Older Adults

Caregiver Counseling

Programs that provide emotional support, information and guidance in individual and/or group settings for family members, friends, significant others, non-familial caregivers or attendants who are caring for someone who has a serious illness or disability or who is elderly and increasingly unable to provide for his or her own care, and are feeling overwhelmed by their responsibilities and the effect that their caregiving role has had on their lives.

Caregiver Training

Programs that provide training for family members and other informal caregivers which focuses on care-related activities such as medication management, personal care and making the home environment safe and barrier-free as well as on stress management and other techniques to help the caregiver take care of him or herself. The focus of the training is on building the skills and capacity of the caregiver to manage their caregiving role. Some programs include a caregiver assessment, development of an individualized plan that focuses on the caregiver, setting goals and establishing a routine for ongoing support for the caregiver.

Caregiver/Care Receiver Support Groups

Mutual support groups whose members are family, friends, significant others, non-familial caregivers or attendants who are caring for someone who has a temporary, chronic, life-threatening or terminal illness or disability or who is elderly and increasingly unable to provide for his or her own care. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; and provide emotional support, information and resources to help participants ensure their own well-being while remaining involved in the intense care of a loved one. Also included are care receiver support groups that help people who have a caregiver cope with the fact that they require care. Care receiver support groups are often offered in conjunction with caregiver support groups and are structured to allow care receivers to participate in their own group while their caregiver attends another.

Family Caregiver Subsidies

Programs that use federal, state, local and/or other funding to provide financial assistance for family members (or other persons such as neighbors) who are serving as informal primary caregivers for frail elderly individuals or, in some cases, for adults with disabilities; for grandparents caring for grandchildren; or, in some jurisdictions, for families caring for children with severe disabilities. Age and other eligibility criteria may vary by area. Assistance may be provided in the form of cash to the consumer/caregiver, vouchers which can be redeemed with approved service providers or through pro bono services donated by local service providers to a service bank for family caregivers. The objective of the program is to make it possible for primary caregivers to obtain the assistance they need in order to continue in their caregiving role which, in turn, enables the frail elderly individual or person with a disability to remain in the community.

In Home Respite Care

Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for family members, guardians or others who are regular caregivers for children and/or dependent adults by offering temporary or intermittent care for the individual(s) in their own home.

Out of Home Respite Care

Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for family members, guardians or others who are regular caregivers for children and/or dependent adults by offering temporary or intermittent care for the individual(s) in a community setting/facility.

Adult Day Programs

Programs that provide care and supervision in a protective setting for dependent adults living in the community during some portion of a 24-hour day. Services may include social and recreational activities, training that is essential for sustaining activities of daily living, hot meals, as appropriate and, if an adult day health care center, health and related services.

Friendly Visiting

Programs that use "friendly visitors" (usually volunteers but also paid hourly companions) to call on people who are hospitalized or in another institutional setting, who are homebound or socially isolated due to disability or old age, or otherwise lack companionship with the objective of brightening their day and helping them to maintain contact with the outside world by reading, talking, listening, writing letters or performing other similar tasks.

Senior Centers

Multipurpose centers that serve as focal points for older adults in the community and which offer, at a single location, a wide variety of services and activities that are needed by and of interest to this population.

Y Facilities

Programs that provide for the spiritual, social, mental and physical development of children and youth and their families through a broad-based program which includes classes, recreational activities, fitness programs, leadership development opportunities, camping, youth clubs, parent-child programs, youth employment support services, cross-cultural exchange programs, community involvement opportunities and a variety of other activities that give participants a chance to develop a wide range of interpersonal relationships, strengthen family ties and to achieve a satisfying degree of personal growth.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

A federally funded program that works to improve the health of elderly people age 60 and older who meet income eligibility requirements by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods. The program provides food and administrative funds to states, typically departments of health, social services, education or agriculture. The state agencies store CSFP food and distribute it to local public and private, nonprofit organizations that determine the eligibility of applicants, distribute the food, and provide nutrition education.

Congregate Meals/Nutrition Sites

Programs that provide hot meals on a regular basis primarily for older adults who may be at risk for nutritional deficits and social isolation without assistance. Congregate meals are often combined with recreational, educational and social activities, and programs may include access to health services and/or information. Some programs are also open to caregivers, spouses and/or adults with disabilities.

