Aging
The Heart of Georgia Altamaha RC Area Agency on Aging (AAA), part of the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission, was designated in 1977 by the Georgia Division of Aging Services, to address the needs and concerns of older individuals and their caregivers in a seventeen county planning and service area. The Area Agency on Aging has an advisory council, comprised primarily of older persons, to review and comment on all programs affecting the elderly.
Our role as the Area Agency on Aging is to plan, coordinate, and advocate for the development of a comprehensive service delivery system to meet the short and long term needs of persons sixty years of age or older and their caregivers in the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Area. We accomplish this by working with federal, state, and local officials; elderly constituents; service providers; caregivers; and the private voluntary sector to coordinate existing services and to develop new services.
The Area Agency on Aging identifies the needs of the elderly and their caregivers and creates plans for meeting those needs through a system of in-home and community-based services which enable our customers to maintain their independence and dignity. The following is a list of services provided in the Heart of Georgia Altamaha area.
Services and Programs
Community Care Services Program
A program designed to assist eligible elderly and/or functionally impaired individuals in continuing to live in their homes and communities by providing cost-effective community based services as an alternative to nursing home placement. Services provided include Alternative Living Services, Emergency Response Services, Home Delivered Meals, Respite Care, Personal Support, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Skilled Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Home Health Aide, Non-Emergency Transport, Care Coordination, Adult Day Care, and Telephone Intake/Screening.
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"Gateway" Services
"Gateway" is a term used by the Area Agency on Aging to describe a service that provides information on and access to home and community-based services for clients, their families and other caregivers. All clients entering into services are processed through the Area Agency on Aging's "Gateway" System. A toll free number is in place where clients, providers, family members, physicians, etc. call to initialize the screening process. A registered nurse or social worker will conduct the telephone screening and make appropriate referral for services. With information about home and community-based services, elderly citizens and their families can make informed decisions about how best to manage their future.
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Care Coordination
A registered nurse or social worker completes an initial face to face assessment on all persons prior to entry into all programs with the exception of legal and ombudsman services.
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Elderly Legal Assistance
Provides legal assistance, information, and community education on issues related to general legal concerns, public benefits, housing, consumer claims, etc.
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Long Term Care Ombudsman
The long term care ombudsman strives to improve the quality of life of residents in long term care facilities by serving as a mediator and problem solver for residents and their families.
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Respite Care
In-home respite and out-of-home respite is offered to provide temporary relief from caregiving duties. It is provided by trained respite care aides for persons with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or other debilitating related illness. Extended respite is also available in-home and out of home for nights and weekends.
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Multi Purpose Senior Centers
Outreach, telephone reassurance, consumer education, transportation, arts, crafts, congregate meals, home delivered meals, escort and daily activities are some of the services provided through our Senior Centers.
Click here to see all our Senior Centers.
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Homemaker Services
Provides activities such as light housekeeping tasks, shopping, money management, and preparation of meals for persons who are homebound.
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GeorgiaCares
GeorgiaCares is designed to educate and help seniors apply for all available low cost prescription drug assistance programs. Included in GeorgiaCares is Georgia's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Lifelong Planning and Senior Medicare Patrol. Trained volunteer counselors help Medicare beneficiaries sort through the complexities of Medicare and related health insurance concerns.
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Wellness Program
This program focuses primarily on improving the health and quality of life of seniors; preventing/delaying disability and premature death from chronic disease; assisting individuals in making better lifestyle choices and taking a more active role in their own well being through nutrition, exercise, medication management, and mental health programming.
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Caregiver Program
This program provides assistance to caregivers that are providing care in the home to care receivers who require care and supervision on an ongoing basis. Services available include: respite care (in-and-out-of home), information and assistance; resource library; support group, and adult day care. Also provided services to grandparents raising grandchildren through Kinship Care Program.
Click here to download our Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection Caregiver Resource Directory in PDF Format.
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Material Aid Program
The brown bag program provides monthly 17 pound bags of groceries to supplement the diet of seniors living in poverty. Currently available only in Emanuel and Johnson counties.
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Advocacy
The AAA continues to advocate for the elderly in the Heart of Georgia Altamaha region by making persons aware of problems and needs of older individuals and their caregivers.
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Personal Care Services
Personal assistance to augment care given to persons unable to perform routine grooming and personal care tasks.
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ESP: An Aging and Long-Term Care Database
ESP is Georgia’s comprehensive resource database including 44 categories and more than 218 services. Resources included in the database are intended for information and referral purposes only. The AAA does not license, endorse, or recommend service providers, nor guarantee referrals. If you are interested in being included in the database, please contact our Aging Resource Specialist.
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Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection (ADRC)
The ADRC is designed as a single point of entry to assist consumer, caregivers and providers in obtaining information and assistance for elderly and disabled adults in the region.
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Money Follows the Person (MFP)
This program allows people in nursing homes or other long-term care institutions who are elderly or have physical or developmental disabilities to move out and receive services and supports to live in their own homes and communities. Money follows the individual by allowing the state to pay for long-term care in a home and community-based setting rather than an institutional setting by providing in-home services and supports.
Click here to download our MFP Referral Form.
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MDS Q Options Counseling
Georgia’s Gateway/ADRC is designated by the Department of Community Health (DCH) as the local contact agency (LCA) to receive referrals and provide options counseling (OC) for individuals wishing to transition from nursing facilities as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Section Q of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0.
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Care Consultation
A telephone-based, empowerment intervention that helps family caregivers and care receivers by providing information about health problems and available resources; mobilizing and facilitating the use of informal supports and formal services; and providing emotional support. Care consultants act as coaches and work in partnership with caregivers, care receivers, and other family members.
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Call Toll Free at 1-888-367-9913