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Abuse and Neglect: Organizations to whom you can report suspected cases of abuse. Also, organizations who provide services designed to protect older persons from neglect, exploitation, or abuse. Neglect, exploitation and abuse are defined as: "The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or cruel punishment resulting in physical harm, pain, or mental anguish, or deprivation by a person, including a caregiver, of goods or services that are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness."
Adult Day Care: Care for dependent adults, provided in a supervised, protective, group setting during some portion of a twenty-four hour day. Typical services offered in adult day care settings include social and recreational activities, counseling, meals, rehabilitation, help with taking medications, and help with personal care. The services offered by adult day care centers vary, with some providing more hands-on care than others.
Adult Day Treatment: Intense counseling services provided in a partial-hospitalization setting.
Adult Education: Providing formal or informal opportunities for individuals to acquire knowledge, experiences, or skills. Education can be offered in a conference setting, University or community college, public library, health fair, hospital, or other formal or informal setting. Topics must be relevant to people age 60 and older or caregivers of people age 60 and over.
Adult Protective Services: Services where professionals act on behalf of an older person to protect them from neglect, exploitation, or abuse.
Advocacy: Action taken on behalf of an older person to secure rights and benefits, such as receiving, investigating, or working to resolve disputes or complaints. Other actions may be pro-active in nature, such as professionals working with legislators or other public officials to ensure that the rights and needs of older persons are taken into account when developing laws and public programs.
Aging Referrals: Providing information and assistance to individuals age 60 and over or their caregivers about current opportunities and services available to them within their community. In addition to providing information, these service providers can assess the problems and capacities of individuals, link them to available opportunities and services, and conduct follow-up to ensure that the individual received the services needed.
Apartments: Apartments designed for people age 60 and over to live independently. Senior apartment complexes do not provide assistance with the activities of daily living.
Arbitration and Mediation: Intervention between parties to help them reconcile differences, find compromises, or reach mutually satisfactory agreements.
Area Agencies on Aging: Agencies who plan, coordinate and offer information about human services for older people and their caregivers, as directed by the Older Americans Act. Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) help older adults remain in their home - if that is their preference - aided by services such as home delivered meals, home health care and whatever else it may take to make independent living a viable option. AAAs serve as portals to care, assessing needs, determining eligibility for assistance, purchasing home health and other services for income eligible seniors, and developing programs to respond to new needs as they arise. Many Area Agencies on Aging provide direct services such as senior centers and meal programs.
Assisted Living: Assisted living is a special combination of housing, personal supportive services and health care designed to respond to the individual needs of those who require help with activities of daily living. Assisted living care promotes maximum independence and dignity for each resident and encourages the involvement of a resident's family and friends.
Assisted Transportation: Provision of assistance, including escort if needed, to a person who has difficulties (physical or cognitive) using regular vehicular transportation. Assisted Transportation services usually require making reservations in advance. Drivers typically provide assistance for passengers to and from their front door to the bus or van when necessary.
Assistive Products: Assistive products are devices, items and/or technology that aid persons with activities of daily living so they can be more independent.
