Skip to main content

Older Americans Act of 1965

Overview: The Older Americans Act of 1965

 

The Older Americans Act was originally signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 14, 1965. It established the Administration on Aging within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and called for the creation of State Units on Aging. William Bechill was named first Commissioner on Aging.

In addition to creating the Administration on Aging, the new law authorized grants to States for community planning and services programs, as well as for research, demonstration and training projects in the field of aging. Later amendments to the Act added grants to Area Agencies on Aging for local needs identification, planning, and funding of services, including but not limited to nutrition programs in the community as well as for those who are homebound; programs which serve Native American elders; services targeted at low-income minority elders; health promotion and disease prevention activities; in-home services for frail elders, and those services which protect the rights of older persons such as the long term care ombudsman program.

For more information, visit: http://www.aoa.gov/

3 Replies to “Older Americans Act of 1965”

  1. I live in a local community in Bucks County, PA, where a Senior Center has denied former members who can now no longer pay access to the facilities (like ping-pong and billiards) available in the Center. This Center is funded by the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging. Can you direct me to the specific language in the Older Americans Act which makes such a denial of non-paying senior citizens illegal?

    Jerome Megna

    • You can call the county Ombudsman. Bucks has 3, I don’t know if you are North, Central, or South but here are the numbers:
      Lower Bucks : 888-942-8257
      Central Bucks : 215-348-6000
      Upper Bucks : 888-942-8257
      Tell them the problem and they should be able to help.
      God Bless You

Comments for this site have been disabled. Please use our contact form for any research questions.