There are numerous government and community programs that assist the elderly. Your first source of information is your local Area Agency on Aging.
Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs)
AAAs were established to administer the Older Americans Act (OAA), first passed in 1965. The AAAs are mandated to “plan, coordinate and advocate the development of comprehensive and coordinated service delivery systems for all elderly, and provide limited funds for services aimed directed at those elderly with the greatest economic or social need.” For more information, check out AOA Programs. You can also add your name in support of the reauthorization of the OAA.
There are currently 629 AAAs throughout the country and additionally 246 AAA-type programs for Native American communities (Title VI). Some are public agencies within city or county governments; others are private non-profit agencies with their own boards of directors. There is no uniformity about their names, which may (or may not) include references to the agencies or communities they represent. The names, however, must easily be identifiable as offering services for the aging.
Each state has a State Agency on Aging which oversees the local AAAs.
The website of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging is a superb resource for all kinds of information on aging and links to other resources. It provides an impressive list (PDF) of the full range of services AAAs offer.
Nutrition Assistance Programs
The Administration on Aging provides links to numerous programs funded through the OAA. Two such programs are meals at Senior Centers (“Congregate Meals”) and “Meals on Wheels.” Congregate meals are generally offered several times a week for a small fee. The Meals on Wheels program offers home-delivered meals for a small fee. Meals on Wheels personnel also check up on the safety of the people receiving meals and provide some interaction.
While some people need Meals on Wheels temporarily while recovering from illness or surgery, others may use this service for an indefinite period. It’s available to people 60 and over, regardless of income, but there are waiting lists in many communities. For more information about these programs, contact your local AAA.
The Department of Agriculture also offers nutrition assistance programs, such as the food stamp program, renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Recipients get a debit card which can be used to buy food or food products intended for human consumption, including seeds and food plants. The card can’t be used to buy alcohol, cigarettes or cigars, pet food, restaurant food, or hot food products that you would immediately eat. It can be used to pay for home-delivered Meals on Wheels and meals served at authorized senior centers.
Another Department of Agriculture program is the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), which provides low-income seniors with coupons to be used during harvest season at farmers markets, community supported agricultural programs, and roadside stands. Recipients can buy fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey. This program is administered through either the state department of agriculture or the state Office on Aging.
Food stamp applications are available at Social Security offices. After you apply, your County Department of Job & Family Services (CDJFS) will assess your financial eligibility and figure out whether you’re eligible for assistance and how much assistance you’ll get.
To be eligible, your assets (not including your home, car, pension, and burial fund) may not exceed $3,000 and you must meet an income limit, which varies from state to state and year to year. If you qualify, you’ll receive your food stamp card no later than 30 days after the CDJFS received your application. If you’re denied food stamps and still believe that you qualify, or if you think you should receive more than you were awarded, call the CDJFS within 90 days from the date the decision is mailed to you to request a hearing. If a decision is made to reduce your food stamp amount, file a request for a hearing within 15 days of the mailing of the notice so you can have the amount of food stamps you currently receive continue during the period of your appeal.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is also administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. To qualify, you must be at least 60 years old and have an income at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. Participants in this program receive a free box of commodities once a month, which generally includes milk, cereal, juice, pasta, rice, oatmeal, beans, peanut butter, cheese, canned meat, and canned fruits and vegetables.
CSFP operates in 32 states, the District of Columbia, and two Native American reservations in South Dakota and Minnesota. If you’re approved for this program, you would most likely pick up the box at a distribution point such as a food bank or hospital. In some communities, the boxes are delivered to participants who are unable to pick them up.
Transportation Assistance
If you don’t drive, many areas have arrangements for taking seniors to medical appointments, stores, government agencies and local senior centers. Some may be provided by the state or county; others by private companies. For door-to-door service, you generally have to make arrangements in advance, and in many locations, fees are charged. Check with your local AAA for more information.
Most cities have at least some public transportation, most often buses that follow predetermined routes with regular stops. Fees are generally on a per-ride basis, but many bus services offer monthly or yearly passes at reduced fees. Many areas also offer senior discounts. Most cities also have taxis and various sorts of limousine services. These are expensive but can usually be engaged when needed Some counties or churches have programs that offer transportation with volunteer drivers.
The following web resources provide information and assistance. Information is welcome from those using these and other transportation assistance resources:
- The National Center on Senior Transportation offers many kinds of information and assistance including links to local service providers. Its mission is “to increase transportation options for older adults and enhance their ability to live more independently within their communities throughout the United States.”
- The National Transit Hotline, 1-800-527-8279, provides information on transportation providers that receive federal money to provide rides to seniors.
- ElderCare Online’s guide to finding local transportation services.
- Driving Services for the Elderly
- The National Patient Travel Center “provides information about all forms of charitable, long-distance medical transportation and referrals to all appropriate sources of help available in the national charitable medical transportation network.”
Other Programs Coordinated by AAAs
The AAAs coordinate numerous other programs including case management, elder abuse prevention, financial assistance, home repair, long-term care ombudsmen, and more. To find out what’s available in your area, check out the Eldercare Locator, or call 888-677-1116.
Community-based support programs like those discussed in this section are constantly under fire from political budget-cutters people with other priorities. AAAs always need more money. Our numbers are growing and are our major strength, so GET INVOLVED!