Position on Aging
ANCOR Position Statement: Position on Aging
ANCOR:
- Values and respects older Americans and the role that they play in our society, local communities and in our families.
- Believes that older Americans should be accorded the same rights and choices and given the same dignity and respect as other Americans.
- Supports the continued authorization and implementation of the Older American Acts of 1987.
- Recognizes that as all people get older many of their needs change.
- Recognizes that some conditions of life do not change nor is there a desire for certain conditions to change on the part of people who are aging or their loved ones.
- Believes that older Americans can continue to live productive, inclusive lives in their communities.
- Believes that older Americans should be free of all types of discrimination.
- Believes that older Americans should be free of all types of mistreatment, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
- Believes that certain long-term stability and consistency throughout one's lifetime is highly conducive to a promotion of mental and physical wellness, prevention, quality of life, and extended life.
- Believes that, as people age, they tend to require a more intensive level and extensive array of supports than in their younger days. This has significant considerations and implications for service providers who support individuals who are aging and changing. Individuals who are aging and agencies and individuals who support those persons are faced with many important decisions surrounding the continuation of those supports.
- Believes that, people should be able to die in their own home, if they choose.
- Believes that, people should be able to retire if they choose.
- Believes that, people should be able to make end of life decisions through being supported to make Advanced Directives and that guardianship status does not necessarily relate to capacity to make or be involved with making Advanced Directives.
- Believes that people should have properly trained service providers, family members, health care professionals, and significant others in their lives who are capable of understanding and meeting their changing needs.
- Believes that people should be supported to make wills, including living wills and advanced directives, if they choose.
Therefore, ANCOR encourages its members who support adults to:
Take the position that they will make a solid commitment to support individuals who come into our support and service system throughout their life-span, if those individuals and/or significant others choose that continuation of support. This commitment carries with it a mandate to continue supporting people by assuring that providers:
- Prepare their staff, people supported, and their family members for implications of the aging process and that they assist them throughout this transition time.
- Assist people to make choices while they are young that will best support their aging needs later on, where possible.
- Develop and offer supports that will meet the medical, social, recreational, housing, spiritual, and psychological needs faced by members of the older generation.
- Engage in planning that will result in an ability to support people through the life span.
- Maintain a leadership and governing body that are educated about the unique corporate risks and benefits associated with supporting older people.
- Have employees at all levels of the organization who advocate for the services and supports necessary to support older people.
- Have leadership that plays an aggressive role in the State and Federal public policy arena in advocating high quality adequate services for older people.
- Revisit their organizational structure and make changes that are necessary to accommodate an aging population.
- Implement the person-centered, individualized planning process at all stages of the life cycle.
- Advocate for legislative and social policy to provide adequate financial resources that people need as they age.