Rural Older Americans Act Amendments of 1991

Rural Older Americans Act Amendments of 1991 - Title I: Long-Term Care Ombudsman - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish in the Administration on Aging an Office on Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs headed by an Associate Commissioner for Ombudsman Services who shall serve as the Federal advocate on behalf of older individuals who reside in long-term care facilities.

Directs the Administration to establish and operate the National Ombudsman Resource Center to assist State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen and the representatives of the Ombudsmen in carrying out State long-term care programs.

Directs the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging to establish a National Center on Elder Abuse to: (1) compile an annual summary of recently conducted research on elder abuse; (2) develop and maintain an information clearinghouse on all programs for the prevention and treatment of such abuse; (3) compile training materials for personnel engaged in elder abuse prevention; (4) provide technical assistance for the planning and implementation of programs relating to the problems of elder abuse; and (5) conduct research and demonstration projects regarding the causes and national incidence of elder abuse.

Authorizes the Commissioner to operate such Center directly or through a grant or contract.

Extends the deadline for the annual Administration report to the Congress on complaints and conditions in long-term care facilities.

Requires a Commission study of the effectiveness of State long-term care ombudsman programs.

Adds a new title VII under which the Commissioner is directed to establish and carry out a program for making allotments to States to pay for the Federal share of carrying out elder rights activities under the following new parts of title VII: (1) part B (Ombudsman Programs); (2) part C (Programs for Prevention of Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation); (3) part D (State Elder Rights and Legal Assistance Development Program); and (4) part E (Outreach, Counseling, and Assistance Program). Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 to carry out such parts.

Requires States, in order to be eligible to receive allotments under title VII, to submit a plan to the Commissioner with assurances that the State will establish the programs listed above in accordance with specified requirements outlined in this title. Authorizes State agencies to enter into agreements with public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations to carry out activities under such programs to protect the rights of the vulnerable elderly who reside in long-term care facilities.

Reauthorizes and extends ombudsman and advocacy demonstration projects under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986.

Directs the Commissioner to award grants to eligible State agencies to establish housing ombudsman demonstration programs to protect the rights of older individuals who are residents in publicly assisted housing programs. Authorizes appropriations.

Title II: Health Care and Transportation - Directs the Commissioner to: (1) establish three demonstration projects to encourage providers of health care, supportive services, and transportation services to coordinate services to older individuals; and (2) award grants to eligible agencies to pay for the costs of carrying out the projects. Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: Housing Options for Older Individuals - Directs the Commissioner to conduct a study of various methods of increasing the housing options that are available to rural older adults and provide greater independence than nursing homes.

Authorizes up to ten demonstration projects to assess housing options for older individuals, with not less than 50 percent of the grants awarded for carrying out the projects going to entities for projects in rural areas. Authorizes appropriations.

Title IV: Health Care and Nutrition - Requires providers of nutrition services to coordinate with health care providers to establish projects to provide special menus upon request to older individuals with special dietary or nutritional needs.

Title V: Coordination Between Area Agencies on Aging and Community Action Agencies - Identifies community action agencies as alternative resource centers for providing services to older individuals.

Requires demonstration projects to assist outreach programs and the grants awarded to eligible agencies to cover project costs to be used by the agency to establish programs that identify individuals eligible for assistance under this Act, particularly low-income and rural elderly. Authorizes appropriations.

Title VI: Native Americans - Mandates disqualification of area agencies on aging which do not target services provided under the Act for older individuals to individuals with the greatest economic need and minority individuals, including Indians.

Directs the Director of the National Institute on Aging to make grants or enter into contracts with eligible entities to establish and operate a National Indian Health Data Base. Authorizes appropriations.

Title VII: Rural Older Individuals - Defines "rural older individual" as an older individual who resides in any place with a population of less than 2,500. Ensures that rural older individuals are recognized when State and area plans are made.