In Pennsylvania, long-term care services and supports (LTSS)  includes a wide range of assistance with daily activities for people who cannot perform them on their own.  A variety of services are available and funded by Medicaid and Pennsylvania’s Lottery Fund.  This panel will discuss how agencies at the local and state levels are responding to growing care needs across the state, what opportunities can be and are being considered to ensure that family caregivers are better supported and, what needs to happen to grow and strengthen our paid caregiver workforce. The discussion will cover the entire continuum of care (home and community-based services, nursing care, assisted living, personal care, etc.) and how to best support Pennsylvanians in need of these services.

Recognizing that by 2030, the population of Pennsylvanians aged 60 and over is projected to surpass 3.8 million, accounting for 1 in 3 Pennsylvanians, Governor Shapiro directed the Pennsylvania Department of Aging to lead the state’s creation of the Commonwealth’s first Multi-Sector Plan on Aging (MPA), which has been named: Aging Our Way, PA. With the goal of addressing policy issues and identifying solutions related to how older Pennsylvanians can live and age well, Aging Our Way, PA covers key areas including housing, transportation, workforce, health care, long-term care access and navigation, economic security, and safety. This panel will discuss these key provisions that will transform the state’s aging services system to promote health, well-being, and independence over the next 10 years and beyond.