For Immediate Release: January 03, 2025
Contact: DOEA Communications, communications@elderaffairs.org
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) Secretary Michelle Branham reflects on a robust year of continued, accelerated growth, innovation, and unwavering dedication to serving Florida’s senior citizens under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis.
“2024 has been a year of building upon and fortifying the foundation of Florida’s aging support network, addressing new challenges, and creating additional opportunities for our older Floridians,” said Secretary Michelle Branham. “I am incredibly grateful for Governor and First Lady DeSantis’ leadership – providing our Agency with crucial and ever-present support that allows us to continue making seniors a top priority in Florida. As we look ahead to 2025, we are ever-more committed and equipped to enhancing the quality of life for all of us as we age in the Sunshine State.”
Florida’s Seniors Continue to Shine in Governor DeSantis’ Focus on Florida’s Future Budget
- $6 million increase for the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative to expand the number of residents and caregivers served by the program.
- More than $2 million increase to expand the Florida Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, an initiative launched by Governor DeSantis in 2022 that supports families with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis to gain access to resources and clinical trials early on in their dementia journey.
- $11 million increase to expand the Community Care for the Elderly and Home Care for the Elderly Programs to care for more seniors in home and community-based settings, which enables them to continue living in the place of their choosing and delays or eliminates the need for them to utilize a long-term care setting.
Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG)
In May 2024, DOEA launched the Guardianship Investigations Unit (GIU) within the department to support the Office of Public and Professional Guardian’s (OPPG) receipt of complaints filed against professional or public guardians. The GIU began operation in August 2024 and comprises five statewide investigators who operate for the good of the appointed guardians. Since its inception, the GIU has been assigned 51 cases and closed 21 investigations.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)
In 2024, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program made significant strides in enhancing our efforts to serve the 200,000 seniors in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes. A significant milestone was the launch of a new database, enabling us to track the needs of our constituents and identify systemic issues. Additionally, we increased the frequency of visitations by our ombudsmen to these communities and introduced a transfer advocate position dedicated to assisting residents being wrongfully transferred from their homes. These initiatives represent our unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for this vulnerable population, ensuring a brighter and more secure future for our cherished seniors.
Hope Florida – Helping Seniors Find Help
Through Hope Florida, Hope Navigators work closely with seniors and caregivers, guiding them on their journey to access vital services and resources. The goal is to ensure that all elders enjoy an enhanced quality of life and the ability to age in the place of their choosing. Since its inception, Hope Florida has seen a remarkable surge in demand among our senior population, with a more than 50% increase in clients seeking assistance. As of December 13, 2024, the program has served 2,725 clients, up from 1,392 in 2023.
Providing Assistance and Resources to Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton
Hurricane impacts along Florida’s Gulf Coast were devastating, prompting the launch of Activate Hope—a collaborative initiative among state agencies designed to assist families in crisis. This initiative quickly mobilized teams to provide support in county shelters, Points of Distribution (PODs), Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs), and Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), as well as canvassing affected communities to deliver essential services to residents in need.
The Department of Elder Affairs, in partnership with its sister agencies, worked across multiple counties, distributing critical food, water, and supplies while also offering vital community-based resources throughout the state.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
In 2024, Florida made remarkable progress in addressing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Over the past year, more than $80 million was invested to solidify the state as a national leader in dementia care. This funding supported the work of 17 Memory Disorder Clinics and service providers, offering essential assistance to residents and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s.
Since its launch in 2023, Florida’s one-hour training course for direct-care workers has reached over 130,000 participants, aiming to improve care quality in licensed-care settings. Over $2 million was directed toward expanding the Florida Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence (FACE), which provides families with vital resources and early access to clinical trials. FACE’s Care Navigation Program has seen exceptional outcomes, including an 86% reduction in falls and an 81% reduction in hospitalizations, resulting in healthcare cost savings exceeding $23 billion.
Enhancing the Aging Network’s Business Acumen
This year, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) hosted a groundbreaking statewide collaborative workshop with Florida’s aging network to bolster business acumen among its partners and providers and strengthen accountability and efficiency.
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