Adult Daily Living Center
The Adult Daily Living Center services enable older participants with special needs to maintain independence in their home and community.  In many instances the service can help delay or avoid permanent placement in a long-term care facility. Our goal is to provide quality care for participants in the program, relieving their responsible family member of the constant pressure of caring for a loved one. We provide stimulus to the participant in a pleasant atmosphere, thus reducing their feelings of isolation. The main goal of these activities of daily living is to improve the participant’s level of functioning.  Essential ingredients of a successful program include friendly people, challenging activities, a stimulating environment, and opportunities to learn together. Appropriate meals and snacks are provided.   At the end of the day participants and family members generally rest better as a result of increased activity.

A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the individual fee for this service.  The service is available in half-day increments as well as full day.  Adult Daily Living Services are provided at two locations through agreements with Traci Jo’s Adult Day Care in Rouseville, and Clarion/Forest VNA in Shippenville.

Apprise
Trained volunteer counselors provide Health Insurance Counseling for older Pennsylvanians.  Problems with filing medical claims, help comparing Medigap policies, and other issues can be discussed.  Some items may be taken care of by telephone others may include meetings by appointment.  There are no fees for consumers of this service.

Caregiver Support
The Family Caregiver Support Program has two distinct components.  The first is especially designed to reinforce caregivers who are generally capable of managing the care for their relative.  To be eligible for the program, an individual, 18 years of age or older, must be caring for a physically and/or mentally impaired relative who is 60 years of age or older.  Services include benefits counseling, educating, training, and reimbursements for eligible services.  Expense reimbursement for this component is based on a sliding scale according to household income.  A second and new component of this program targets grandparents who are the primary caregivers for one or more of their grandchildren.  This role places some very unique demands on people and a monthly support group has been organized to help them learn from others who are going through similar experiences.

Care Management Service 
Care management Service is a series of coordinated staff activities. By completing a comprehensive assessment, a care manager can help determine a consumer's needs.  Next the worker will help coordinate timely and appropriate services through the AAA and other resources in the community.  The agency and the workers develop an ongoing relationship with the consumer.  The overall goal of this process is to preserve self-support and as much as possible, increase self-sufficiency.  There are no fees for consumers of this service.

Congregate Meals
The Congregate Meal Service provides meals to eligible persons in a group setting.  Meals are well balanced, nutritious and contain at least one-third of the current Recommended Daily Allowances as established by the National Academy of Sciences.  Meals are provided at the area Senior Centers through an agreement with Nutrition, Inc. from their kitchen on West First Street in Oil City.  The congregate site also encourages social interactions through organized programs and activities both educational and recreational.  Donations are encouraged and gratefully accepted for this service.

Employment
Employment Service is offered for job seekers that are 55 years of age or older:  SCSEP (Senior Community Service Employment Program) is authorized by Title V of the Older Americans Act.  The program has its own eligibility guidelines and provides services like placement, referrals to employers and referrals to training programs.   Low-income participants in this program earn a stipend while they perform valuable community services in host agencies.  An individualized employment plan is developed with considerable input from the participant.  The goal of this plan is to find permanent unsubsidized employment.  This service is currently provided through an agreement with Experience Works, Inc.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Support services are available for persons serving this unique role. Services may include Information about available services, assistance gaining access to available services, and organized support groups. Gatherings are held the first Wednesday of every month. Informational speakers on topics of particular interest related to this unique relationship and family style meals are a part of most gatherings. Child care is also provided. Call Venango County Area Agency on Aging at 432-9711 for more information.

Home Delivered Meals
The Home Delivered meal Service provides meals to homebound individuals in their home.  Each consumer is served a minimum of one hot meal per day up to five days per week.  Each meal is well-balanced, nutritious, and contains at least one-third of the current Recommended Daily Allowances as established by the National Academy of Sciences.  The Home Delivered Meals will help ensure minimum levels of sound nutrition for consumers who are homebound and have difficulty providing there own nutritional needs.  They are available in order to avoid malnutrition, maintain self-sufficiency and delay or avoid entry to a longterm care facility.   Meals are provided through an agreement with Nutrition, Inc. from their kitchen on West First Street in Oil City.  Donations are encouraged and gratefully accepted for this service.

Home Support
Home Support Services provides labor-intensive unskilled or semi-skilled home maintenance, cleaning of living area for health and safety reasons.  Service includes:  basic care and management, shopping assistance, personal laundry, labor-intensive home repair service designed to maintain the consumers health and safety, and heavy cleaning only as necessary to maintain a consumer's health and safety. Services are provided through agreements with VNA of Venango County or Care America/Care Unlimited.  A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the individual fee for this service.  Very low-income consumers will pay nothing for this service.

Legal Assistance
Legal Assistance provides for the educating and training on legal problems confronting the elderly.  Counseling on benefits and rights, wills, taxes and other legal matters maybe provided by an attorney or non-lawyer to older persons with economic or social needs.

