The Older Americans Act is integral to funding programs that help those age 60 plus here in Connecticut.

HARTFORD – The State Department on Aging celebrates today. The bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act was introduced by the Senate in January of 2015 and was signed yesterday by President Barack Obama. The signing of the Act protects funding to the aging network through federal fiscal year 2018. The Act was last reauthorized in 2006.

The Act was initially signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 14, 1965. The Act provides funding for an array of services such as home delivered and congregate meals, supports for caregivers, advocacy for nursing home residents and healthy aging programs to name a few.

Commissioner Elizabeth Ritter says, “On behalf of the State Department on Aging, we extend our appreciation to members of Congress for passing this vital piece of legislation to help secure the supports and services that assist our aging population to remain in the community. Connecticut is aging and in these uncertain fiscal times it’s comforting to know that these funds are secured. The reauthorization provisions modernize the Act and promote state flexibility in ways that will be very helpful to us in our state.”

Read all the latest news from the State Department on Aging here http://www.ct.gov/agingservices/site/default.asp.