A quote from the Older American Act, passed in 1965, states our goal best: “…to secure and maintain maximum independence and dignity in a home environment for older individuals, to remove individual and social barriers to economic and personal independence, and to provide a continuum of care for the vulnerable elderly.”

The Peninsula Agency on Aging, established in 1974, provide programs in cooperation with other community agencies in Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Poquoson, and James City and York counties to assist older Virginians in independent and productive living. The agency is a clearing-house for information, coordinates services, and provide planning and leadership on aging issues.

PAA is governed by an eleven-member Board of Directors appointed by the government bodies of Peninsula jurisdictions. The Board sets policy and provides oversight for staff. The Board of Directors is assisted by an Advisory Council, which represents the interests of consumers and service providers.

Funds are authorized through the Older Americans Act, and are administered by the Virginia Department for the Aging. Local funds are provided by the jurisdictions we serve and by the United Way. Contributions are used to provide direct services to older adults with special needs.

THE UNIQUE ROLE OF AREA AGENCIES ON AGING IN VIRGINIA

Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in Virginia fill a unique and vital role in the long term care services system for persons sixty years of age and over. AAAs are mandated by the Federal Older Americans Act to serve all older individuals without regard to their social or economic status. The same law, however, requires that where resources are insufficient, preference must be given to those who are in the greatest social or economic need.

Given this mandated flexibility and responsibility, AAAs are able to serve the poor and near poor and prevent or delay physical and mental deteriation whic leads to costly institutionalization. Many times, more affluent elderly are quickly reduced to poverty by long term care expenses if guidance in the form of care management and a degree of financial assistance are not provided.

AAAs are the primary access route to services for most older individuals. An extremely important point in explaining how AAAs are unique in the human services delivery system, is that they are neither perceived nor intended to be welfare agencies. Many elderly people who require help will come to an AAA, but they will not go to an agency that bears the welfare stigma, no matter how unfair that label may be.

AAAs are also uniquely and aptly equipped to manage a cost effective and accessible approach to meeting the community and home based long term care needs of a growing elderly population. For years AAAs have been recognized in communities throughout Virginia as having experienced staff performing case management activities that promote a coordinated and efficient program of service delivery. Consequently, all care giving options, family and non-family, paid and volunteer, are explored and utilized to assure quality care is delivered in a cost effective manner.

In conclusion, should Virginia's in-home care funding flow exclusively to a department that must adhere to inflexible income guidelines, a large portion of frail, at-risk elderly population would have no access to services. If, however, funding were directed to the Department for the Aging for distribution to AAAs, the low income elderly would still be served, while access would be assured to other elderly who are in need of services to avoid more costly institutionalization. AAAs can also generate additional revenue for in-home care through program participant contributions. The solicitation of such constributions is mandated under the Older Americans Act.

Prepared by: William S. Massey, CEO, Peninsula Agency on Aging, Inc.

THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF PROGRAMS FOR OLDER AMERICANS (Click here to open the PDF file)