by Carol Leish, MA
“Every program we offer at the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging (VCAAA) is free, with no charge,” according to Roger Horne, Public Information Officer at the VC Area Agency on Aging. “We have a ‘No Wrong Door Policy,’ which means if an older adult, a person with disabilities, or a caregiver call needing help, but is not sure of what services are in the community to help them, we will first try to connect them with our programs if we can. If not, we will try to refer them to other agencies that can assist them.
“The Information & Assistance team at our agency takes the initial phone call from someone who calls asking for assistance. A social worker figures out what that person’s needs are to help them out. Our overall goal is to help people to stay in their own home, since people do better by staying in their own homes, while keeping them safe and healthy.”
Some of the various types of programs provided by the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging include: 1) Transportation; 2) the Senior Nutrition Program; 3) Digital Services; 4) Health Insurance Counseling; 5) Employment; 6) Housing through HomeShare; 7) Fall Prevention, and 8) LiveWell (annual publication).
Free transportation is provided for those who are 60 years old or older, along with those, of any age, who have an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) card through a free bus pass. Those who are 65 years old or older can get free Dial-A-Ride tickets to use for transportation. Medi-rides may also be available to individuals who have no other way to get to a medical appointment.
The Senior Nutrition Program funds congregate meals at various senior centers throughout the county. Seniors can get free meals, or give a suggested donation of $3 for a meal. “There is also a meal delivery program for those who are homebound. Some receive the same meals that the senior centers serve,” according to Horne. “At the VCAAA, we send out boxes that have a week’s or month’s amount of food in them.”
“Digital resources,” according to Horne, “help to deal with the ‘Digital Divide,’ by offering education. GetSetUp offers classes for older adults in which they can learn about anything that may interest them. Trualta offers free online support and training for caregivers. To sign up for these free services, first go to the VCAAA website at www.vcaaa.org, and click onto ‘Digital Resources.’”
For those who need free help with Medicare, Horne said, “We offer health insurance counseling through our HICAP department by giving one-on-one help, and through giving presentations to various groups. This is unbiased help to support older adults who need it.”
Employment help for seniors is also offered. The Senior Community Service Employment Program assists low-income individuals to get back into the workforce. Help on the www.vcaaa.org website is available through a video done by the Workforce Development Committee, which is part of the Advisory Council for the VC Area Agency on Aging: ‘Get That Job!’ The committee also recently did a job fair in Eastern Ventura County. A job fair in Western Ventura County is in the works.
“Housing can be difficult, especially with the high costs of housing within Ventura County,” according to Horne. “HomeShare is a program that matches home seekers with home providers. Some people may have a house that is too big for them. We help them to find compatible people to rent a room, who may be able to help them with various things around their homes.”
The Fall Prevention program aims to help people who have fallen, or who are fearful of falling, by offering several evidence-based classes that are aimed at keeping people on their feet.
“LiveWell, which is an annual publication, has various interesting articles that we think older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities would want to read,” according to Horne. “It also has listings of agencies throughout the county that deal with topics like: 1) Health; 2) Legal; 3) Food; 4) Caregiving; 5) Community Resources; and, 6) Transportation.”
For more information about the free services provided, or to get assistance, please contact the VC Area Agency on Aging at either their phone number: 805-477-7300; or, through their website: www.vcaaa.org.
