What are Area Agencies on Aging

Areas Agencies on Aging (AAAs) is a network of approximately 620 organizations nationwide which 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.  This is especially true in smaller or less densely populated states.   All the AAAs receive 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.

What AAAs Do

Each Area Agency on Aging provides a different suite of services although there are basic services which are provided by nearly all AAAs.  These include:

• Nutrition - counseling, home delivered and congregate meals
• Caregiver Support - respite care and caregiver training
• Information & 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 - assistance 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 offered more selectively than other types of help. 

What AAAs Don't Do

When planning for long term care, it is equally important to know the services with which the AAAs cannot or do not help families.  

• Hands-On Care - Except in very rare instances, AAAs do not provide hands-on care themselves.  However, 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 eligible rules, AAAs cannot advise families on how to structure income and assets to meet those requirements.

Alternative Assistance Options

Public Alternatives

Aging and Disability Resource Centers - ADRCs serve as a single point of entry for families to learn about the long term care support services available to them through federal, state and other programs. The ADRCs provide free and objective counseling services. While very helpful, the ADRC system is still being developed and is not available nationwide.  In addition, in many cases, the ADRC Agency is same agency as the Area Agency on Aging.  However in some states these are separate entities.  

Private Assistance

Medicaid Planners - Medicaid planners offer families assistance with the complicated Medicaid application process.  More importantly they help families to structure their finances to meet with Medicaid's financial requirements.  Read more.

Veterans Benefits Planners - Benefit planners help families to understand the different and sometimes conflicting benefits which they may be due and help to calculate and re-structure income and assets to meet program requirements. Read more.