Celebrating Longevity and Supporting Healthy Aging Through Policy

September 28, 2026 | Lana McKinney

Healthy aging exists on a continuum — it is far more than just avoiding illness, encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being at every stage of life. While proactive policies like designing livable communities and promoting active lifestyles help people continue to flourish, state policymakers recognize that prevention and supportive care address distinct needs across this spectrum. When an individual faces cognitive decline, requires long-term care, or needs a guardian, the policy focus shifts from prevention to providing a vital safety net. Thoughtful frameworks around dementia resources and long-term care can preserve an individual’s dignity, ensure their safety, and provide stability for their caregivers.

Healthy Aging Month offers a valuable opportunity to celebrate longevity and explore how states and territories can support people as they grow older — by expanding public health education, strengthening proactive state planning, supporting family caregivers, and training clinical and emergency health care workforces.

Public Health Education and Community Awareness

Educating the public and increasing community awareness of Alzheimer's disease and dementia are key public health interventions. In recent months, state legislatures have enacted measures to enhance public outreach, collaborate with national organizations, and establish dedicated support programs.

For instance, Florida SB 578 establishes a statewide Alzheimer’s awareness initiative, while Indiana HB 1029 directs the Department of Health to collaborate with a national Alzheimer's disease and dementia organization to educate the public as well as identify additional partners for community education. In New Hampshire, SB 454 requires the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services and the Division of Public Health to update public outreach materials to improve community awareness of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Services and Support

Building on foundational awareness, states are also strengthening supports through advisory bodies, comprehensive state plans, and dedicated funding. Three states (Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia) recently enacted legislation extending the life of existing Alzheimer's and dementia advisory councils. South Carolina recently enacted H 3022, creating a council focused on long-term service delivery for older adults and people with disabilities, including making recommendations for a statewide service delivery system and establishing a statewide access system for long-term supports and services. In addition, New York’s legislature recently passed S 7160, which would establish a Senior Center Council charged with providing recommendations for lowering barriers to service delivery as well as cost-effective measures that ensure the stability of the state’s senior centers and establish information sharing and peer-to-peer support for existing centers. The bill is awaiting final transmittal to the governor.

Maryland also recently enacted three bills to support healthy aging:

• HB 278 requires the Secretary of Aging to lead and monitor a comprehensive multisector plan designed to transform and streamline state services and policies for older adults.
• HB 811 authorizes the Department of Aging to issue grants to nonprofit organizations and area agencies to support social connections for individuals aging in place by holding events in “multigenerational third places” (community spaces that support connections among individuals of all ages).
• SB 860 establishes a fund to specifically support the mission of the Department of Aging, including partnership development and programs or services within the department.

Family Caregivers and Community-Based Aging Initiatives

Legislatures are increasingly viewing caregiving not as a private family matter but as a pillar of state economies requiring structural support. Recently-enacted state legislation provides direct financial assistance to unpaid family members managing at-home care, while establishing community-based programs and partnerships to promote social engagement and long-term care support.

• Tennessee HB 1443 creates a pilot program to support unpaid caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. It provides grants of up to $6,000 per fiscal year to qualified family caregivers assisting relatives living in private homes with at least two activities of daily living.
• New York A 4195 requires the NY Connects: Choices for Long Term Care program to include details on programs and services for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia in the information provided to them and their caregivers. This includes home, community-based, and institutional long-term care services.
• Virginia SB 260 adds to the duties of the Council on Aging by directing them to advise the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Servies on strategies to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults and promote volunteer engagement.

Additionally, the California legislature passed SB 971, which authorizes local health departments, agencies on aging, community organizations, public and private colleges, or other local county departments to collaborate with relevant entities to establish community partnership programs promoting healthy aging, social engagement, and independent living for older adults. The bill is awaiting final signature by the governor.

Clinical Workforce and Dementia-Capable Care Delivery

Policymakers are also working to support the health care workforce, improve care coordination, and integrate evidence-based dementia care into clinical and long-term care settings. Nebraska enacted LB 913, requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to:

• Appoint a dementia care coordinator to connect families with services and resources.
• Provide education and counseling regarding relevant programs and safe environments.
• Track data on the statewide impact of Alzheimer's and dementia.
• Assess patient and caregiver needs to identify required services and policies.

Meanwhile, Hawaii enacted HB 1853, which establishes a memory network program that will integrate community-based specialists, clinical partnerships, and public education to improve early detection, care coordination, and long-term support for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. In addition, Maryland enacted HB 446, which establishes a dementia and brain health program in the Department of Health to lead the state’s public health efforts with brain health and dementia. The bill also directs the program to establish a resource toolkit for health care providers, promote dementia-specific professional training and certification, and identify opportunities to integrate dementia care practices into health care models.

Legislatures are also supporting emergency personnel and staff by enacting legislation providing dementia-specific training, ensuring safe and appropriate interactions during community encounters. Illinois HB 4584 requires caregivers employed by the state’s Home Services Program to complete two hours of dementia training at the start of employment and two hours of continuing education per year, focusing on Alzheimer's disease and dementia, safety risks, communication, and behavior management. Additionally, Maryland HB 634 requires the state’s Police Training and Standards Commission to include entrance-level and in-service level training curriculums on interactions with individuals with dementia, autism, and intellectual/developmental disabilities.

In Conclusion

By advancing comprehensive initiatives that span public awareness, strategic funding, caregiving, and specialized workforce training, state legislatures are actively building a vital safety net for their aging populations. ASTHO will continue to monitor these legislative trends and provide updates to our membership on policies that advance healthy aging.