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Variety of services available to seniors

Capital - 8/25/2018

There are numerous options available for older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers for accessible classes, services and events at Anne Arundel County's seven senior activity centers and its 20 activity/nutrition sites.

For a detailed review, visit www.aacounty.org/aging or call 410-222-4257 for information about services and programs. Online, view the annual publication titled "The Directory for Older Adults, Adults with Disabilities and Caregivers" or obtain a free, printed copy at the department's two office sites, senior activity centers, libraries, hospitals and other county sites.

The Department of Aging and Disabilities South is on the fourth floor of The Heritage Complex, 2666 Riva Road in Annapolis. A second location, Department of Aging and Disabilities North opened is in the Harry Hein Building, 7320 Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie.

Senior Activity Centers and Nutrition Sites: Senior Activity Centers provide a variety of educational programs, recreational activities, seminars, and classes in art, crafts, computer use, dance and many other topics. There are also social events, bus trips, picnics, card playing, entertainment and much more. Membership to senior activity centers is free and available to residents age 55 and older. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, except holidays.

Nutrition sites throughout the county provide nutritious meals for adults age 60 and older.Days and times of operation vary. Seven sites are at the county's senior centers.

All senior activity centers provide educational, recreational and professional services. Individual schedules are available each month.

*Annapolis Senior Activity Center, 119 S. Villa Ave., Annapolis. 410-222-1818, annapoliscenter@aacounty.org.

*Arnold Senior Activity Center, 44 Church Road, Arnold. 410-222-1922, arnoldcenter@aacounty.org.

*Brooklyn Park Senior Activity Center, 202 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park. 410-222-6847, bpcenter@aacounty.org.

*O'Malley Senior Activity Center & Annex, 1275 Odenton Road, Odenton. 410-222-6227, omalleycenter@aacounty.org.

*Pasadena Senior Activity Center, 4103 Mountain Road, Pasadena. 410-222-0030, pasadenacenter@aacounty.org.

*Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie. 410-222-6680, pascalcenter@aacounty.org.

*South County Senior Activity Center, 27 Stepneys Lane, Edgewater. 410-222-1927, southcenter@aacounty.org.

Selected programs

Maryland Access Point (MAP): MAP offers "one-stop shopping" to older adults, adults with disabilities and their relatives or caregivers of Anne Arundel County. Information and assistance specialists are the single source of reliable, current information, assistance and follow-up. This is the confidential gateway to support services.

Senior Information and Assistance Specialists help define problem areas and determine eligibility for needed services, sort through options, make referrals, help with forms and follow up to ensure the right services are being used. The trained staff of MAP act as advocates and educate the public about issues relating to age or disability and available resources.

Adult Evaluation and Review Service: Provides comprehensive nursing and psycho-social evaluation. Develops client care plans, identifies needs and makes referrals to appropriate services to assist functionally challenged and chronically ill adults 18 years of age and older function as independently as possible.

Aging & Disabilities Legal and Financial Aid: The Law Project can provide free legal assistance, advice and representation on issues including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, pension benefits, unemployment, housing, credit or other civil matters. It can also provide advice on other types of issues like credit counseling, long term care and health care related issues, food stamps, housing and utilities issues, abuse and neglect, age discrimination and guardianship, nursing home and protective service issues.

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Adult Public Guardianship: Provides court-ordered guardianship services to those ages 65 and older with a physical or mental disability, who have no family or friends to assume responsibility for medical and personal decisions. Program provides education and information about alternatives to public and private guardianship and health care powers of attorney.

Aging & Disabilities Resources Database: A database that contains information about agencies, organizations, businesses and facilities in the community providing services and programs to assist older persons and persons with disabilities.

Americans with Disabilities Act Office: Coordinates and serves as a resource for Anne Arundel County government programs and facilities to ensure accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which became law in 1990. The office serves as a resource for other private sector ADA and Federal Fair Housing issues.

Caregiver Support Group: Caregivers for the elderly or disabled can meet twice monthly to share advice and provide support. Meetings are held at two sites: the Heritage Complex at 2666 Riva Road in Annapolis, every third Tuesday of the month, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; and also at the department's North office at the Harry Hein Building, 7320 Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie, every second Wednesday of the month, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Community Support Groups: See the official link for a list of support groups throughout Anne Arundel County at www.aacounty.org.

Health Insurance Counseling (SHIP, State Health Insurance Assistance Program): Provides health insurance assistance and information to Medicare-eligible persons and their families. Staff and trained volunteers assist clients with understanding Medicare benefits, Medicare supplemental options, Medicare Advantage options and Medicare Prescription Part D options. They also provide options for dealing with health care costs and Medicare billing issues.

