A recent review of national data demonstrates what we have known all along: Area Agencies on Aging have built a network of community partnerships that provide value to health care and improve aging outcomes.

Counties whose AAAs had programs to divert older adults from nursing home placement had significantly lower avoidable nursing home use, compared to counties whose AAAs lacked such programs. Our findings suggest that AAAs may be a promising source of leadership for cross-sectoral partnerships that effectively address both social and medical determinants of health for older adults, who account for a substantial share of overall health care spending.

—Health Affairs, “Cross-Sectoral Partnerships By Area Agencies On Aging: Associations With Health Care Use And Spending”