Guide to Senior Care Resources in Roanoke & Lynchburg
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Senior Resources in the Blue Ridge Area of Virginia
Learn more about the Central and Western Virginia Chapter
The Alzheimer's Association Central and Western Virginia serves 51 cities and counties in the central and western regions of Virginia including Charlottesville, Danville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg and Roanoke. We help all those facing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by providing support groups and educational resources, while advancing crucial research and public policy initiatives.
Our mission: To eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
Our vision: A world without Alzheimer's®.
The Alzheimer’s Association provides care and support
The Alzheimer’s Association provides services to the central and western Virginia community. Our support groups are led by trained volunteers and are offered regularly. Our education programs for the general public, both online and in person, feature information on topics such as diagnosis, warning signs, communication, living with Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving techniques.
The Alzheimer’s Association advocates for the needs and rights of those facing Alzheimer’s
The Association is the leading voice for Alzheimer's disease advocacy, making the need for Alzheimer’s care, education and research is heard at every level of government, including Richmond.
The Alzheimer’s Association accelerates research across the globe
As the largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research, the Association is committed to accelerating the global progress toward methods of treatment, prevention and ultimately, a cure.
Lynchburg Office:
3831 Old Forest Rd.
Suite 7
Lynchburg, VA 24504
Phone: (434) 845-8540
Email: jmassie@alz.org
Roanoke Office:
3959 Electric Rd
Suite 357
Roanoke, VA 24018
Phone: (540) 345-7600
Email: aclark@alz.org
Email: scresswell@alz.org
Local Office on Aging
Since 1972, the LOA has provided a variety of community-based services to help you remain as independent as possible — for as long as possible.
LOA provides Meals-on-Wheels and diners clubs, volunteer opportunities and caregiver services. LOA also helps you find assistance with personal care, emergency needs or legal problems, with essential transportation and even a fan or air conditioner. New programs such as Assisted Transportation and Care Transitions have been added to better meet the changing demands.
LOA is reaching out to support our neighbors 60 and older, from the Roanoke Valley to the Alleghany Highlands.
We’re also reaching out to everyone to help us ensure that our communities remain elder friendly. We cannot do it alone and need your donations to help carry us through.
For more information about LOA our services, how we may help you and your loved ones, or how you can help us call the LOA office nearest you:
Roanoke | 540-345-0451
Alleghany Highlands | 540-962-0465
Botetourt Co. | 540-966-1094
Craig County | 540-864-6031
Volunteers deliver a hot, nutritious lunch Monday through Friday to homebound seniors citizens. Each meal is 1/3 of the Dietary Reference Intakes.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEALS ON WHEELS
Meals on Wheels is available to homebound seniors, aged 60 and older, who are residents of the LOA’s service area (Virginia’s Fifth Planning District). The senior must be unable to prepare a nutritious mid-day meal with no one available or willing to prepare the meal for them. Spouses and disabled dependents, regardless of age, MAY also qualify. This helps alleviate caregiver stress and worry.
“It means so much to us that we get nutritional meals daily and someone to check on us each day.”
DONATIONS
The Meals on Wheels program serves 600 recipients each day so it relies on a variety of sources to cover the costs of these meals. The program receives funding from federal, state and local governments, the United Way of Roanoke Valley, the Greater Alleghany Fund and the Foundation for the Roanoke Valley. Those funds are supplemented with fund-raising, grants and recipient donations.
“What a joy it is to hear the greetings of the volunteers each morning. Just like starting the day with a beautiful song! They say it so well. We are very thankful for the meals. I’m very satisfied with the food and service.”
The program also relies heavily on the contributions of the community.
If you would like to donate, use the link below or make checks payable to LOA Meals on Wheels and send to P.O. Box 14205, Roanoke, VA, 24038-4205. Donations are tax deductible.
PHONE NUMBERS
Roanoke Valley – (540) 345-0451
Alleghany Highlands – (540) 962-0465
Botetourt County – (540) 966-1094
Craig County – (540) 864-6031
Toll Free – 1-888-355-6222
Assisted Transportation is provided to seniors 60 and older who need to be accompanied by someone to medical appointments.
Currently the senior must also qualify to be a Care Coordination client and unable to go to medical appointments alone.
Assisted Transportation provides a Certified Nursing Assistant, CNA, to assist the person to the vehicle, drive them to the appointment and drive them home. The CNA will see that the person gets back into his/her home safely. The CNA will ensure that the senior understands what their physician needs them to do. The CNA can also pick up any prescription medication from the pharmacy and ensure that the person understands how it should be taken.
Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
CALL US AT: 703-324-5861, TTY 711
Email: Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- If you are considering a long-term care facility
- Need assistance with a care issue
- Would like to file a complaint
Note: For long-term care advocacy services in Prince William County, call 703‑792‑7662, TTY 711.
ADVOCATING FOR RESIDENTS OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES IN:
City of Alexandria
Fairfax County
Arlington County
Loudoun County
The program is part of a nationwide network established under the federal Older Americans Act to provide consumer information and help residents resolve problems related to care.
Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging
24 E. Cary St.
Suite 100
Richmond, VA 23219
804.545.1644
The Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging (V4A) maximizes the capacity of its member agencies to enhance the quality of life for all Virginians by enriching the lives of older adults, individuals with disabilities, caregivers and communities in need of supports and services.
