Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Gerontologist. 2021 Feb 23;61(2):152-158. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnaa213.
For over four decades, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) have served as focal points to help older adults remain in their homes and communities. AAAs partner with other organizations to administer services authorized under the Older Americans Act (OAA). AAAs represent loosely coupled systems; they are responsive to guidelines established by the OAA while maintaining flexibility to leverage limited resources, establish partnerships, and create innovative programs to meet community needs. As stay-at-home orders and concern for safety have kept many older adults homebound during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an important question is how the Aging Network, including the over 600 AAAs, has responded to these rapidly changing needs. Although time and more systematic assessments are required, available information suggests that the loosely coupled network of AAAs has been a key, adaptable resource. This article begins with a description of the Aging Network and its history before turning to how the community-specific, collaborative, and evolving nature of AAAs places them at a unique position to respond to the challenges that arise with COVID-19. It concludes with how AAAs can continue to adapt to meet the needs of older adults and the people who care for them.
四十多年来，地区老龄化机构（AAAs）一直是帮助老年人留在自己家中和社区的焦点。AAAs 与其他组织合作，管理《美国老年人法案》（OAA）授权的服务。AAAs 代表着松散耦合的系统；它们对 OAA 制定的准则做出响应，同时保持灵活性，以利用有限的资源、建立伙伴关系和创建创新计划来满足社区需求。由于 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间的居家令和对安全的担忧使许多老年人足不出户，一个重要的问题是老龄化网络（包括 600 多个 AAAs）如何应对这些快速变化的需求。尽管需要时间和更系统的评估，但现有信息表明，AAAs 的松散耦合网络是一个关键的、适应性强的资源。本文首先描述了老龄化网络及其历史，然后转向社区特定、协作和不断发展的 AAAs 性质如何使它们能够应对 COVID-19 带来的挑战。最后，本文探讨了 AAAs 如何继续适应满足老年人及其照顾者的需求。
