Interest and Advisory Groups

While advisory groups are not unique to the aging network, the presence of a network of advisory groups in parallel with the administrative structure of Older Americans Act programs provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between citizen participation, congressional intent and bureaucratic implementation of programs. The unfulfilled opportunity for advisory group contributions on a national basis is disappointing, especially because it fails to replicate the successful administrative structure of Older Americans Act programs. Some ideas generic to all advisory groups are presented here to assist in strengthening the value of advisory groups.