SWODA Area Agency on Aging

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 and older persons who are relative caregivers of a child who is 18 years of age or younger. Grandparent or older person who is a relative caregiver means a grandparent or step-grandparent of a child, or a relative of a child by blood, marriage, or adoption who is 55 years of age or older.

Eligible caregivers may receive payment 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

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.

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 Weatherford and Altus.

Masonic Charities Assistance Program

Through a generous grant from the Masonic Charities Foundation of Oklahoma, the SWODA Area Agency on Aging has been able to assist individuals 55 years of age and older who live in the eight county area served by SWODA. The assistance can cover a variety of things such as dentures, minor home repairs, ramps, etc. If the Masonic Charities Foundation of Oklahoma continues to provide funding, the Masonic Charities Assistance Program will begin around February 1st and continue until the funds are exhausted, which is generally about April or May, but may last longer. Individuals who are 55 or older and live in the SWODA eight county service area can inquire by calling 1-800-627-4882 to ask for Masonic Charities assistance.

Nutrition

The Nutrition Program provides meals meeting one-third of the dietary reference intakes 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 home-bound 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 CADC page or view the SOCAG page. 

Community Expansion of Nutrition Assistance (CENA)

Funding for the Community Expansion of Nutrition Assistance (CENA) program was made available through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce's appropriation bill, Oklahoma State Senate Bill 1071 Sections 1 and 6, Second Session, Forty-Ninth Oklahoma Legislature (2004). The purpose of this program is to increase the number of meals served to individuals, families, and their children, and other people at senior centers and community centers, in addition to home-delivered meals. The program also allows for expansion of other needed services provided at senior centers for residents of Oklahoma.

Ombudsman Program

The Ombudsman Program is a volunteer-based program. An ombudsman supervisor and 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. 

Supportive 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.