2024 Advocacy Agenda

2024 Advocacy Agenda

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Brain Health
Elevate Brain Health information and health access by calling for increased and sustained funding for brain health research and care programs.

Caregiving & Long Term Care
Create a bipartisan legislative Aging and Family Caregivers Caucus to champion advocacy for older adults, families and their caregivers.

Increase funding for Home and Community-based services that allow people to age in place in their homes.

Inflation adjust the Long Term Care Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance for skilled nursing facilities to $100 a month. The current rate of $30 per month was originally set in 1988 with no adjustment to date.
 
Advocate for appropriate levels of nursing home staffing to improve the quality of care available to older adults. (Bill S.730)

Increase overall health care access throughout the state by allowing health care professionals to practice to the full scope of their training without unnecessary red tape. We also seek to update enrollment eligibility in state-operated health plans including implementing presumptive eligibility for older adults, vulnerable adults and families to enable better access to physical, mental and substance abuse coverage.

Increase elder abuse and vulnerable adult tracking, funding, supports and enforcement throughout the state.

Improve supports for family caregivers via enhanced state caregiver tax credits and paid leave.

Consumer Protections
Protect older adults against predatory lending practices on high interest installment loans. AARP SC is currently calling for support for SC Senate Bill 910 that would reduce the negative impact of payday and high interest installment loans to older adults, veterans and low-income households.

Protect transparent consumer advocacy protections and fight excessive utility rate hikes that go beyond basic energy service needs to consumers.

Digital Equity
Increase funding for digital literacy and education to ensure all older adults and families in South Carolina have access to the resources necessary to access basic services and health care while also lessening social isolation.

Livable Communities
Housing - Increase access to housing access and affordability for older adults, families and their caregivers. This includes calling for SC to develop an Olmstead Plan to better ensure housing access within communities and outside of institutional settings for persons with disabilities.

Transportation - Increase transit access by updating local and state funding formulas to provide older adults, families and their caregivers with better access to transportation for work, health care and basic needs. AARP SC will also advocate for improved access to sidewalks, trails and biking lanes. Critical attention will also be paid to rural transit needs.