In 2015, ASTHO launched an initiative to promote the health of older adults by collaborating across sectors. Since then, our healthy aging portfolio has expanded to support state and territorial public health agencies through capacity building and technical assistance opportunities, and equip them with evidence-based best practices. ASTHO also supports the promotion of healthy aging across the lifespan through policies and programs that address both the needs of each age group and whole community.
Public health departments can serve a key role in initiatives to improve the lives of the aging population and their caregivers and prevent or mitigate chronic conditions common to older populations such as dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
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Supporting Healthy Aging and Older Adult Health: The Role of State and Territorial Health Agencies
This journal article highlights key public health interventions to address healthy aging and older adult health that health agencies are equipped to champion or support.
Expanding Falls Prevention Through Surveillance, Community-Clinical Linkages, and Strategic Planning and Evaluation
This guide is intended to be a comprehensive resource for health departments in understanding how to align current fall prevention efforts to support community-clinical linkages and offer strategies to assist in implementing new support efforts.
From Policy to Practice: Supporting Brain Health and Caregiving at the State Level
This report explores promising policies, models, and strategies to promote brain health across the lifespan and support caregiving. By examining recently proposed and enacted legislation as well as innovative practice, it offers actionable recommendations around supporting a skilled workforce, educating the public, coordinated state planning, and more.
Needs Assessment Tool: Dementia, Cognitive Health, and Caregiving (PDF)
This tool guides multisystem teams from public health groups through the steps necessary to complete a comprehensive needs assessment of dementia, dementia caregiving, and cognitive health in their communities.
Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Module
This module is designed to support public health agencies in identifying priorities and taking action towards improving dementia and caregiving. Resources are divided into stages — ready to learn, ready to plan, and ready to do.
Integrating Healthy Aging into Public Health Module
This module aims to support public health agencies in building a foundation in healthy aging as a public health issue, the many roles of public health, and strategies for taking action towards healthy aging.
Latest Healthy Aging Resources
From Policy to Practice: Supporting Brain Health and Caregiving at the State Level
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Roots of Equity: Addressing Health Disparities and Advancing Inclusive Solutions in Michigan
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Collaborations
ASTHO is part of a joint collaborative with BOLD Public Health Programs, BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence, and National HBI to support a coordinated national effort to advance brain health.