Aging Programs and Services
Programs and services available to older adults and those who care for them are provided through the Area Agency on Aging which is housed at the Lumber River Council of Governments located in the ComTech Office Park in Pembroke, North Carolina.
Our mission is to meet the needs of older adults in the region through coordination and provision of comprehensive services, development of resources to serve older adults and advocating on behalf of older adults and caregivers.
Click on the images below for specific program information.
Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Family Caregiver Support Program
Senior Games
Project C.A.R.E and REACH II Programs
Older Adult Nutrition
Senior Tarheel Legislature
Senior Community Services Employment Program
Click once on each question to open.
If you are looking for information on a specific program, double click on the link below to be taken to a page with information on that program.
Older Adult Nutrition Program– Seeing that qualified older adults receive nutritious meals is an important service in our region. Find information about in-home or congregate (group) meal programs for older adults here.
Senior Tarheel Legislature -The North Carolina Senior Tarheel Legislature is a group of volunteer older adults from acrosss the State of North Carolina that advocate with the members of the NC General Assembly on behalf of older adults. The members of the NC STHL help the local Area Agencies on Aging in advocating for programs and services for older adults in North Carolina.
Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman – Patients in long-term care facilities are covered by the Patient’s Bill of Rights regarding the quality of care delivered. The Ombudsman represents the patient to investigate complaints covered under this Bill of Rights. Find information about the Patient’s Bill of Rights and the work of our Ombudsman here.
Family Caregiver Support Program- Caring for children and older adults is rewarding but can also be very stressful. The Family Caregiver Support Program provides services to families, neighbors or friends who care for persons over the age of 60, or for minor children being cared for by Older adults, such as grandparents. Find information about the services provided, the eligibility criteria and useful information on managing stress in your daily life here.
Senior Employment Program – There are many older adults in our region who either want to or need to work in order to support themselves and their families. The Senior Employment Program assists persons 55 years of age or older who are also economically disadvantaged to connect to part-time employment with public or private non-profit agencies. Find information about this program here.
Senior Games – The Senior Games are a program of the State of North Carolina focused on supporting older adults with opportunity to remain fit and to compete annually in a wide array of sporting and other activities. The Senior Games are held each spring for North Carolina residents aged 55 or older. Learn about the Games and Healthy Living activities that are available year round here.
Project C.A.R.E. and REACH II Programs – This new program is focused on supporting those that provide care and support for older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease. Project C.A.R.E. – which stands for Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty – provides a Family Consultant to connect the caregivers with community resources and arrange funding to help pay for temporary relief. Learn more about Project C.A.R.E. and Alzheimer’s Disease here.
Where do I find the Resource and Service Providers in each county?
The way that these funds are administered is important to understand. The staff of the LRCOG support the Lumber River Area Agency on Aging. The staff, based upon the separate programs that are authorized by the Federal Government, work with Resource Providers in the individual counties to actually deliver the programs and services.
Each program supported by the Lumber River AAA has its own service provider network. CLICK HERE to be taken to a listing of those service providers by county.
How is the Lumber River AAA funded?
Services for the elderly are supported by funds from the Federal Government come through a piece of law called The Older Americans Act.
The Older Americans Act was originally passed by the US Congress in 1965. It was adopted to address national concerns that the elderly lacked adequate social services to meet their needs. Under this Act, grants from the Federal Government (through the US Department of Health and Human Services – Administration on Aging) are given to the individual states for them to provide for an array of programs and services.
In North Carolina, the NC Division of Health and Human Services (through the Division of Aging and Adult Services) in turn grants these funds to each of the seventeen Regional Councils across the State of North Carolina and their Area Agencies on Aging. In the Lumber River Region, the Lumber River Council of Governments – or the LRCOG AAA- administers these funds for the counties of Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson and Scotland. The “AAA’s” have the following responsibilities:
1. Plan programs and services which meet the needs of older adults and advocate for older adults; This includes providing training and technical assistance to these agencies and organizations that serve older adults;
2. Coordinate activities with other agencies and organizations serving older adults and those who care for them;
3. Provide information and referral service for older adults and their families;
4. Work to identify other funds to help cover the costs of providing these services;
5. Be advocates for older adults and their families.
Mission Statement:
The Lumber River Area Agency on Aging takes a lead role in meeting the needs of older adults in the region through coordination and provision of comprehensive services, resource development, and effective advocacy.
Vision Statement:
The Lumber River Area Agency on Aging plans, develops, coordinates and implements effective programs and quality services to meet the needs of older adults and their families in Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson and Scotland Counties by providing access to a full continuum of services and resources within the home, community and region.
Each of the “AAA’s” have a regional board of advisors that assist the staff in making sure that the objectives of the programs are met. In the Lumber Region, this is called the Region N Aging Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is composed of six members from each county. They meet annually to help the staff monitor service dollars that are spent in the region.They assist with the development of the Aging Services Plan every four years and serve as consultants to local aging boards as needed.
Click HERE for a current list of Advisory Council Members.
The Lumber River AAA has a dedicated staff of professionals which assist the regional service providers and perform the other functions necessary to make certain the services are delivered as needed. Click HERE for a staff list.
In addition to the programs and services supported by the Lumber Region AAA, there are a number of other important resources for older adults in our region.
Click on the links below for further information on these resources.
1. List of our region's Aging Service Providers
3. Full Circle of Care Program
4. NC Division of Aging and Adult Services - Living Healthy website