Effective laws and regulations can help support the Aging in Place living philosophy and encourage choice, dignity, independence, and quality of life for older adults. At Spectrum Generations, we believe that advocacy at a state and federal level is imperative to achieving laws and regulations that support our community’s seniors and their desires for aging well. To that end, we support:
- Preventing and ending homelessness among older adults as a topic of national priority.
- Increasing federal support for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to help finance the production and preservation of additional units of affordable rental housing for low-income seniors.
- Funding at adequate levels, the rental assistance and service coordination under Section 202 Supporting Housing for the Elderly program.
- The authorization by Congress of a new Modification Assistance Initiative (MAI) to make federal resources available for home modifications to support aging in place options.
- The establishment and expansion of programs within Maine to assist low-income seniors with home modifications through property tax credits, grants, or forgivable loans.
- Medicare and other federal programs and policies which substantially reduce the number of older adult falls and their associated financial impacts.
- Encouragement by CMS and state governments of greater reimbursement of telehealth and other technologies, that have the potential to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
Currently nearly 10,000 Mainers are waiting for affordable senior housing, a number expected to climb to 15,000 by 2022; we strongly encourage both the executive and legislative branches of state government to work toward solutions resulting in more available senior housing to older adults.