South Western Oklahoma Development Authority
Area Agency on Aging
The SWODA Area Agency on Aging (AAA) serves people sixty and older and their caregivers in Beckham, Custer, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Roger Mills, and Washita Counties. Services are provided under the Older Americans Act of 1965 as amended and through grants from the following agencies: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Administration on Aging, Oklahoma Department of Human Services-Aging Services Division, and the Oklahoma State Legislature. The SWODA AAA works to improve quality of life by helping to fill the gaps in elderly services in the rural area.
The SWODA Area Agency on Aging is governed by an Advisory Council, which provides leadership and advocacy on behalf of older people (those 60 years of age or older) residing in the SWODA Area Agency on Aging service area. The council members determine services needed in the SWODA AAA area.
Caregiver Support Program
The Caregiver Support Program provides funds for respite services for those caring for a loved one or family member who is 60 or older and who has difficulties performing at least two activities of daily living (eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, or transferring) or who needs supervision due to a cognitive or other mental impairment. It also provides respite for grandparents or other relatives who are raising minor children.
Eligible caregivers may receive $400 in vouchers to hire someone to stay with their loved one so that they can take a break from their caregiving duties. Caregivers can hire the person of their choosing as long as the person is over 18 and does not live in the same household as the caregiver or care receiver.
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion provides health risk assessments, routine health screenings, including screenings for hypertension, glaucoma, cholesterol, cancer, vision, hearing, diabetes, and nutrition screenings, nutritional counseling, and health education.
Information and Assistance
Information and Assistance is a service that helps older individuals and their caregivers who need information about a program, service, or who simply have problems and do not know where to turn for help. For statewide Information and Assistance, call 1-800-211-2116. In the SWODA area, email the SWODA Area Agency on Aging Information and Assistance Specialist at ada@swoda.org or call 1-800-627-4882.
Legal Services
Legal Services provides legal advice in non-fee generating cases for people sixty and older living in the area through grants to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, with offices in Clinton and Altus.
Nutrition
The Nutrition Program provides meals meeting standard 1/3 RDA requirements that are served five days a week at congregate meal sites through grants to Community Action Development Corporation (CADC) and Southwest Oklahoma Community Action Group (SOCAG). These meals are also delivered to homebound individuals.
At least one congregate meal site exists in each of the eight counties served by SWODA. For more information about individual meal sites, view the PDF documents for the sites below:
CADCSOCAG
- Altus, Eldorodo, Granite, Hollis, Mangum, Olustee, Willow (home delivered meals only)
Ombudsman Program
The Ombudsman Program is a volunteer-based program. Two ombudsman supervisors and their volunteers advocate for residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities in the SWODA district. An ombudsman helps improve the quality of life and quality of care available to long-term care facility residents. A long-term care ombudsman receives complaints from residents of long-term care facilities, their friends or relatives, and attempts to resolve those complaints within the facility. The ombudsman has the authority to explore problems and recommend corrective action.
Outreach
The Outreach Service promotes communication between the elderly and service providers in the service area and assists the elderly in using community resources. It targets rural, isolated elderly people in the SWODA eight-county area.
Temporary/Emergency In-Home Services
These services may include the following: chore service, which provides assistance with heavy housework, yard work or sidewalk maintenance; housekeeping, which provides assistance with preparing meals, shopping for personal items, managing money, using the telephone or doing light housework; home repair, which provides minor repairs, modifications, or maintenance on a home owned and occupied by an eligible participant; and assisted transportation, which provides assistance and transportation, including escort, to a person who has difficulties, physical or cognitive, using regular vehicular transportation.
Transportation
The Transportation Service provides some transportation to meal sites and other essential services.
Contact
For more information on the Area Agency on Aging, please contact:
AAA Information & Assistance Specialist: Ada Vanderford
Email: ada@swoda.org