Reaching the status of “senior adult” can be daunting at best. While we may feel the passage of time from infancy to “adulthood”, and subsequent retirement seems interminable, the so called “golden years” may feel like time is revving up and accelerating.
Many of us put off preparing for those “golden years”, until we are “older”. We believe we have “plenty of time”. We aren’t sure who or where we can go to for guidance in writing a will or other pre-planning protections for ourselves and our families.
Area Agencies on Aging, or Commissions on Aging, are a wonderful resource for seniors in need of not only assistance through Meals on Wheels, Personal Care Services, Respite Care, but with many other services as well.
The Mission Statement of the Roscommon County Commission on Aging (RCCAO) is “to promote the welfare, independence, safety, and health of our senior citizens through various programs.”
County residents 60 years or older are eligible for services through RCCOA. Roscommon County is home to three locations, Roscommon Village/Higgins Township, across from the Brook Retirement Center, St. Helen on Airport Road, and Houghton Lake/Prudenville on South Townline.
Weekday hot lunches are provided for a nominal fee at those locations. Meals on Wheels are also available to those homebound seniors who qualify. Senior aerobic exercise, card and board games, cardio drumming, bingo, and quilting are a few of the events offered during the week at the three locations.
Available RCCOA services include Chore Programs, Medicare-Medicaid Counseling and Assistance, Kinship Care for those caring for related children under the age of 18, Serenity Day Lodge – Respite Services, a lending closet, as well as the more familiar daily lunches, Meals on Wheels, Euchre and other entertainment. Qualified county residents 60 years or older are eligible for services through RCCOA.
Although there is no charge for most services, programs administered by the RCCOA rely on suggested donations from individuals for support. Those nominal fees may range from $3.50 for meals to $10 per hour for other services.
Grief Support, Veterans Coffee Hour and Veterans events, and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, are also supported through the centers.
RCCOA is NOT a home health care agency, or cleaning service, although, if qualified, a senior may be eligible for some similar type of Home Making Service through RCCOA.
Often, we hear a “senior” say, “that’s for old people”, when they are asked to go to one of the centers. However, if you are over 60, it truly is a wonderful resource. Getting to “senior status” may present a host of unknowns. We tend to put some decisions off, especially about topics we don’t understand or seem scary. Stop in or call your local COA for answers, and perhaps lunch and a euchre game.
For more information or to qualify for needed services in Roscommon County, contact Deb Looney at 989-366-0205.
