Iowa Area Agencies on Aging attend Timely USAging Conference

For 50 years USAging (formerly the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging) has provided advocacy and support for Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI tribal organizations. Representatives from Iowa’s Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging (i4a) visited Chicago to attend USAging’s annual conference. The conference provided timely policy updates related to the Older Americans Act and how the passage of the U.S. budget bill will affect older adults, family caregivers/partners, and the operations of AAAs across the country. The celebration of 50 years of service to older adults highlighted innovations and leadership in services funded or provided by AAAs (e.g., home-delivered meals, elder abuse prevention, caregiver support, information and assistance in accessing local supports and services). While there are serious concerns about how AAAs will meet an increase in the need for service from individuals who will lose their Medicaid assistance and SNAP benefits, along with other essential socially supported safety-net programs (e.g., LIHEAP), the AAAs remain steadfast in their dedication to serving those in need of support and services to remain as independent as possible in their communities of choice.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Wellsky, i4a and several Iowa AAA conference attendees were able network and discuss best practices during dinner and bowling. On behalf of Iowa’s aging network, i4a thans the Wellsky team for its support and partnership in ensuring that the AAAs have the most innovative software for tracking community-based services and managing client needs through its software platform.

Here are some candid snapshots of the networking event.