The Southeastern Wisconsin Area Agency on Aging manages federal and state funds allocated by the Wisconsin Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources for Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha County Aging Units. These County Aging Units are unique to Wisconsin and are the organizations that provide or contract for the services that allow older adults to remain in their homes and communities.

Services for older adults and those who care for them fall into five broad categories:   Information and access services, community-based services, in-home services, housing and elder rights. While there is consistency in the types of essential home and community-based services available, these services are customized to reflect varying local needs and resources.

Categories include a range of services such as those that follow:

Information and Access Services
Information and Referral/Assistance, Client Assessment, Care Management, Transportation and Caregiver Support.

Community-Based Services
Senior Centers, Meals served in group settings, Adult Day Services and Volunteer Opportunities.

In-Home Services
Meals-on-Wheels, Homemaker/Chore services, Telephone Reassurance, Friendly Visiting, Energy Assistance and Weatherization, Home Health and Personal Care Services and Respite Services.

Housing
Senior Housing and Alternative Community-Based Living Facilities such as, assisted living, community based residential facilities and adult foster care.

Elder Rights
Elder Abuse Prevention and Legal Assistance/Elderly Benefit Specialist Program.

A benefit specialist is a person trained to help persons 60 years of age and older who are having problems with their private or government benefits.

County benefit specialists are often called red tape cutters because they are experts at helping older persons with the extensive and complicated paperwork that is often required in benefit programs. They help older persons figure out what benefits they are entitled to and tell them what they must do to receive them.

Benefit specialists receive ongoing training and are monitored by attorneys knowledgeable in elder law. The attorneys are also available to assist older persons in need of legal representation on benefit matters. Find out how to contact the Benefit Specialist(s) in your county.