The Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act outlines California's dedication to supporting older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers. It aligns with the goals set by the federal Older Americans Act of 1965 and is implemented by the California Department of Aging.

This section highlights the importance of older adults in California, recognizing them as a valuable resource whose potential has been underutilized. It emphasizes that as the number of older adults grows, services must be better coordinated across various agencies to improve efficiency and service quality. The state aims to help older adults maintain self-sufficiency and dignity and plans to address the growing and diverse aging population by integrating different types of support and understanding cultural values. It also stresses the need to remove disparities in accessing services. The Legislature intends to reform how services for older adults are structured and delivered, focusing on governance, program effectiveness, and public awareness.

This section outlines California's approach to supporting older adults. The state wants to initiate programs with volunteers, government partnerships, and coordination with state and federal agencies. They emphasize involving older adults in these processes and prioritizing their unique needs.

The California Department of Aging is tasked with ensuring access to information and services that let older adults live independently and safely. The department should also advocate for preventive health care, suitable housing, and employment opportunities for seniors.

By 2026, the department must outline core services and funding updates, develop performance metrics, and promote public awareness for older adult programs, focusing on underserved groups. Regulations will guide how area agencies on aging are designated and funded.

Any changes should comply with federal laws, aiming to minimize service disruption for seniors and caregivers.

This section specifies that the deliverables mentioned in Section 9002 should be developed using data from reliable sources. These sources include various well-known databases and data collection projects, such as the United States Census, the Department of Finance, the Master Plan for Aging Data Dashboard, the Elder Index, and the Healthy Places Index.

This section of the law says that if any part of the code about aging makes California's plan not match federal rules, then those parts won't apply. It's like hitting the pause button so California stays in line with federal laws.

Additionally, when making changes to this division, the state should ensure these changes support the development and running of long-term care integration pilot projects, which should follow certain guidelines. The Department must also cooperate with the State Department of Health Services to figure out the best local agencies to manage these projects.

Adult day health care is a structured daytime program offering therapeutic, social, and health services for elderly people with physical or mental impairments. The goal is to help these individuals maintain or regain their ability to care for themselves. On a short-term basis, it helps transition them from hospitals or home health care to living independently. On a long-term basis, it provides an alternative to living in a nursing home when 24-hour care isn't necessary or preferred.

An 'advisory council' refers to a group made up of both regular people and service providers. This group represents the interests of older individuals in a particular area. It is officially recognized by the area agency on aging, a commission, and a department.

An 'area agency on aging' is either a private nonprofit or a public agency chosen by the department to serve older Californians in specific regions. These agencies focus on planning, coordinating, and developing programs. They also contract to deliver various social and nutritional services.

This section defines the term "Commission" as referring specifically to the California Commission on Aging.

This law defines the "Elder Economic Security Standard Index" as a tool available online that measures the costs for elders to meet their basic needs, including items like food, healthcare, and housing.

The University of California, Los Angeles Center for Health Policy Research updates this index every two years using publicly available data about living costs in each county across the state.

The term “comprehensive and coordinated system” refers to a planned network of connected social and nutrition services aimed at supporting older adults in a specific geographic area.

The term "Director" refers specifically to the person in charge of the California Department of Aging.

"Frail elderly" refers to someone who has long-term physical or mental issues that make it hard for them to do daily tasks and could stop them from living on their own.

This section defines 'greatest economic need' as the financial need that arises when a person's income is at or below the poverty level set by the Census Bureau.

The term “greatest social need” refers to challenges stemming from noneconomic reasons that limit a person's ability to handle daily activities or live independently. These can include disabilities, language issues, and isolation due to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, HIV status, or gender identity or expression.

This section defines 'long-term care' as a set of services aimed at supporting people who cannot fully take care of themselves. It includes a range of services like medical care, rehabilitation, and personal support, all designed to help individuals maintain their health and well-being in a setting as close to normal life as possible. The focus is on finding alternatives to placing people in institutions and considering both formal and informal care systems. Long-term care can be provided in various environments like nursing homes, residential care, or through services delivered at home.

The term "Older Americans Act" refers to a law starting at Section 3001 of Title 42 in the United States Code, which provides various services and benefits to older adults in the U.S.

This section defines an "older individual" or "elderly" as anyone who is 60 years old or older. However, this definition might change if federal law requires a different age or criteria.

This section defines what 'personal and community support networks' are for elderly individuals in California. Essentially, these are the people and groups that seniors commonly rely on for help, like their families, friends, neighbors, religious groups, and local community organizations.

The term 'Planning and service area' refers to a region defined by the department according to guidelines set by the Older Americans Act of 1965 and its amendments.

Supportive services are designed to help people stay in their own homes and avoid moving to care facilities like nursing homes.

This law describes a system of services for older adults and adults with functional impairments that offers various local programs aimed at supporting self-care and allowing them to live independently at home or in a home-like setting.