Caregiver Corner

CAREGIVER CORNER Area Agencies on Aging Assist Older Adults & Caregivers

By Regan McManus, MHA, CRS-A/D Director, INCOG Area Agency on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging were created to provide services and support to older adults and their caregivers. The INCOG Area Agency on Aging serves older adults in Creek, Osage, and Tulsa counties.

In 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was passed as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative. The goal was to help older Americans remain in their homes and their communities with dignity and independence for as long as possible. The need for a local entity with a finger on the pulse of senior communities was soon discovered. The Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) were added to the Act in 1973 as a vehicle to distribute grant funding and provide services. Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) are responsible for meeting the needs of the areas they serve. That means conducting assessments to identify the community needs and to understand what is working well and what isn’t from the older adult and/or caregiver’s point of view. The results of these assessments drive the planning, program development, and funding distribution of the AAA. Because the majority of their funding comes through grants, AAAs strive to maximize the funding they receive to provide services to as many people as possible. To qualify for communitybased Older Americans Act services, a person must be aged 60 or older. For in-home services, a person must be aged 60 or older and complete an in-home assessment provided by an Outreach Specialist. This holistic assessment captures what the person’s current needs are, what support they have or do not have in place, and identifies what possible services they may qualify for under the OAA or through other social service programs. Income and resource information is not required or used to determine qualification for any OAA service.

REGAN McMANUS MHA, CRS-A/D

Director, INCOG Area Agency on Aging

SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS

The National Family Caregiver Support Program was added to the OAA in 2000 to provide funds specifially to support families and informal caregivers as they care for older adults in their homes. AAAs fund caregiver support services such as providing information about available services, help gaining access to services, individual counseling, support groups, caregiver training, and respite. Studies have shown that caregivers who utilize these services can reduce and/or prevent stress and burnout, anxiety and depression, while caregiving longer and keeping their loved one at home and out of a facility.

RESPITE SERVICES

The National Family Caregiver Support Program was added to the OAA in 2000 to provide funds specifically to support family and informal caregivers as they care for older adults in their homes. Each AAA in Oklahoma funds respite services for adult caregivers. Respite services give caregivers a much-needed break by allowing them to hire someone, using program funds, to stay with their loved one while they go to a movie, visit friends, tend to their own needs, or just rest! To qualify for caregiver programs, such as respite, the caregiver and care recipient are assessed. The caregiver must be 18 or older caring for a loved one who is 60 or older.

For a grandparent or older relative raising a grandchild, the age qualifier is 55 raising a grandchild under 18. The grandparent must live with the child, be the primary caregiver, and have a legal relationship to the child, such as legal custody or guardianship, or be raising the child informally. For respite services in Creek, Osage, and Tulsa Counties, caregivers can contact the INCOG Area Agency on Aging's provider Oxford HealthCare at (918) 258-1111. For other counties in Oklahoma, call the Caring Assistance Line at (800) 211-2116 toll-free.

HELP WITH LONG-TERM CARE

AAAs also help residents of long-term care facilities through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. An Ombudsman’s goal is to improve the quality of life and quality of care for long-term care residents. To do this, they work with long-term care facilities (nursing, assisted living, and residential care), advocating for residents, their rights, and their family and friends. Ombudsmen try to resolve issues within the facility through mediation. Ombudsmen also help caregivers and older adults with planning for long-term care by sharing facility directories and accessing annual state inspection results.

CARING ASSISTANCE LINE

AAAs have a hotline available to educate older adults and their caregivers about available services. The Caring Assistance Line is toll-free at (800) 211-2116. Through an Information and Assistance Specialist (I&A), who manages a hotline at each AAA, older adults and caregivers can discuss an array of topics, including basic needs, recreation opportunities, or even more complex topics such as long-term care options. The I&A Specialist provides resource and referral information to guide the caller with their next step. Today, over 600 AAAs serve older adults and their caregivers in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Oklahoma has 11 AAAs ready to assist and accessing your local AAA is as easy as calling the Caring Assistance Line at (800) 211-2116. To reach an AAA outside of Oklahoma, call the national Eldercare locator at (800) 677-1116 or visit eldercare.gov.

LIFE PACE is a medical and social services program for seniors who want to continue living in their own home or community. A team-based approach to care results in dramatically reduced hospitalization rates, fall rates and positive health outcomes. Together with the LIFE PACE team, PACE participants design a personalized care plan that helps to keep them independent and safe.

ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE PLANS MAY INCLUDE:

Call (918) 938-7653 or (918) 938-7660 (en Español) www.LIFEPACE.org

Adult day health Home care services Nutritious meals and dietary counseling

Transportation to and from the LIFE PACE center and medical appointments

Primary, medical and specialty care

Physical, occupational and speech therapies Dental, podiatry, optometry and other services

Prescription drug coverage and management Social services 24-hour access to the LIFE PACE care team

Recognized as a Medicare & Medicaid program.

Moore (918) 663-2233 Fitzgerald (918) 291-3500

Tulsa’s Traditions of Strength and Care for Over 90 Years.

WWW.MOOREFUNERAL.COM

• Six convenient locations • Direct access to

Memorial Park and Calvary

Cemeteries • On-site crematory • Experience working with all faiths • Active preneed and after care programs • All services performed 24/7/365 by Moore/

Fitzgerald staff

“Your loved one never leaves our care” • High Family

Satisfaction levels