Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Area Agency on Aging and the County Commission or Council on Aging?

The Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (AAANM) serves a ten county region. AAANM is designated by the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging as an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) under the authority of the Older American's Act. AAANM generally does not provide services directly to clients, except for Information and Assistance and Care Management. Most services are provided by an array of over 50 other providers in the Region.

Where does AAANM obtain its funding?

AAANM distributes funds from federal and state resources. The Michigan Office of Services to the Aging and the Michigan Department of Community Health are the two agencies providing the majority of these funds.

How are services provided in the region?

AAANM provides Information and Assistance and Care Management directly to consumers. AAANM contracts the majority of its funds to community organizations, both non-profit and for-profit, which in turn serve consumers in their community.

What counties does AAANM serve?

AAANM serves ten counties: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford.

Is AAANM a Michgan State Agency?

No. Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan was formed in 1973 as a Michigan private non-profit corporation; it was designated in 1974 as an Area Agency on Aging by the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, and began serving the ten counties of Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford. Since 1973 AAANM has been a leader in raising the awareness of the needs of older adults both locally as well as at the state and federal levels.

What are Area Agencies on Aging (AAA’s)?

Area Agencies on Aging are a nationwide network of agencies created by Congress to develop a system of in-home and community-based service. AAA’s have developed many new programs primarily related to in-home services. Many innovations and new service opportunities have occurred with the efforts of Area Agencies on Aging across the country.

How many AAAs serve Michigan?

There are 16 AAAs that serve all of Michigan’s 83 counties. Most are private nonprofit organizations created by coalitions of county and local governments, and most cover multi-county regions. AAAs are run by local Boards of Directors; most AAA board members are appointed by county boards of commissioners and other local government officials. AAAs also have Advisory Councils with older adult leaders and activists from the community. To see a list of the AAAs in Michigan, go to the links section of this web site, Click on State and then click on the Region that covers the couty ot counties you may be interested in.

Who designates and monitors AAAs?

AAAs are designated by the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging, a 15-member citizen body appointed by the Governor. The Commission works hand-in-hand with the Office of Services to the Aging (OSA), which assists and monitors the performance of the AAAs. OSA is a state office that is part of the Michigan Department of Community Health. For more information about the Commission on Services to the Aging and OSA, go to www.miseniors.net.

What do AAAs do?

Advocacy
AAAs advocate on behalf of older adults and assist them in advocating for themselves. AAAs advocate for new programs for the elderly, more funds for existing programs, and public policies that benefit the elderly. The federal Older Americans Act requires AAAs to undertake advocacy efforts on behalf of elders. AAAs have been successful in advocating for federal, state and local resources, and blend all three into a cost-effective service system.
Action
AAAs research the needs of older adults; they also catalogue the services available to coordinate efforts and prevent duplication. After determining needs and resources, they prioritize unmet needs and develop plans to address them. In some cases, meeting seniors’ needs requires advocacy and in other cases, services are necessary. When services are needed, AAAs recruit and screen local service providers that can deliver quality services at a reasonable price. Over 1000 service providers meet the needs of older adults across the state.
AAAs create new services to fill the gaps in care. Creating a service means locating a willing service provider, finding financial and staff resources, coordinating the new service with existing programs, and educating seniors and the community about the availability of the new service.
AAAs raise additional resources for aging programs from governmental and private sources. AAAs solicit funds from federal, state and local governments, nonprofit agencies, corporations, foundations, direct mail solicitations, special events and private donors. Besides financial resources, AAAs recruit volunteers and help service providers recruit volunteers; there are thousands of volunteers now working in the aging network.
Answers on Aging
AAAs provide Information & Assistance to help older adults and caregivers. They are experts on all aspects of Long Term Care. They also provide specialized assistance on Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance issues through the Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP). AAAs also provide another important service called Care Management, designed to assist frail elders and their families by 1) performing a thorough in-home assessment of the elder’s condition and living situation, 2) developing a care plan to assist the elder in staying at home, if at all possible, 3) determining if the elder qualifies for any government programs, and 4) finding service providers in the community to provide assistance. Care management intervenes when seniors are in a very vulnerable condition to prevent them from going to nursing homes prematurely. AAAs are well-suited to do care management because they do not provide other services and have no self-interest in referring clients to specific services or service providers.

Where do AAAs get funding?

Funding comes primarily from the federal Older Americans Act, the state Older Michiganians Act, and the Medicaid program. Medicaid funding for the MI Choice waiver program is $100 million for FY 2006 – most of that is administered by AAAs. Federal funding of $40 million from the Older Americans Act is used for specific service categories (such as nutrition, supportive services, employment, etc.) with some flexibility to transfer funds if local needs dictate. State funding of $40 million from the Older Michiganians Act is also directed to certain services - home-delivered meals, in-home services, care management, respite care and adult day care. Local governments contribute $1 million that provides the required match for federal funds.

How much do AAAs spend on administration?

Altogether, AAAs spend about 5% on administrative costs.

Are there advantages to having AAAs separate from service providers?

Yes, there are three advantages. First, because AAAs do not provide services directly, they can administer a competitive bidding process with local organizations that maximizes the efficient use of limited resources. Second, they can function as an independent evaluator to monitor the quality of services delivered by providers. Third, because they are service-neutral, AAAs are in a position to take on special roles that require an agency with no bias towards particular services. Those special roles include care manager and MI Choice waiver agent.

What services are available through AAAs and Service Providers?

Following is a list of most of the services available. Unfortunately, every service is not available in all areas of the state because of limited funding. To find out which services are available in your area, go to www.miseniors.net.
Adult Day Care
Care Management
Caregiver Support Groups
Caregiver Training
Case Coordination and Support
Chores Services, such as heavy cleaning, minor repairs, lawn care and snow removal
Congregate Meals at senior centers and other locations
Counseling
Elder Abuse Education and Prevention
Employment Assistance
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Health Screening Tests
Help with understanding Medicare, Medicaid and other health insurance (MMAP)
Home Delivered Meals (Meals-On-Wheels)
Home Injury Control
Home Repair
Housekeeping
Housing Options
Information and Assistance
Legal Assistance
MI Choice Waiver
Ombudsman Services to resolve problems for people living in long term care facilities
Outreach to people who don’t know about or aren’t getting services
Personal Care, including help with bathing, dressing, eating, etc.
Respite Care - relief for caregivers
Senior Centers
Transportation

Is there an age requirement to receive services?

Yes. In most cases, people must be 60 or over to qualify for services. There are some exceptions – employment assistance is available to those 55 and over, the MI Choice Waiver is available to people with serious disabilities 18 and over, and programs for caregivers are available to adults of all ages.

Do seniors have to be low-income to qualify for services?

No – there is no means test for most services. The Older Americans Act states that everyone who is 60+ is eligible for assistance. There are two exceptions – employment assistance and the MI Choice Waiver.

Do seniors have to pay for services?

No. For most services, donations or cost-sharing are requested, but not required.

Are services available to all who need them?

No. Since funding is capped rather than open-ended, when the monies run out, applicants are placed on waiting lists. In many cases, clients are limited in the hours of service they can receive in order to serve more people.

Search AAANM.org