AREA AGENCIES ON AGING

What are Area Agencies on Aging? Areas Agencies on Aging (AAAs) consist of a network of approximately 620 organizations nationwide that serve the elderly populations (60+) of their local areas. Most agencies serve a specific geographic area of several neighboring counties, although a few offer services statewide. That is especially true in smaller or less densely populated states. All the AAAs get federal funding under the Older American Act and most supplement that funding with additional state and local revenues. Agencies may use the phrase "Area Agency on Aging" in their name such as the Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas or they may simply call themselves the County Office on Aging. Look for AREA AGENCY ON AGING in your telephone book. What AAAs Do Each Area Agency on Aging provides a different selection of services, although there are basic services that nearly all AAAs provide. They include: · Nutrition - counseling, home-delivered meals, and meals with others · Caregiver Support - respite care and caregiver training · Information and Referral - information about assistance programs and referrals to administrators · Long-Term Care Ombudsmen - information about long-term care facilities and investigation of complaints · Insurance Counseling - helping seniors understand and maximize the benefits of their insurance, especially Medicare · Transportation - help understanding and coordinating shared, non-medical transportation services. A lesser, but still significant. percentage of AAAs also provide families with help completing applications for assistance programs such as Medicaid, respite care, and certain veterans' programs. Finally, case management is a much-valued option, though it is offered more selectively than kinds of help. What AAAs Don't Do When planning for long-term care, it is equally important to know the services with which AAAs cannot or do not help families. · Hands-On Care - Except in very rare instances, AAAs do not provide hands-on care themselves, though some may sub-contract hands-on services to local providers. · Medicaid Planning - Medicaid has very restrictive financial eligibility requirements. AAAs will help to explain the requirements but will not and cannot offer any assistance in helping families to comply with or meet those requirements. · Veterans Benefits Planning - Similar to Medicaid, many VA programs have restrictive financial-eligibility rules, AAAs cannot advise families on how to structure income and assets to meet those requirements.