Across the United States, the population of older adults continues to grow. Many older Americans live on fixed incomes, navigating rising costs for housing, food, utilities, and healthcare. For some, aging brings stability and security. For others, it brings new financial pressures and difficult trade-offs.
Challenges like malnutrition, housing instability, and isolation are real concerns for many seniors. The aging services that exist today to address these issues did not appear overnight, they are rooted in decades of federal policy and strengthened through state and local partnerships.
To understand how aging services support older adults today, we begin in 1965.
1965: The Older Americans Act
In July 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act (OAA) into law as part of his Great Society initiatives. At the time, many older Americans were living in poverty with limited access to supportive services. The OAA was designed to address those gaps by creating a coordinated national system of community-based services for adults aged 60 and older.
The Act authorized programs to provide:
- Nutrition services, including congregate and home-delivered meals
- Transportation assistance
- In-home supportive services
- Caregiver support
- Health promotion and disease prevention programs
At its core, the Older Americans Act emphasized independence, dignity, and the ability for older adults to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
The Act authorizes programs, while Congress determines funding levels through annual appropriations. Services are delivered through a nationwide aging services network that connects federal policy to local providers.
The Aging Services Network: Area Agencies on Aging
One of the most important structures created under the Older Americans Act is the network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs).
Area Agencies on Aging serve designated regional planning areas across the country. Their role is to assess local needs, distribute federal and state funding, coordinate services, and serve as a trusted entry point for older adults and their families seeking assistance.
Through this network, older adults can access:
- Senior nutrition programs
- Transportation services
- Caregiver resources
- Information and referral services
- Health and wellness programming
In Utah, the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) serves as the State Unit on Aging, overseeing and supporting regional Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state. The Utah Commission on Aging plays an advisory role, helping strengthen aging policy and services statewide.
Regional Area Agencies on Aging operate across Utah’s counties, working with counties, nonprofit organizations, senior centers, and community partners to deliver services locally. Some programs are administered by Community Action Agencies, while others are operated by local governments or nonprofit providers.
This coordinated structure ensures that federal policy translates into real, community-based services for older adults.
What Poverty Looks Like for Older Adults
Even with this system in place, many older Americans face significant economic challenges.
National data from the Administration for Community Living indicates that about 1 in 2 older adults is at risk for malnutrition. For some participants in Older Americans Act nutrition programs, a single meal provides 50 percent or more of their daily food intake. These statistics highlight how essential nutrition services are for maintaining health and stability.
Many older adults rely primarily on fixed incomes, such as Social Security. When housing costs, utility bills, medical expenses, and food prices rise, it can create difficult trade-offs between essentials. Some may face decisions between paying for medication or groceries. Others may struggle to keep up with rent or heating costs.
Malnutrition can increase the risk of illness, hospitalization, and loss of independence. Limited transportation and social isolation can compound these risks, especially in rural areas or communities with fewer services.
Senior poverty is not always visible, but it is real. And it requires coordinated solutions.
How Community Action Agencies Support Older Adults
Community Action Agencies (CAAs) were created to fight poverty at the local level. While often associated with programs for families and children, CAAs also play an important role in supporting older adults.
In many communities, Community Action Agencies partner with Area Agencies on Aging to deliver services such as:
- Senior nutrition programs
- Support for senior centers
- Utility assistance programs like HEAT
- Housing stabilization and rental assistance
- Case management and referrals
Most senior centers aren’t operated by Community Action Agencies, but CAAs often collaborate closely with local aging providers as part of a broader anti-poverty network.
Community Action takes a whole-person approach. Older adults may also be caregivers, grandparents raising grandchildren, or part of multi-generational households. Stabilizing housing, food access, and utilities helps seniors remain independent and strengthens families across generations.
By addressing immediate needs while connecting individuals to broader support systems, CAAs contribute to long-term stability and well-being.
Aging Services and the Broader Fight Against Poverty
Aging services are not separate from anti-poverty efforts–they are part of them.
The vision established in 1965 through the Older Americans Act continues today through a coordinated network of federal, state, and local partners. In Utah, this includes the Division of Aging and Adult Services, the Utah Commission on Aging, regional Area Agencies on Aging, Community Action Agencies, senior centers, and other community organizations working together.
When older adults have access to nutritious meals, stable housing, reliable transportation, and supportive services, they are better able to maintain their independence and health. Strong aging services strengthen not only individuals, but families and entire communities.
Learn More
Aging with dignity requires coordination, compassion, and continued community investment. Utah’s aging services network works every day to support older adults and ensure they have access to the resources they need.
To learn more about aging services in your area or how Community Action Agencies support older adults across Utah, visit your local agency or explore available resources online.
Together, we can build communities where every generation has the opportunity to thrive.
