Results from the Administration on Agings Third National Survey of Older Americans Act Program Participants

The Administration on Aging strives to improve the quality of life for older Americans, in part by providing services that allow the most vulnerable to maintain their independence and avoid institutionalization. This report documents findings from the 2005 Third National Survey of Older Americans Act Title III Program Participants, which interviewed clients receiving home-delivered meals, transportation services, and caregiver support. Clients in 2005 were more vulnerable than the overall population of older Americans. Programs were very well-liked; 94 percent of home-delivered meals clients, 98 percent of transportation services clients, and 94 percent of caregivers reported their satisfaction to be good, very good, or excellent. Further, services had a meaningful impact on the lives of clients; 93 percent of home-delivered meals clients reported that the meals allowed them to continue to live in their own home, 43 percent of transportation services recipients relied on the service for almost all of their rides, and 54 percent of caregivers said that receiving support services enabled their care recipient to live at home for a longer period of time.