Food Vouchers

Programs that supply food coupons which can be exchanged in designated grocery stores, supermarkets and/or farmers markets for food products. The vouchers are generally provided to low income individuals and families on an occasional or ongoing basis, but may also be available to other specified populations; and may be issued in paper or electronic formats.

Home Delivered Meals

Programs that prepare and regularly deliver meals to older adults, people with disabilities and others who have difficulties shopping and/or preparing food for themselves or traveling to a site where a meal is being served.

Home Maintenance and Minor Repair Services

Programs that provide assistance for people who need to do routine maintenance on their homes or make minor repairs.

Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs

Programs that investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents of nursing facilities, residential care homes, assisted living facilities and other supervised living facilities for older adults. The program also promotes policies and practices that improve the quality of life, health, safety, welfare and rights of residents; monitors laws, regulations and policies that affect those who live in long-term care facilities; provides the public with information about long-term care options; and promotes the development of consumer organizations concerned about long-term care. Under the federal Older Americans Act, every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long term care system.

Nursing Facilities

Inpatient health care facilities that provide nursing and personal care over an extended period of time (usually more than 30 days) for people who require convalescent care at a level which is less than that provided in an acute facility and/or for chronically ill or frail elderly individuals or people with disabilities.

Nursing Facility Referrals

Programs that link individuals who are in need of intermediate, secured or skilled nursing care with facilities that are appropriate to their needs and preferences.

Older Adult/Disability Related Supportive Housing

Residential facilities for older adults and/or people with disabilities who are unable to function in an independent living environment because they need assistance with toileting, bathing, dressing, medication management and administration, meals and housekeeping and other activities of daily living, but do not require nursing care on a regular basis. Living options range from state institutions for individuals with the most severe disabilities who require intensive services to settings that enable individuals with disabilities to live with their own families or in their own homes or apartments with supportive services from community-based supported living providers. Alternatives in between include health care facilities for people with a primary need for developmental services in combination with an intermittent need for skilled nursing care; community care facilities (residential care homes or group homes) for people who require varying levels of supervision and assistance in the activities of daily living; assisted living facilities; continuing care retirement communities; life care communities; foster family placements for adults who will benefit from interaction in a family environment; and semi-independent living facilities for individuals with disabilities who need minimal levels of support to live and work in the community. Some of these facilities are licensed by the state.

Senior Housing Information and Referral

Programs that maintain information about retirement residences, residential care facilities and nursing homes, and link older adults who are looking for alternative living options with appropriate independent or supervised living resources.

General Health Insurance Information/Counseling

Programs that help people in need of health insurance evaluate the full range of alternatives available to them and select the coverage that best meets their needs.

General Legal Aid

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.

General Legal Aid * Older Adults

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization. These services focus especially on individuals who are age 50, 55, 60, 62 or 65 or older depending on the minimum age for qualifying as an older adult which varies by program.

Long Term Care Insurance Information/Counseling

Programs that offer information and guidance for people who need assistance in determining whether they need long term care insurance, comparing and evaluating benefit plans and selecting a policy that will meet their needs or choosing an alternative to long term care insurance that is more beneficial given their situation.

Medicare

A federally funded health insurance program administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for people age 65 and older; for individuals with disabilities younger than age 65 who have received or been determined eligible for Social Security Disability benefits for at least 24 consecutive months; and for insured workers and their dependents who have end stage renal disease and need dialysis or a kidney transplant. As with ESRD, the 24-month waiting period is waived for disability beneficiaries diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease). Premiums, deductibles and co-payments or out-of-pocket costs apply to Medicare coverage for most people. Special programs that assist with paying some or all of these costs are available for low income individuals who qualify. Medicare has four parts, but not every Medicare beneficiary has every part. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care and home health care that meets the program eligibility criteria. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers services from doctors and other health care providers, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment, preventive services and more. Together, Medicare Part A and Part B are called Original Medicare. Medicare Part C enables private insurance companies to offer Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans under contract with CMS that provide all Part A and Part B benefits to plan enrollees. Medicare Advantage Plans include Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Special Needs Plans and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans. Some plans offer extra benefits and services that aren't covered by Original Medicare, sometimes for an extra cost; and most (but not all) include Medicare prescription drug coverage. Medicare Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage) is an optional benefit that helps beneficiaries cover the cost of prescription drugs. The plans are offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare and add prescription drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Private-Fee-for-Service Plans and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans.

