Help for Seniors and Caregivers
Services to help Seniors and Caregivers are provided
directly by Dallas Area Agency on Aging staff and through agreements with
vendors and contracts with public, private and non-profit organizations.
Eligibility for services
· Must be a Dallas County resident
· Must be 60 years of age or older or a caregiver of a person 60 years of age or older
·
Some services may have additional eligibility requirements related
to ability to perform Activities of Daily Living
Check out the services available:
Benefits Counseling Program – Helps seniors and caregivers understand public
entitlement programs including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income,
Medicare and Medicaid. Benefits Specialists provide individual counseling and
make referrals for assistance by telephone and at designated counseling sites.
Training and awareness opportunities are available throughout the year focusing
on Medicare and Medicaid related topics.
Click Here for more information
Click Here for: 2012 Benefits Training
and Benefits Counseling Schedules
Care Coordination Program – Helps to link seniors with available community
services. Activities of Care Coordinators may include screening, assessment,
care plan development, arranging, coordinating and following up on services.
The agency sponsors seminars in conjunction with other agencies to bring
awareness to the impact of caregiving and to provide information about available
resources.
Click here for more information
Caregiver Education Program - Provides basic caregiver education classes and
disseminates information relevant for informal caregivers to increase their
knowledge about available resources and awareness of the caregiving experience.
The program is offered by Z-Quest. Go to
www.familycaregiversonline.net/whoweare.html.
Caregiver Support Program – Helps link caregivers with available community
services. Activities of Caregiver Specialists may include screening,
assessment, care plan development, arranging, coordinating and following up on
services. The intent of this program is to ease the emotional, physical and
financial strain of caregiving.
Click here for more information
Chore Services – Performing household chores a senior is not able to handle
on their own, such as heavy cleaning, moving heavy furniture, and maintenance
such as yard/sidewalks.
Click here for more information
Health Intervention and Disease Prevention –Provides interventions to
improve the health of seniors. The two programs currently in place are based on
applying scientific reasoning, behavior change theory and program planning,
proven effective in reducing the risk of disease, disability and injury. The A
Matter of Balance Program reduces the fear of falling. The Chronic Disease Self
Management Program provides information to manage and prevent chronic diseases.
Click here for more information
Health Maintenance – Purchase of durable medical goods, nutrition
supplements, eyeglasses, hearing aids, or counseling for seniors and
caregivers.
Click here for more information
Health Promotion and Screening at Senior Centers - Operates in selected
nutrition sites in Dallas County providing health screening and health awareness
presentations that encourage healthy behaviors and reduce the risk for chronic
and preventable disease. Activities are open to participants of the sites and
seniors in the surrounding communities. The Health Promotion Program is a
program of the Visiting Nurse Association. Go to
www.vnatexas.org.
Information, Referral and Assistance - The Aging Information Office provides
Information Specialists that respond to callers and link them with available and
appropriate community resources (24 hrs, 7 days a week). Aging Information
Office is one of the access points to receive services. It is part of
2-1-1 Texas and serves as the Area
Information Center for North Texas administered by the Community Council of
Greater Dallas. The Aging Information Directory and Caregivers Guide,
published by the Community Council of Greater Dallas is available free of charge
and also is available on line.
Click here for more
information.
Deaf Action Center assists hearing-impaired seniors in accessing needed services
to maintain independence and develop skills to better cope with their deafness.
Go to
www.deafactioncentgertexas.org .
Legal Assistance and Awareness – Document preparation, advice or
representation provided by an attorney or Benefits Counselor to seniors or
caregivers with economic and social needs on matters related to insurance
issues, public/private benefits, and consumer problems. Assists with
preparation of wills, power of attorney and medical directives.
Click
here for more information
Medication Management Program - The Connecting Health Actions Together
Program focuses on providing information and education regarding the proper
administration of prescription and over-the-counter drugs to reduce incidences
of adverse drug reactions.
Click here for more information.
Mental Health Education and Awareness - The program provides information to
seniors about available mental health services, healthy aging, mental health and
mental illness awareness. The program is sponsored by Mental Health America of
Greater Dallas. Go to
www.mhadallas.org.
Nursing Home Ombudsman - Responsible for receiving, investigating and
resolving complaints made by, or on behalf of residents of nursing facilities
and assisted living facilities. The Friendly Visitor Program, a component of the
Ombudsman Program, matches nursing home residents that do not have regular
visitors with volunteers. These services ensure the highest quality of life and
quality of care for residents. The program is sponsored by The Senior Source.
Go to
www.TheSeniorSource.org.
Nutrition Services:
·
Congregate Meals at Senior Centers --Meals are served to
eligible seniors in congregate settings or nutrition sites to reduce food
insecurity and promote socialization. The meal provides a minimum of 33 1/3
percent of the required dietary reference intakes. Click here for more
information. The sites are located in churches, recreation centers, community
centers and provide other services that encourage independence and healthy
lifestyles.
·
Home Delivered Meals – A standard meal delivered to an
eligible participant in their place of residence. The objective is to reduce
food insecurity and help the recipient sustain independent living in a safe and
healthful environment. The meal provides a minimum of 33 1/3 percent of the
required dietary reference intakes.
Kosher
meals are also available for individuals who are eligible. Contact
www.jfsdallas.org .
Click here for more information about Nutrition Services
Personal Assistance – Temporary in-home assistance for seniors discharged
from a hospital or waiting disposition of eligibility for an entitlement program
with tasks they would typically perform if they were able. The senior must have
difficulty in performing a minimum of two activities of daily living. Click
here for more information
Residential Repair – Arranges for minor repairs or modifications to the home
of a senior that are essential for the health and safety of the occupants.
Click here for more information
Respite Care (Voucher) – Temporary relief for caregivers provided on an
intermittent or temporary basis while the caregiver is unavailable or needs
relief. The care recipient must be unable to perform a minimum of two
activities of daily living. The provider is chosen by the caregiver. In
addition to supervision, services may include meal preparation, housekeeping,
assistance with personal care and/or social and recreational services.
Click
here for more information
Transportation (Voucher) – Provides door to door trips to medical
appointments, social service agencies, entertainment and other activities for
seniors who cannot use or do not have access to public transportation services.
The provider is chosen by the senior who is responsible for negotiating the rate
and transportation schedule.
Click here for more information
Vision Changes Program - Program designed to address the issue of vision
loss and provide information to seniors and caregivers experiencing vision loss.
Also includes information about adaptive equipment available and how to use it.
Conducted at senior centers, retirement facilities and other locations where
seniors congregate. For more information call LifeRoads, Inc. at 214-353-0910.
Click here to request
information
