9 Ways The Houston Area Agency on Aging Can Help Seniors Connect To Services They Need

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Houston Area Agency on Aging: Helping The Elderly Navigate Local Community Resources 

In this guide, I will tell you about 9 services that Area Agency on Aging in Houston helps seniors with.

If you are a senior in Houston who needs help understanding your health insurance benefits, finding affordable medical equipment, or want referrals to senior assistance programs AAA can help you.

What Is The Houston Area Agency on Aging?

Area Agency on Aging (also known as AAA) is a local organization that helps Houston seniors with a number of supportive services.

To receive assistance from the Houston Area Agency on Aging you must:

  • Be 60 years or older
  • Live in Harris County

This chapter of AAA is managed by the City of Houston Health Department. Their Houston office is located at 8000 N. Stadium Drive, Houston, TX 77054.

Editor’s Note: Area Agency on Aging has different chapters in each city, so if you are a senior in another city, there is a good chance that there is an AAA that serves your area. You can find your local chapter by using the Elder Care Locator tool. 

 1.) Benefits Counseling Program

One of the Houston Area Agency on Aging’s largest initiatives is the Benefits Counseling Program.

This program answers questions about Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions, Social Security, and more. In addition, Area Agency on Aging can also help Houston senior citizens enroll in government benefit programs like the ones just mentioned.

If you have questions about your benefits and need help navigating the system, consider contacting AAA at 832.393.4301 to speak with a benefits counselor.

2.) Food Assistance For Seniors In Houston

Area Agency on Aging can also help you connect to nutrition programs in Houston. Those include Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals.

Meals On Wheels Houston

The Houston Meals on Wheels program provides free or low-cost meals to Houston seniors. There is no cost for the meals and the only requirement is that you are over 60 years old and live in Houston.

Congregate Meals Program Houston

Congregate Meals program offers hot lunches at participating centers around Houston, Texas. You will need to have transportation to get back and forth from the community centers that serve these daily meals.

You can contact the Area Agency on Aging at 832.393.4301 to find Houston Congregate Meals locations near you.

If you are interested to know if there is a meal site close to your home you can also use our guide titled How To Find A Houston Congregate Meals Location. From there, you can type your zip code to see where your neighborhood serves meals.

3.) Help With Complaints About Healthcare (Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program)

The Area Agency on Aging in Houston can also assist seniors with filing or resolving complaints against their doctors, a hospital, or other healthcare providers.

AAA has connections to the Ombudsman Program which helps elderly individuals resolve grievances related to their healthcare.

If you or a family member receives care at a nursing home, assisted living facility in Houston, or any other type of facility, the Ombudsman Program is an excellent place to go if you believe you are not receiving adequate care. You can reach the Texas Ombudsman Program by dialing 713.500.9931 or 800.296.2606.

4.) Free Incontinence Supplies In Houston

AAA is a place that you can get free incontinence supplies in Houston. Supplies are limited, therefore you can only receive assistance one-time.

Incontinence supplies are items that protect and maintain the personal hygiene of an individual who is experiencing: bladder control issues or bowel leakage. These supplies include:

  • Adult diapers
  • Pull-ups
  • Bed pads

If you need help finding free adult diapers or bed pads in Houston, contact Area Agency on Aging at 832.393.4301.

5.) Home Repairs For Seniors In Houston

AAA can help you to make some home repairs. Especially if home repairs are needed to help you safely live independently in your home.

To learn more about home repairs that Area Agency on Aging can help you with, contact them or visit their website.

You can also find a listing of agencies that may help you fix your home by checking out our guide titled How To Find Home Repair Programs In Houston.

6.) Non-Emergency Transportation Options For Houston Seniors

There are multiple options for free to low-cost transportation options in Houston. If you need help getting to and from doctor’s appointments or other locations, contact AAA for referrals to senior transportation services.

Our guide titled Ultimate Guide To Cheap Medical Transporation In Houston can also offer you ideas on how you can get around the city for free to low-cost.

7.) Vision, Dental, And Hearing Resources

Houston seniors can also receive assistance with vision, dental, and hearing needs when they contact the Houston Area Agency on Aging.

Specific ways that AAA can help include:

  • Assistance paying for dentures
  • Help Houston seniors afford the cost of hearing aids
  • Provide help purchasing eyeglasses

Assistance paying for vision, dental, and hearing resources will depend on available funds. To learn about any assistance that is available you will need to contact AAA at 832.393.4301.

8.) Healthcare Classes And Activities For Seniors In Houston

Another way that AAA Houston helps the community is by providing fun and engaging educational programs for seniors in Houston, TX. 

Some of the programs that the Area Agency on Aging can connect you to include 

  • Houston Diabetes Education Classes – This class helps you to better understand how to effectively manage your diabetes. 
  • Chronic Disease Management Education – Similar to the diabetes class, this one focuses on chronic conditions as a whole. 
  • Tai Chi – These fun classes can help you to achieve better balance, strength, and flexibility. The major benefit from this class is to help you avoid falls that could land you in a Houston hospital. 
  • Home Meds– This is essentially an assessment of the medications you are currently taking.  If you are overwhelmed with the number of pill bottles that you have consider contacting the Area Agency on Aging to have someone assess the prescriptions that you are taking. 

You can visit the Area Agency on Aging website to see a complete list of monthly activities for seniors in Houston and sign up for classes that interest you. 

9.) Referrals To Programs In Houston For Seniors

Finally, if the Houston Area Agency on Aging cannot directly help you, they can offer you referrals to other programs that can. They have knowledge of many Houston-area resources, so they can help you find what you need.

One resource that AAA utilizes to find programs for the elderly in Houston is called Care Connection.

Care Connection is a handy and dependable website that specializes in listing both supportive services in Houston for older adults and persons with disabilities of all ages.

Conclusion

The Houston Area Agency on Aging is a great place to learn more about programs for seniors in Harris County.

Examples of assistance that AAA provides include:

  • Help understanding insurance plans like Medicare or Medicaid.
  • Non-emergency transportation options.
  • Advocacy assistance if you need to file a complaint against a nursing home.
  • Home repair assistance.
  • Help to pay for hearing aids and dentures.
  • Free incontinence supplies in Houston.

If you are a senior who is 60 years and older, you live in Harris County, and you need assistance with any of the resources listed above consider contacting Area Agency on Aging in Houston.

You can reach them by calling or by visiting the Area Agency on Aging website or calling 832.393.4301.

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