Golden Crescent Area Agency on Aging

The Golden Crescent Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is one of twenty-eight in the state, and more than 700 in the United States and its Territories. The Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission is designated to serve the needs of the elderly in Calhoun, Dewitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca and Victoria counties. This is accomplished by administering federal grants under Title III of the Older Americans Act. The major responsibility of the AAA is to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan that demonstrates how the needs of the elderly in the region will be met. This three-year Area Plan begins with consumer input gathered through surveys and public hearings. The Regional Health and Human Services Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from each county, carefully considers this information, then helps shape the data into a list of priority services to fund using the Title III resources. Providing the services is accomplished through a combination of subcontracting and direct service arrangements. The local subcontractors consist of four senior citizens associations, two units of local government and three, public, non-profit organizations. The major services include senior center meals, home-delivered meals, transportation, light housekeeping, preventive health activities, information and referral and advocacy. AAA services reached over 8,000 elderly citizens in the region last year.