Older Americans Month Message from the
Assistant Secretary for Aging

Older Americans Month is celebrated each May to honor and recognize older Americans for the contributions they make to our families, communities, and society. The 2006 Older Americans Month theme – Choices for Independence – reflects the importance of making thoughtful choices that will improve the quality of our lives as we grow older.

The theme of this year’s observance reflects the continued commitment of the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) to help America prepare for an aging population and the emergence of long-term living as a common experience of life. The theme also serves to support AoA’s new initiative, Choices for Independence, which was announced earlier this year. The Initiative focuses on giving people greater control over their lives and providing more support for community living. Essentially, the key focus of the Initiative is to provide consumer choice for the seniors and people with disabilities, improve health access and increase the quality of life for the elderly people, reduce health care costs and reduce the risk of institutionalization.

Helping older adults recognize the benefits of embracing a healthy lifestyle focused on prevention and wellness is vitally important. Healthy aging is about preventing or delaying disease, as well as making informed choices about many aspects of life though out the lifespan. These choices involve living arrangements, family and community resources, planning ahead for one’s retirement and long-term care, and decisions about being engaged in social, civic, and leisure activities. All of these choices can contribute to our independence and dignity as we age.

Older adults also for the first time have the choice of prescription drug coverage under Medicare. The new Medicare prescription drug benefit is currently providing immediate help to over 30 million older Americans. AoA and the aging network are working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that our Nation’s seniors get the information they need in order to enroll in this very important benefit before the May 15 th deadline.

Please join me in proudly continuing the tradition of honoring older Americans for their many achievements and for enriching our country.

Josefina G. Carbonell
Assistant Secretary for Aging

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Assistant Secretary for Aging Gives
Keynote Address and Applauds Hispanic Community Call to Action on Medicare Part D At the 2006 Annual National Hispanic Conference on Aging April 7, 2006

Josefina G. Carbonell, Assistant Secretary for Aging, gave the Keynote luncheon address at the 2006 Annual National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) National Conference entitled “Successful Strategies for Generations of Change: A Roadmap for the Hispanic Community.”

Assistant Secretary Carbonell spoke to the nation’s foremost experts on Latino/Hispanic elderly issues and other national and community aging leaders. Her remarks focused on three major perspectives associated with the need to help elderly Hispanic individuals gain greater access to the benefits of healthy aging: 1. knowing where we are and what challenges are faced by the Hispanic/Latino elderly, especially in the area of health disparities; 2. the benefits available to Hispanic elders through the President’s Medicare modernization initiatives; and 3. the continuation of long-term care modernization through the Administration’s proposal for the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. This proposal aims to strengthen and modernize the act to promote consumer choice, control and independence – to better help people remain in their communities, connected with friends and families.

Assistant Secretary Carbonell also applauded the Call To Action issued earlier in the day by a coalition of national Hispanic/Latino organizations. The Call to Action is an urgent request for outreach and information for Hispanic seniors that are not yet enrolled in the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. According to NHCOA President Yanira Cruz, “Hispanic seniors could save an average of over $ 1,100 over a year with the new benefit, and we do not want any Hispanic senior to miss out on the savings because they did not know about the help available in their communities.” As Assistant Secretary Carbonell said to the conference attendees, “We still need your help. We all must work together to continue to make this campaign a success, the time is now to act!”

Later during the conference, the NHCOA honored the Assistant Secretary’s distinguished service and career with their President’s Award for her commitment and dedication to improving the lives of the nation’s seniors, particularly in her work on behalf of the Hispanic/Latino communities. Assistant Secretary Carbonell’s mother and family were at the event and shared this special moment with her.

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A Special Thank you to the Aging Services Network for their Outstanding Assistance in the Implementation of the Prescription Drug Program of the Medicare Modernization Act

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to the National Aging Services Network (Aging Services Network) for your grassroots, one-on-one assistance to millions of older adults and their families. The Aging Services Network’s partnership with CMS to help in the enrollment process made a significant difference in ensuring access and information for millions of Medicare eligible persons. As a result of these partnerships and action, more than 38 million people with Medicare now have some form of prescription drug coverage, representing more than 90 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries.

Since November 15, 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services and our national partners sponsored over 50,000 Medicare Part D events across the country. Members of the Aging Services Network participated in over 46,000 of these events with more than 40,000 volunteers working Medicare Beneficiaries to choose the right prescription drug program for their needs. This was a truly outstanding effort on everyone’s part, and we cannot express enough our appreciation for your incredible work.

As I traveled around the country to be by your side at many of these events, I was touched by your enrollees’ stories. Truly, the winners here are older Americans. With this new benefit, people are already seeing savings and now have greater access to preventive services. The ultimate result of this Medicare modernization initiative will be the improved health and the quality of life of Older Americans and persons with disability.

I also want us to remember that this partnership is the beginning of many more collaborations. The time is now to continue this important refocus of our national long-term care and health systems. We have many more opportunities for long-term care change and modernization, and I know I can count on each of you to work within your local communities to further the expansion of choices for better health and wellness of our older Americans. So, again, thank you and God bless you all for your vision, support, compassion and dedication!

Josefina G. Carbonell

National Hurricane Preparedness Week

This week is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. During this week, private and government organizations are highlighting preparations for the 2006 hurricane season and other hazards. History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. By knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster. For more information about National Hurricane Preparedness Week, go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml.