A POSITION STATEMENT PREPARED BY THE ASSOCIATION FOR GERONTOLOGY IN HIGHER EXPIRES IN MAY 1978 The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) strongly endorses the Declaration of Objectives for Older Americans as set out in the Older Americans Act of 1965 and believes that there should be a reauthorization of the Older Americans Act with modifications in its provisions to strengthen and more effectively coordinate the programs under the Act. It is evident that much has been accomplished under the Older Americans Act, but it is equally as evident that the specific objectives listed in Title I of the Act have not been met. There is a clear need for the consolidation and coordination of many existing programs, for the elimination of unnecessary red tape, and for the establishment of priorities. While substantial funds have been made available to implement the Older Americans Act, the funding from the inception of the program has been at a very low level compared to funding needs, and many of the failures of the program are directly traceable to the low funding levels. The deficiency of funds has been accentuated by the substantial increase in the cost of services in recent years. Given the concerns we have for the plight of many older Americans, we hope that the Congress in its review and consideration of the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act will give attention to: 1) the establishment of program prioritics; 2) the need to consolidate programs; 3) the need to relate the programs under the Act to existing state and local governmental programs; 4) the governmental procedures that have interfered with orderly planning; and 5) the need for upward adjustments in budgets in those cases where it is clear that the expansion of the program will meet the urgent wmet needs of older people. Educators and others closely associated with the programs under the Older Americans Act have noticed in particular the need for a more definitive statement of priorities, the need for a more problem oriented approach, the need to reduce the bureaucratic structure that has emerged, the need to eliminate fragmentation of services, the need to have an adequate staff to administer the program, the need to provide stable funds for research and training, the need to channel greater proportions of funds into direct services to achieve higher cost-benefit ratios, and the need to fund the program at substantially higher levels based on a careful assessment of the most urgent needs of older people. The specific interest and involvement of post secondary educational institutions in meeting educational needs in the field of aging have caused AGHE to consider certain specific aspects of the Act. We would like to comment briefly on these. Model project funds under Titl III. The provision of funds for model projects under Title III is strongly endorsed. The use of such funds in model projects serves not only to reveal new and innovative ways to achieve program improvements but also provides needed services as well. We continue to live in a society in which there is dynamic change, and it is incorrect to assume that we should stop our search for new and innovative ways to achieve program improvement. Over and over again, we find that changes in technology, in community structures, in government, in distributions of population, in family structures, and in other aspects of the environment make it desirable for us to work with an awareness of continuous change. The significant impact of the use of Title IV funds. As representatives of post secondary educational institutions we endorse a higher level of funding for Title IV. The use of these funds for research and training is having a significant impact on programs and has attracted substantial additional resources from educational institutions, private foundations, and individuals to train professionals and paraprofessionals in the field of aging and to carry out both basic and applied research. Activity under Title IV has had a fourfold effect: 1) increased public knowledge about aging; 2) increased the numbers of qualified professionals, paraprofessionals, and others working in the field of aging; 3) redirected tremendous educational and related resources into the field for training and research about aging; and 4) provided a continuing body of knowledge about aging today and the expectations for tomorrow. One of the great faults we have had in planning for many programs is to assume a status quo or to look backward rather than to look ahead and to evaluate through sophisticated quantitative research methods the conditions that will prevail in the future. The Older Americans Act of 1965, as initially enacted, recognized that the Declaration of Objectives for Older Americans specified in Title I of the Act could be met only if significant attention was given to the utilization of proven research and training of special personnel to carry out the programs and activities specified in the Act. In the early amendments to the Act a broad range of educational, training, and research needs were further delineated by specifying, for example, that comprehensive programs should include education for older citizens who need it, preretirement training and continuing education made available for mature and older people, a national plan developed for meeting the needs of trained personnel in the field of aging, and that studies should be conducted, commissioned, and published. In the further amendments to the Act, educational, training, and research needs have been given greater specificity. In the program areas under the Older Americans Act (Titles III, VI, VII, and IX) short-term training is authorized for purposes of involving the administration of the specific programs. Thus it is evident that the intent of the greater specificity pertaining to short-term training is to reserve under Title IV that training needed by professionals and paraprofessionals that will update their knowledge in the field of aging as it relates to their area of professional competence. We affirm the importance of precise wording in the Older Americans Act as it relates to training and educational needs and strongly support adequate funding for short-term training under each of the operating programs to more effectively administer the programs of the Act. Stable programs of short-term training should be carried out by educational institutions on a systematic and continuing basis. While the level of funding provided in FY 1977 and in FY 1978 is an improvement over earlier funding, it is our view that substantial increases in funding for education and research are needed, and we believe that this will become clear in the hearings and review by Congress on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. The expenditures for training and research under Title IV have been relatively modest, especially when it is recognized that one of the functions of the Administration on Aging under the Older Americans Act is to stimulate more effective use of existing resources and available services for the aging and aged. In FY 1978 the federal government outlays for these purposes will exceed $150 billion. When training and research outlays under Title IV are related to these outlays, they are equal to less than two-one hundredths of one percent. Though relatively modest these programs under the Older Americans Act stimulate the use of substantial additional funds from state and local governments and from private sources that more than match the federal allocation. As such, Title IV programs represent a solid investment in manpower and knowledge to insure the long term effectiveness of all programs for the aged. Gerontology in higher education in the United States has achieved considerable recognition and acceptance during the past quarter of a century. The Older Americans Act and subsequent programs administered by the Administration on Aging have provided the financial support needed to develop and expand gerontological education and research efforts in our universities and colleges. The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, an organization comprised of representatives of most of the major institutions with gerontological training and research programs, is making certain recommendations to the Administration on Aging for inclusion in its guidelines for training and research grants. We feel that it is appropriate that these recommendations be given consideration when the Older Americans Act itself is under review and legislative provisions are being drafted. In view of this, these recommendations are noted briefly here: 1. Increase the percentage allocations of Title IVA funds for gerontology programs in higher education. If quality, continuity, and stability of gerontological training and education are to be maintained, it is imperative that the primary training and educational role be vested in those institutions established for that purpose. The Administration on Aging should use Title III and Title VII funds for appropriate state agency training and utilize Title IVA funds for activity involving higher education. Fund allocations should specifically reflect the need for greater funding of programs under Title IVA. 2. Continue to provide for multiyear funding. AGHE strongly recommends appropriate legislative provision to achieve five year funding cycles for programs that are successfully meeting educational needs in the field of aging. A commitment to a longer funding cycle would result in better long range planning, progressive program development and implementation, the recruitment and retention of better qualified faculty and staff, and greater opportunity to intergrate gerontology into the broader academic community. 3. As a condition of support, require clear demonstration of the institution's commitment to training and research in gerontology. To assure that institutions of higher education are committed to gerontology, a progressive commitment of greater resources by the institution itself |