NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE UNITS ON AGING
     

Consumer Direction — 2004 State of the States


Consumer Direction describes programs and services where people are given maximum choice and control over their care. When people say they want to be "independent" or they want autonomy" or "self-direction," they are talking about consumer direction. In consumer-directed programs, consumers can choose to select, manage, and dismiss their workers. They can decide which services to use and what time of day they will come.

Consumer direction programs appeal to many states for their ability to provide choices for consumers, empower them, improve access to services, and address workforce shortages. A new publication, States’ Experiences Implementing Consumer-Directed Home & Community Services, documents the scope and characteristics of consumer-directed services for older persons.

The report presents the findings of the 2004 Survey of State Administrators, Opinion Survey and Telephone Interviews, conducted under a national initiative of the National Association of State Units on Aging and The National Council on the Aging, entitled "Promoting Consumer Direction in Aging Services." Opinions of state aging administrators about consumer direction for older people, the motivating factors and barriers to the development of these programs, and effective practices in providing consumer direction to older people are also discussed.

The report and the project are supported with funding from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.


Consumer Direction Web site