Services
Benefits Counseling
Caregiver Support
Care Coordination
Health and Wellness
Information, Referral and Assistance
Medication Screening
Benefits Counseling
The Benefits Counseling Program provides HICAP/SHIP-certified Medicare Benefits Counselors to answer questions about Medicare health care coverage, issues and public benefits. A Benefits Counselor provides information and counseling free of charge to seniors 60 years of age or older and to Medicare beneficiaries of any age. > Apply to volunteer with the program today!
Benefits Counselors assist Medicare beneficiaries in the following areas:
• Medicare Parts A & B
• Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
• Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C)
• Extra Help with Part D Prescription Drug Costs (a program thru Social Security Administration)
• Medicare Savings Programs to help pay for Medicare Part B premium (thru Texas HHSC)
• Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) Policies
• Medicare Appeals Rights and Representation
• Medicare and Employer/Secondary Health Insurance interaction
• Public Benefits Programs
• Medicare Fraud Prevention
• Medicare Preventive Health
• Understanding Medicare when you first become eligible
• Open Enrollment Period plan selection for Part D Drug Plans and Advantage Plans
To receive free one-on-one confidential counseling, ask to speak with a Medicare Benefits Counselor when you call: (512) 916-6062 / Toll Free: 888-622-9111, Ext. 6062
Long Term Care Services
Eligibility Table for Long Term Care Services
Long Term Care assistance is provided through Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). See the eligibility table for information on allowable financial resource amounts and office contact phone numbers. > Go
BenefitsCheckUp®
Web-based screening tool which helps to find local, state and federal programs that can help many people with expenses such as prescription drugs, rent, heating bills, meals and more. BenefitsCheckUp® is a service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), a national non-profit organization based in Washington, DC. It's simple. It's fast. It's free. And it's private. Hint: "Find More Benefits Programs" will give you the widest variety of programs for which you may be eligible. If you need assistance, please call us and ask for a Benefits Counselor. Our Benefits Counselor can help you complete the CheckUp.
Follow the link to fill out the confidential questionnaire of your choice Benefits Checkup®
Caregiver Support
The Caregiver Support Program offers support and respite for families and friends who are caring for older adults(over 60). One call to the Area Agency on Aging provides access to specialized professionals who have been caring for families within the Capital area since 1981. Find the help you may need today! Are you giving care to a spouse, parent, relative or friend? If caregiving responsibilities are affecting your work, health, social life or family life, the Caregiver Support Program can help. In-home support services for care receivers are available on a short-term, limited basis. Care coordinators evaluate the needs of care receivers and caregivers for assistance.
Caregiver Support Eligibility
Residents within CAPCOG's 10-county region may be eligible for respite through the Caregiver Support Program when they are one of the following:
- The primary caregiver for an adult 60 or older.
- The primary caregiver for an individual of any age with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a disease-related dementia.
- The nonparental caregiver - 55 or older - for an adult with severe disabilities.
- A grandparent or other nonparent relative - 55 or older - with formal or informal custody of a relative child or children aged 18 or younger.
Caregiver Support Services
- Full assessment of the caregiving situation.
- Information about services and support to meet caregiving needs.
- Assistance in making a long-range caregiving plan.
- Arrangement of support services, which may include:
- Respite Care - provision for a brief rest or relief from caregiving responsibility.
- Emergency Response System.
- Adaptive equipment for personal safety (not covered by another source).
Important Note: All services are short-term, temporary and provided at no charge. Contributions toward the cost of the services are encouraged and welcomed.
Care Coordination
The Care Coordination Program assists older adults (60 years and older) who have been recently hospitalized or suffered a health crisis and reside in the 10-county CAPCOG area. The program provides short-term services to help our clients to remain independent and make future plans. One of our Care Coordinators will complete an assessment to identify client needs and develop an individual care plan. Arrangement for appropriate services and follow up is managed by the assigned Care Coordinator. The Care Coordination Program provides assistance for older adults (60 and over) who have recently been hospitalized or suffered a health care crisis (within thirty days) and who are without the financial resources to pay for the total cost of needed care. The Care Coordinator assesses a person's needs, then links clients to in-home services on a temporary, short-term basis.
Care Coordination Services may include:
- Homemaker services
- Limited personal assistance
- Durable medical equipment not accessed through Medicare
- Emergency Response System
- Other services can address needs identified by assessment and care planning
Important note: All services are short-term, temporary and are provided at no charge. Contributions toward the cost of the service are encouraged and welcome!
Download a list of companies that provide In-Home help for the Care Coordination Program (PDF)
Health and Wellness
Health and Wellness Programs provide older adults with the tools to maintain their health, reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases, and manage their health to live as independently as possible. Additionally these programs help older adults to improve and /or maintain their physical and mental health, reduce their risk of falling, and better manage their chronic diseases. In addition, these programs provide information to help reduce the risk of falling as well as provide falls prevention training for instructors.
Falls Prevention
This program is designed to help older adults 60+ years of age reduce their fear of falling through group discussion, problem-solving strategies and increasing the physical activity levels of those who have concerns about falls.
A Matter of Balance falls prevention class comprises eight 2-hour sessions taught twice a week for four weeks or once a week for eight weeks. If this sounds like something you would like to do, please Register Here.
Want to learn how to coach A Matter of Balance falls prevention classes in your community? It's fun and rewarding! No teaching experience necessary. We provide free eight-hour coach training and materials. You provide the time and desire to help prevent falls among seniors.
> Learn more about A Matter of Balance classes and coaching
> Download Area Agency on Aging's new Falls Prevention newsletter
> Visit the Texas Falls Prevention Coalition website
Home Safety Checklist
Checking for Fall Hazards in the Home: Home Safety Checklist
Information, Referral and Assistance
The Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Program provides information about human services available in the ten-county Capital Area. The program is staffed by an I&R/A Specialist. We provide information about region-wide resources; assistance to determine your next steps in finding help. For many, this is the first step to making informed decisions about the programs and services that fit their needs. You can contact the IR&A Specialist by phone to discuss information about community resources in our ten county service area. The goal of the IR&A Program is to help our clients maintain their independence. For many callers, this is the first step to making informed decisions about the programs and services that fit their needs. The IR&A Specialist gives thorough and unbiased information about community-wide resources and assists in determining the right avenues to explore.
- Adult Day Care
- In-Home Help (non-medical)
- Housing Options
- Transportation
- Attendant Network Website
- Senior Centers
- Home Modification/Repair
- County Clerk, Property Tax, Voter Registration Offices
- Personal Emergency Response Systems
- Low Cost Dental Clinics
- Eye Care
- Falls Prevention
- Personal Health Info Checklist
- Home Safety Checklist
Medication Screening
The Medication Screening Program, funded in part by a generous grant from the St. David’s Foundation, helps adults 60 and older reduce the risk of negative medication interactions, reactions and related problems. The Area Agency on Aging partners with selected pharmacists, who review participants' medications, supplements and vitamins and provide a written report on when and how to take the products or what special precautions to consider. Consumers can additionally opt for a phone consultation. The free program requires just a short survey before and after the screening.
Why does it matter? Medication errors can cause serious health problems and billions in hospital and long-term care costs. Though preventable, they're frequent and account for an estimated 7,000 deaths a year. AAA's Medication Screening Program, also available for caregivers of older adults, not only reviews medications for potential actions but additionally offers the following:
- Review of costs to determine whether less expensive options exist.
- Review of medication effectiveness.
- Review of immunization needs and other lifestyle changes.
Schedule a screening today by calling 512-916-6067 or toll free 888-622-9111, ext. 6067.
