By Barb Nadeau –
For seniors trying to find services for loved ones far from home, the first step is to contact the closest Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging is found online at www.n4a.org.
The AAA helps seniors find services and assistance available to older adults. These include transportation, home delivered meals, caregiver support and respite, and adult protective services. Developed after the 1965 inception of the Older Americans Act (OAA), the AAA sees growing challenges to services for older adults who seek to live at home and in their communities. Since 2000, the older adult population has grown more than 82%, and by the year 2030, one quarter of Illinois residents will be 60 years old or older.
Some of the issues aging Americans deal with include isolation, food insecurity, higher medical care, and long-term care costs. Living in long-term care facilities and assisted living centers is exponentially more costly than remaining in the home. The cost of Meals on Wheels for a senior for an entire year equals the cost of one day in the hospital or 10 days in a nursing home or long-term care facility. In-home caregivers employed to offer service at a limited hourly basis is far less expensive and helps many older adults remain independent longer. Therefore, experts say what is of importance is keeping older adults living at home for as long as possible. It is a more attractive option, too. Most residents prefer living at home for as long as possible.
However, that means senior providers have a greater concern for reducing isolation. Lack of access to transportation, decreased mobility, disease diagnosis, and inability to connect to social media are all issues that play a role in senior isolation. Unfortunately, isolation often precedes worsening health, and higher medical and long-term care costs.
Food insecurity is a concern, because nationally, seven Million seniors live below the poverty line and one in two seniors is at risk for malnutrition. Nationwide, more than seven Million home-delivered meals are prepared and delivered each year, and more than 2.14 Million congregate meals are served. The AAA provides oversight and grant-funding to support these programs, and allocates federal dollars in communities.
The AAA supports access to transportation through local dial-a-ride and Para-transit services, as well as through volunteer transportation programs, adding up to more than 445,000 rides annually in Illinois.
AAA supports and is an advocate for family caregiver support. Recent studies show that 44 Million Americans are providing support for older adults in unpaid informal settings. The need for respite and caregiver counseling are skyrocketing, as a result.
Adult Protective Services (APS) programs in Illinois responded to more than 17,000 incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation last year. Reports are projected to exceed 19,000 in fiscal year 2019. AAA is working to assure that APS programs have the financial support to address the needs of the seniors involved.
Long term care ombudsmen, insurance counseling, and case management are additional services offered by or supported by the AAA.
What AAA cannot do includes hands-on care, Medicaid-planning, and veterans benefits planning. However, AAA will assist by offering information on other agencies in the person’s area.
It is a daunting task to be an advocate and provide oversight for all these programs and to offer timely help to non-profit service providers. Not every AAA can provide these programs equally. There is a wide gulf in access to services between downstate areas to Chicago and the more urbanized collar counties. In fact, there are differences just driving county to county. Seniors on the move may be wise to consider county and township boundaries and the taxing bodies that support services to seniors. Where you choose to reside can make a huge difference in the availability of services.
Information on specific services is available by calling 630-293-5990 or visiting the regional area agency on aging online at www.ageguide.org. Information on local projects for seniors in Kane and Kendall Counties is available through Senior Services Associates, 630-897-4035, or online at seniorservicesassoc.org.