On Monday, April 16, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the creation of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) which combines the Administration on Aging, Office on Disability and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities into a single agency that advocates community support and in home care for specialized groups of people, such as seniors with dementia or children with disabilities. This effort seeks to enhance the quality of life for these individuals in their own communities and neighborhoods, rather than in nursing homes or institutions. The initiative will go beyond health care and include the availability of appropriate housing, education, and social participation. The new agency will work with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)  to develop and refine policies that promote independent living, and may affect how you care for your aging loved one in the future. More information about this agency is available on their website //www.hhs.gov/acl/