NCOA Takes Chair of Leadership Council of Aging Organizations

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Jun 06, 2012, 01:00 ET

Group Represents Over 60 Million Older Adults in Critical Election Year

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Effective today, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) will chair the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), the nation's largest coalition of nonprofit organizations serving older adults. The term will last for one year with NCOA's president and CEO, Jim Firman, serving as Chairman of the coalition.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100615/NCOALOGO)

LCAO has 69 national member groups who represent over 60 million older adults in the U.S. It provides "a voice for seniors and their families in the ongoing national debate on aging policy ... and leadership and vision as America meets the challenges and opportunities presented by its aging society."

Under NCOA's leadership, LCAO priorities will focus on the important federal budget challenges facing the nation and America's growing senior population, including programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and non-defense discretionary programs like the Older Americans Act.

"We need to work together to improve economic security for Americans of all ages and craft responsible solutions to our current fiscal challenges," said Jim Firman, president and CEO of NCOA. "LCAO can play a critical lead role in meeting these serious challenges by adopting a balanced approach that protects those in greatest need."

The following committee co-chairs for the year were also named:

Budget Committee: Robert Francis, Lutheran Services in America, and Jennifer Beeson, Families USA;
Health Committee: David Lipschutz, Center for Medicare Advocacy, and Howard Bedlin, National Council on Aging;
Community Services Committee: Amy Gotwals, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and Shannon Donahue, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs; and
Income Security Committee: Webb Phillips, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Sarah Byrne, Alliance for Retired Americans.

For more information on LCAO, please visit www.lcao.org and for more information and a full list of NCOA policy goals please visit www.ncoa.org/PublicPolicy.

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.NCOA.org |www.facebook.com/NCOAging | www.twitter.com/NCOAging

SOURCE National Council on Aging