Help for seniors from Kansas Agency on Aging centers.
Older adults, the elderly, and senior citizens can receive assistance from their local Kansas Area Agency on Aging office. The locations offer and coordinate services and resources for qualified individuals. Some of the programs administered in Kansas are listed below.
Oral Health Services can provide needed dental care and assistance to HCBS/FE recipients. The care provided includes cleanings, restorative and preventive treatment, and funds can even provide for the purchase, repair or adjustment of dentures. This is often provided to seniors in combination with Kansas Medicaid. The reason being is that Medicaid only provides dental care to seniors for x-rays, dental examinations, and extractions. Find other programs that provide free dental work or cleanings.
The Kansas Optimizing Health Program is a workshop organized by Agency on Aging centers and is offered in most towns and counties. It is also referred to as the Chronic Disease Self Management Program, and it can assist with chronic diseases including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, lung disease, and asthma.
Some of the sessions and workshops provided address how to obtain prescription medications; nutrition; how to exercise safely; techniques to deal with frustration, pain and fatigue; and various communication techniques for medical team members and family.
Kansas Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, allows the health care provider to accept a billing rate in order to provide all medical services and also Medicaid/Medicare long- term care. Premiums for qualified low income seniors and individuals are paid by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), and Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA). The PACE provider coordinates and provides all needed long term care services, preventive, primary medical, and acute care so that older individuals and senior citizens can continue living in their home and the greater community.
The Senior Medicare Patrol (or SMP) in Kansas will help people deal with fraud and other issues. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services created this service with a goal of reducing Medicaid and Medicare fraud, scams, abuse, and waste.
The elderly and seniors can receive outreach, education, and also importantly one-on-one assistance and problem resolution. All Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in Kansas will be advised and educated on how to protect, identify, and report healthcare fraud and abuse and other scams from SMP. The Kansas Senior Medicare Patrol will train volunteers and Agency on Aging personnel to assist with educating consumers on the issues that many people face, including fraud, excessive billing, abuse and waste.
People should be on the lookout for scams and fraud, and the most common types of Medicaid and Medicare fraud generally involves deliberately billing for medical care services that were not received or billing for a health care service at a higher rate than is actually justified. Specifically, some of the examples include: Providers representing themselves as being part of, or endorsed by the federal or state government; Billing Medicare for services or care that is not received or needed; Using someone else’s government Medicare Card; Over billing for services and equipment; Offering free services or equipment and then charging Medicare for services; Incorrect billing “upcoding"; and filing false claims.
There are many other scams run on elderly people as well, both in Kansas and nationwide. The SMP program referenced above focuses on medical fraud as well as billing errors, but if a senior citizen needs help for other issues an aging on aging center can arrange for assistance. They offer referrals to agencies that identify and prevent senior citizen fraud and that can even sue the companies in question.
Kansas Senior Farmers' Market is a Nutrition Program for the needy and low income. There are currently two main goals of this service, and they include:
- Increasing the consumption of agricultural commodities by seniors by expanding or aiding in the expansion of CSA programs; domestic farmers' markets, and even farmer market roadside stands.
- Seniors and elderly can receive fresh foods, nutritious herbs, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and items such as honey and meals. Or low income seniors can benefit from CSA programs.
Meals on Wheels is offered by your local senior center or Kansas Agency on Aging office or partner organizations, such as churches or non-profit agencies. The program delivers a hot, nutritious noon meal each weekday to homebound disabled or senior citizens who cannot cook or prepare a meal for themselves. Meals are healthy, and meet nutritional needs. They are prepared daily by a dietician and most of the meals are delivered by a team of dedicated volunteers. A small fee may be required for the Meals on Wheels program.
The Follows the Person Project – This service allows funds for elderly or disabled persons who have lived in a nursing facility for a minimum of 3 months. Individuals can receive services through the physically Disabled (PD) waiver program or the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Frail Elderly (FE), and these can help them relocate back to the community.
Gain work skills or a job from the Senior Community Service Employment Program. Unemployed, low income workers ages 55 and over can gain key work skills by working in a real job, which will tend to be part time. Participants of the SCSEP program will gain critical skills and experience that ultimately lead to locating and maintaining unsubsidized, full time employment somewhere in the greater Kansas area.
This is a great program for people who have been laid off, or who want to reenter the workforce after a change in their financial situation or when they finished raising a family. Stop by a Workforce Center or an Area Agency on Aging office to learn more.
Multi-purpose senior centers are open in most Kansas towns and cities. They provide a number of services, including physical fitness, educational, recreational, cultural, and health-related activities. Other workshops and classes address investment seminars, free or low cost legal clinics, computer training, job interviews, Spanish classes, and much more.
Aging Information/Assistance resources. Learn about the hundreds of assistance programs, social services, public aid, and support that is offered for older people, senior citizens, and their families. The Agency on Aging centers help people navigate the maze of services and government aid. Talk to a professional to learn about services such as:
- Financial assistance, including Bill Payment Assistance; Tax Preparation; Budgeting.
- Medical care, such as Medicaid; Prescription Drug Assistance; Home Health Options; and Medicare.
- Other services - Employment; Consumer Fraud; Social Security; Transportation; Senior Housing; public aid in Kansas, and more.
Local Agency on Aging offices in Kansas
For information on these or other services and programs, call the Kansas Department for Aging at their toll free number of 1-800-432-3535. That is the statewide number. Or stop by or call an office below. Each will offer assistance (financial aid, material goods, home care or respite services) and more to the residents in their city or county.
Wyandotte-Leavenworth AAA, 1300 North 78th Street, Suite #100, Kansas City, Kansas 66112-1540. Call 913-573-8531 or dial toll free at 1-888-661-1444. They provide free food, information on home care or home repairs run Senior Centers and more. More on Wyandotte-Leavenworth Agency on Aging.
Southeast KS, 1 West Ash, Chanute, KS 66720-1010, call 1-800-794-2440 or 620-431-2980.
Northeast KS AAA is located at 526 Oregon, Hiawatha, KS 66434-2222. Call this agency office at 785-742-7152.
Central Plains Agency on Aging office can help seniors in Wichita and surrounding communities. Food, health care, and other aid is offered. 2622 W. Central, Suite 500, Wichita, KS 67203-3725, call 316-660-7298.
Southwest KS AAA, 236 San Jose Avenue, P O Box 1636, Dodge City, KS 67801-1636. Dial toll free at 1-800-742-9531 or call 620-225-8230.
South Central KS region residents can stop by the agency office at 304 S. Summit, Arkansas City, Kansas 67005. Main number is 1-800-362-0264.
Northwest part of the state, address is 510 W 29th Street, Suite B, Hays, KS 67601-3703, call the agency at 785-628-8204 or toll free 1-800-432-7422.
East Central, 117 S. Main, Ottawa, KS 66067-2327, phone number is 785-242-7200 or dial 1-800-633-5621.
Johnson County agency office - 11811 S Sunset Drive, Ste # 1300, Olathe, KS 66061-7056, phone 913-715-8800 or 1-888-214-4404.
Jayhawk AAA, 2910 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka, Kansas 66611, phone 785-235-1367. This is one of the leading statewide non-profits.
North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging center operates from 401 Houston in Manhattan, KS 66502. Call 1-800-432-2703 or 785-776-9294 for information.
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