Q-1.   What does the Area Agency on Aging do?

Answer:  The Area Agency on Aging is a regional non-profit organization serving persons 60 years of age and older, persons who provide care for older adults, and grandparents and other relatives raising children.  The Agency empowers older adults and caregivers to help themselves, represents their interests before public officials, assesses their needs, develops programs to meet their needs, and administers federal and state funds in support of community-based services.  The Agency links older adults and families to local services, helps them apply for public benefits, helps older workers seeking employment and training, and advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living establishments, and supportive living facilities.

Q-2.   Where can I get help applying for Illinois Circuit Breaker and Pharmaceutical  Assistance programs?

Answer: The Area Agency on Aging can help you over the phone or we can refer you to a local service provider who will meet with you face-to-face.  Call ECIAAA toll-free at 1-800-888-4456.

Q-3.   Where can I get help to repair my home or build a ramp?

Answer:  The Area Agency on Aging can refer you to community-based organizations that will advise you about home repair, renovation, handicapped accessibility, and assistive devices.  Call ECIAAA toll-free at 1-800-888-4456.

Q-4.   My mother is moving here from another state, I have to work and cannot take care of her, where can we find affordable housing with supportive services?

Answer:  The Area Agency on Aging can connect your mother with a local Case Coordination Unit whose professional staff can consult with you and your mother about options for housing with supportive services, in-home care, and community-based services.  The Area Agency on Aging can refer you to a local Caregiver Advisor who can advise you about your role as a family caregiver.

 Q-5.   Can I get paid for providing care to my mother?

Answer: In Illinois, persons with disabilities under the age of 60 who qualify for the Home Services Program administered by the Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services may hire personal care attendants to assist them in their homes, including members of their family.  Persons 60 years of age and older who qualify for the Community Care Program may request assistance with housekeeping and personal care through home care aides employed by agencies approved by the Illinois Department on Aging.  CCP clients are not permitted to hire members of their families.  The Department has authorized Cash & Counseling demonstration projects in some areas of the state, which allow CCP eligible clients to hire and supervise personal care attendants.  Starting Point – the Aging & Disability Center for Macon County participates in the Cash & Counseling Demonstration Project and can counsel eligible older adults about their options.  For more information contact Starting Point at (217) 423-6550.

Q-6.  My mother is being discharged from a nursing home against her will.  Where can we turn for help?

Answer: The Long Term Care Ombudsman can advise you and your mother about her rights as a resident of a licensed long-term care facility, including the process of appealing an involuntary discharge.  Please contact the Ombudsman Program serving the 16 counties of East Central Illinois by calling 1-800-888-4456.