How Healthy People 2030 Has Led to Success Changing the Narrative on Healthy Aging
September is National Healthy Aging Month, and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) is proud that its Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiative (AFPHS) has led to state, local, and tribal efforts to help older adults remain active and independent and reframe the narrative around aging.
The AFPHS initiative aligns with National Healthy Aging Month and Healthy People 2030, a federal initiative that identifies public health priorities to help individuals, organizations, and communities across the United States improve health and well-being. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with a diverse group of partners and organizations, leads and manages the Healthy People initiative, which sets national objectives every 10 years. TFAH is honored to be officially recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion. The current iteration of the Healthy People initiative incorporates a variety of new objectives and targets for improving conditions for older adults. (See full list here).
Both Healthy People 2030 and TFAH’s AFPHS 6C’s Framework emphasize community partnerships and effective communication to meet the needs of older adults. Through the AFPHS initiative, TFAH has worked closely with federal partners to encourage and support collaboration between state, local, tribal, and territorial public health and aging agencies. Highlights from these collaborations include:
- A partnership in Hawai’i — the Kūpuna Collective — that supports age-inclusive ways to maximize health, independence, and engagement among older adults. Network members include foundations, nonprofit and community-based organizations, healthcare organizations, and academic institutions.
- Implementation of the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) program by the Georgia Departments of Health and Aging Services to promote mental health among older adults and limit access to lethal means of suicide.
- A joint effort among tribal nations in Region 6 to provide training, resources, services, and funding for improving nutrition education and supplying meals.
Building an age-friendly ecosystem that holistically supports healthy aging should be a priority in communities across the country since nearly a quarter of the U.S. population is expected to be 65 years or older by 2060.
TFAH co-hosted the National Healthy Aging Symposium with ODPHP on September 26, 2024 to elevate successful innovations that improve older adult health and well-being and provide a forum to learn from experts in fields like brain health, caregiving, and social determinants of health.