Medicare Information/Counseling

Programs that offer information and guidance for older adults and people with disabilities regarding their health insurance options with the objective of empowering them to make informed choices. Included is information about benefits covered (and not covered); the payment process; the rights of beneficiaries; the process for eligibility determinations, coverage denials and appeals; consumer safeguards; and options for filling the gap in Medicare coverage (Medigap supplement insurance). Also available is information relating to an individual's eligibility for benefits and assistance with evaluating their options and enrolling in a Medicare plan (A, B, C, and/or D) that will best meet their needs. These programs also address coordination of benefits when beneficiaries have other types of health insurance in addition to Medicare (e.g. Medicaid, employer coverage or retiree insurance) and provide counseling and assistance regarding the subsidies that are available to low income beneficiaries enrolled in the Part D Prescription Drug Benefit (which help pay for Part D premiums and reduce the cost of prescriptions at the pharmacy) and the Medicare Savings Programs which help pay for Medicare out-of-pocket costs. They may also provide information about Medicaid and the linkages between the two programs, referrals to appropriate state and local agencies involved in the Medicaid program, information about other Medicare-related entities (such as peer review organizations, Medicare-approved prescription drug plans, Medicare administrative contractors), and assistance in completing related Medicare insurance forms.

PACE Programs

A capitated benefit authorized by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) that features a comprehensive service delivery system and integrated Medicare and Medicaid financing. For most participants, the comprehensive service package permits them to continue living at home while receiving services rather than being institutionalized. Capitated financing allows providers to deliver all services participants need rather than being limited to those reimbursable under the Medicare and Medicaid fee-for-service systems. The BBA established the PACE model of care as a permanent entity within the Medicare program and enables States to provide PACE services to Medicaid beneficiaries as a State option. The State plan must include PACE as an optional Medicaid benefit before it can enter into program agreements with PACE providers. Participants must be at least 55 years of age, live in the PACE service area, and be certified as eligible for nursing home care by the appropriate State agency. The PACE program becomes the sole source of services for Medicare and Medicaid eligible enrollees. PACE programs provide social and medical services primarily in an adult day health center, supplemented by in-home and referral services in accordance with the participant's needs. The care is overseen by an interdisciplinary team, consisting of professional and paraprofessional staff.

Retirement Benefits

Public programs administered by retirement disbursement authorities that make monthly cash payments to eligible workers and their eligible dependents following retirement. The amount of the monthly check is based on the worker's earnings and the length of time contributions were made to the retirement program.

Senior Community Service Employment Programs

Programs funded under Title V of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and administered by the U.S. Department of Labor whose purpose is to develop workforce skills in unemployed, low-income older adults age 55 and older with poor employment prospects. Program participants are assigned to paid community service placements with a non-profit organization or governmental entity for purposes of training and acquisition or improvement of skills that may lead to unsubsidized employment or a job that is not subsidized by the program. In collaboration with the participant, the program must develop an Individual Employment Plan, which outlines steps for achieving goals as determined through personal interviews and assessment instruments. Participants may be offered supportive services such as transportation, counseling, work equipment and other items to assist them in participating in the SCSEP and preparing them for a permanent job.

SSI

A federal income maintenance program administered by the Social Security Administration that provides basic financial assistance in the form of monthly checks for people who are age 65 and older, blind or have a disability and who have little or no income and resources. Some states supplement SSI checks for certain categories of recipients. If the state's supplemental payment is federally administered, individuals are automatically assessed for SSP eligibility when they apply for SSI and the supplemental payment is included in their SSI check. If a state administers its own supplemental payments, individuals must apply separately at the state agency.

State Medicaid Waiver Programs

Medicaid programs offered by states that have been authorized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive certain Medicaid statutory requirements giving them more flexibility in Medicaid program operation. Included are home and community care based (HCBC) waiver programs operated under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act that allow long-term care services to be delivered in community settings; managed care/freedom of choice waiver programs operated under Section 1915(b) of the Social Security Act which allow states to implement managed care delivery systems or otherwise limit individuals' choice of provider under Medicaid; and research and demonstration project waiver programs operated under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act to projects that test policy innovations likely to further the objectives of the Medicaid program. Each of the states has developed waivers to meet their needs; and while every state's waiver programs have their own unique characteristics, there may also be common threads.

