APPENDIX II-D.-FISCAL YEAR 1976 PROJECT AWARDS RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATIONS-Continued [Title IV, pt. B, Older Americans Act of 1965 as amended] Illinois: University of Illinois, Chicago, III. National survey of the aged at Chicago Circle.. New York: Research Foundation of the State Uni- Predicting accuracy of perceiving the aging person. versity of New York, Geneseo, N.Y. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Integration of information on aging: Handbook Amount $124,840 13,034 Calif. Do.. District of Columbia: Do... project. 8, 492 Foundations for research in social problems of 317, 372 social gerontology. 183,997 tion. 68, 280 30,000 The Gerontological Society, Washington, D.C... Committee on research and development goals in Development and utilization of relevant cross- Texas: Governor's Committee on Aging, Austin Tex. Better services for aging through research utiliza New York: Center for Community Research of the Associ- Day care center for the elderly..... 1 In addition, 5 dissertation research grants pertinent to this subject were awarded in fiscal year 1976. ($5,000 per grant). 2 Contract. 3 Additionally, 3 dissertation research grants related to this subject were awarded in fiscal year 1976 ($5,000 per grant). 4 Additionally, 8 dissertation research grants related to this subject were awarded in fiscal year 1976 ($5,000 per grant). Additionally, 2 dissertation research grants to this subject were awarded in fiscal year 1976 ($5,000 per grant). In addition, 1 research dissertation grant was awarded in this area ($5,000 per grant). 7 Supplemental. Appendix II-E.-Title IV-C: Multidisicplinary centers of gerontology grants, fiscal year 1976 Alabama: University of Alabama, Center for the Study on Aging---. of Alabama in Birmingham, University Station, Birmingham California: University of Southern California, Andrus Gerontology Center, Los Angeles_. Colorado: Davis Institute for the Care and Study of the Aging, Denver. Connecticut: University of Connecticut, University Program in Gerontology, Storrs___. Florida : Florida State University, Institute for Social Research, Tallahassee. University of Miami, Institute for the Study of Aging, Coral Cables-Hawaii University of Hawaii at Manoa, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Honolulu__. $61, 172 62,938 195, 463 67, 314 49, 798 65, 792 64, 062 74, 687 Illinois University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, All University Gernotology Committee, Chicago_. 67, 271 Iowa: University of Iowa, School of Social Work, Iowa City-- Syracuse University, All-University Gerontology Center, Syracuse-- North Carolina : Duke University: Duke University, Center for the Study 47, 600 171, 211 65, 916 University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St., Philadelphia----- 72, 515 185, 255 Texas: North Texas State University, Center for Studies in Aging, 164, 286 APPENDIX II-F.-TITLE V-MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTERS, FUNDING DISTRIBUTION, APPENDIX II-F.-TITLE V-MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTERS, FUNDING DISTRIBUTION, PART II. ACTIVITIES, FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 1977 Highlights of the Administration on Aging activities during the last 3 calendar months of 1976 are set forth below. NATIONAL NETWORK ON AGING CONFERENCES During December 1976, the Commissioner on Aging convened a series of three 2-day conferences of the National Network on Aging. The purpose of the conferences was to elicit comments, suggestions, and recommendations from participants with regard to the current status of the Older Americans Act programs and goals set forth for future operations. Participants included State Agency on Aging directors and staff, area agency directors, title VII nutrition project directors, and the chairpersons from State and area agency and title VII Nutrition Project Advisory Councils. The conferences were held in Washington, D.C., on December 2-3, for regions I, II, III and IV; Dallas Tex., on December 7-8 for regions V, VI, and IX; and Seattle Wash., on December 16-17 for regions VII, VIII and X. Specific agenda items discussed at these conferences included the involvement of State agencies in decisionmaking with regard to AOA's discretionary programs; and the proposed content of fiscal year 1978 State plans. The discussions led to some recommendations which have been incorporated, where appropriate, in the development of AoA policies in these two areas. NEW AOA INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS Office of Education.-In December 1976 the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Aging signed a working agreement between OE and AoA designed to strengthen and expand educational opportunities for older Americans. Legal Services Corporation.-A working agreement was negotiated and signed in January between the Legal Services Corporation and the Administration on Aging to foster expanded legal services on behalf of older persons. TRANSPORTATION REPORT In November 1976, the Administration on Aging transmitted to Congress a report entitled "Transportation for Older Americans-1976-Progress, Prospects, 1 and Potentials." This report updates the 1975 state-of-the-art report and also provides information on pooling and coordination of transportation programs. The 1975 report had emphasized the need for greater coordination of transportation programs in order to use available resources more effectively. The updated study in 1976 estimated consevatively that there were over 3,000 transportation projects serving the elderly. Titles III and VII were funding around 2,000 of these projects, while sections 16(b)(2) of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 as amended and section 147 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 as amended supported approximately 500 projects. This estimated number of total projects also includes approximately 500 funded by programs under the Social Security, Vocational Rehabilitation and Public Health Services Acts; the Community Action Program; and private agencies. Based on an analysis of approximately 1,000 transportation projects, the study concluded that advanced reservation dial-a-ride systems represented 66 percent of the projects, while conventional fixed route and scheduled services accounted for 25 percent and taxis provided an additional 9 percent. It was estimated that a total of $60 million to $70 million was being spent for transportation services in fiscal year 1975 under the authority of the following acts: Title III and VII of the Older Americans Act, section 16(b)(2) of the Urban Mass Transportation Act, section 147 of the Federal Highway Act, and title XX of the Social Security Act. These estimates did not include additional transportation services provided by other programs such as Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicare, Medicaid, Community Action, and private agencies' programs. The report notes that State agencies indicated that titles III and VII funds were being pooled with funds from programs under section 16(b) (2) and (5) of the Urban Mass Transportation Act, title XX of the Social Security Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, and