ACL strives to evaluate programs in an integrated manner. Consistent with the ACL Evaluation Policy, ACL Evaluation Plan, and the ACL Office of Performance and Evaluation Strategic Vision, ACL supports rigorous, relevant, transparent, and independent evaluations of its programs and services.
Evaluations and Studies
- ACL Biennial Evaluation, Performance, and Analysis Review
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ACL previously undertook reviews of the ongoing and completed evaluation, performance, and analysis activities it had engaged in to better understand its work as a learning organization across programs and offices. ACL completed two reviews and produced reports for the periods of October 2020 and September 2022 and again between October 2022-September 2023. In 2023 and 2024 ACL completed a third review of the evaluation, performance, and analysis activities it had engaged in between October 2023 and September 2024. The findings from this report provide a useful snapshot of where ACL is concentrating its evaluation, performance, and analysis endeavors which can be helpful in informing future activities and opportunities for growth.
- Final Report (October 2022-September 2023)
- Final Report (October 2020-September 2022)
- Final Report (October 2023-September 2024)
- State and Community Programs on Aging Study (OAA Title III-B)
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This study assessed the role of Older Americans Act State and Community Programs on Aging in planning, coordinating, and providing community services for older people.
- Senior Nutrition Program Evaluation (OAA Title III-C)
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This three-part evaluation of the Older Americans Act Senior Nutrition Program focused on bettering understanding the ways in which the program it achieving its aim of promoting the general health and well-being of older individuals.
Process and Cost Evaluation
- Process Evaluation Report
Cost Study Report - Briefing on Process Evaluation and Cost Study (Handouts)
Client Outcome Evaluation
- Part I: Final Report and Part II: Final Report
- Briefing (Part 1: Handouts, Part 2: Handouts, and Questions and Answers)
- Reports
Issue Briefs
- Understanding Participants’ Monetary Contributions
- Program Entrance and Retention
- Examining the Diagnoses Underlying Adverse Health Events
- Examining Adverse Health Events Preceding Entry to the Home-Delivered Meal Program
- Examining the Prevalence of Chronic Conditions Among Congregate Meal Participants
- An Examination Utilizing the Healthy Eating Index Tool
- An Examination of Social Activities at Congregate Meal Sites and the Role in Improving Socialization Outcomes of Participants
- Examining the Types of Foods Older Adults Consumed from Program Meals Over 24 Hours
- Key Food Sources of Sodium, Saturated Fat, Empty Calories, and Refined Grains in the Diets of Program Participants
- Process Evaluation Report
- Evidence-Based Health Promotion Program Review Processes Analysis (OAA Title III-D)
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This study examined the Older Americans Act Evidence-Based Health Promotion Program Review Process and review processes used by other federal agencies and offices, to help inform future ACL efforts in this area.
- Evidence-Based Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program Fidelity Evaluation (OAA Title III-D)
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This study examined the fidelity with which Older Americans Act Evidence-Based Health Promotion Program grantees implement evidence-based programs, the strategies ACL has been using to monitor and promote program fidelity, and to identify opportunities to enhance fidelity processes and technical assistance moving forward.
- Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program Evaluations
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These evaluations examined state Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs provide information about grantee characteristics, program participants, implementation, sustainability, and considerations for moving forward.
- National Family Caregiver Support Program Evaluation (OAA Title III-E)
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This two-part evaluation explored the ways in which the Older Americans Act National Family Caregiver Support Program is achieving the program goal of providing a range of supports that enable family and informal caregivers to care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible.