Survivors Insurance

Public social insurance programs that replace income lost to dependents because of a worker's death. Monthly cash benefits are paid to the eligible dependents of deceased workers.

Attendant Subsidies

Programs that provide financial assistance for individuals who have physical disabilities to enable them to obtain the services of an attendant to help them in the activities of daily living.

Emergency Alert

Programs that ensure that elderly individuals, people who have medical problems or potential allergic reactions to specific drugs, and other isolated or vulnerable individuals who are at risk of health-related crises receive the medical attention they need during an emergency. Also included are programs that offer a means of identifying or locating individuals who may wander away from those responsible for their care and become lost.

Errand Running/Shopping Assistance

Programs that offer the services of individuals who are available to make short trips to purchase groceries, pick up prescriptions, withdraw or deposit money in the bank, drop off or retrieve laundry and do other small tasks for older adults, people with disabilities and other individuals who cannot leave their homes or are otherwise unable or prefer not to perform these tasks for themselves.

Home Maintenance and Minor Repair Services

Programs that provide assistance for people who need to do routine maintenance on their homes or make minor repairs.

Housekeeping Assistance

Programs that offer the services of workers who go into people's homes and help with house cleaning chores.

In Home Supportive Services Subsidies

A program administered by the county that provides financial assistance which enables people who are aged, blind or have a disability, are limited in their ability to care for themselves and cannot live safely at home without assistance to obtain homemakers or chore workers to help them in their homes. To be eligible, recipients must meet income and resource guidelines which in some states are tied to Supplemental Security Income (SSI/SSP) eligibility. People who receive SSI/SSP automatically meet the program's financial need requirement. Those whose income is higher than the limits for SSI/SSP may still be eligible, but may be required to pay for part of the services they receive. In addition to the monthly income limits, there are also limits on the amount of resources a person can own and still receive these benefits. Resources include items such as savings, investments, and certain types of property and personal possessions. Eligibility requirements vary by state as do the types of services that can be authorized.

Personal Care

Programs that offer the services of paraprofessional aides who provide assistance with personal hygiene (bathing, grooming and mouth care), clothing care, ambulation, seating, toileting, housekeeping (changing bed linens or other chores that are essential to the individual's health and comfort), food preparation and nutritional and environmental support for recently discharged hospital patients, elderly people and people with disabilities in their own homes or other settings. Personal care may also include supervision which involves cueing, reminding, prompting or directing daily activities, as needed, but does not include medical services.

State Medicaid Waiver Programs

Medicaid programs offered by states that have been authorized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive certain Medicaid statutory requirements giving them more flexibility in Medicaid program operation. Included are home and community care based (HCBC) waiver programs operated under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act that allow long-term care services to be delivered in community settings; managed care/freedom of choice waiver programs operated under Section 1915(b) of the Social Security Act which allow states to implement managed care delivery systems or otherwise limit individuals' choice of provider under Medicaid; and research and demonstration project waiver programs operated under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act to projects that test policy innovations likely to further the objectives of the Medicaid program. Each of the states has developed waivers to meet their needs; and while every state's waiver programs have their own unique characteristics, there may also be common threads.

Activities of Daily Living Assessment

Programs that evaluate an individual's capacity for self-care and his or her ability to function independently in the context of everyday living and which, where necessary, may recommend rehabilitative services (e.g., independent living skills instruction), supportive services (e.g., attendant care, personal care or home health care), or an alternative residential setting (e.g., an assisted living center or nursing facility). Activities of daily living include bathing, eating, dressing, mobility, transferring from bed to chair and using the toilet. Most assessments also include instrumental activities of daily living such as using the telephone, taking medication, money management, housework, meal preparation, laundry and grocery shopping. Evaluation services are generally provided for individuals who have physical and/or mental limitations or for people whose age may constitute a temporary (children) or developing (elderly) limitation.

Adult Day Programs

Programs that provide care and supervision in a protective setting for dependent adults living in the community during some portion of a 24-hour day. Services may include social and recreational activities, training that is essential for sustaining activities of daily living, hot meals, as appropriate and, if an adult day health care center, health and related services.

Dementia Management

Programs that offer any of a variety of therapeutic approaches which are intended to maximize the existing cognitive functioning of people who have Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease or other forms of cognitive impairment. Interventions include structured activities and exercises that are designed for people who have a short attention span and require extra verbal and visual stimulation with the objective of enhancing the individual's perception of the environment, promoting trust, reducing anxiety, avoiding overstimulation and maximizing communication skills.

