[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2822-S2823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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        50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ILLINOIS' 13 AREA AGENCIES ON AGING

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, May 1 will mark the beginning of Older 
Americans Month, a time to honor the many contributions our seniors 
make to our communities. In honor of Older Americans Month, I would 
like to congratulate Illinois' 13 area agencies on aging--AAAs--on 50 
years of service to Illinois seniors.
  As the saying goes: With age, comes wisdom. But living a long, full 
life also means facing life's many changes, challenges, and 
uncertainties. Let me take you back to 1965. Thanks to modern medicine 
and science, Americans were living longer than ever before. Every 20 
seconds, an American was turning 65. But that progress exposed a lack 
of support for the needs of the older population. While more Americans 
were living longer, many were living their Golden Years in poverty, 
alone, and without the services and care they needed. They had nowhere 
else to turn.
  At this same time, President Lyndon B. Johnson was pursuing an 
ambitious agenda of domestic policies aimed at eliminating poverty and 
racial injustice, his ``Great Society.'' Recognizing our ``nation's 
sense of responsibility toward the well-being of our older citizens,'' 
President Johnson signed the Older Americans Act--OAA--on July 14, 
1965. This legislation paved the way for the creation of a nationwide 
network of area agencies on aging--AAA--that would support the health, 
social, and economic well-being of older people and their caregivers.
  In accordance with the OAA, Illinois has 13 AAAs that offer services 
in all 102 counties in Illinois. For the past 50 years, they have 
served as a backbone of Illinois' senior services, helping develop 
aging services in local communities across Illinois. From addressing 
the health needs of older adults, to providing nutrition, 
transportation, legal assistance, benefit enrollment, and in-home 
services, Illinois' AAAs help older Americans thrive in their homes and 
communities. In 2023 alone, Illinois' AAAs served more than half a 
million adults over the age of 60.
  Currently, around 18 percent of the U.S. population is 65 and older. 
And by 2054, that number is estimated to jump to 23 percent. So these 
services do not just benefit older Americans; they

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strengthen our communities as a whole. For example, AAAs provide 
services for grandparents tasked with the precious task of caring for 
their grandchildren. And during the darkest days of the pandemic, AAAs 
rose to the occasion to deliver meals, vaccines, and programming that 
saved lives. These unsung heroes make sure that older adults have the 
medical support they need to prevent falls, manage chronic diseases, 
and remain as healthy as possible.
  I have called on AAAs in Illinois as I crafted, and ultimately 
passed, legislation in 2020 to bolster family caregiver supports 
through the network of AAAs. My legislation increased funding for AAAs 
to deliver caregiver respite care, training, and counseling, and 
enabled AAAs to partner with Medicare and Medicaid to deliver meals, 
case management, and transportation, and receive reimbursements for 
this critical work.
  Despite the fact that aging is an inevitable and natural part of 
life, it is often met with stigma or shame. But your efforts help 
ensure that birthdays remain cause for celebration, regardless of how 
many candles are on the cake.
  My wife Loretta and I want to express our utmost appreciation for the 
work Illinois' 13 AAAs do in Illinois. Congratulations to Northwestern 
Illinois Area Agency on Aging; AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois; Western 
Illinois Area Agency on Aging; Central Illinois Agency on Aging, Inc.; 
East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Inc.; West Central Illinois 
Area Agency on Aging; Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland, Inc.; 
AgeSmart Community Resources; Midland Area Agency on Aging; 
Southeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Inc.; Egyptian Area Agency 
on Aging, Inc.; Chicago Department of Family and Support Services; and 
AgeOptions, Inc., on 50 years of service to older adults and 
caregivers.
  Family is the most important thing we have, and every family in our 
State owes you a debt of gratitude for helping support the wisest 
members of our community.

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