Process Evaluation
Outcome Evaluation
Caregiver Profiles and Factsheets
- Caregiver characteristics, caregiving support, and other caregiving dynamics that differ between short term and long term caregivers (Profile)
- Caregivers of care recipients with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (ADRD), and caregivers of care recipients without ADRD (Profile)
- Caregivers that are NFCSP service users and caregivers are not NFCSP service users (Profile)
- Caregivers of older veterans, and caregivers of older non-veterans (Profile)
- Caregivers whose care recipients recently passed away (Report and Factsheet)
Resources
- Community Assessment Materials
- General Customer Satisfaction Survey Materials
- Grandparent Assessment Materials
- High-Level Administrative Materials
- Program Monitoring Materials
- State Caregiver Assessments
- State Care Recipient Assessments
- Task Force Materials
- Uniform Satisfaction Materials
- Other Materials
- Older American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiian Programs (OAA Title VI) and State and Community Programs on Aging (OAA Title III-B) Collaboration Study
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This study identified examples and best practices for collaboration between Older Americans Act Title III and Title VI programs.
- Older American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs’ Analysis of Grantee Program Performance Data During the COVID-19 Pandemic (OAA Title VI)
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The purpose of this analysis was to better understand the overall impact of COVID-19 on Older Americans Act Title VI grantees, understand how grantees continued to provide nutrition services, health and safety supports, social supports, in-home supports, and access services to Native Elders, and understand changes in communication techniques used by grantees.
- Older American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Program Evaluation (OAA Title VI)
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This evaluation examined implementation and outcomes related to the Older Americans Act Title VI Grant Program, which provides home and community-based supportive services for older American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian populations.
Appendices to Final Report
- Logic Model, Methods, and Stakeholder Activity
- Medicine Wheel
- Methods
- In Their Own Words: Caregiver Quotes
- Focus Group Summary
Interim Reports
- Older American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Program Evaluability Assessment (OAA Title VI)
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The study examined the program characteristics of Older Americans Act Title VI grantees’ nutritional, supportive, and caregiver support services to assess the feasibility of, and best approaches for formal evaluation of the program.
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman Tribal Case Study (OAA Title VII)
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This case study identified successful practices and recommendations for improving how Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs across the United States serve Native populations.
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Evaluation (OAA Title VII)
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This evaluation assessed the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program implementation at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Final Report
- Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Changing Landscape of Long-Term Services and Supports Report
Research Briefs
- Understanding the Uniqueness of the Ombudsman Program in the Context of the Aging Network
- Resident Complaint Handling
- Systems Advocacy and Organizational Placement
- Use of Volunteers
- Promising Practices
Factsheets
Presentations
- Findings from the National Evaluation of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
- The Role of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs in HCBS: Overview and Findings from the National Evaluation of the LTCOP
- Process Evaluation and Special Studies Related to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
- Challenges and Innovations in Systems Advocacy by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
- Ombudsman Program Process Evaluation: Progress and Initial Data
- Real People Real Problems: An Evaluation of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (OAA Title VII)
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The purpose of comprehensive study was to addresses important aspects of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and its ability to deal with problems that affect the care provided to and the quality of life achieved by elderly residents of long-term care facilities.
- Adult Protective Services Process and Outcome Evaluations (OAA Title VII)
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The purpose of these evaluations were to examine both the Adult Protective Services (APS) system and the impact APS programs make on clients’ lives. This two-part evaluation shed light on both the social services system that investigates adult maltreatment and the difference that system makes for older adults and adults with disabilities.
Process Evaluation
Review of State APS Policies, Volume 1 and Volume 2
Outcomes Evaluation
- Evaluation of the Value of Volunteerism for Older Americans Act Programs
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This evaluation examined the role volunteers play in the programs that provide support and services to older adults, including the Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III programs, the OAA Title VII Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
- Concept Clarification and Assessment of Social Isolation and Social Support in Older Adults
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This white paper summarized literature in order to clarify the concepts of social support and social isolation, review existing measurement tools, and identify tools that have been validated in the older adult population.
- Evaluation of the Aging and Disability Resource Centers
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The focus of the evaluation was to determine the extent to which Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) are fulfilling the goal of improving awareness of and access to long term supports and services for older adults and individuals with disabilities and also how well ADRCs are contributing to the overall ACL mission.
