The second in a continuing series of annual workshops on reliability technology for cardiac pacemakers was held in July 1976. The workshop was attended by representatives from all 12 domestic manufacturers, one foreign manufacturer, three foreign distributors, and representatives of battery vendors, the Federal Drug Administration, and other organizations concerned with pacemaker reliability. The NBS-sponsored workshop included such topics as the procurement and assurance of high reliability electronic parts and the leak testing of electronic parts and packages, such as for pacemakers. Two other topics that were addressed were the measurement technologies for batteries and for leads used with the implantable pacemaker. More than 30 Standard Reference Materials (SRM's) made available by NBS are helping to improve the accuracy of nearly 5 billion measurements made annually in hospital laboratories. NBS provides many other SRM's that are used by scientific and technological industry to perfect products that are important not only for the health of the elderly but for their safety also. For example, SRM's are used in assessing the smoke producing properties of materials with respect to fire safety. Efforts are continuing to provide SRM's to meet new needs in four areas: health, technology, industrial quality control, and science. Accurate and precise compositional analysis of body tissue and fluids is essential to optimal health care for the aged since it provides a physician or surgeon with the information necessary for making better diagnostic and treatment decisions. Because of the poor accuracy inherent in many chemical methods used by clinical laboratories, discrepant results are obtained which confuse the physician and sometimes cause an erroneous diagnosis. Laboratory tests must often be repeated because of discrepant results, which places a significant, financial burden on elderly patients since charges for these retests must also be made. In order to improve the accuracy of clinical laboratory measurements and therefore the comparability between laboratories throughout the United States, the NBS Analytical Chemistry Division is actively involved in research and development efforts which lead to: (1) new and/or improved methodology which can be used by these laboratories, and (2) standard reference materials. SRM's such as cholesterol, urea, glucose, and serum albumin have made a profound impact in the diagnosis of heart disease, gout, arthritis, diabetes, and serum protein, respectively. The measurement of small amounts of heat by calorimetry (microcalorimetry) has become very important in health care of the elderly. Medical care of the aged involves diagnostic clinical tests in which temperature measurement and control are crucial. The NBS biochemical thermodynamics program is continually researching through microcalorimetry methods to improve and/or solve problems in health care facilities which are freuented more by the elderly. Some of the problems focused on include procedures for clinical laboratory assay and analysis for glucose and uric acid, and nondestructive evaluation of cardiac pacemaker units and electrochemical power cells for these units. NBS efforts in this program can substantially improve the microcalorimetric measurement capabilities and accuracy in the Nation's health care program. Neutron techniques developed at NBS have impacted strongly on areas of medicine, health, and safety. The use of these techniques has helped solve many trace element measurement problems in foods and body fluids that have proven essential to physicians in diagnosing various types of illnesses in our elderly. A major research effort is ongoing with the National Institutes of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases to better understand the metabolic mechanisms and disorders which trigger disease and enzyme activity in the digestive process. Information obtained in this program will allow physicians to better diagnose and treat the elderly, who are most often plagued with digestive disorders and related diseases. Although NBS has a number of other projects which impact on the elderly to some extent, two are particularly worth noting. One has been the development of new and improved dental materials and devices along with tooth restoration procedures. All these have been widely accepted by members of the American Dental Association. The other project has been to provide the Veterans Administration (VA) with technical data and test results on hearing aids. This information is provided the VA on a continuing basis and is used to select hearing aids for VA clients, a substantial fraction of whom may be assumed to be elderly. The VA makes the test results available through the Government Printing Office so other Federal and State agencies can use the data in selecting hearing aids. In 1971, NBS published a 32-page consumers' guide entitled "Facts About Hearing and Hearing Aids." This publication remains very popular with the elderly and their families for answering questions and providing basic information. ITEM 3. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DECEMBER 15, 1976. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in further reply to your letter of November 9, 1976, requesting information on the Defense Department's major activities on aging during 1976 and plans for continuing efforts in 1977. The Department of Defense continues to operate one of the most comprehensive retirement planning programs for civilian employees in the Federal Government. Integrated into the overall personnel management process, our program is designed primarily to assist employees in their adjustment to retirement and to assist management in planning for replacement manpower needs. It encompasses extensive preretirement counseling for employees (and their spouses in many instances) and includes trial retirement and gradual retirement options for employees where feasible. We believe our program helps alleviate many of the problems that employees have encountered in the past when approaching retirement age. We expect to continue the operation of this program through 1977. Public Law 93-39 (5 USC 8336(d)(2)) has proven especially helpful to the Department of Defense during the recent periods of significant civilian manpower reductions. This legislation, enacted in 1973, permits an employee to voluntarily retire during a period when his agency is undergoing a major reduction in force, as determined by the U.S. Civil Service Commission, if he has completed 25 years of service or is at least 50 years old and has completed 20 years of service. During 1976, the Commission has authorized the Department of Defense to apply this major reduction-in-force retirement provision for specific geographic areas or installations on 19 separate occasions. These authorizations enabled 1,565 employees to voluntarily retire early and permitted 915 other employees who would otherwise have lost their jobs to be offered continuing employment. We will continue to request the use of this authority in future major reduction-in-force situations where it will serve to minimize the work force disruption which generally accompanies reductions in force. The military departments and Defense agencies have continued to provide multiphasic occupational health programs and service to employees, and in some cases to former employees who have retired. Many of these programs and services are designed to address problems generally associated with increasing age. Included are health guidance and counseling, periodic testing for diseases and disorders, immunizations and treatments. We plan to continue to provide these services to employees to the maximum extent possible during 1977. Within the Department, active and continuing efforts are conducted to eliminate discrimination based upon age. These actions include the revision of internal regulations to assure that age is not used as a selection criterion or screening factor in any type of personnel action, and the continual examination of personnel policies, practices, and procedures for possible conflict with equal employment opportunity intent, including discriminatory use of age. As noted above, these are continuing efforts. In summary, the Department of Defense operates a comprehensive retirement planning program, makes appropriate use of the major reduction-in-force retirement option provided by statute, provides extensive health care services for employees, and pursues an ongoing affirmative action program to preclude discr mination based on age. Our total effort relative to age and aging will continue in 1977. We appreciate the efforts of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and we hope that the above information will be helpful to you. Sincerely, CARL W. CLEWLOW, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense ITEM 4. