that is so desperately needed. It does not have the visibility that was envisioned when the Older Americans Act was passed in 1965. The establishment of an Office for the Aging in the Executive Office of the President would provide visibility, policy leadership, and a strong liaison for fulfilling the purposes of the Older Americans Act. It is also vital that the Administration on Aging be drawn from its submerged position within the Social and Rehabilitation Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Commissioner of the Administration on Aging should be raised to the rank of Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and he made directly responsible to the Secretary. This is the only way that strong programs for the aging will emerge. The Idaho Office on Aging also favors provisions of the bill introduced by Senator Vance Hartke, Senate Bill 3076. This bill, too, is designed to strengthen and improve the Older Americans Act of 1965. It further expands the details of needed functions and programs. The ten points, as outlined by Mr. Hartke in Congres sional Record, Vol. 118, No. 7, dated January 26, 1972, page 484, are well taken. Mr. Hartke's bill receives our endorsement with the following qualifications: -2 1. Title IV, Part A, Gerontological Research Plan, dealing with the estāh lishment of a Gerontological Research Center (page 486): It is felt that this part of the Act should he expanded to include all phases of the study of aging, Gerontology, and not just a study of the biological aspects. Included in the expansion of this study would be the psychology and soci ology of aging, physiology, biology, and other related aging processes. The importance of one over the other does not seem logical as all may in some way contribute to the aging process. There is a need to provide thorough and comprehensive planning in studying this process. Only by looking at the total picture can factors in the aging process be defined and controlled effectively. 2. Title IV, Part D, Transportation Services for Older Americans (page 488): The number of programs included in Sec. 731 should be raised to six, with (5) becoming (6) and a new (5) inserted to include a program to study the economic and service aspects of transportation for older persons living in urban and rural areas. Statistics reveal that only 42% of the elderly over 60 years of age are licensed to drive. Few urban and no rural areas -3 have adequate public transportation. When transportation is provided, problems of health, nutrition, and loneliness are more easily met, and opportunities for service in community activities are enhanced. The areas covered by the bill are well defined. The status of the Administra tion on Aging should be raised with the Commissioner being directly responsible to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. This should include the Commissioner's role as an Assistant Secretary as proposed in Senate Bill 3181. The Idaho Office on Aging heartily supports sign-off authority by the Admini stration on Aging for all aging programs regardless of the Federal agency in which they may originate. This is necessary to avoid overlapping and duplication of effort, channeling all similar efforts toward the same objectives. Fragmentation of effort should be stopped in order to implement a more functional system of Federal programs for the elderly with a coordinated approach at the state and local levels. The process of aging is a complicated and involved area. The needs of the elderly are as many and varied as there are people who fall within this age group. Advancing age should be a time of fulfillment--not a time of regression. Many -4 elderly persons become prisoners in their own homes and never realize the satis faction of becoming involved in community, civic, or religious affairs which may contribute to their fulfillment. Why? The need for older Americans to be involved in the community is vital. They must continue to be an integral, important part of their communities. That the elderly need to feel needed was evidenced in interviews on the March 15, 1972 NBC Today Show with Florida senior citizens. The interviews revealed that the elderly themselves need to work with aging problems, that they may fulfill their own needs. This involvement would help them stay in the mainstream of life regard less of their economic status. This is one of the greatest difficulties facing senior citizens. We also need to make it possible for more older Americans to become involved in the initiation and execution of programs and legislation which directly benefit them. The March 14, 1972 CBS Reports, with Barry Townsend, featured our own Senator Frank Church making the following comments which we wholeheartedly support. "The country is falling behind with services and opportunities for older Americans, but Congress can successfully translate findings of the White House The older American has waited a long time for something to be done; our country does not want to fail to meet this challenge. Sincerely yours, -5 -6 (Mrs.) KAY PELL, Director |