Episode Details

American Society on Aging's Patrice Dickerson is joned by Michelle Hoersch from the Illinois Department on Aging and Mindy Ulstad from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. 

This episode explores the growing national momentum behind Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs), highlighting Missouri and Illinois as two of the latest states to launch comprehensive strategies to support their aging populations. Missouri’s Master Plan on Aging provides a statewide roadmap to strengthen services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities, while Illinois’ EngAging Illinois plan outlines a 10-year vision for improving aging across sectors. 

Together, these initiatives bring together key areas such as healthcare, housing, transportation, workforce, and caregiving to better meet the needs of aging residents. This conversation examines what these efforts reveal about state leadership, cross-sector collaboration, implementation challenges, and best practices—and what they signal about the role of coordinated policy in preparing communities for a rapidly aging population.

This podcast is presented by West Health.