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Welcome to AoA’s revitalized website

This document outlines the features of our new website. In designing our new website, we considered our intended audience, which is primarily professional in nature; our commitment to making our website as accessible as possible to our users, without regard to disabilities; and our goal of providing a user-friendly format.

This document is divided into three (3) sections:

Wherever you see blue writing, as shown above, that means there is a hyperlink (a link from one electronic document to another that can be triggered by the user). This document, just like the new AoA website, contains many hyperlinks that will allow you to go directly to the identified section of the AoA website from this document.

From any section of our new website, you may quickly find the resources you are looking for by either:

  1. Using the search feature located on the top right corner, on every page, of the website; or
  2. Accessing the Sitemap, which is located at the bottom of every page on our website. To access the Sitemap, here .

General Information

Our website is divided into 9 main menu options, which includes an option for returning to the website’s Home page. The 9 main menu options are shown in a left navigation menu. From within any section of the AoA website, you can always return to the Home page to start a new search.

From within the various menu sub-sections, if you want to review a different section within the same menu selection, click your back arrow or use the “breadcrumbs” at the top of your screen, just under the AoA logo, to return to the introductory page for that main menu option.

Breadcrumb navigation displays the current page's context within the site structure. The term "breadcrumb" is as in "Hansel and Gretel" - leaving a trail of crumbs in order to find their way back out of the forest. Clicking on the desired breadcrumb will take you to that page.

Once you return to the main menu page, simply select your next topic of interest within that menu option. From anywhere in the website, except for the Sitemap and other utilities featured at the bottom of every Web page, you can always access the 9 main menu options.

From the bottom of every Web page, you can select from several site utility options. We encourage you to use Feedback to give us your suggestions and comments about our new website.

Finally, whenever a link from our website will direct you to another (off-site and non-government) website, you will see this symbolExit Disclaimer . Once you have made a selection that will send you to another website, two things will happen. First, a new screen will pop up letting you know you are being redirected away from AoA.gov. At this point, you will be directed to the new website in 5 seconds unless you close the pop up screen and cancel your selection. Second, whenever you go to an off-site website from AoA.gov, a new window will open up on your screen to display this new website. The AoA website will remain accessible, at the bottom of your screen, so you can easily return to your point of origin on the AoA website. If you have accessed a new website and you wish to leave the AoA website, you will need to close the AoA website window manually.

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Home Page Overview

Let's begin with a few basics about the design of our website. The home page is divided into 3 sections:

  1. The left section includes the “navigation menu” of options available on our website. Click on any one of these options and the sub-menu of options for that section will open up in the left navigation menu as well as in the middle of your screen. If you see something of interest, you may either click on the link in the left navigation menu or from the information listing in the middle of your screen.
  2. The center section includes some short cuts to frequently requested information.
    1. Elders & Families: Select any of the topics shown and you will be directed to an off-site resource that provides the relevant information.
    2. AoA Programs: Select any topic shown and you will be directed to an introductory page, which provides links to all AoA-related programs within that topic area.
    3. News & Information/Calendar of Aging Events: To access this information click on one of the two tabs at the top of the box. News & Information will always appear when you first arrive on our home page.
      • News & Information: The five (5) most recent news releases from AoA will always appear in this section of our home page. Earlier articles can be accessed by selecting “More” at the bottom of this section or by going to the News & Information section of the Press Room.
      • Calendar of Aging Events: This searchable calendar contains information about conferences, at the state and national level, of relevance to the National Aging Network (Federal, State, and local level entities that provide services mandated through the Older Americans Act.)
  3. The right section highlights time-sensitive information of importance to the National Aging Network. This section of our website only appears on the home page. Once you access information within our website, you will need to return to the home page if you wish to access other items in this section.

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Left Navigation Menu Options

AoA’s website includes 9 left menu navigation options, each of which is discussed in more detail below. 

About AoA
Here you will find background information on AoA, including our mission and vision, our organizational structure, our budget, our Strategic Plan, our Annual Reports to Congress, and information about applying for a job at AoA; as well as information about how to contact us.

Press Room
This section provides information of relevance to the media as well as those interested in current events at AoA. News and information including media advisories and press releases; speeches and testimony; information about observances relevant to older Americans; publications and fact sheets; our E-Newsletter; and our Calendar of Aging Events are available here.

Elders & Families
In this section, you will find off-site resources intended to connect older persons, caregivers and professionals to important federal, national, and local programs. The resources provided in this section are the same as those shown in the middle section of our home page. However, here you will find brief explanations of the type of information those resources may provide.

Emergency Preparedness
This section of our website is intended to provide emergency planning and response information, including resources and strategies that can assist individuals and the National Aging Network to better prepare for, and respond to, all types of emergencies and disasters.

Aging Statistics
The information in this section of our website brings together a wide variety of statistical information, including key statistics on older Americans.

AoA Programs
This section provides details about all of AoA’s programs, both mandatory and discretionary, as well as tools and resources for professionals. The information contained here is divided into 5 sections:

  1. Older Americans Act & Aging Network: The Older Americans Act (OAA) section of the website offers information about the Older Americans Act (OAA), which provides the legislative authority for AoA’s Programs. Information in the Aging Network section offers information to those who provided services under the OAA.
  2. Home & Community Based Long-Term Care: This section provides detailed information about AoA’s programs that help older adults maintain their independence and dignity in their homes and communities as well as those that provide a range of supports to family caregivers.
  3. Elder Rights Protection: This section provides detailed information about AoA’s programs that help protect the rights of vulnerable older Americans.
  4. Special Projects: This section focuses on AoA special projects and initiatives that focus on creating meaningful choices and opportunities for older Americans to live independent and productive lives.
  5. Tools and Resources: This section offers resources for aging professionals and others, including a searchable database containing abstracts of materials produced by AoA grantees; Compendium of Active AoA Grants; information to help increase access to, and improve programs for, older minority Americans; listings of Federal websites that offer valuable information on a range of issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation, and resources for veterans; and websites of national organizations that provide information on a variety of issues.

Program Results
This section contains information about AoA’s data collection systems under its National Aging Program Information System (NAPIS); its national surveys of OAA participants; and results of its evaluation studies of OAA programs.

Grant Opportunities
Grants and cooperative agreements are the vehicles by which AoA provides funding to the National Aging Network. This section provides information useful to potential grant applicants as well as current grantees, such as funding opportunities, application forms, reporting requirements, and a link to grants.gov, which is the source for finding and applying for federal government grants, including those from AoA.

We hope this Visitor’s Guide has helped you learn your way around our new website. If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact us.

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Last Modified: 5/12/2010 2:24:02 PM