Friendly Visiting

Programs that use "friendly visitors" (usually volunteers but also paid hourly companions) to call on people who are hospitalized or in another institutional setting, who are homebound or socially isolated due to disability or old age, or otherwise lack companionship with the objective of brightening their day and helping them to maintain contact with the outside world by reading, talking, listening, writing letters or performing other similar tasks.

Geriatric Assessment

Programs, generally staffed by an interdisciplinary team comprising a geriatrician, a nurse, a social worker and a pharmacist, that evaluate the functional ability, physical health, cognitive and mental health and socioenvironmental situation of older adults, particular those who are frail or chronically ill, to identify health-related problems, develop plans for treatment and follow-up, coordinate care, determine the need for long-term care, and ensure the optimal use of health care resources. Beneficial outcomes may include greater diagnostic accuracy, improved functional and mental status, reduced mortality, decreased use of nursing facilities and acute care hospitals and increased satisfaction with care.

Geriatric Counseling

Programs that provide emotional support, information and guidance in a variety of settings for older adults who are having mental, emotional or social adjustment problems that have arisen as a result of the process of aging. Geriatric counseling services are provided primarily by social services professionals including licensed social workers rather that psychiatrists or other medical personnel.

Geriatric Psychiatry

Programs that specialize in providing multidisciplinary care including preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation services for older adults with anxiety disorders, depression, cognitive impairments, psychoses or other mental health conditions in their homes, in long term care facilities or in hospital or nursing facility settings. The objectives of geriatric psychiatry are to improve the quality of life for older individuals who may have a combination of psychological, physical and social needs; and to support their ability to live independently in the community for as long as possible.

Medical Equipment/Supplies

Programs that pay for or provide necessary in-home hospital equipment, monitoring devices, respiratory aids, prevention kits and other medical supplies that are required by people who want to prevent the transmission of an infectious disease, are coping with the effects of a chronic health condition or disability or are convalescing following surgery or illness. Included are programs that provide medical equipment on a loan basis as well as those that provide equipment that people can keep.

Widow/Widower Support Groups

Mutual support groups whose members are husbands, wives or other individuals who have experienced the loss of their marriage partner or significant other. Groups may also be structured for the surviving spouses of people in law enforcement, the military or other specific high-risk professions. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; and focus on helping participants accept their loss, express their grief, and move through the bereavement process. The groups also help members put their lives back together by providing practical information about legal issues, financial arrangements and other responsibilities of daily living.

Y Facilities

Programs that provide for the spiritual, social, mental and physical development of children and youth and their families through a broad-based program which includes classes, recreational activities, fitness programs, leadership development opportunities, camping, youth clubs, parent-child programs, youth employment support services, cross-cultural exchange programs, community involvement opportunities and a variety of other activities that give participants a chance to develop a wide range of interpersonal relationships, strengthen family ties and to achieve a satisfying degree of personal growth.

Assistive Technology Equipment Loan

Programs that enable individuals who have physical or sensory limitations to borrow the assistive technology products they require at no charge. Loans may be long or short-term in nature and the devices are returned once the agreed-upon period of time has elapsed.

Assistive Technology Expense Assistance

Programs that pay all or a portion of the costs associated with acquiring assistive technology products and/or obtaining support services such as customization, fit/modification services or repairs.

Assistive Technology Information

Programs that provide information about cognitive/learning aids, control and signaling aids, daily living aids, hearing augmentation aids, mobility aids, prosthetic/orthotic/seating devices, recreational aids, speech aids, and/or visual/reading aids which enables potential users to evaluate their alternatives and make informed choices.

Assistive Technology Software

Programs that pay for or provide software or applications (Apps) including word prediction, grammar and spell checkers, font size changes, text to speech and reading comprehension programs which enable adults and children with disabilities to do word processing or access content or use other computer programs.

Automobile/Van Adaptations

Programs that pay for or provide automobiles or vans which have ramps or wheelchair lifts, or seats or steering, signaling, gear shift and braking controls that have been modified for use by people who have disabilities; or that help these individuals to obtain this type of modification for their own vehicles. Also included are organizations that offer devices to facilitate the operation of specific functions within the vehicle such as car door openers, car door reachers, gas cap openers, seating restraints, especially designed rear view mirrors and other accessories which can be installed in or used with automobiles or vans.