Home and Community Based Options Waiver (HCBOW): Community Options Waiver enables adults 18 and older to remain in a community setting even though their advanced age or disability would warrant placement in a long-term care facility. The waiver allows services that are typically covered by Medicaid only in long-term care facilities to be provided to eligible persons in their own homes or in assisted living facilities. Under Community Options Waiver, the federal government "waives" certain requirements it imposes on states, such as the requirement that services be provided in a nursing facility. For eligible clients, the state will pay for covered services to enable them to stay in the community.

Home Delivered Meals: One hot and one cold nutritionally balanced meal are delivered each weekday by friendly Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland volunteers to homebound people, including seniors who are unable to shop or cook for themselves. Fees are on a sliding scale.

Housing Assistance: Provides monitoring and offers technical assistance to assisted living facilities. The program administers a subsidy to financially and functionally eligible residents in these facilities. It helps coordinate quality assurance at Congregate Housing service sites, offers public information to professionals, proprietors and consumers about regulatory requirements and housing options for seniors and those with disabilities; and collaborates with Adult Protective Services and the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable adults residing in community-based settings.

In-Home Aide Services: A Department of Social Services program, it is managed by the Department of Aging and Disabilities. A statewide program, it provides up to 20 hours per week of assistance from home aides who can help with personal care, chore and respite services for frail elderly adults and clients age 18 and older who have disabilities.

Long-Term Care Bureau: A service delivery system which coordinates services for the aging and disabled population utilizing public and private agencies. The purpose of the Long Term Care Bureau is to help frail and disabled individuals to remain safely in the community for as long as possible.

Community Personal Assistance Services/Community First Choice: Federally funded program supports residents of Anne Arundel County who have Community Medical Assistance, and are elderly, have disabilities and/or are chronically ill, through assistance with activities of daily living and advocacy for services that promote choice and safeguard their dignity as they age in place.

National Family Caregiver Support Program: Provides services and support to caregivers caring for loved ones age 60 or older. Also provides services and supports to grandparents and relative caregivers age 55 and older who have responsibility for children younger than age 18. Services include information, assistance, caregiver training, family counseling, support groups, respite for caregivers and supplemental services.

Ombudsman Program (Resident Advocate): Receives and resolves complaints made by or for residents of long-term care facilities. Advocates for residents' rights and quality care. Educates public on long-term care facilities and services. Protects identity of residents and individuals who make complaints.

People and Animals Who Serve (PAWS): P.A.W.S. is a program that matches single individuals, parents and their small children, and/or people with pets to visit residents of nursing homes and assisted living sites in our community.

Respite Care Referral Program: Maintains a registry of screened and trained self-employed home care workers. Workers are available during day, evening and night hours to provide assistance to the elderly, ill, frail or those with disabilities in their homes. There is no charge for the referral service. This is a self-pay program: clients and workers negotiate the fee.

Senior Care/In-Home Aide Services/Evidence-Based Programs: Provides in-home services and case management for persons who are frail, elderly, over 18 years of age, physically disabled, at-risk of abuse/neglect or need help during an illness in order to continue living at home. Services may include personal care, housekeeping, doing laundry and meal preparation. Financial and medical criteria must be met.

Senior Center Plus: Provides specialized activities for adults who are age 55 and older in three of the county's seven senior centers: Arnold, Pascal and Annapolis. Special staff is available to a small group of seniors who may have impairments, but do not require medical intervention, to help them maneuver the busy center environment. This is a fee-for-service program.

Senior Nutrition Program: This program provides a lunch that meets 1/3 of the United States Recommended Daily Allowance to seniors and some with disabilities five days a week. Participants of this program are not charged for the meals though donations are accepted to help offset the cost. Reservations a week in advance are required. Those under 60 years of age must pay full price for the meal.

Senior Farmers Market: Coupons are available to low-income seniors enrolled in certain federal and state programs. These coupons are to be used at authorized farmers markets and with authorized farmers.

Senior Medicare Patrol: A grant-funded project to combat fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, program provides public education to increase senior awareness of health care fraud issues. One-on-one assistance is available in reporting suspected Medicare/Medicaid fraud and abuse.

Shop N'Eat Program: (Subsidizing Healthy-food Options Plus Nutrition Education and Training) is a new program to educate and provide opportunities for developing healthy eating habits for AACo. senior residents through the use of subsidized grocery cash cards. Participants must be 60 years or older, Anne Arundel County resident (must show proof) and participate in nutrition education each quarter.

Telephone Reassurance: Provides daily phone calls at a specific time of day to seniors who may be frail, isolated or living alone. Volunteers check in with senior clients 365 days a year.

Two programs, a Taxi Voucher Program, and a Transportation Program, were moved to the Office of Transportation under County Executive Steve Schuh's budget last year. The Foster Grandparents Program was discontinued.

Credit: By Wendi Winters - Staff writer

Caption: Mariette Campbell, left, with the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging, helps seniors Roger Rambo, 68, center and Thomas Parker, 93, make milk carton rabbits baskets to store candy at the Annapolis Senior Activity Center in 2017.

Paul W. Gillespie/Staff

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