Hearings gather seniors' input on services

BLOOMINGTON Offering easier access to information about services available and low-cost legal assistance are among the East Illinois Area Agency on Aging's funding priorities for the future.

So is providing advice/respite for people taking care of loved ones as well as increasing the number of older adults eating congregate meals.

These were among the points outlined Wednesday by Mike O'Donnell, the area agency's executive director, near the conclusion of a two-hour teleconference involving 17 members of the agency's advisory council.

The purpose of the meeting was to hear a summary of public conversations the agency conducted starting Oct. 29 in Decatur and concluding Jan. 16 in Toledo one in each of its 16 counties to get input from older adults and service providers about what they think is needed most.

O'Donnell said a proposed area plan will be published April 4 on the agency's website at http://www.eciaa.org and elsewhere, and after seven public hearings, the final plan is expected to be approved May 21. Requests for contract proposals would then be issued the next day to provide information and assistance, legal assistance, caregiver services and senior nutrition programming, starting Oct. 1.

The agency will continue to work with the same partners, however, on some programs where a training investment has already been made, O'Donnell said.

This includes Catholic Charities and St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur now offering Matter of Balance fall prevention classes in Macon and McLean counties and set to expand to Livingston County in the coming year.

Other such programs include chronic disease self-management and Strong for Life exercise programs.

Of the area agency's four top priorities, O'Donnell said, Providing information and assistance is our core mission.

Such information/assistance is now provided in Macon County by the Macon County Health Department in collaboration with the Decatur-Macon County Senior Center and Community Home Environmental Learning Project, or CHELP.

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Hearings gather seniors' input on services