Older Americans Act Amendments of 1984

Older Americans Act Amendments of 1984 - Title I: Amendments Regarding Objectives and Definitions - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to declare as an objective of such Act that our older people should have available a comprehensive array of community- based, long-term care services adequate to appropriately sustain them in their communities and in their homes.

Title II: Amendments Regarding the Administration on Aging - Replaces provisions establishing the Administration on Aging with provisions establishing, under the general authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, an Office on Aging to be headed by the Assistant Secretary for Aging (the Assistant Secretary) who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provides that the Office on Aging shall assume the duties and functions of the Administration on Aging and that the Assistant Secretary shall assume the duties and functions of the Commissioner on Aging.

Establishes in the executive branch of the Government a Federal Coordinating Board on Aging. Provides that the Secretary shall be the Chairperson of the Board and that the Assistant Secretary shall be the Vice Chairperson. Directs the Board to: (1) coordinate all Federal programs and activities related to older individuals; and (2) annually report to the President and Congress with recommendations for the development of objectives and priorities for all Federal programs and activities relating to aging and to older individuals.

Authorizes funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987 for the Federal Council on Aging.

Directs the Secretary to issue regulations for the administration of the Older Americans Act of 1965.

Prohibits the Secretary from making grants or contracts under such Act for training, research, and discretionary projects and programs until the Secretary develops and publishes general standards to be used in evaluating such projects and programs.

Title III: Grants for Programs on Aging - Defines: (1) an "older individual" as any individual who is 60 or older; and (2) "multipurpose senior centers" as community facilities for the organization and provision of a broad spectrum of services, including the provision of health, social, nutritional, and educational services and provision of facilities for recreational activities, for older individuals.

Authorizes funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987 for social service grants and nutrition project grants under the Older Americans Act of 1965.

Requires each area agency on aging to: (1) specify annually in its area plan the amount of funds spent for each category of services in the preceding year; and (2) conduct efforts to coordinate community-based, long-term care services designed to keep individuals in their homes, thereby deferring unnecessary institutionalization.

Requires a State's plan under such Act in planning and operating its long-term care ombudsman program to consider the views of area agencies on aging, older individuals, and provider agencies.

Authorizes funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987 for the surplus commodity program under such Act.

Title IV: Training, Research, and Discretionary Programs Related to Aging - Revises provisions of the Older Americans Act of 1965 relating to training, research, and discretionary programs. Directs the Assistant Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts for training, research, and discretionary programs related to aging in order to: (1) provide comprehensive and coordinated nondegree education, training programs, and curricula at institutions of higher education and at other educational organizations for practitioners in the fields of nutrition, health care, supportive services, housing, and long-term care; (2) provide inservice training opportunities to the personnel of State offices, area agencies, senior centers, and nutrition sites to strengthen their capacity to remain responsive to the needs of older individuals; and (3) provide courses on aging and the dissemination of information about aging. Directs the Office on Aging to conduct both: (1) long-term educational activities to prepare personnel for careers in the field of aging; and (2) short-term inservice training and continuing education activities for State and area agency personnel, and other personnel, in the field of aging.

Requires multidisciplinary centers of gerontology to: (1) conduct research and policy analysis and function as a technical resource for the Assistant Secretary, policy makers, service providers, and Congress; (2) recruit and train personnel; (3) conduct research toward the development of information related to aging; (4) stimulate the incorporation of information on aging into the teaching of biological, behavioral, and social sciences at colleges and universities; (5) develop training programs in the field of aging; (6) serve as a repository of information and knowledge on aging; (7) provide consultation to organizations serving older individuals under provisions of this Act; and (8) provide data to the Assistant Secretary on projects and activities for which training, research, and discretionary program funds are provided.

Sets forth the purposes of research and development projects under the Older Americans Act of 1965. Directs the Assistant Secretary to select for research assistance research activities which will, within three years of enactment of this Act: (1) contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a demographic data base which contains information on the population of older individuals; (2) identify the future needs of older individuals; (3) identify the kinds and comprehensiveness of programs required to satisfy such needs; and (4) identify the kinds and number of personnel required to carry out such programs. Authorizes making grants and contracts for projects designed to identify older individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases and provide family respite services and other community-based care services to such individuals.

Revises provisions relating to special demonstration projects on legal services for older individuals. Directs the Assistant Secretary to make grants and enter ito contracts to: (1) provide nationwide legal services support activities to State and area agencies on aging for providing, developing, or supporting legal services for older individuals; and (2) support demonstration projects to expand or improve the delivery of legal services to older individuals with social or economic needs.

Authorizes funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987 training, research, and discretionary programs under the Older Americans Act of 1965. Directs the Assistant Secretary to: (1) be responsible for the administration, implementation, and making of grants and contracts for such programs; and (2) annually provide a report on the expenditure of funds for such programs.

Title V: Community Service Employment - Amends the Older Americans Community Service Employment Act to authorize funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987. Increases the number of part-time employment positions provided under such Act.

Title VI: Grants for Indian Tribes - Authorizes funds to be appropriated for FY 1985 through 1987 under the Older Americans Act of 1965 for grants to Indian tribes.

Title VII: Amendments to Other Laws; Effective Dates - Sets forth conforming amendments and effective dates.