“The Elder Index has provided the basis for a national discussion around equity, aging, and the food, health, and economic security of older people. Your commitment to shining a light on the real financial struggles that older people are facing everyday across the country is critical to helping make change.
— Ramsey Alwin, President and CEO, National Council on Aging
The Elder Index can be a powerful tool for state and local advocates and aging service providers to educate policymakers, donors, and funders about the economic realities that older adults face.
The Elder Index data can support specific advocacy efforts, such as:
- Demonstrating the need for public programs and policies that support low- and moderate-income seniors
- Protecting and strengthening the health care safety net for older Americans and improving access to home and community-based services and supports
- Continued investment in Older Americans Act, Elder Justice Act, and other community-based programs for older adults and caregivers
- Enhancing nutrition assistance for food insecure seniors
- Protecting and strengthening Social Security
Here are some examples of how you can view and compare data using the Index:
- Lookup and compare county, state, and national Elder Index values
- View monthly and annual Elder Index values by housing type, household size, and health status
- View breakdown of cost components
- Download charts and tables for specific locations
Resources from the National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Equity in Aging Collaborative
This collaborative is made up of 25 national and local organizations committed to advancing a better way to measure the true cost of living for older Americans, including adoption of the Elder Index.
Economic Security for Advocates
Explore articles, reports, and other resources from the NCOA focused on supporting the more than 25 million older Americans who are economically insecure.
“The Elder Index was crucial in terms of the advocacy effort. You can anecdotally say how hard it is for seniors and tell some very compelling stories. But you’ve got to have metrics if you are making the case to policymakers, and the Elder Index reports provided what we needed.
—Melissa Chalker, former Executive Director, New Jersey Foundation for Aging