As everyone knows, a new administration is about to begin in the federal government.
So I have been thinking about what this might mean for the health and well-being of older adults, and family caregivers.
In terms of impact on the lives of seniors, the actions of federal, state, and local governments are MUCH more powerful than the impact of the health and aging innovation sector. Really, what government agencies do — and most importantly, pay for — often leads the tech innovators, rather than the other way around.
In particular, Medicare’s policies drive the health care experience for older adults, Medicaid is a major source of long-term supports and services in aging, and the services funded by the Older Americans Act provide (not yet enough) information and assistance to older adults and families.
Donald Trump, as far as I know, did not really emphasize aging or family caregiving issues during his campaign. His campaign proposed tax deductions for family caregiving. And I’m not aware of his addressing aging issues other than saying he’d leave Medicare and Social Security alone. [Read more…] about New Year, New Administration: It’s time to pay attention to policy