Who We Are
V4A is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1976 to provide the following:
- ADVOCACY
- Takes positions on relevant state & federal initiatives.
- Provides public education relevant to the needs of older Virginians.
- COMMUNICATION
- Acts as a liaison between national and state organizations and the Area Agencies on Aging.
- Serves as a link with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and other public and private organizations promoting aging issues.
- Provides a network of information exchange among the Area Agencies on Aging.
- TRAINING & EDUCATION
- Promotes training and education activities.
- Provides opportunities for development of creative ideas, resources and discussion of potential solutions to problems faced by older Virginians.
V4A believes that there should be resources necessary to maintain a range of locally determined support services for older Virginians and their families.
V4A believes these services should help supplement family care in the setting of choice with the assurance of quality.
V4A believes care of the elderly is a family issue, impacting lifestyles, job performance and financial well-being.
The Virginia Association on Area Agencies also utilizes federal, state, local and private resources to operate the statewide Senior Medicare Patrol.
What We Do
V4A is a network of the 25 local area agencies on aging in Virginia. Find your local AAA for more information on resources available in your community.
Advocate for the resources and policies that will allow its members to help provide the choices older adults need to lead meaningful lives.
Improve the capacity of its members to better serve and represent older adults and their caregivers through information, education, training and technical assistance.
Promote the critical roles AAAs play in helping older persons and their caregivers.
Be a focal point for its members in the development and implementation of a statewide system of home and community-based services and supports and long term care, building upon the existing aging network.
Facilitate cooperative relationships among the aging network, other public agencies, and private sector organizations to develop an accessible and comprehensive system of services.
Making Virginia “Elder Ready”
Self-awareness is vital for safe driving at any age, but especially as we get older. Be aware of any changes in eyesight, physical fitness and reflexes, and any medications that impact driving ability. Be willing to compensate by making changes in driving habits or choosing alternative transportation.
Drivers age 75 or older must appear in person at a DMV customer service center to renew their driver's license. Find out more at Shifting Gears: Keeping the Drive at 75..
Driving and Age
Drivers may be safe or unsafe at any age. In general, young, inexperienced drivers tend to have the worst driving records, and experienced, middle-age drivers tend to have the best ones. In addition, driving skills tend to decline as drivers age, especially for mature drivers who take certain medications or have conditions associated with the aging process such as vision problems, arthritis or Parkinson's disease.
GrandDriver
The GrandDriver Program program helps drivers recognize the signs of declining driving skills and assists caregivers and healthcare providers with how to communicate and assess mature drivers. CarFit tests, professional evaluation centers, and an online driver safety quiz are some of the resources available from GrandDriver.
Safe Driving Courses
Online and classroom mature driver safety courses may help refresh driving skills and reveal new traffic laws. A driver may be required to take one of these courses as a result of a traffic infraction, and successful completion may be accepted in lieu of a conviction. In addition, some insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who successfully complete a mature operator's safety course. However, drivers cannot earn safe driving points by completing a mature operator's safety course.
Mature Operator Safety Course Listing
- AAA - RoadWise
- AARP - Driver Safety
- American Safety Council - Mature Driver Course
- Traffic School Online – Mature Driver Safety Course
Driver Fitness and Medical Review
DMV's Medical Advisory Board reviews an individual's ability to drive safely when necessary. Based on its assessment, the board may restrict or revoke an individual's driver's license.
For more information, refer to:
Mature Driver Safety Resources
Virginia's New Health Coverage for Adults
More adults in Virginia now have access to quality, low-cost and no-cost health insurance. Virginians aged 19-64 can submit an application at any time of the year to get the health care they need so they don't have to worry about getting sick or having an accident.
If you think you might be eligible for the New Health Coverage for Adults, take a look at the information on this page to find out more about it. You can check to see if you or other members of your family might qualify for health coverage by answering six questions about your income and family size using the Screening Tool. If it looks like you or anyone in your family may be eligible, please apply!
You can apply for health coverage in any of the following ways:
- Call the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282 (TDD: 1-888-221-1590) to apply on the phone Mon - Fri: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Sat: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
- Complete an online application at Common Help: commonhelp.virginia.gov
- Complete an online application at The Health Insurance Marketplace: healthcare.gov
- Mail or drop off a paper application(Spanish) to your local Department of Social Services (Mailing may take longer than other methods of applying). Find your nearest local department of social services by visiting: http://www.dss.virginia.gov/localagency/
- Call the Virginia Department of Social Services Enterprise Call Center at 1-855-635-4370 (If you also want to apply for other benefits)
Medicaid has different levels of benefits:
- Full coverage- Provides the full range of benefits including doctor, hospital, and pharmacy services.
- Limited coverage- Men and women who have income 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) may be eligible for limited benefits (family planning services) through Plan First
Services covered by Medicaid
- Doctor visits
- Well Baby Checkups
- Hospital visits
- Vaccinations
- Prescription medicine
- Tests and X-rays
- Dental care
- Emergency care
- Vision care
- Mental health care
- Well Child Checkups
- Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program for children (EPSDT)