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WHAT IS THE AREA AGENCY ON
AGING?
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
is the designated regional organization to meet the needs of
persons over 60 in Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and
Transylvania counties, by the North Carolina Division of
Aging and Adult Services. There are 17 AAAs in North
Carolina and over 600 in the United States.
WHAT DOES THE AAA DO?
• What if you work in Chapel Hill and your mother lives in
Brevard and she is about to enter a nursing home? You’re far
away and you have questions about how to find the best
facility and make an easy transition.
• What if you have identified someone in your community that
is over 100 years of age and would like to see them
acknowledged for their community contributions?
• What if you benefit from an in-home service offered by a
local agency and you want to make sure that the quality of
that service is excellent?
• What if you want the community informed of what’s going to
happen to the region when the “Baby Boomers” (those
individuals born between 1946 and 1964) age in these four
counties?
• What if you’d like to work part-time for minimum wage,
either for a local government or a non-profit agency?
If you have an interest in any of these areas, the
organization that can help you is your Area Agency on Aging
(AAA).
HOW IS THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING
(AAA) FUNDED?
It is funded through our federal, state, and local tax
dollars. The largest amount of money comes from the federal
Older Americans Act, passed in 1965. Its primary goal is to
keep older people in their own homes as long as possible to
avoid institutional placement. Some private contributions
are made for specific programs. The North Carolina General
Assembly has been generous to the Aging Network in recent
years.
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
uses about 10% for administration of the various programs.
WHO SETS POLICIES FOR THE AREA
AGENCY ON AGING (AAA)?
The Board of the Area Agency is chaired by Mr. Ray Miller,
the Chairman of the Transylvania County Board of
Commissioners. The remainder of the Board is composed of
elected officials and community leaders. The Area Agency
also works with an Advisory Council.
We also have a
Caregiver Program Advisory Committee. Our staff also
provides support to 5 county Community Advisory Committees
for the institutionalized elderly.
WHO STAFFS THIS WORK?
The Area Agency on Aging is staffed by
both full, and part-time, employees who see that
program goals are met. The AAA has five basic areas: 1)
advocacy; 2) planning; 3) program and resource development;
4) information brokerage and funds administration; and 5)
quality assurance.
HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE AT
THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING (AAA)?
The AAA is located in the Land-of-Sky Regional Council
offices, 339 New Leicester Highway, Suite 140, Asheville, NC 28806, Phone
828/251-6622, FAX 828/251-6353. Office hours are from 8:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., M-F. Visit our website at
http://www.landofsky.org/aging.html
HOW IS THIS AREA AGENCY ON AGING
DIFFERENT THAN A COUNCIL ON AGING?
In the four counties that the Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
serves, there are also private non-profit Councils on Aging
in Henderson and Buncombe counties which provide direct
services for older people within their specific county.
Madison and Transylvania counties have advisory boards to
their Boards of Commissioners concerning aging issues. We
all work closely together. The Area Agency works closely
with each of these groups, but our roles in the community
are different. Generally we are not involved in direct
service to the extent the local Councils on Aging are.
To learn more about your Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and
to participate in it, please contact us!
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