- Living Well: A Project of National Significance
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The purpose of this three-year effort was to evaluate the extent to which eight ACL Living Well grantees were working toward their aim of developing and testing model approaches for enhancing the quality, effectiveness, and monitoring of home- and community-based services for people with developmental disabilities.
Year 1
- Executive Summary: Year One
- Volume I: Introduction and Grantees
- Volume II: Findings
- Volume III: Methodology
- Volume IV: Conclusion and Next Steps
- Living Well State Profiles
- Living Well Emerging Practices
- Living Well Final Report Tables
Year 2
- Executive Summary: Year Two
- Volume I: Introduction
- Volume II: Grantee Profiles
- Volume III: Cross-Site Analysis and Conclusions
- Volume IV: Methodology
- Living Well State Profiles
- Brief: Strategies for Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Brief: Strategies for Self-Advocate Engagement
- Brief: Strategies for Improving Community Monitoring
Year 3
- Executive Summary: Year Three
- Introduction
- Grantee Profiles
- Cross-Site Analysis and Conclusion
- Methodology
Issue Briefs
- Supporting Families Community of Practice Evaluation
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The purpose of this evaluation was to provide outcomes data and considerations for improving supports to families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including potential application of the Charting the Lifecourse Framework.
- Evaluation Findings Brief: Year 1
- Annual Report: Year 1
- Preliminary Reporting Tool Findings
- Presentation: Preliminary Reporting Tool Findings
Individual and State Success Stories
- Sharing Information and Creating Partnerships: Angela's Story
- Changes in Knowledge: Maggie's Story
- Changes in Practice: Ty's Story
- Improvements in Performance: Crystal's Story
- Redefining Success: South Dakota's Story
- Alabama Data Brief
- Connecticut Data Brief
- Delaware Data Brief
- Hawaii Data Brief
- Indiana Data Brief
- Kansas Data Brief
- Maryland Data Brief
- Missouri Data Brief
- Pennsylvania Data Brief
- Ohio Data Brief
- Oklahoma Data Brief
- Oregon Data Brief
- South Dakota Data Brief
- Tennessee Data Brief
- Washington Data Brief
- Washington, DC Data Brief
Evaluation Designs
- Evaluation Design for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (OAA Title VII)
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The purpose of this project was to develop a design for an evaluation to understand and assess the effectiveness of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs.
- Evaluation Design for a Global Evaluation of Older American Act Services
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This intention of this project was to study the impact of Older Americans Act programs and services, specifically services provided under Title III, on key outcomes, i.e., home and community-based service use, health care use, community tenure, and long-term services and supports expenditures.
Guidance and Tools
- ACL Performance Strategy
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The ACL Performance Strategy presents a high-level approach to the planning, conduct, and implementation of performance management that represents ACL’s commitment to providing rigorous, relevant, and transparent performance data highlighting all the programs and initiatives ACL supports.
- ACL Performance Measure Guidance
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ACL’s Performance Measure Guidance introduces the practice of performance measurement, describes indicators, presents a structured process for developing performance measures, and provides examples.
- ACL Data Quality Guidance
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ACL’s Data Quality Guidance is a comprehensive guide describing the characteristics of high-quality data, its uses and benefits, and recommendations for improving data quality.
- ACL Logic Model Guidance
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ACL’s Logic Model Guidance presents a brief primer on the development and use of logic models for clarifying program theory, demonstrating progress towards objectives, and answering evaluation questions.
- ACL Strategic Planning Toolkit
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ACL’s Strategic Planning Toolkit is designed to support ACL centers and offices with developing a strategic plan or framework that articulates the goals, objectives, and activities they will undertake in support of the ACL mission.
- ACL Systems Change Measurement Guidance
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ACL’s Systems Change Measurement Guidance is intended as a resource for ACL centers and offices who oversee programs focused improving the systems that serve older adults and individuals with disabilities – providing an introduction to measuring systems change, strategies for approaching evaluation, and relevant examples.