Before the end of 2024, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) published WHAT WE HEARD: Initial Feedback on the Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging, which summarizes input received to date that will inform the development of a national plan on aging. The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative offered comments on the draft plan – Aging in the United States: A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging – and encouraged our statewide network to also contribute. Published this spring, the Strategic Framework lays the groundwork for a coordinated effort — across the private and public sectors and in partnership with older adults, family caregivers, the aging services network, and other stakeholders — to create a national set of recommendations for advancing healthy aging and age-friendly communities that value and truly include older adults.
Since then, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities (ICC) has been collecting feedback on the Strategic Framework, along with other input, to ensure the national plan focuses on the most important issues and addresses them in a way that will meet the needs of older adults.
Input has come from a wide variety of people — including older adults themselves — and organizations from communities across the country. People have shared their thoughts through in-person and virtual events, a national poll conducted through Gallup, and an online portal.
ACL created this report to share what they have heard so far. It describes some of the common themes that are beginning to emerge from the experiences, insights, and recommendations that have been shared, with a goal of sparking ongoing discussion. It includes input on factors that influence the aging experience, such as affordable and accessible housing; aligned health care and supportive services; accessible communities; age-friendly workplaces; and sufficient, high-quality long-term services and supports.
This report is a snapshot in time — and it is only the beginning. ACL is continuing to receive comments through an online portal, and are continuing to create opportunities for people to report what they believe are the greatest needs and the actions they think would help address them.
The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages our partners to continue to provide feedback for the National Plan and stay tuned for future opportunities. The feedback summarized in the ACL report may also be helpful to communities and regions working to advance inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities.