Community Supports
What are community supports?
As stated in the Older Americans Act, "older adults should have a comprehensive array of community-based, long-term care services adequate to appropriately sustain older people in their communities and in their homes". The Act further states that "social assistance should be provided in a coordinated manner where services are available when needed, with emphasis on maintaining a continuum of care for older adults." Similarly, the Vision Statement for an Aging Texas asserts that older persons should have access to comprehensive community-based services that provide opportunities for meaningful and productive involvement in family and community activities, and allow choices that foster hope, dignity, respect, and independence.
Community support is essential in allowing individuals to obtain quality services in a manner consistent with their community living preferences. Support may be focused in specific areas such as transportation, housing, and other topic areas discussed in the Aging Texas Well pages. Focused support may also be provided through special initiatives such as promoting independence, or efforts to assist colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. While individuals may rely on focused assistance to meet basic needs, older Texans repeatedly cite the need for a source of general, more comprehensive information, assistance and referral. Families are often overwhelmed when trying to obtain information and arrange for services through a wide variety of state and local agencies. The Community Supports pages describes an integrated system that crosses multiple Aging Texas Well topic areas and is delivered in coordination with organized networks and funded through a variety of federal, state, local, and private sources.
Older Texans repeatedly cite the need for a source of general, more comprehensive information, assistance and referral.
Updated: November 2, 2007