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION ON AGING INTRODUCTION This report presents in three parts the activities of the Administration on Aging encompassing fiscal year 1976, including the transition quarter, and the first quarter of fiscal year 1977. In addition, it sets forth planned Administration on Aging activities for the remainder of fiscal year 1977. Part I consists of material prepared for the Administration on Aging fiscal year 1976 Annual Report (including activities during the transition quarter) as required by section 208 of the Older Americans Act, as amended. Part II describes significant Administration on Aging activities during the last 3 months of calendar year 1976. Part III sets forth directions and planned initiatives of the Administration on Aging during the remainder of fiscal year 1977. PART I. ANNUAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1976 During fiscal year 1976 the Administration on Aging was involved in a wide range of activities pursuant to its mandates as set forth in the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended. These mandates and the associated activities during fiscal year 1976 are articulated later in the report. ORGANIZATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING To carry out its mandates, the Administration on Aging has been organized in the following manner: (1) The Office of the Commissioner on Aging; (2) the Office of Planning and Evaluation; (3) the Office of State and Community Programs; (4) the Office of Research, Demonstrations, and Manpower Resources; (5) the National Clearinghouse on Aging; (6) the field liaison staff; (7) the nursing home interests staff; and (8) 10 regional offices of aging. The current organizational structure of the Administration is presented in table I of this report. The Office of Planning and Evaluation (OPE) serves as the focal point in the Administration on Aging for forward 5-year planning, policy analysis, and evaluation. It conducts policy analyses of program issues affecting AoA and programs for the aging, develops and updates AOA's 5-year forward plan, prepares AOA's annual reports to the President and Congress, develops and implements an annual evaluation plan for AoA, develops legislative proposals, and identifies and reports on policy issues regarding proposed legislation which will affect the elderly. The Office of State and Community Programs (OSCP) serves as the focal point for development and assessment of the State and Community Programs on Aging (title III), the Multipurpose Senior Centers Program (title V), and the Nutrition Program for the Elderly (title VII). In addition, OSCP develops regulations, policies, and guidelines for use by State and area agencies on aging, nutrition project agencies, and where appropriate senior centers; develops optional models and disseminates best practice suggestions for use by the regional offices, State agencies on aging, area agencies on aging, and nutrition project agencies; develops and monitors, in cooperation with other AoA units, management information and reporting systems which provide updated information to facilities planning and program adjustment for management efficiency at all organizational levels; and carries out other related functions. AoA's Office of Research, Demonstrations, and Manpower Resources serves as a focal point for coordination of research on aging by Federal agencies; provides the chairman and secretariat services to the Interagency Task Force on Aging Research; develops policy, supports projects, and monitors progress related to research, demonstration, and manpower resources programs under title IV of the Older Americans Act and the model projects program authorized by section 308 of the act; and carries out other functions supportive to AOA's mandate to provide national leadership and expertise in encouraging new knowledge and upgrading competencies in the field of aging. AOA's National Clearinghouse on Aging serves as the focal point within the Federal Government for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information related to the needs and problems of older persons, and, wherever possible, develops and coordinates programs with other offices and agencies to fill gaps in information in the field of aging; develops policy for information and referral services; provides technical assistance for State agencies on aging in the development of information and referral services; provides the chairman and secretariat services to the Interagency Task Force on Information and Referral, and to the Federal Task Force on Statistics; produces a variety of professional and lay publications and audiovisual material on aging; publishes Aging magazine; develops special information campaigns; responds to letters and telephone inquiries; and performs other related functions in the area of public information. AOA's field liaison staff assists regional offices in keeping informed of continuing developments relative to the objectives and programs of the Administration on Aging; identifies difficulties being encountered by regional offices in carrying out their duties and responsibilities; ascertains the degree of further assistance required from AoA headquarters to insure that regional offices achieve national and operational planning objectives; and provides other related assistance to regional office staff. Regional offices on aging are located in the 10 HEW regional offices, each is headed by a Director, whose function is to represent, and act for, the Commissioner in serving as a regional office focal point on programs and problems concerning older persons and in providing leadership and advocacy to carry out the responsibilities of the Administration on Aging as set forth in the Older Americans Act. In performing its functions, the regional office of aging works directly with the State agency on aging, and through the State agency, with the Governor's immediate staff in each State in the region in developing the State's programs on aging. The nursing home interests staff is the focal point at the Federal level for advocacy on behalf of elderly nursing home residents. This unit directs the nationwide nursing home ombudsman program; collaborates with other Federal agencies on issues dealing with long-term care and alternatives to institutionalization; and serves as a resource for groups and individuals who are working to improve nursing home care. ORGANIZATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 1976 AOA ANNUAL REPORT The remainder of this report identifies activities conducted by AoA during fiscal year 1976 from two perspectives: -Accomplishments by program; and -Accomplishments as related to AoA forward plan goals. 83-524 - 77-6 |