RIO GRANDE — The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. (AAA7) and the Chillicothe VA Medical Center recently signed a partnership agreement to provide services for local veterans.

In 2008, the Administration on Aging (now the U.S. Administration on Community Living, including the Administration on Aging as of April 2012), began a close collaboration with the Veterans Health Administration to provide an opportunity for Area Agencies on Aging across the country to serve veterans of all ages at risk of nursing home placement. The Veteran-Directed Home and Community-Based Services Program (VD-HCBS) offers a variety of services that the VA purchases from AAAs on behalf of eligible veterans.

The program gives veterans the opportunity to self-direct their long-term supports and services that enable them to avoid institutionalization and continue living independently in the home. Some service examples a veteran may self-direct through the program include supervising their own personal care workers and other health maintenance services to remain safe and independent in the home.

Twenty-three states have Veteran-Directed Home and Community-Based Service Programs operating with funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs through partnerships with VA Medical Centers and Area Agencies on Aging. Through the recent partnership locally, the Chillicothe VA Medical Center recently made its first VD-HCBS referral to the Area Agency on Aging (District 7), making it the first VA Medical Center in Ohio to offer this service. Ohio now serves as the 24th state in the nation to offer this unique program. Locally, the program is called the Veteran-Directed Program.

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. provides services on a non-discriminatory basis. These services are available to help older adults and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes through services paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other federal and state resources, as well as private pay. The AAA7’s Resource Center is also available to anyone in the community looking for information or assistance with long-term care options. Available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, the Resource Center is a valuable contact for learning more about options and what programs and services are available for assistance.

Those interested in learning more can call toll-free at 1-800-582-7277 (TTY: 711).