May is Older Americans Month, a month devoted to honoring and celebrating the achievements of older adults. The 2024 theme—Powered by Connection—focuses on the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. A Community Care Corps partner, USAging developed a blog post about how grantees and Area Agencies on Aging foster connection in their communities.

The Community Care Corps Effective Elements Library is a free, public tool consisting of best practices, tips and tricks, lessons learned and valuable resources collected from Community Care Corps grantees. The Effective Elements Library provides an additional layer of support for volunteer-based programs, addressing how to eliminate missteps and ensure success. Using this resource, informed by previous grantee models, organizations can develop their own nonmedical volunteer programs to assist family caregivers and care recipients. Visit the Library and start developing your own program today!

• Lifespan Respite Care Program: ACL has released two new Lifespan Respite Care 2024 funding opportunities: the State Program Enhancement Grants to enhance state systems and capacities to deliver respite care and related services and the Grants to New States and States Re-Establishing Their Core Respite Infrastructure for state agencies to establish or reestablish state and local coordinated Lifespan Respite Care systems and deliver respite care and related services. Deadline: June 11, 2024
• New Funding Available for the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Programs Initiative: ACL has released the 2024 funding opportunity for the Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) Grants to States and Communities. Grantees will support and promote the development and expansion of dementia-capable home and community-based service systems in states, communities and tribes. Deadline: June 11, 2024

• HHS Finalizes Rule Strengthening Protections Against Disability Discrimination: The Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Service Programs or Activities rule from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability on programs and activities receiving funding from HHS. This rule advances equity and protections for people with disabilities by addressing discrimination in medical treatment, offering enforceable standards for accessible medical diagnostic equipment and ensuring accessible web content consistent with Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
• HHS Releases Key Regulations To Protect Civil Rights in Health Programs: HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a new rule to Strengthen Nondiscrimination Protections and Advance Civil Rights in Health Care. This rule protects against any discrimination on the basis of race, color, nationality, origin, sex, age and disability. This rule will reduce language access barriers, expand physical and digital accessibility and tackle bias in health technology. Through partnership between HHS and the Office of Civil Rights, the rule will protect access to safe

June 15 is recognized as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which provides an opportunity for communities around the world to raise awareness and promote a better understanding of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes contributing to and affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Our grantees have begun producing videos showcasing the value and impact of the volunteer models they plan to implement in their local communities. Visit the Community Care Corps Vimeo page to stay up to date with their work!

• Unpaid Burden of Caregiving Increasingly Falls on the Young (STAT, May 9, 2024)
• Executive Producer Bradley Cooper in Production for Caregiving, The New Documentary on The State and Stakes of Providing Care in America (PR Newswire, May 8, 2024)
• One Simple Practice to Reduce Workplace Bias Against Mothers and Caregivers (Forbes, May 8, 2024)
• Money Worries Top Seniors’ List of Health-Related Concerns: Poll (US News, May 6, 2024)
• How Music Affects the Cognitive Health of Older Adults (Medical Xpress, May 3, 2024)
• VA to Expand Health Care Coverage to Veteran Family Members and Caregivers Through CHAMPVA (VA News, April 29, 2024)
• A Year of Progress: Recognizing America’s Family Caregivers (Next Avenue, April 26, 2024)

• Introduction to Hoarding Disorder | SAMHSA’s Homeless and Housing Resource Center, June 5 at 2:00 PM ET | Register
• Elder Justice Coordinating Council Meeting | Elder Justice Coordinating Council, June 12 at 10:00 AM ET | Register
• Nutrition & Aging Resource Center Summer Webinar Series | More Information here
• National Caregiver Support Collaborative: Best Practices Roundtable Series | Roundtable Interest Form here