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Advocacy
Information is the lifeblood of advocacy 		 
 

JAAA takes its mission seriously to educate and inform partners, clients, policy makers and the community at large regarding issues of interest and concern for older adults.

JAAA Independence Day Visits
 

Case Manager Rex Ellenbracht,
Congressman Dennis Moore and
JAAA Client Delores Barnes during
the 2005 Independence Day Visit

JAAA actively seeks to engage and inform local, state and federal policy makers as well as advocates for the Agency's service area. Its Independence Day program couples officials with case managers on home visits for firsthand experience of the struggle of seniors to remain independent.

2006 Independence Day Visits are July 10, 11 and 12.

America is Growing Older
Not only is the number of older Americans increasing at unprecedented rates, but those reaching age 65 are living longer than ever before. This increase in age will dramatically expand the demand for long-term care. Long-term care is what people need to accommodate their inability to perform basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, cooking, and cleaning the house. Among those over the age of 85, the proportion of people who are impaired and require long-term care is about 55 percent. The expected increase in the number of seniors is so great that most experts agree that there will be far more people in need of home and community-based long-term care in the future than there are today.”


 

Compared to the United States, Kansas has a higher proportion of older adults as well as a higher proportion of the oldest old age group (85 and over).

Daunting fiscal obstacles face you as a policy maker, JAAA as a service provider, and seniors as clients of aging services. Looking to these challenges as opportunities, we can find ways to collaborate- to work together more efficiently.
Examples of JAAA’s
Advocacy Efforts

Advocacy Alerts on legislation

Regular correspondence with Kansas Congressional Delegation

Presentations before the state legislative delegations for Shawnee, Jefferson and Douglas Counties

Hosting a panel discussion on Social Security Reform May 05

Participation in Older Kansans Day at the Capitol February of each year

Governor's Conference on Aging-held every May, JAAA takes part in the many seminars and also contributes by presenting at seminars as well.

JAAA Independence Day Visits with Policy Makers

Assisting the Silver Haired Legislators for Shawnee, Jefferson and Douglas Counties

"Speak your mind--even if your voice shakes, well-aimed slingshots can topple giants."

--Maggie Kuhn,
1905-1995
Founder of
the Gray Panthers

Get Involved to Effect Change in Your Community!

Become a Silver Haired Legislator:
www.agingkansas.org, or by calling JAAA

Contact your representatives:
www.kslegislature.org

Kansas Area Agencies on Aging website for legislative alerts: www.k4A.org

Find out more about the Shawnee County Advocacy Council and the Douglas County Advocacy Council:
Call JAAA 235-1367 or 800-798-2799


2005 White House Conference on Aging
The 2005 WHCoA, held December 11 to 14, 2005 in Washington, DC, was the fifth WHCoA in history. Like its predecessors, its purpose was to make recommendations to the President and Congress to help guide national aging policies for the next ten years and beyond. Congressman Jim Ryun chose JAAA Public Relations and Communications Specialist, Annette Thornburgh as his delegate.

The 2005 WHCoA focused on the aging of today and tomorrow, including 78 million baby boomers who began to turn 60 in January 2006.

Top 10 Resolutions
1.   Reauthorize the Older Americans Act Within the First Six Months         Following the 2005 White House Conference on Aging
2.   Develop a Coordinated, Comprehensive Long-Term Care Strategy       by Supporting Public and Private Sector Initiatives that Address       Financing, Choice, Quality, Service Delivery, and the Paid and       Unpaid Workforce
3.   Ensure that Older Americans Have Transportation Options to       Retain Their Mobility and Independence
4.   Strengthen and Improve the Medicaid Program for Seniors
5.   Strengthen and Improve the Medicare Program
6.   Support Geriatric Education and Training for All Healthcare       Professionals, Paraprofessionals, Health Profession Students,       and Direct Care Workers
7.   Promote Innovative Models of Non-Institutional Long-Term Care
8.   Improve Recognition, Assessment, and Treatment of Mental       Illness and Depression Among Older Americans
9.   Attain Adequate Numbers of Healthcare Personnel in All       Professions Who are Skilled, Culturally Competent, and       Specialized Geriatrics
10. Improve State and Local Based Integrated Delivery Systems to       Meet 21st CenturyNeeds of Seniors