On July 10, the House Appropriations Committee proposed significant funding cuts to the Older Americans Act (OAA), which supports critical services for aging adults across the nation.

These proposed cuts add to the financial challenges already burdening the state’s area agencies on aging, which depend on state and national funding to deliver programs such as nutritious meals, transportation and job placement for older adults. Further complicating matters, these agencies face the end of federal COVID-era funding and the expiration of the $15 million Homestead Act amid rising inflation.

Ramsey Alwin, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), has criticized these proposals as short-sighted, saying, “At a time when 11,000 Americans are turning 65 every day, these proposals would hurt American families. For decades, these programs have been underfunded. Now, facing a historic boom in demand, they are being asked to do even more with even less.”

This fiscal tightening coincides with a surge in demand for services driven by an aging population. U.S. Census data projects that individuals aged 65 and older will make up 20 percent of the U.S. population by 2030.

In Colorado, which has the nation’s second-fastest aging population, the implications of these cuts are particularly crushing.

“We’re seeing that people are living long enough to outlive their money,” said Eva Veitch, community living service director at Region 10 Area Agency on Aging, which serves six counties including Delta and Montrose. 

Despite today’s seniors being healthier and more financially secure than previous generations, the reality of living longer is driving many to seek additional services so they can continue living independently. 

Area agencies on aging, such as Region 10 and Region 11—which covers Mesa, Garfield, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties—are crucial in this respect. They provide a network of support and resources that allow seniors to age with dignity at home and offer cost-effective solutions that minimize the need for costly public assistance. 

“A lot of the people we help are well into their 80s, which takes more services to help keep them at home,” said Veitch. “Even at today’s prices, we can provide basic services for an individual for about $7,000 a year. That’s not even what one month of living in a nursing home costs.”

Veitch explained that these services might include transportation, home-delivered meals, a Life Alert system and bi-monthly housekeeping.

OVERAGED AND UNDERFUNDED

Region 10 delivers a variety of programs including Aging and Disability Resources of Colorado (ADRC), Long-term Care Ombudsman, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and free Medicare counseling through Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). 

Region 11 takes a slightly different approach, contracting with local providers like Hilltop to operate their ADRC programs and Colorado Legal Services to provide legal aid for seniors. 

Despite the growing need for these services, Colorado’s 16 area agencies on aging have not seen an increase in base funding since 2018.

Federal relief during the pandemic temporarily boosted their capacity, allowing for expanded services and new programs like Region 10’s home-delivered hot meals with Shepherd’s Hand. However, as this funding has dried up, Region 10 has had to reduce meal delivery from five days a week to three.

Heather Jones, director of Region 11’s Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Colorado, observed that while pandemic-era funding initially helped prevent waitlists, they have since grown significantly. 

“We had some waitlists before the pandemic, but not to the extent we’ve experienced in the last year,” said Jones. 

She stated that due to funding issues, Region 11 delivered almost 50,000 fewer meals in the last fiscal year, and she expects even fewer meals will be provided this fiscal year.

Funding also remains a challenge for donation-based programs like Volunteers of America’s (VOA) Senior CommUnity Meals, which also benefits from OAA funding through Region 10. Additionally, securing grant funding has been particularly difficult after the pandemic, which saw a decline in grants aimed at supporting older adults..

Elisia Blair, program director for Senior CommUnity Meals, highlighted the difficulties in rural areas where many seniors can’t afford to contribute financially. 

Lack of funding affects not only meal delivery but also wellness checks and social interactions provided by volunteers.

Veitch added, “There have been multiple times that volunteers have found an individual in a medical crisis. Had it not been for that volunteer showing up, It’s hard telling what the outcome of those situations would’ve been.”

Blair emphasized the importance of these interactions, noting that for many isolated seniors, “our meal delivery volunteers or staff are the only other people they see during the week. We receive many comments from clients about how comforting it is to know that someone will stop by because they no longer have family in the area or they live in remote locations where neighbors are literally fields away.”

ECONOMIC SNOWBALL

The “economic snowball” of financial challenges is affecting area agencies on aging statewide, not just locally.

Veitch illustrated the issue with an example from Region 10, where cuts have been made to homemaking services.

“That makes it harder for the agencies to help provide that service because it’s not enough hours for them to make it cost-effective,” she said. “Then they can’t keep as much staff...and it just starts to make this snowball effect.”

Both directors stressed the need to prioritize services strategically as required by OAA, focusing on those with the greatest need. 

“If we don’t get some significant increases, we’re going to have to continue to cut programs, to cap the number of people on programs and it’ll rapidly become a program that is only for the very poor,” Veitch cautioned.

In the last legislative session, a proposed $5 million appropriation intended to replace expired federal COVID relief funds was removed by lawmakers, according to the Colorado Sun. This left agencies with only a $2 million increase, which wasn’t enough to offset the loss of funding from the Homestead Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). 

“That sounds like a lot of money, but you divide it by 16 area agencies on aging—and each agency gets a percentage of that—and it isn’t enough to even move the needle,” said Veitch. 

As the challenges escalate for local senior services, Veitch, Jones and Blair are calling for more grassroots involvement. They urge seniors, caregivers and their families to write to their legislators, and consider volunteering or donating to help sustain these programs for the future—reminding us that aging affects us all. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Tell Congress to maintain funding for the Older Americans Act by sending letters or emails to your senators and representatives. It’s crucial to include personal stories of how you or a loved one have benefited from programs like Meals on Wheels or the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). These personal accounts highlight the vital role these programs play in the lives of seniors and their families.

Get started with a template at act.ncoa.org/a/oaa or send your letter to:

Senator Michael Bennet
1244 Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80204
303-455-7600
Email him using the contact form at: bennet.senate.gov

Senator John Hickenlooper
1961 Stout St., Suite 12-300
Denver, CO 80294
303-244-1628
Email him using the contact form at: hickenlooper.senate.gov

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert
743 Horizon Ct., Suite 112
Grand Junction, CO 81506
970-208-0460
Email her using the contact form at: boebert.house.gov