June 3, 2022 -Governor Ron DeSantis and the Department of Elder Affairs continue to make strides in enhancing the well-being, safety, and independence of Florida’s seniors, their families, and caregivers.
“Governor Ron DeSantis has consistently been a champion for the nearly 6 million adults over the age of 60 in Florida, especially those most vulnerable with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias,” said DOEA Secretary Michelle Branham. “Governor DeSantis has secured a record-setting increase of nearly twice the amount in Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative funding since the beginning of his administration. Florida will continue to lead the effort of enhancing diagnosis and prevention strategies to help fight this disease, and we will continue to connect all Florida seniors with the services and resources they need to live well and age well here in our state.”
Highlights for Florida seniors included in the 2022-2023 Budget:
• $12 million increase for Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative services: to provide respite and support services to prevent caregiver burnout and fatigue, allowing frail seniors to age in their homes with their families. This investment also allows the frailest individuals and their caregivers to receive daycare, counseling, education, training, and specialized medical equipment and supplies.
• $9 million increase for Community Care for the Elderly services: to provide assistance to persons 60 years or older assessed as frail, functionally impaired and unable to live independently to help them remain in the least restrictive, cost-effective environment most suitable for their needs as long as possible. This investment is critical for a senior’s quality of life.
• More than $1.5 million for implementing the Enterprise Client Information and Registration Tracking System (eCIRTS): to upgrade a 30-year-old system that currently serves nearly three million Floridians statewide and enables DOEA to better meet the needs of its clients and federal reporting requirements.
• $504,950 for enhancements to the Office of Professional and Public Guardians (OPPG) client management tool and monitoring tool: to allow for greater monitoring of the public guardian programs and the new monitoring capabilities for private, professional guardians.
• Nearly $1 million for information technology: to increase bandwidth, upgrade network infrastructure, and replace hardware devices and computers to ensure timely delivery of security updates, monitoring and management of technology resources, and efficient use of internet-based systems.
About the Florida Department of Elder Affairs
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the State Unit on Aging, helps Florida’s elders to remain healthy, safe, and independent. The Department provides most direct services through its Division of Statewide Community-Based Services, which works through the state’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to deliver essential services to a vital segment of the population. For more information, please visit www.elderaffairs.org