Home Barrier Evaluation/Removal Services

Programs that provide assistance in the form of labor and supplies for people with disabilities who need to install ramps, elevators, stair glides or lifts; widen doorways; install grab bars in showers and bathrooms; lower kitchen and other cabinets; or make other modifications in their homes or apartments to make them accessible. Also included are programs that assess the accessibility of homes and apartments of people who have disabilities and make recommendations regarding necessary modifications.

Home Barrier Removal Grants

Programs that provide cash assistance for qualified people with disabilities who want to install ramps or elevators, widen doorways, install grab bars in showers and bathrooms, lower kitchen and other cabinets or make other modifications in their homes in order to make them more accessible.

Adult Protective Services

Programs that provide assistance for adults who are unable to act on their own behalf or manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect or abandonment.

Area Agencies on Aging

Substate organizations authorized under the Older Americans Act of 1965 to develop a comprehensive, coordinated system of community-based services for older adults within their planning and service area. State Units on Aging designate, provide federal and state funding, and monitor operations of AAAs. Eight states and the District of Columbia do not have AAAs and, therefore, serve the roles of both state and area agency. AAA's responsibilities include planning; development of local funding resources; and contracting with local service provider organizations to provide authorized services which include information and referral/assistance, outreach, case/care management, escort, transportation, homemaker/chore, personal care, home repair and rehabilitation, home delivered meals, congregate meals, adult day care, elder abuse prevention, nursing home ombudsman, legal assistance, employment and training, health promotion and disease prevention and senior centers as well as services that support caregivers including respite care, counseling and education programs. AAAs may provide a number of other services in situations where local service provider options are limited.

Case/Care Management

Programs that develop plans for the evaluation, treatment and/or care of individuals who, because of age, illness, disability or other difficulties, need assistance in planning and arranging for services; which assess the individual's needs; coordinate the delivery of needed services; ensure that services are obtained in accordance with the case plan; and follow up and monitor progress to ensure that services are having a beneficial impact on the individual. Case management is a collaborative process characterized by communication, advocacy and resource management to promote high quality, cost-effective interventions and outcomes.

General Legal Aid

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.

General Legal Aid * Older Adults

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization. These services focus especially on individuals who are age 50, 55, 60, 62 or 65 or older depending on the minimum age for qualifying as an older adult which varies by program.

Senior Advocacy Groups

Organizations that support the passage and enforcement of laws and other social measures that protect and promote the rights and interests of older adults.

Specialized Information and Referral * Older Adults

Programs that maintain information about community resources that are appropriate for a specific target group or human services sector (for example, youth programs or addiction services) and which link individuals who are in need of specialized services with appropriate resources and/or which provide information about community agencies and organizations that offer specialized services. These services focus especially on individuals who are age 50, 55, 60, 62 or 65 or older depending on the minimum age for qualifying as an older adult which varies by program.

Disability Related Transportation

Programs that provide door-to-door (or curb-to-curb) transportation for purposes of shopping, banking, social events, medical appointments, getting to and from work, and similar activities for people with disabilities who need special accommodations and are unable to utilize other available means of transportation. Also included are programs that provide transportation for youngsters with disabilities who have no other means of accessing necessary specialized services and activities. Some but not all vehicles used for this purpose are equipped with wheelchair lifts.

General Paratransit/Community Ride Programs

Programs that provide flexibly scheduled and routed door-to-door (or curb-to-curb) transportation services for the general public. Patrons generally have no private transportation and are unable to use the fixed-route public transportation system; or live in a rural area not served by a public transit system.

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

Programs that provide transportation for medical appointments, trips from and between hospitals, to nursing homes or other special-care centers or for other non-emergency medical needs for individuals who, because of financial problems or their physical condition, are unable to use other means of local transportation. NEMT service providers are able to transport riders who require a wheelchair lift equipped vehicle with appropriate protective restraints or a van that is designed for gurney/stretcher transportation, or has other types of features to meet their safety needs.

Senior Ride Programs

Programs that provide door-to-door (or curb-to-curb) transportation for purposes of medical appointments, shopping, banking, social events, and other similar activities for older adults who need special accommodations and are unable to utilize other available means of transportation.