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Mary Killough, Acting Director Senior HelpLine: 1-800-252-8966 (711 TRS)

Older Adult Services Act

The Older Adult Services Act ( P.A. 093-1031) is legislation that supports older adults who wish to stay in their homes by restructuring the delivery of services to include home-based services as well as institutional care.

The law calls for restructuring all aspects of service, including the provision of housing, health, financial and supportive services for older people. It also calls for the development of a Nursing Home Conversion Program to be established by the state departments of Public Health and Public Aid. The program would reduce reliance on nursing homes by Medicaid, the federal-state program that pays the health-care costs for the poor. Savings from this effort would be re-allocated to a broader array of options for home-based or community-based services to older adults.

The Illinois Department on Aging began the restructure in late 2004, and gave priority to the expansion and development of new services in areas identified with the greatest need.

Restructure, according to the new law, includes:

  • the expansion of services to older adults and their family caregivers, subject to availability of funds,

  • development of rules to implement the law, and an annual report of progress, and

  • collaboration between the state departments of Aging, Public Health and Public Aid and others to implement the act.

For more information, link to the following:

General Resources