The Area Agency on Aging of East Texas is designated by the Texas Department on Aging to coordinate services to persons who are 60 or older in East Texas with an emphasis on frail, minority, rural, and low income elderly.  The Area Agency on Aging is a program of the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) serving Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood counties.

 

 

Benefits Counseling/Legal Assistance:
Assisting in obtaining benefits and legal advice or representation.
Contact:                                                                                                                                                                                              Emily Taylor, Benefits
Flo Francis, Benefits Counselor

Information and Assistance:
Providing information to elderly persons about services that are available to meet their needs.
Contact:  Margaret Davitt, Information & Referral Specialist

Home-Delivered Meals:
Delivering meals to persons 60 or older who are confined to their home, are unable to prepare their own meals, and lack family, friends, or other resources to assist with meal preparation.

Congregate Meals:
Serving nutritious meals in congregate settings to elderly persons and their spouse.

Ombudsman:                                                                                                                                                                        Specially trained staff and volunteers providing information to nursing home residents and their families about residents’ rights.  Investigation and resolving complaints on behalf of residents. Contact:                                                                                                                                                                                          Wilma DeSoto, Benefits Counselor/Nursing Home Ombudsman 
Judy Holmes, Nursing Home Ombudsman 
Jana Tiefenwerth, Nursing Home Ombudsman  
Catherine Douglas, Nursing Home Ombudsman

Transportation:                                                                                                                                                                    Transporting clients to and from medical/health care services, social services, meal programs, senior centers, shopping, other community facilities or activities.                                                                            Contact:                                                                                                                                                                                      Roxanne McKinley, Transportation Manager

Care Coordination:
Care Coordinators work closely with hospital discharge planners and social workers to arrange temporary care for persons 60 or older following hospital discharge. This care would enable an elderly person who has insufficient caregiver support to remain in his/her own home. The Care Coordinators will request a contribution to help offset the cost of these services.

Caregiver Support:
Providing respite and supplemental services to family caregivers on a short-term basis to allow temporary relief from caregiving responsibilities. These services are available to individuals 60 or older. Hospital discharge is not required. A contribution will be requested to offset the cost of the services. Contact:                                                                                                                                                                                        Priscilla Jones,  SWA, Community Care Coordinator
Tricia Maxfield,  Aging Program Case Worker
Christy Fowler, Aging Program Case Worker

Homemaker I:
Provided by trained homemakers involving housekeeping/home management and meal preparation for individuals 60 or older who lack the ability to perform these tasks.

Homemaker II:
Provided by trained personal care attendants.  May include bathing, shaving, brushing teeth and hair, dressing, etc., for individuals 60 or older who lack the ability to perform these tasks.

Respite:                                                                                                                                                                                 Temporary supervision provided to the elderly person to enable the caregiver to be away from the home environment.

Home Modification for Access:
Limited modification to the home such as grab bars and wheel chair ramps to accommodate the needs of the elderly person (Hospital discharge is not required.)                                                                            
Contact:
Melanie Story

Emergency Response System:
An automatic monitoring system to link the homebound frail elderly to emergency medical services when their life or safety is in jeopardy. (Hospital discharge is not required.) 

OTHER AREA AGENCY ON AGING STAFF:
Claude I. Andrews, Director of Aging Programs
Beverly Brown, Contract Manager/Program Specialist

SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY OF EAST TEXAS
3800 Stone Road    Kilgore, TX 75662
1-800-442-8845     903/984-8641    fax:  903/983-1440 

Funded by the Texas Department on Aging
Texas Department on Aging
Texas Department of Transportation
Benefits Checkup

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services  
Meals on Wheels