Remaining active in old age
The Agency on Aging's mission is to empower adults to remain as independent and engaged as possible within their communities through advocacy, information and services.
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The desire to remain active and engaged in the community doesn't go away as one grows older. And for financial reasons, many people need to keep working after they turn 65. But opportunities for suitable work and volunteer opportunities can be hard to find. The Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut (AASCC) is a place where local older residents can turn for help.
The Agency on Aging's mission is to empower adults to remain as independent and engaged as possible within their communities through advocacy, information and services. Its Volunteer and Training Department helps individuals find part-time employment and offers training opportunities that may help the older worker to discover a new career, brush up on rusty skills or learn new ones.
"Older workers are very reliable and consistent with a good work ethic," says Director of Volunteers and Training Ron Webb, "but many employers would never interview [an older person] just because they are older."
Some older adults wish to pursue new work opportunities to stay connected and stimulated. Others need work to meet their basic living expenses. According to the AARP, nearly 50 percent of adults 65 and older rely on Social Security for more than 50 percent of their income.1
Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) were established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1973 to provide a range of options that allow older adults 60 and over to choose the home and community-based services and living arrangements that suit them best. The AASCC was established in 1974 as the first Agency on Aging in Connecticut. In 40 years it has grown to a staff of 150.
The Agency is supported by a mixture of government funding, foundation and corporate grants, donations, and income from services.
The Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut has an Aging and Disability Resource Center, a hub of information for older adults, individuals with disabilities, caregivers, and professionals in the aging network. The informational topics include benefits, caregiving, community resources, housing, Medicaid, Medicare, Long-Term Care health insurance and a wide variety of topics related to aging and independent living. Additionally the department screens for benefits eligibility, assists with the completions of benefits applications and counsels individuals and their families on options for long-term care.
For more information, visit the AASCC giveGreater.org profile.
Did you know?
The over-65 population in Greater New Haven expected to grow by 52 percent by 2025.2
1. AARP Public Policy Institute. Beyond 50.05: A Report to the Nation on Livable Communities. (Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, 2005).
2. Abraham, Mark and Mary Buchanan. (2016). Greater New Haven Community Index 2016. New Haven, CT: DataHaven. 11.
This story is part of the Inspiration Monday story series produced by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.
