Our Members Are Advocacy in Action!

As AAAs need to figure out a new balance of in-person and virtual service delivery, Chenango County Area Agency on Aging has opened a new in-person site for meals, recreation, and socialization for older adults. The Evening Sun covered this in an online article from August 2, 2022. 

It isn't easy to offer and run an effective respite program for disabled older people and caregivers, but Jefferson County Office for the Aging is doing it. Their program was covered in a TV segment by WWNYTV - News 7. 

The Broome County Office for Aging accepts interns from the Binghamton University's College of Community and Public Affairs to give them an opportunity to earn credit-hours towards their degrees while improving aging services in the county. (Binghamton University July 11, 2022)

Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services recently advertised its many services at three separate Salute Our Seniors events across the county. Photos are in the carousel to the left. 

Lack of transportation or inaccessible transportation prevents people from making it to physical OFA offices to learn about or register for services. To meet those people where they are, Oswego County Office for the Aging is visiting several communities to do outreach. Read more at the Oswego County Today article.  

The Oswego County Office for the Aging worked alongside the mayor and city councilmembers of the city of Oswego to proclaim May "Older Americans Month." They will collaborate on events this year, all in the spirit of "Age My Way," this year's theme for Older Americans Month. Article in Oswego County Today from May 10, 2022. 
 
Several Livingston County residents recently graduated from the Aging Mastery Program (AMP) offered by the Livingston County Office for the Aging. The AMP was developed by the National Council on Aging. Read the entire article at Livingston County News (April 29, 2022). 

The benefits of home-delivered meals beyond making sure people are fed in St. Lawrence County was recently captured in the media. Staff, volunteers, and clients were interviewed about the HDM program in NCPR's piece titled In St. Lawrence County, Meals on Wheels delivers more than meals during the pandemic.

The Chemung County Department of Aging is offering BINGO in an innovative way - at the drive-in! On two different dates in May 2022, the Department is offering the popular game at the County Fairgrounds where numbers will be announced using FM radio picked up by their car radios. Read more in MyTwinTier's article by Cormac Clune: Chemung County Department of Aging announces Drive-In Bingo.

Tompkins County Office for the Aging is on the path to improving homecare services in the county by directly hiring homecare workers. Tompkins County wants to hire home health aides to address backlog of elder care needs (Megan Zerez, WSKG). Directly employing workers lowers the barriers created by transportation and uncertainty of hours and will hopefully increase service to people in the farthest-flung parts of the county. 

In coverage celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the National Senior Nutrition Program, not only were the congregate and home-delivered meals programs of the Livingston County Office for the Aging covered, but also were their partnerships with the local venison coalition, their farmers market voucher program, and effort to serve older adults with pets through a pet food drive. Senior Meals Program: Feeds a need among older adults (Brendan McDonough, Livingston County News).