Aging Council Holding Town Meeting

Elder Helpline Available For Seniors

MOORE HAVEN, FL. -- The Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council is holding a Town Hall meeting for residents of Hendry and Glades counties at the First United Methodist Church, 300 Avenue L SW in Moore Haven to raise community awareness of the Elder Helpline.
The meeting, to be held on October 11 at 8:30 AM, will be the first in a series designed to educate the public in the ways the Elder Helpline provides information to seniors, their caregivers, and concerned friends or neighbors while connecting them with the appropriate services for seniors in Southwest Florida. Questions about prescription drug plans, concerns with elder abuse, need for in-home services such as meals or transportation issues can be addressed by the Elder Helpline.
 
"The Elder Helpline has been serving our communities for many years, and has recently undergone an expansion by adding new staff and call lines," says Leigh Schield, Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) of Southwest Florida. 
 
"During the prescription drug enrollment frenzy last year we realized that we needed to expand and be prepared for the increasing needs of the communities we serve.  Over 10 percent of the 500,000 seniors in our service area are over 85 and there�s a probability that 60,000 seniors will need assistance related to Alzheimer�s disease in the coming years," Schield added
 
The counties served by the AAA include Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte, DeSoto and Sarasota. To reach the Elder Helpline call 1-866-413-5337 or (239)-332-3019.  For more information, contact the Area Agency on Aging at 239-332-4233.