2020 Vision for Aging Services

Overview

The number of Americans age 65 and older is projected to reach nearly 70 million by 2030. The expected decline in caregivers and financial instability that come with the age wave pose challenges that threaten the viability of existing health care services for older adults. The Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency’s Sage Commission produced this report to identify future health care needs of the community’s growing older adult population.

Key Points

The mission of the Sage Commission was to create a comprehensive long-range plan to address the health service needs of residents age 65 and older living in the nine-county Finger Lakes Region of New York. The commission’s plan was to establish a local system that makes health care more accessible for older adults, minimizes disparities, and is financially viable. The report outlines the commission’s objectives and recommendations for improving care services and provides a progress report on activities to achieve these objectives.

Other report highlights include:

1. Community Partnership Program: Chemung County, located in the Finger Lakes Region, created this program to improve coordination among health service organizations. The program consists of a merged hospital, five long-term care facilities, and two home-care providers.
2. Long-Range Transportation Plan for the Genesee Finger Lakes Region:This plan includes recommendations for implementing a mobility management program that coordinates services of public and private transportation providers to meet individual customer needs.

This report is a very useful resource for any community seeking recommendations and guidance on how to improve health care services for their older residents. By improving health care service delivery and coordination among service providers, aging in place is a more viable option for older adults.

How to Use

Local officials and community leaders can use this report to gain an understanding of the steps Finger Lakes’ Sage Commission is taking to improve health care services for older adults that will improve their quality of life while allowing them to successfully age in place. The report provides specific programs and initiatives that have been put in place to help seniors age well in their communities. Planners and local officials can model their own efforts after these programs.

View the full report: 2020 Vision for Aging Services (PDF – 794 KB)