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Show 1965 Congress enacted the Older Americans Act as a response to the challenges a burgeoning older population imposed on our country's systems of health care, retirement financing, housing, employment, and social and community services. The Older Americans Act created the structures at the federal, state, and local level to administer and plan the service programs that help our nation's elderly maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities. Federal funds appropriated under Title III of the Act are allocated among the states and territorial units based on size of the population over 60 years older in each state. Each state then makes grants to their Area Agencies on Aging to administer and services, support a wide range of supportive and nutrition services, including care institutions. and services to individuals in Today, the network includes the Administration on Aging, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, 57 State Offices on Aging at the state and territorial level, and 670 Area Agencies on Aging at the community level. Every Area Agency on Aging is required to have an advisory council to advise and review the implementation of programs and services for the community's older citizens. Today, more than 15,000 citizen advisory council members work in partnership with their local Area Agency on Aging. In addition, special aging programs in more than 190 Native American tribal organizations have funded Title VI of the Older Americans In long-ter- Act. WHAT IS AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING? communities offer legal services. For those elderly Legal Assistance-Ma- ny who are unable to manage their own affairs appropriately, legal andor protective services may be needed. Such services are designed to safeguard the rights and interests of older persons, to protect them from harm, to protect their property and to provide advice and counsel to older persons and their families in dealing with financial and business concerns. Some legal issues that older persons and their families may be interested in could include: power of attorney; guardianship; wills; "right to die" living wills; government benefits and entitlements; consumer services; landlordtenant problems; pensions; age discrimination; family law; etc. the country, more than 12,000 senior Senior Center Programs-Acro- ss centers support group activities for social, physical and recreational purposes. In senior centers (MPSC) function as a focal point for many communities, service delivery. The MPSC provides a social environment comprehensive coordinating health and social services and designing adult education programs. Many centers function as meal sites and cultural centers and, as such, are an " elderly. important vehicle for reaching the to various state and community Elder Abuse Prevention Programs-Refe- rs and adult as such ship designed to guardianshipconservator protection programs of maltreatment such alleviate situations of abuse, neglect or Examples or misuse of material abuse include (theft could physical abuse; psychological abuse; All states and many local communities have an medical abuse. and property); Ombudsman responsible for investigating and resolving complaints made by or on care facilities. behalf of residents in multi-purpos- e "under-served- t. long-ter- An Area Agency On Aging is a public or private agency, designated by the state to address the needs and concerns of all older Americans at the local level. Area Agency on Aging is a generic term. Specific names of local Area Agencies on Aging may vary. They may be listed in the telephone directory in the blue pages for government listings and in the yellow pages u non-prof- it Area nder "aging", "senior citizens service organizations" or social services" a area either is a that for are on city, geographic primarily responsible Aging Agencies district. Of the 670 Area Agencies on Aging across a single county or a the county, about 66 are publicgovernmenta! agencies and 33 are private nonprofit organizations. multi-count- y WHAT DOES AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING DO? All Area Agencies on Aging provide three important services for Americans aged 60 years and over: 1 Advocate for all older Americans within their service areas. r 2. Identify the needs of the elderly in their areas and create plans for the meet those which services community-baseof comprehensive, development . multi-yea- d needs. 3. Administer Older Americans Act funds and other funds which implement the plans. Area Agencies on Aging administer these funds largely through contracts with local service providers furnishing these services at the community level. Generally speaking, Area Agencies on aging provide services directly only when there are no other appropriate providers to ensure an adequate supply of services to older persons. Area Agencies also monitor and evaluate service providers for their efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services, and work with providers to coordinate services and ensure that needed services are developed and provided in the community. Area Agencies on Aging administer and support a wide range of community-basesupportive and nutrition services. Because local needs differ, not all elder care services function in the same manner or are necessarily available in every community. Services coordinated by Area Agencies on Aging include access services, services and services to resident in facilities community-baseservices, A listing of commonly available services are care. long-terinstitutional providing d d provided below: SERVICES their homes, deigned to help as individuals stay long as possible. these can be called Home Delivered Meals-Ott- en delivered five or a week to individuals unable to shop and prepare food on their own. These services can provide enhanced nutrition and a sense of security for the homebound elderly. Home Health Services-Cove- rs many services, often under a nurse's or doctor's supervision. These may include skilled nursing care, health monitoring and evaluation, dispensing medication, physical and other types of therapy, psychological or counseling, and instructing individuals or families about onooina care. Homemakers-Assi- st individuals with many of the tasks essential to maintaining a house-hold- , from food shopping and preparing meals to light housekeeping and laundry. by some agencies or volunteer Telephone Reassurance-Provid- ed calls to the homebound. ensuring regular organizations through persona safety is the main objective of these programs, but these calls also bring personal phone contact to an individual to reduce social isolation. Friendly Visiting A volunteer program of periodic neighborly visits to homebound elders for the purpose of providing social contact, interaction and These are direct services to older Americans in their homes and in with their families "Meals-On-Wheels- ," reassurance. INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES Ombudsman Services for Complaint Resolution-A- ll states are required Care Ombudsman program to investigate and resolve to operate a Long-Tercare of older individuals who are resident of behalf or on made by complains facilities. The Ombudsman monitors the implementation of federal, state and local care facilities. Typical complaints confronting the laws governing long-terombudsman may include; quality of care problems; financial accounts; food; physical environment; physician services; social activities; administration; transfer arrangements; and legal problems. The Ombudsman can be reached through the State Agency on Aging. ELDERCARE LOCATOR 800 number for ln 1991, NAAAA established the Eldercare Locator, a Area Agencies and State identifying the information and referral services provided by Initiative Referral and Information on aging. This service is part of National NAAAA and the with in collaboration on Administration Aging implemented by the National Association of State Units on Aging. Individuals calling this service have access to more than 4,800 state and local information and referral service providers, identified for every ZIP code in the country. The database also includes special purpose l&R telephone numbers for: Alzheimer's hotlines Adult day carerespite services Nursing homeombudsman assistance . Consumer traud Hospitalnursing home information care complaints Legal Services Elder abuseprotective services MedicaidMedigap information Tax assistance Transportation m long-ter- toll-fre- ACCESS SERVICES These services help older Americans and their caregivers to obtain available services. Information and Referral-lnclud- es the provision of information to an individual about available public and voluntary services or resources and linkage to ensure the service will be delivered to the client. Also includes contact with the provider andor care givers on an individual's behalf. an individual from one location to another by public or Transportation-Taki- ng This buses or personal vehicles operated by vehicle. may include ride-opersonal volunteers. n COMMUNITY-BASE- D SERVICES These Services, provided directly, are available on a community level for all older Americans. Congregate Meal- s- Hot or other appropriate meals which assure a minimum of of the Required Daily Allowance (RDA) to a group of older persons at a group facility. Congregate meals may be available at senior centers, schools, or other sites. e one-thir- d The Eldercare Locator--1-800-677-11- 16 LOOKING TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE Spring 1993 7 |