Your Local Agency on Aging -
A Collaborator for aging well
A Collaborator for aging well
Carly Williams, Program Manager, Southern Maine Agency on Aging
Mary Hadlock, Community Ambassador, Southern Maine Agency on Aging
Louise McCleery, Community Ambassador, Spectrum Generations
Debbie Bechard, Community Ambassador, SeniorsPlus
Ginny Joles, Community Ambassador, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging
Mary Hadlock, Community Ambassador, Southern Maine Agency on Aging
Louise McCleery, Community Ambassador, Spectrum Generations
Debbie Bechard, Community Ambassador, SeniorsPlus
Ginny Joles, Community Ambassador, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging
Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and age-friendly communities have a lot in common - both are committed to equipping older people to thrive. In this chapter, you'll learn about Maine's 5 Area Agencies on Aging, the services they offer, and how lifelong communities can leverage the services, programs, and resources to make a difference for people in your community.
Maine's Area Agencies on Aging
In this section, you'll meet Maine's five Area Agencies on Aging, understand their rich history, and the one-stop, point-of-entry role they play in helping older people, families, and care partners navigate services, resources, and information related to aging. Learn more about the federal Older Americans Act funding that supports AAA services, who AAAs serve, core services offered by AAAs, and the collaborations that expand and enhance their reach and impact. You'll also get to know your local agency on aging through an interactive activity.
Contact you local AAA to learn more about their specific services and unique regional flavor. Each agency services a specific geographic area of Maine.
Activity - AAA Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Scavenger Hunt! This exercise is designed to help you find your way around the website of the AAA closest to you to gain familiarity with the services and supports available to you and your community. Use the contact information and links below to explore your local AAA. We hope this helps you learn about the services your local AAA offers!
Access the Scavenger Hunt PDF.
Scavenger Hunt Exercise
Click the icons below to visit each Area Agency on Aging website.
Reflection
Can you think of any community members who could benefit from AAA services that you could refer today?
What services could benefit your community the AAA offers?
What barriers or resistance to accessing AAA services have you heard from your community members?
Leveraging AAA Services In Your Community
In this section you'll learn more about the referral process and what to expect when connecting a community member to an Area Agency on Aging, suggestions to help you plan ahead when there's interest in bringing agency on aging services to your community and examples of partnerships between AAAs and age friendly communities. AAA resources are often underutilized, so you'll also hear ideas for raising awareness among people in your community, as well as some examples of life-changing impacts for folks who have received services through their AAA.
Activity - Understanding AAA Services
Learn more about a variety of core Older Americans Act funded, Agency on Aging services. Hover over each image below to learn more about that program.
Reflection
What needs do you see in your community, neighbors that AAA services could help with?
What do you want your local AAA(s) to know about your community?
During this chapter, we hope you will gain a few tools for working with your Area Agency on Aging.
If you have any questions as you are going through the material, please email: lifelong@maine.edu.