The South Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging is one of the eight Area Agencies on Aging and is located in Kearney. The office was established in 1973, in accordance to the Older Americans Act. The South Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging provides services to the counties of: Blaine, Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Custer, Valley, Greeley, Sherman, Buffalo, Phelps, Kearney, Furnas, Harlan, and Franklin. The Agency employs 18 staff and contracts with one social worker and two registered nurses. The following services are provided through South Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging:
Health and Nutrition-
Nutritional services primarily consist of the congregate and home delivered meal programs, offered through senior centers. There are presently 20 congregate nutrition programs and 6 home delivered meal programs. There is a suggested contribution for the meals, for individuals age 60 plus. Persons under the age of 60 are charged the full cost of the meal. Nutritional counseling by a Registered Dietician is available to “at risk” seniors through a contract with a local clinic. Legal Services-
Legal services are available to persons age 60 and over and their spouses. There are no fees for the service; however, contributions are accepted. The program specializes in the area of Elderlaw. The program can help individuals with wills, advance directives (living wills and powers of attorney for health care), and many other issues. Senior Care Options-
The purpose of Senior Care Options is to assure appropriate utilization of long-term care services covered by Medicaid. Senior Care Options will evaluate the long-term care needs of persons over the age of 65 who are seeking Medicaid coverage for nursing facility care, to determine if such care in needed, or if other options are viable. Senior Care Options counselors evaluate individuals to determine his or her needs and then help the individual set up services to meet those needs. Medicaid Waiver-
Home and community based services through Medicaid for Aged Persons (Medicaid Waiver) provides service coordination options for persons age 65 or older. Choosing to use Medicaid Waiver means that an individual will receive services in his/her own home or assisted living facility and Medicaid will pay for those services. Certain eligibility requirements must be met before an individual may utilize the Medicaid Waiver program. Care Management-
Care Management helps seniors find in-home services and care providers to allow them to live independently for as long as possible, preventing premature nursing home placement. The senior makes all decisions with regard to what services he/she desires – the services are completely based upon client choice. Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)-
This program has trained volunteers to help older persons with health insurance related issues. This may include: assistance in choosing a Medicare Prescription Drug Card, choosing a Medicare Supplemental policy or a Long -Term Care policy; the program helps older persons with Medicare and other health insurance claims. SHIIP does not offer products or policies for sale, does not conduct market research, and is not related to any insurance company or companies. Family Caregiver Support-
The Family Caregiver Support program offers various ways to provide support to caregivers. Grant monies are available to pay for respite care and for emergency medical response systems (i.e. The program also provides information/referral, as well as education for caregivers. Information and Assistance-
The Agency works with many different businesses and organizations. The Agency can assist individuals in securing needed information and/or assistance that may not be offered through the Agency. The program offers information, answers to questions, and appropriate referral services to anywhere in the United States. Contact Us-
Should you need assistance or have questions, please contact our office:
South Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging
620 East 25th Street, Suite 12
Kearney, NE 68847
308-234-1851
1-800-658-4320
