Pursuant to § 51.5-128 of the Code of Virginia, the Commonwealth Council on Aging (“Council") submits its annual electronic report regarding the activities and recommendations of the Council.

The Council is charged with promoting an efficient, coordinated approach by state government to meet the needs of older Virginians. There are approximately 1.9 million adults in Virginia who are over 60 years old. In conducting a 2022 comprehensive needs assessment, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) led a representative sampling survey of older adults.

In reviewing the results, DARS found that 79% of the respondents rated their overall quality of life as excellent or good. In addition, most respondents scored their communities positively, and about 50% indicated that their communities valued older residents. Yet, 45% reported housing needs, 42% reported information access challenges, 30% reported financial challenges, and 24% reported transportation needs. In conducting in-depth focus groups, the Virginia Center on Aging found similar concerns and identified opportunities to begin to meet the needs through education and training as well as outreach and marketing.

In service to the Commonwealth and with specific attention to these identified needs, DARS undertook the development of a new State Plan for Aging Services (October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2027), which will guide Virginia’s efforts toward making Virginia a great place to age. DARS developed the new State Plan after a conducting a comprehensive needs assessment and with the involvement of the Council as well as Virginia’s 25 local Area Agencies on Aging, an array of public and private service providers, Virginia universities, advocates, and other state agencies. All together, these entities provide crucial support to older Virginians and their caregivers that ensure that they are safe, healthy, and engaged with their family and friends and in their communities. The Council commends DARS for their work and stands ready to support the implementation of the State Plan for Aging Services.

This year, the Council was also pleased to celebrate its 2023 Best Practices Awards winners. The Best Practices Awards honor model programs that improve the lives of older Virginians and support caregivers. This year’s winners highlight the extraordinary and innovative efforts local and regional programs are undertaking to support older adults. In addition to onsite recognition ceremonies, the Council partnered with DARS and the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging (V4A) to showcase the winners via a live webinar (and recorded) on June 27, 2023.

For your consideration, the Council has also prepared its 2024 legislative recommendations. These include:

• Establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board

• Require Guardian Training and Development of Training

• Enhance Assisted Living Affordability

• Incentivize State Contractors to Employ Older Virginians

• Increase Funding for Home and Community-Based Services Through Area Agencies on Aging

• Increase the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver Personal Maintenance Allowance

• Expand Virtual Access to Public Meetings; Allow All-Virtual Public Meetings for Advisory Boards and Commissions

• Mandate Sick Leave for Direct Care Workers in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, and Home and Community-Based Services

• Develop and Promote Financial and Regulatory Incentives for Nursing Home Redevelopment into Small Household Model

• Support Dementia Capable Training for First Responders

• Enhance Outreach and Supplement Benefits for SNAP Enrollment

More information about these legislative recommendations can be found in this report.

The Council looks forward to partnering with policymakers in advocating for older Virginians.

Sincerely,

/s/ Carla Hesseltine, Chair