May is Older Americans Month (May, 2025)

May is Older Americans Month

May is Older Americans Month, a time to honor the contributions, resilience, and lived experiences of older adults across the nation. This year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” invites all of us to challenge outdated stereotypes and embrace a more inclusive, realistic, and empowering narrative about growing older. As we continue advancing Multisector Plan for Aging across the country, this theme is a reminder of the importance of building systems and communities that value every stage of life. We encourage you to explore the Administration for Community Living’s resources to help celebrate Older Americans Month in your organizations, spark conversations, and uplift the voices of older adults in your work.

Upcoming Call: The Missing Link: MCOs Aligning with State MPAs

Join us on Monday May 19th from 1-2 PM ET for an insightful conversation to learn more about MPAs and how Managed Care Organizations can align their expertise in care. Be sure to also check out the Action Guide: How Managed Care Organizations Can Contribute to MPAs, published in February 2025 by LTQA in partnership with West Health and the National MLTSS Health Plan Association, to explore how MCOs can get involved and support state MPAs. Register here to attend the call. 

Featured Resource: The People Say 

The People Say is a first-of-its-kind resource and catalog of older adults’ experiences that helps policymakers hear the voices of older adults when shaping policy.

Developed by The SCAN Foundation and the Public Policy Lab, The People Say features insights from older adults on issues most important to them, amplifying their perspectives on healthcare access, caregiving support, transportation, and other critical issues. Participants are from communities not often consulted in policymaking, including people of color, those with limited incomes, and the geographically underrepresented.

The People Say’s comprehensive design brings together a wide range of data and viewpoints, giving policymakers a clearer understanding of the complex issues affecting older adults. By bridging the gap between lived experiences and policymaking, The People Say enables decision-makers to tailor systems and services more precisely to the real-world needs of older adults.

MPA Learning Collaborative Symposium at ASA

Last  month, we had the opportunity to connect with states participating in the Center for Health Care Strategies’ MPA Learning Collaborative. The symposium brought together state leaders from across the MPA development spectrum to exchange ideas, share lessons learned, and strengthen collaboration. The session also explored the importance of data, and featured live demonstrations of the California MPA data dashboard, as well as The National Aging Readiness Dashboard - an interactive tool developed by West Health that enables policymakers and researchers to explore aging and healthcare data from a variety of sources.

Contact us

For questions, comments, or suggestions related to MPAs or the newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact us at MPA@westhealth.org.