Lifeline
Lifeline is a community-based program providing an emergency response through use of electronic equipment between a person's home and the 911-dispatch center.  This system provides reassurance to both the consumer and their families that help is available when needed.  This program is provided under an agreement with Venango County EMA/911 and a monthly fee is assessed based on income.  Very low-income consumers will pay nothing for this service

Long-Term-Care Ombudsman Program
The Ombudsman Program is designed to investigate and resolve complaints made by or for older persons who are consumers of long-term care services.  Complaints may be related to any actions adversely affecting older person's health, safety, welfare or rights.  The Ombudsman works in cooperation with the consumer and the service provider to negotiate a resolution to conflicts.  The Ombudsman Program is available to older people consuming most types of long term care who reside in the community, in skilled or intermediate care facilities licensed by the Department of Health, and licensed Personal Care Homes.  It does not apply to patients in private or state-operated mental health facilities.  There are no fees for consumers of this service.

Outreach
Outreach Services include activities to seek out and contact isolated older persons who may or may not be aware of the AAA services.  The goal is to provide information about the available service and resources as well as link the person to the appropriate agency or agencies if service is desired.

Passenger Transportation
Passenger Transportation enables individuals to travel to and from community facilities to receive social and medical service, or otherwise promote independent living.  Transportation is provided when there is no other reasonable mode of access.  Escort Service activities include personnel to accompany and assist individual passengers with ambulation.  This is for persons who are unable to use conventional means of transportation due to physical limitations. Some describe this as door-to-door service.   Handicapped Services include specialized transportation services with a vehicle equipped with a lift to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, etc.  Donations are encouraged and gratefully accepted from consumers of this service.

PDA Waiver Program
So called because of a special "waiver" of certain Medicaid restrictions, a wide range of community-based services can be provided to a person living in their own home as an alternative to nursing home care. Low income people who are age 60 or older who require nursing facility level of care may apply. Income and asset information as well as medical necessity must be documented to determine eligibility. This program is provided through the cooperative efforts of the Pennsylvania Departments of Aging and Public Welfare.

Personal Assistance
Personal Assistance Services include bathing, dressing/undressing (including assistance in the application and removal of previously self-applied personal appliances and adaptive devices), feeding, toileting, grooming, transfer, and ambulation.  This service is for people that require more intensive hands on service than regular Personal Care.  Service is provided by a trained worker when there is no other responsible person available or capable of providing such services or to provide occasional relief to the person regularly providing such service.  Ancillary services such as laundry and cleaning of living area for health and safety reasons may also be provided.  Services are performed through agreements with VNA of Venango County and Care America/Care Unlimited, Inc.  A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the individual fee for this service.  Very low-income consumers will pay nothing for this service.

Personal Care
Personal Care Services include bathing, dressing/undressing (including assistance in the application and removal of previously self-applied personal appliances and adaptive devices), feeding, toileting, grooming, transfer, and ambulation.  Service is provided by a trained worker when there is no other responsible person available or capable of providing such services or to provide occasional relief to the person regularly providing such service.  Ancillary services such as laundry and cleaning of living area for health and safety reasons may also be provided. Services are performed through agreements with VNA of Venango County and Care America/Care Unlimited, Inc. A sliding scale based on income is used to determine the individual fee for this service.  Very low-income consumers will pay nothing for this service. 

Placement/Housing
Placement Services for adults provide for the placement of dependent adults who require personal care in sheltered residential settings other than their own homes or with relatives where the primary mode of care is social rather than medical.

Housing Services consists of activities to enable persons to obtain and retain adequate housing.  This service also includes helping persons in dealing with landlords, utility companies, and other related housing concerns.  Also, help is available for persons with paperwork with financial matters relating to housing improvements.
 
Protective Services
Protective Services for adults is a system of activities to assist adults 60 years of age or older who cannot perform or obtain, without help, services necessary to maintain physical or mental health; have no responsible caretaker to assist them; and are at imminent risk of danger to their person or property.  Reports may be made 24 hours a day 7 days a week, including holidays, by calling (814)432-9711 [Toll free 866-542-4464], 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday-- after normal operating hours call (814)432-9111 or toll free (866) 676-3475.  Collect calls will also be accepted.  There are no fees for consumers of this service.

Socialization/Recreation
Socialization/Recreation services consists of programs of recreational, leisure time, and cultural activities. Service activities include planned arts and crafts, sports and physical fitness and cultural enrichment; arranging or providing instruction in the development of social skills for some disabled persons; and providing opportunities to participate in special social programs and discussion groups. Services are provided at area Senior Centers.

Additional services provided within Senior Centers are designed to overcome isolation and encourage maximum functioning in community life. These activities include: organizing volunteer community service projects, personal safety and health programs and arranging for other programs of interest to participants of the centers.

Volunteer Services
Volunteer Services are provided through a varied array of rewarding opportunities for persons 55 and over to serve their community.   Volunteer opportunities include, but are not limited to, environmental preservation activities, public safety, food preparation, tutoring, delivery of Home Delivered Meals, friendly visiting or telephone reassurance to homebound elderly, and much more.  Services are provided through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Senior Corps and an agreement with Corporation for National Service.