both among and within all older adult populations. It is vital to create and promote a federal demographic data collection standardization requirement, modeled after DEC Members’ and expert partners’ best practices.
Policy Focus
Older Americans Act
The Older Americans Act (OAA) is the country’s leading vehicle for delivering services and supports to older people nationwide and was reauthorized in March 2020. We will be pushing for our nation’s leaders to move for reauthorization in 2024.
The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Act
The RAISE act provides for the establishment and maintenance of a National Family Caregiving Strategy. The DEC annually submits comments to the RAISE Advisory Council to ensure the inclusion of diverse communities in national strategies