the Economic Opportunity Act. State and private contributions were also pooled. The study pointed out that by fiscal year 1975, almost half of the coordination activity reported under titles II and VII had progressed beyond "Improved working relationships." Joint funding and/or equipment use accounted for 27 percent while the coordination of transportation services (schedules, routes et. al.) accounted for an additional 22 percent. State agencies on aging identified five problem areas included in the report as follows: Funding, systems operating problems, client or user restrictions, organizational problems and conflicting interpretations of State and/or Federal guidelines. The report also included recommendations from 28 responding State agencies, 31 recommendations were made in five major areas concerned with the use of titles III and VII. Two-thirds of these concerned improving coordination and expressed the need to revise the guidelines and regulations associated with the Older Americans Act; to improve linkages with 16(b) (2) and to provide more technical assistance for coordination. Recommendations for improved use of titles III and VII funds also called for certain revisions of title III and VII guidelines. Other recommendations called for a more unified Federal and State role in the allocation of transportation resources. Several State Agencies proposed the coordination of operations and planning of all transportation services under single regional or statewide transportation authorities. The report also notes the changes in perception of transportation issues affecting the elderly, basing its conclusion on followup interviews of witnesses who gave testimony at the public hearings held by Commissioner Flemming in early 1975. Those contracted were project operators, representatives of public transit systems, private social service transportation agencies, State transportation and human resources departments, area agencies on aging, advisory groups on aging, owners of charter bus operations and specialists in the aging and/or transportation fields. These witnesses felt that since the public hearings of 1975, the importance of the transportation needs of the elderly has been recognized. Instead of having to establish the legitimacy of the need as required a year ago, witnesses now expressed two major concerns: (1) the scale of costs necessary to adequately meet the transportation needs of the elderly; (2) how present constraints on public transportation limits its ability to respond to the travel needs of special groups, such as the elderly. 1 "Transportation for older Americans-1976-Progress, Prospects, and Potentials" report prepared by the Institute of Public Administration under an Administration on Aging grant, November 1976. KQED PROJECT During the last 3 months of fiscal year 1976, AoA in conjunction with the Public Broadcasting System continued the development of the "Over Easy" television series. This series was designed in part to alter negative attitudes society holds relative to older persons. In 1975, Public Broadcasting Station KQED of San Francisco received funds from the Administration on Aging and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to develop a program which would provide information and entertainment for older persons. Two one-half hour pilot programs were prepared and tested. Hugh Downs, formerly of the "Today Show" served as host in a variety-talk show which included material about attitudes toward older persons, types of services available and relevant consumer information. 240 of a total of 257 Public Broadcasting System stations carried the two pilot programs. In cooperation with local service agencies, 82 stations caried a local I. & R. telephone number with announcements of appropriate contracts for information and assistance. In response to a national post office box number which appeared on the program, 2,300 letters were received and more letters continue to arrive. Viewer response has been most supportive and many favorable review articles appeared in newspapers and aging publications. A formal viewer survey designed by Stanford University School of Communications also indicated a very positive reaction. The "Over-Easy" project staff are currently developing 150 half-hour daily programs to be aired starting in October 1977. PART III. DIRECTIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977 INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OLDER PERSONS SERVED AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED BY INCREASING NETWORK CAPACITY A national network on aging, composed of the Administration on Aging and its regional offices, 56 State agencies on aging, 536 area agencies on aging, and 845 nutrition project agencies, has now been put into place. The primary purpose of this network is to foster the development of comprehensive and coordinated service systems at the community level designed to enable older persons to remain in their own homes or other places of private residence. Now, that this network is in place AoA believes it is appropriate to begin to place major emphasis on increasing the number of older persons who receive needed services, with particular attention paid to low income and minority older persons. AoA can help to achieve this goal by continuing to strengthen this national network on aging. AoA will continue its efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the national network on aging in the area of planning, management, and advocacy. States and communities will be encouraged to increase services for older persons, especially the low income and minorities. Emphasis will be placed on promoting and strengthening interagency coordination at the Federal, State, and area levels by increasing efforts to develop and implement HEW interagency working agreements and improve existing ones. AoA is also moving in the direction of increased involvement of older persons in decisionmaking about service programs, by, among other things, requiring that in the future the membership of advisory councils be composed of at least 50 percent older persons, and all State and area annual plans and budgets be exposed to public hearings. AoA is also stressing the need to increase the number and quality of training and knowledge of persons who deliver services to older persons, in order to be able to serve more people. During fiscal year 1977 AoA is involved in a number of activities in order to increase the number of older persons served and to improve the quality of services offered. AoA is instituting a system in which States, based on estimates provided by area agencies and nutrition project agencies, will include in their annual State plan quantitative standards of performance on the number of older persons expected to be served as a result of each service provided in their State. These standards will be included in the States' fiscal year 1978 State plans, which will be submitted to AoA by August 1, 1977. AoA will devote a significant portion of its available discretionary resources to develop assistance materials and support training for State and area agencies in order to institute this system, a system that will help to strengthen a |