Late last week, the Trump Administration and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, JR announced a major reorganization that will dismantle the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The mission of ACL was to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities across the lifespan, and their families and caregivers. This agency focused on supporting the needs of aging and disability populations, promoting community living, and improving access to healthcare and longterm services and supports.

While many Americans may not be familiar with the ACL, it was responsible for supporting many programs including:

• Aging and disability networks including national, state, and local organizations that support community living options for older people. Example: Area Agencies on Aging and Elder Care Locator.
• Support for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Example: National Alzheimer’s Call Center and the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center
• Support for people with limb loss, paralysis, and TBI. Example: Limb Loss Resource Center.
• Health, wellness and nutrition provides home-delivered meals and meals in congregate settings for older adults through the Older Americans Act (OAA). It also addresses prevention of injuries and illness, chronic disease self-management program along with the nutrition program.
  •  These include grants to states to support healthy lifestyles and support healthy behaviors. Evidence-Based Programs that support disease prevention and health promotion programs.
  • Grants for fall prevention to use evidence-based community programs to reduce falls. The National Falls Prevention Resource Center and State Falls Prevention Coalitions through the National Council on Aging. Each of these with a goal of reducing falls, which is the leading cause of injury for older adults.

If you too are concerned, consider calling your members of congress to share your thoughts about the loss of the agency, its associated funding programs, and the direct impact it is going to have on yours and your patients’ lives. Older adults and people with disabilities deserve to live their best lives to achieve what matters most. Losing the Administration for Community Living will make that harder, if not impossible. Find your member of congress here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-yourmember.

Cathy Ciolek, PT, DPT, FAPTA, FNAP

President, APTA Geriatrics