UCDD’s Agency for Aging and Disability is developing a new four-year area plan aimed at addressing the evolving needs of older adults across the region.
Aging and Disability Assistant Director Kelly Clarkson said the agency is required to create the plan under the Older Americans Act. Clarkson said the plan serves as a roadmap to identify the Upper Cumberland’s most pressing needs and determine how funding should be distributed to meet them.
“We look at census data, we also have a needs assessment that we do, and we answer questions of what is needed most in the Upper Cumberland,” Clarkson said. “We also look at how we plan to distribute the monies.”
Clarkson said caregiving, housing, mental health, and transportation services continue to rank among the top concerns for the region’s aging population. She added that continued population growth is intensifying those challenges.
“The projection for 60 and over, it’s going to be, you know, they project at least 30 percent growth in the state of Tennessee on the Upper Cumberland region,” Clarkson said. “So we’re trying to figure out their economic challenges as well. And that includes access to affordable and safe housing, healthcare, in some cases, even employment, because of their economic challenges, they just don’t have enough income to be able to live a day-to-day life. So they are needing, you know, part-time jobs, support within the home, you know, services, and, you know, just basic financial security as well.”
Clarkson said many of these issues were outlined in previous area plans, but noted progress has been made in several areas, including transportation and healthcare access. She added that senior center services have rebounded and expanded over the past four years.
“Four years ago, our senior centers were just coming back from the pandemic, and now they are able to offer more services, and so more programs and more of that, you know, congregate meal service, and I guess I would say more activities for them to join in,” Clarkson said. “We contract with 19 senior centers, and so they’ve done a great job being able to address some of those needs in social isolation with something big four years ago, and it’s not as big now.”
As part of the planning process, Clarkson said the agency solicits competitive bids for all services, which directly shape its provider network.
“That would be for legal assistance, senior centers, the public guardianship program, legal counsel, as well as nutrition services and all of our home and community-based services providers,” Clarkson said. “And we look at those, those bids, they’re sealed, we open them, and then we do a scoring system, and we base our provider network on those bids that we’ve received.”
Clarkson said the plan is expected to be completed by April 3.
Public comments are currently being accepted through the Upper Cumberland Development District’s website. A public hearing will be held on March 18 at 9:30am at the Overton County Activity Center.