Causes: Food, Human Services, Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers, Seniors, Transportation Assistance

Mission: The council on aging of martin county is designated the lead agency for aging in martin county by the area agency on aging psa9 in florida. With this designation comes the responsibility for the council to advocate, counsel, oversee and provide various critical services for vulnerable elders receiving state and federal grant funds, scholarships funded by private donations and grants, and private pay sources. Critical services include meals on wheels, adult day care health program, geriatric specialty primary medical care, case management, and caregiver support.

Programs: Geriatric care management: advocacy, navigation and counseling for elders and their caregivers by certified care managers. Council clients served are provided a comprehensive assessment, an individualized care plan, and navigation to obtain funding for needed resources. Care managers also arrange and monitor in home services such as personal care, homemaker, chores, and respite care. Due to an extensive waiting list in florida for state and federal funding, philanthropic donations provided to the council are utilized by the care managers to fund program support to poor and needy seniors who are able to avoid advanced placement in an institutional setting.

nutrition/meal services: the council provides meal programs to meet the needs of specific diets for seniors. Every day, hundreds of fresh, diet specific nutritious meals are prepared in the council kitchen with menus based on certified dietician recommendations. The meals are delivered by volunteers to homebound seniors who are isolated and alone. Five congregate dining center locations in martin county are offered so that social interaction in a group setting can assist in avoiding depression from social isolation. Due to an extensive government funded waitlist, charitable funds are solicited every year to assist in elimination of the meals on wheels waitlist for needy seniors. Private pay meal service funds (kane cuisine) assist in the short fall of dollars from government funded meals on wheels program.

adult day care health program: the adult day program is a daytime program for seniors who need assistance with daily living, so that they can live in a non-instiutional setting for an extended period of their senior years. Clients benefit from social interaction and enhanced care, while their family members receive respite time. The adult day program offers structured programs for seniors suffering from memory loss as well as those who require oversight from an rn for their medical needs. The adult day program is licensed by the state of florida and is surveyed each year for statutory compliance.