VOA - Centennial Towers Apartments

We do not always know what we need until the exact moment we need it. Most people do not usually know what resources are available in our own communities if we are healthy and financially able to provide the basics of daily living food, shelter, clothing, etc. Only when our circumstances change, which could be due to illness, injury or some other event, perhaps the loss of a spouse, do we start to wonder how will we fill these gaps and provide for all our daily needs. Fortunately, in Western Colorado, our community has numerous resources for older adults. Region 10 and their Community Living Services Program supports the needs of older adults who wish to remain living independently. Under the Area Agency on Aging and the Older Americans Act, funding is provided for in home support services to adults aged 60 and older who qualify through a quick, telephone assessment. These services include homemaking, personal care, caregiver respite, home delivered meals, transportation vouchers, and companionship.AdvantAge Health Resource Centers collaborate with Region 10 to provide the options counseling and assessments for these supportive services. Care Navigators in both Montrose and Delta Counties, including a Spanish speaking Care Navigator, can review options for benefits and assistance programs along with other care options, provide application forms for services, and offer referrals and helpful information.An on line services directory is also available for public use at https://region10.net/senior-resource-directory/. Here you will find hundreds of links to services in the surrounding area under a wide variety of headings.A local, toll free number, 1-844-VOA-4YOU (1-844-862-4968) is available for potential clients Monday through Friday. Callers can ask questions about health care including; where to go for rehab after surgery, home health, adult day care, memory care, assisted living or long-term care. Help is available to link people to sources for assistance with groceries or meals programs, durable medical equipment, support groups, legal aid, independent housing, family housing or veterans housing assistance and to complete Medicaid and Medicare applications. Connecting the needs of any age group to a service that can fill the need is the goal of the program. For more details, visit www.voa4you.orgEditors Note: This article was submitted by Erin Berge, Regional Marketing Director with Volunteers of America and can be reached by email at eberge@voa.org  esmithberge@voa.org