Florida Leads the Nation in Supporting Seniors and Their Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 31, 2025
CONTACT: Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Office of Communications

Florida Leads the Nation in Supporting Seniors and Their Families

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - As 2025 concludes, Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) Secretary Michelle Branham highlights a year of innovation, growth, and unwavering support for seniors across the state.

"2025 has been a year of building on what we've started, tackling new challenges with care, and creating more opportunities for older Floridians to live with independence and dignity. We were proud to launch Operation Senior Shield with Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, who is leading this effort to protect seniors, and we're grateful to partner with him in keeping Florida's cherished seniors safe," said Secretary Branham.

She continued, "With Governor Ron DeSantis' leadership and steadfast support, Florida remains the best state in the nation to live well and age well. As we head into 2026, we'll keep working to make sure seniors can enjoy their health, safety, and independence for years to come."

Florida's Seniors Continue to Shine in Governor DeSantis' Focus on Florida's Future Budget

To put Florida seniors first, the budget included:

• $3 million in additional funding, for a total of $73.8 million, to strengthen services under the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI). ADI supports caregivers and individuals diagnosed or suspected of having Alzheimer's or related memory disorders that affect daily living.
• An additional $10.5 million, bringing total funding to $126.5 million, to expand the Community Care for the Elderly and Home Care for the Elderly programs. These investments help seniors at risk of out-of-home placement by providing in-home services such as adult day care, caregiver respite, home-delivered meals, and minor home modifications.
• More than $2 million was included to expand the Florida Alzheimer's Center of Excellence, which connects families with early resources, support, and clinical trial opportunities following an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

Operation Senior Shield

In November, Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, in partnership with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, launched Operation Senior Shield - a statewide initiative aimed at tackling the rising epidemic of scams targeting older Floridians. With one of the nation's largest senior populations, Florida faces growing risks as fraud tactics evolve, costing older adults thousands of dollars every day.

As the fastest-growing and wealthiest demographic - holding 65% of the nation's total wealth and an estimated $13 trillion in home equity - seniors are prime targets for increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

Operation Senior Shield features a coordinated Statewide Fraud Strike Team that unites cyber experts, law enforcement, government agencies, community leaders, and seniors under one mission: to share intelligence, raise public awareness, and deliver the rapid response and focused protection that Florida's seniors deserve.

Sign up today at opseniorshieldfl.com.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP)

In 2025, the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program made measurable progress in its mission to protect and empower residents in long-term care. A coordinated statewide response to unsafe discharges resulted in safer outcomes and greater accountability, while work continues on tools to monitor these patterns more effectively. Local staff and volunteer ombudsman expanded their presence in facilities, strengthened relationships with residents, and brought forward critical concerns with renewed clarity. Standardized volunteer training ensured consistency in advocacy across all regions. This past year laid the foundation for long-term change - and underscored our unwavering commitment to dignity, rights, and justice for every resident we serve.

Alzheimer's

Florida remains committed to prioritizing Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Over the past year, $12.5 million was invested in the state's 17 Memory Disorder Clinics and affiliated service providers, enhancing access to diagnostic services and caregiver support. Over $2 million was directed toward expanding the Florida Alzheimer's Center of Excellence (FACE), which provides families with vital resources and early access to clinical trials. FACE's Care Navigation Program has seen exceptional outcomes, including an 86% reduction in falls and an 81% reduction in hospitalizations, resulting in healthcare cost savings exceeding $23 billion. Nearly $500,000 was allocated for the Alzheimer's Association's Brain Bus to provide services and outreach to rural areas of the state to promote early detection efforts.

The State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) identifies ADRD as a key priority area for the 2022-2026 cycle, with three overarching goals supported by ten measurable objectives. To date, six objectives have been successfully achieved, and the remaining four are on track for completion by the end of the current cycle. Since its launch in 2023, Florida's one-hour training course for direct-care workers has reached over 260,000 participants, aiming to improve care quality in licensed-care settings.

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