Senior Resource Directory Senior Resource Directory

INTRODUCTION
out from the agency exactly what income and asset
in for ma tion is required and what kind of doc u men ta
tion must be provided.
You may need to have the individual you are help ing
write a short letter authorizing you to act on their behalf.
There are other legal documents that can be very
helpful in allowing an individual to act for another
person. “Durable Powers of Attorney” and “General
Powers of Attorney” are examples. Both documents
can be used only for specifi c reasons and when an
agent can act on another’s s behalf is defi ned by law.
In ves ti gate before you proceed.
Waiting Lists/Denials
If you determine that you are eligible for a par tic u lar
service and it is the service that will best meet your
needs, then the next question is when can the service
begin.
Our best advice is, if there is a waiting list, get on it.
You may have to settle for another service that either
may cost more than you can afford or does not quite
meet your needs. If you don’t need the service when
your name comes up on the list, they will go to the
next person. Don’t think that you can wait until the
agency no longer has a waiting list. It may not happen.
Additionally, access to services is being restricted. If
your health plan or an agency denies services you will
want to ask them about your right to appeal the decision.
If the denial regards a Medicare service, contact
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program
(HICAP) at 800- 434-0222 or 928-5663.
Cost
Finally, cost will determine if you can afford the services.
Some agencies have a set cost, no matter what
your income; others determine cost based on income;
some services are free, and still others—AAA federally
funded programs (the Nutrition-program is one
example)—ask only for a do na tion. ASK!
Long-distance Caregiving
Most communities have a range of services avail able
for older persons, but fi nding them is often a challenge
for families and professionals alike. This can be especially
diffi cult if the elder lives in dif fer ent community
from the caregiver.
A toll-free telephone service, known as the Eldercare
Locator, will make it easy to locate specifi c resources
for senior citizens. This service is a collaborative project
of the US Administration on Aging. National Association
of Area Agencies on Aging and the National
Association of State Units on Aging.
The Eldercare Locator’s toll-free number, 800-677-1116
is currently available weekdays, from 9:00 am - 8:00
p.m. (EST) for callers in the United States. Callers have
access to more than 4,800 state and local resources,
as well as special purpose numbers for such services
as Alzheimer’s hotlines, legal assistance and nursing
home information. Most of these services are provided
by public or nonprofi t or ga ni za tions, which receive
funding through the Older Amer i cans Act to provide
information and assistance to older persons.
Additionally, the California Department of Aging has
es tab lished a single Senior Information Line, 800-510-
2020. When this number is called from anywhere in
California, it connects the caller with the local senior
citizen information and as sis tance service.
On Line
The content of this Senior Resource Directory is available
on the home page for the Central Coast Commis
sion for Senior Citizens. This is done to improve
access to the information. We will en deav or to keep
the on line in for ma tion updated. And, as we develop
the home page, we will en deav or to create linkages to
other information resources.
In Conclusion
Every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of
the in for ma tion included within these pages. Should
you become aware of a dis crep an cy, please let us know.
In addition, check our website www.centralcoastsenior
s.org for updates.
Your suggestions for improving the Directory, or any
in for ma tion revealing new and not listed information
as well as your opinions, are welcome. Your comments
would be greatly appreciated. Send your comments to:
Senior Resource Directory
Area Agency on Aging
528 South Broadway
Santa Maria, CA 93454
6 2005-2007 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SENIOR RESOURCE DIRECTORY