Area Agencies on Aging

Information and Access Services:

• Information and Referral/Assistance - a source for locating services available from a AAA or from another service agency in the community.
• Health Insurance Counseling - helps beneficiaries understand their options and rights under Medicare, Medicare+Choice and Medicaid and obtain information on Medigap and other insurance alternatives.
• Client Assessment - a determination of the client's needs and eligibility for services.
• Care Management - a review of an individual's social, psychological and physical health challenges, resulting in a "plan of care" for services or treatment, if appropriate.
• Transportation - rides to critical destinations such as a doctor's office or the grocery store.
• Caregiver Support - education and resources that enable caregivers to provide care for an older family member while maintaining their own quality of life.
• Retirement Planning and Education - help for older adults as they prepare for their retirement, with a focus on issues such as pensions, health concerns, legal issues, and work and leisure options.

Community-Based Services:

• Employment Services - a way to help the individual find meaningful work, including assessment, testing, job counseling, education and placement.
• Senior Centers - a gathering place where older adults can enjoy social, physical and recreational activities. Senior Centers may serve as congregate meal sites.
• Congregate Meals - group meals served at senior centers, schools and other sites for the purpose of providing a nutritious meal in a social environment.
• Adult Day Care Services - a community-based group program designed to meet the needs of functionally impaired adults and provide respite for their caregivers.
• Volunteer Opportunities - a way for healthy older adults to continue to contribute to their community.

In-Home Services:

• Meals-on-Wheels - mid-day and evening meals delivered to individuals who cannot shop or prepare their own meals, often by a volunteer who also provides a sense of security and social contact to a homebound individual.
• Homemakers - assistance with tasks essential to maintaining a household, such as food shopping and housekeeping.
• Chore Services - a step beyond homemaking - includes minor home repairs, yard work and general home maintenance.
• Telephone Reassurance - regular, pre-scheduled calls to homebound older adults to reduce isolation and provide a routine safety check.
• Friendly Visiting - periodic neighborly visits to homebound older adults to provide social contact and reassurance.
• Energy Assistance and Weatherization - payment of fuel bills and home weatherization for low income people.
• Emergency Response Systems - electronic devices which allow individuals to contact a response center in the case of an emergency, such as a fall.
• Home Health Services - a variety of services including skilled nursing care, health monitoring, dispensing of medication, physical and other forms of therapy, and instructing individuals and family members about home care.
• Personal Care Services - assistance with bathing, feeding, walking and other daily activities.
• Respite Care - a break for family members from caregiving responsibilities for a short period of time.

Housing:

• Senior Housing - housing designed to accommodate the needs and preferences of independent older adults.
• Alternative Community-Based Living Facilities - a range of housing facilities that bridge the gap between independent living and nursing homes, such as assisted living and adult foster care.

Elder Rights:

• Legal Assistance - advice and counsel for older persons and their families faced with financial and legal concerns.
• Elder Abuse Prevention Programs - designed to alleviate situations of abuse, neglect or self-neglect; includes programs such as adult protection and guardianship/conservatorship.
• Ombudsmen Services for Complaint Resolution - ombudsmen investigate and, when possible, resolve complaints made by or on behalf of older adults who are residents of long-term care facilities.