Title 42 › CHAPTER 35 — PROGRAMS FOR OLDER AMERICANS › SUBCHAPTER I — DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES AND DEFINITIONS › § 3002
Defines key words used in the chapter so people know what each term means. It gives short descriptions for things like abuse, services, types of care, who counts as an older person, and which government offices or programs are involved. Abuse — knowing physical or emotional harm or knowingly withholding needed goods or services. Administration — the Administration on Aging. Adult protective services — services like taking and investigating reports, planning cases, and arranging medical, social, legal, housing, law enforcement, emergency, or support help. Aging and Disability Resource Center — a state-run place or network that gives information, counseling, and a single entry to long-term care options and helps people stay in or return to the community. Aging network — the system of state agencies, area agencies on aging, title VI grantees, the Administration, and funded service or education providers. Area agency on aging — the local agency designated to serve an area or a state agency doing the same job. Assistant Secretary — the Assistant Secretary for Aging. Assistive device — includes assistive technology and related state-designated technology entities. At risk for institutional placement — unable to do at least 2 activities of daily living without major help and judged by the State to need placement in a long-term care facility. Board and care facility — a state-regulated care institution. Case management service — services, at the older person’s direction, that assess needs, make and carry out a service plan, coordinate and monitor services, reassess, and advocate. Civic engagement — actions to address public or community needs. Disability — mental or physical impairments that cause big limits in major life activities. Disease prevention and health promotion services — preventive screenings, counseling, fitness and therapy programs, injury and fall prevention, mental health and medication management, public health responses, and related follow-up (does not include services payable under titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act). Elder abuse — abuse of an older person. Elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation — those combined harms to an older person. Elder justice — efforts to prevent, detect, treat, intervene, and prosecute elder abuse and to protect older people while respecting their autonomy and rights. Exploitation/financial exploitation — illegal or improper use of an older person’s money or property, including by caregivers; caregiver means anyone responsible for care, paid or unpaid. Family violence — has the meaning in the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Fiduciary — someone legally responsible for making decisions for another and acting in good faith, such as a trustee, guardian, conservator, executor, agent under a power of attorney, or representative payee. Focal point — a place set up to bring together services for older people. Frail — an older person judged functionally impaired: unable to do at least two ADLs without major human help (or at State option, three), or needing substantial supervision because of dangerous behavior from cognitive impairment. Greatest economic need — income at or below the poverty line. Greatest social need — non-money needs like disabilities, language barriers, or isolation that limit daily tasks or independence. Hispanic-serving institution — as defined in section 1101a of title 20. Indian — a member of an Indian tribe. Indian tribe — a recognized tribe, band, nation, or organized group eligible for U.S. Indian programs or located on or near a reservation or rancheria (except for subchapter X uses). Information and assistance service — provides current community service info (including assistive tech), assesses needs, links people to services, follows up, and serves the whole older community with focus on those with greatest social or economic need and those at risk for institutional placement. Information and referral — includes assistive technology info. In-home services — help such as homemakers, home health aides, visits and phone checks, chores, in-home respite or adult day care, minor home modifications not covered elsewhere, personal care, and other state- or area agency-defined services. Institution of higher education — as defined in section 1001 of title 20. Integrated long-term care — combines Medicaid long-term services and other federally funded long-term supports and other federal health programs (including Medicare and Medicaid) and can be provided under managed care. Legal assistance — legal advice and representation by lawyers for older people with economic or social needs, and supervised paralegals, law students, or permitted nonlawyers. Long-term care — services or items (including assistive devices) that help with daily living, provided at home, in community care, or in a facility, and not meant to treat or cure medical disease. Long-term care facility — skilled nursing facility, nursing facility, board and care, or similar adult care home (including assisted living). Multipurpose senior center — a community site offering health, social, nutrition, education, and recreational services for older people. Native American — an Indian (as above) or a Native Hawaiian. Neglect — a caregiver or fiduciary failing to provide needed goods or services, or self-neglect. Nonprofit — an organization whose earnings do not go to private owners or shareholders. Older individual — a person 60 years of age or older. Person-centered, trauma-informed — services that look at the whole person, support dignity and empowerment of trauma victims, and use evidence-based trauma-aware practices. Physical harm — bodily injury, impairment, or disease. Planning and service area — an area designated by the State agency. Poverty line — the official poverty line set by the Office of Management and Budget and adjusted by the Secretary under section 9902(2). Representative payee — a person appointed by the government to receive funds for an older person who cannot manage money due to incapacity. Secretary — the Secretary of Health and Human Services, except for subchapter IX where it means the Secretary of Labor. Self-directed care — an approach where the individual plans, budgets, and controls their services, gets needed information and assessment, develops a plan and budget with the area agency and family or caregiver, and has agency oversight to protect service quality and proper use of funds. Self-neglect — being unable, due to impairment, to get food, clothing, shelter, medical care, needed goods or services, or to manage finances. Severe disability — a severe, chronic disability likely to continue indefinitely and causing major limits in 3 or more major life activities. Sexual assault — as defined in section 10447 of title 34. State — any State, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. State agency — the agency designated under section 3025(a)(1). State system of long-term care — the Federal, State, and local programs a State runs that provide or help people get long-term care. Supportive service — as described in section 3030d(a). Traumatic brain injury — as defined in section 280b–1c(d). Tribal organization — a tribe’s governing body or an organization controlled by it; when a contract serves more than one tribe, each tribe must approve.
Full Legal Text
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 3002
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110