Older Americans Amendments

Older Americans Amendments - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to make the Commissioner on Aging directly responsible to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Abolishes the Federal Council on the Aging.

Directs the Commissioner on Aging to continually review all requests for information under this Act and to take such action as necessary to reduce paperwork.

States that the program of grants to States and communities for programs on aging should encourage and assist the development of multipurpose senior centers which shall serve as focal points for the delivery of services, including health, social, educational, and nutritional services, and recreation facilities.

Includes in the definition of social services, provided by State and local agencies, health screening and preretirement and second career counseling.

Extends the authorizations of appropriations through fiscal year 1981 for grants to area planning and social service programs for the aged. Extends for each of the four succeeding fiscal years allotments to States for such programs.

Encourages States to include, if feasible, all portions of an Indian reservation within a single planning, and service area for services to the aged.

Requires each State to provide, in its plan for services to the aged, for the acquisition, alteration, or renovation of existing facilities to serve as multipurpose senior centers.

Requires a State, in order to be eligible for grants, under the Act, to submit to the Commissioner on Aging a State plan for a three-year period.

Authorizes appropriations for four succeeding years after fiscal year 1977 for model projects which will expand or improve social services to older persons.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to State agencies for model projects designed to insure: (1) that long-term care needs of individual elderly persons are identified; (2) that such persons are referred to appropriate community-based and institutional services for such care; and (3) that the continued appropriateness of such services be tested through follow-up services and evaluation.

Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1981 for such projects.

Authorizes the Secretary to insure any mortgage for a multipurpose senior center in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act. Creates a Multipurpose Senior Center Insurance Fund to be used by the Secretary as a revolving fund for carrying out all insurance provisions with respect to such mortgages.

Authorizes the Secretary to make annual interest grants to assist nonprofit private agencies in reducing the cost of borrowing from other sources for the acquisition, alteration, or renovation of facilities for multipurpose senior centers.

Extends the authorization of appropriations for the four fiscal years following 1977 for training, research, and secretarial programs for personnel in the field of aging.

Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish the National Older American Volunteer Programs. Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants to State agencies or grants to or contracts with other public and nonprofit private agencies and organizations to establish volunteer service programs to help retired persons avail themselves of opportunities for volunteer service in their community.

Authorizes the Commissioner to make grants or contracts with public and nonprofit private agencies and organizations to finance projects designed for the purpose of providing opportunities for low-income persons aged 60 or over to provide supportive person-to-person services in health, education, welfare, and related settings to children having exceptional needs, including services by individuals serving as "foster grandparents" to children receiving care in hospitals, homes for dependent and neglected children, or other establishments providing care for children with special needs.

Directs the Commissioner to coordinate the volunteer programs with other relevant programs at the State and local levels.

Requires the Commissioner to insure that special efforts are made to have qualified individuals over 60 from minority groups serve as volunteers.

Extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 1981 for nutrition programs for the elderly.

Authorizes the Commissioner, under the Act, to make grants to eligible tribal organizations, as defined in this Act, to pay all of the costs for the delivery of social and nutritional services for Indians who are age 60 and over. Sets forth criteria for applications for such grants.

Authorizes the Commissioner to delegate to the Secretary of the Interior or to the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs any functions under this title.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to make available surplus Indian educational facilities for use as multipurpose senior centers.

Extends the authorization of appropriations for the program through fiscal year 1981.

Directs the Commissioner to prepare a White House Conference on Aging.

Establishes a National Planning and Advisory Council to provide guidance and counseling for the White House Conference on Aging.