Last November, New York became the latest state to start creating a “Master Plan for Aging” when Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed an executive order that highlighted the need for the plan — along with key implementation criteria.
These types of plans typically address aging issues over a 10-year period, and in addition to New York, five other states have implemented MPAs, according to data from the SCAN Foundation: California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas. In addition, 10 others are in the process of developing plans.
That means the vast majority of the states currently do not have plans in any formal plan for addressing the expected increase in the senior population, according to a column at NextAvenue.
“Master Plans for Aging, or MPAs, take a look at the entirety of state, county, local and federal policies and programs that directly or indirectly affect aging residents in each state,” the column reads. “That might include health, transportation, housing, workforce, nutrition, home and community services, as well as specific projects such as age-friendly communities.”
Developing MPAs can allow state officials to more effectively coordinate the programs and policies that serve older people to more effectively address to the growing needs these services will provide in the coming years, according to the column.
“States that delay or ignore the coming demographic shift will not make it any easier to address the fact that the U.S. population is rapidly getting older,” the column states.
Without formal plans in place, addressing the aging in place priorities for the growing senior population could be more difficult in the coming years if states do not find ways to effectively coordinate programs designed to serve older populations, the column states.
“A master plan can organize people around the need to make home and community-based services and long-term care more accessible to people,” Carrie Graham, director of long-term services and supports at the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), told NextAvenue.
This information should be of interest to the reverse mortgage industry, which serves the senior demographic while also providing an additional path for seniors to age within their own homes.
