Senator EAGLETON. Senator Domenici has been detained. He will be here later this morning. I will call as our first witness, Mr. Nelson Cruikshank, Chairman, Federal Council on Aging. Mr. Cruikshank, we are always happy to have you with us. Senator KENNEDY. On the chart, on the left, you have medicare 17, medicaid, 10, that is 27 to start with. You had 5 billion in SSI and you have 2 billion below. I do not understand the figure. Senator EAGLETON. You are right. Not only did we misspell "total", we lost a few billions. Senator KENNEDY. I would love to see the growth. Senator KENNEDY. I do not understand it, though. Senator EAGLETON. I was floored with my initial glance there, that it went from 26 to 40. Even 10-percent inflation would only make it up to 32. Senator KENNEDY. Just comparison of the figures Senator EAGLETON. There is a slight error. It should read 35 billion. We will get a new chart. Senator KENNEDY. Thank you. Senator EAGLETON. I am glad you brought that to my attention. Tomorrow we will have a different chart, folks. Mr. Cruikshank, we are delighted to have you with us. No one has worked more vigorously than you in the area of America's elderly in services and programs affecting their future and quality of their lives. You may proceed, sir, and we are delighted to have you. STATEMENT OF NELSON H. CRUIKSHANK, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL COUNCIL ON AGING, ACCOMPANIED BY DR. ALAN SHEPPARD, DEPUTY ASSISTANT, FEDERAL COUNCIL ON AGING; AND ROBERT M. FOSTER, STAFF, FEDERAL COUNCIL ON AGING Mr. CRUIKSHANK. Thank you, Chairman Eagleton, and Senator Kennedy. It is a pleasure for me to appear before your committee. I must say at the outset that I appreciated ever so much the opening statements of the chairman and Senator Kennedy. They set a beautiful backdrop for the considerations of the committee. If I may add a personal note to Senator Eagleton, all of the work that I have done and the efforts that I have expended to which you generally referred were not exactly altruistic. At the age of 75, I have now a very direct and immediate and personal interest in the welfare of the elderly, so some of it is self-serving, in a way. I am happy to be here. With your permission, I am accompanied by Dr. Alan Sheppard, on my left, who is Deputy Assistant to the Federal Council on Aging, just recently joined our staff, and Mr. Robert Foster, a staff member, both of whom assisted in the prepar ation of this statement. My name is Nelson H. Cruikshank and I am speaking today as Chairman of the Federal Council on the Aging. I thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. As you know, the Council was created by the Congress to serve as spokesman on behalf of older Americans by making recommendations to the administrative and legislative branches of Government with respect to Federal policies regarding the aged. Today's statement is part of that assigned legislative responsibility. The Federal Council traces a substantial part of its parentage to this Senate body and as the Congress considers the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, it is timely both to report on functioning of the Council and to present its views on possible amendments to the act. Specifically, the 1973 amendments to the Older Americans Act created the Federal Council on the Aging. Among its broad functions, it was required to: serve as a spokesman on behalf of older Americans by making recommendations to the President, the Secretary, the Commissioner, and to the Congress with respect to Federal policies regarding the aging and federally conducted or assisted programs and other activities related to or affecting them. When this measure was finally reported to the House and Senate by the conference committee, the report explicitly spelled out the intent of Congress by the following language: It is the intention of the conference that this body function as more than a passive advisory body, and that it work to actively promote the interest of older Americans throughout the whole range of Federal policies and programs affecting them. This is indeed a broad mandate and one which the Council, with its limited resources, has never fully discharged. As a member since its inception, I accept my share of the responsibility for this shortcoming. However, in the 4 years since the first members of the Council took office and as documented in the four annual reports which have thus far been issued, the Council has sought to identify those national policy issues which the Council felt were of priority concern to the largest number of older Americans with the greater needs. This has always been done in cooperation with and support of similar advocacy efforts by the Administration on Aging and the respective units in the House and Senate, including this subcommittee, with their responsibilities for providing Federal focus on the needs of older Americans. RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE FEDERAL COUNCIL FOR AMENDMENTS IN THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT While the Council never took formal action on approving the extension of the Older Americans Act, it looks upon this legislation as having great importance to the Nation's elderly population. Therefore, the Council assumes the act will be continued and broadened to serve even more older persons in the years to come. This assumption perhaps is a recommendation of sorts in itself. The fact that the Federal Council on Aging never felt it necessary to put on its agenda the question as to whether the Older Americans Act should be extended has a kind of negative element of support. The Council always assumed the Older Americans Act would be extended and specific recommendations, of course, are based on that assumption. The recommendations for changes in the Older Americans Act contained in this statement are primarily directed to those which the Council formally acted upon. First, the Council considered the changes needed with respect to its own functions and agreed that our ability to meet legislative objectives would be strengthened with the following addition to the Council authority: In performing its functions under this act, the Council may utilize the serv ices and facilities of any agency of the Federal Government and of any other public or nonprofit agency or organization in accordance with agreements between the Council and the head thereof; and be authorized to pay therefore, in advance or by way of reimbursement, as may be provided in the agreement. Other major positions which the Council has taken on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act include the following: TITLE I-DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES In 1975, upon the request of the Commissioner on Aging, the Federal Council on the Aging prepared a revision of the Senior Citizens Charter which was developed by the 1961 White House Conference on Aging. In developing this new bicentennial charter. the Council has drawn on many resources including the objectives. of the 1965 Older Americans Act. The Council recommended at a regular quarterly meeting in May 1977, that the bicentennial charter for older Americans be substituted for the declarations of objectives for older Americans under title I of the Older Americans Act. I refer to appendix B. I would appreciate it if appendix B could be made a part of the record. Senator EAGLETON. It will be made a part of the record. [The appendix B referred to follows:] APPENDIX B BICENTENNIAL CHARTER FOR OLDER AMERICANS (BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS) I II The Right to Freedom, Independence and the Free Exercise of Individual Initiative. This should encompass not only opportunities and resources for personal planning and managing one's life style but support systems for maximum growth and contributions by older persons to their community. The Right to an Income in Retirement Which Would Provide an Adequate Standard of Living. Such income must be sufficiently adequate to assure maintenance of mental and physical activities which delay deterioration and maximize individual potential for selfhelp and support. This right should be assured regardless of employment capability. III The Right to an Opportunity for Employment Free from IV V VI Such employment when desired should not exploit individ- The Right to an Opportunity to Participate in the Widest The varying interests and needs of older Americans require The Right to Suitable Housing. The widest choices of living arrangements should be avail- The Right to the Best Level of Physical and Mental Health Such services should include the latest knowledge and tech- VII The Right to Ready Access to Effective Social Services. These services should enhance independence and well-being, yet provide protection and care as needed. VIII IX The Right to Appropriate Institutional Care When Care should provide full restorative services in a The Right to a Life and Death With Dignity. |