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Testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Key findings include:

• life expectancy and health status: life expectancies for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are low relative to the general population of the USA. It is also very important to note that there is substantial variation across Native American and Alaskan Native tribes in life expectancy across the Indian Health Service areas
• chronic disease: while quantity of life is an important indicator of health for the general population health, the health status of the aged is also an important focus. Native elders are more likely than the general population to experience arthritis, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes

Recommendations of the report include:

the need for an initiative to develop intervention and health promotion models leading to improved outcomes for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives as they enter their elder years
• the need for the development of long-term care requires solutions that are tailored in terms of both the types of care that work best, and the means by which local communities can realistically produce the care required
• Increased support for targeted research on Native American aging and related educational and capacity building programs is essential to help fill gaps in information and help tribes anticipate emerging health care needs

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