Area Agency on Aging of Dane County

The Area Agency on Aging of Dane County serves individuals who are age 60 and over and/or their family members by providing information and assistance in accessing services that will help older adults stay in their own homes and communities. Examples of community-based services include: congregate and home delivered meals, caregiver support, case management, and help with benefit questions. Many of these services are provided on a donation basis and are delivered at the local level.

More than 1 in 6 Americans working fulltime or part-time report assisting with the care of an elderly or disabled family member, relative, or friend (National Alliance for Caregiver & AARP in 2015). Fifty-five percent report being overwhelmed by the amount of care their family member needs. Seventy percent of working caregivers suffer work-related difficulties due to their dual roles. The Dane County Caregiver program offers assistance to family caregivers by providing planning, education, help accessing resources, and grants for respite and supplemental services.

Dane County also offers evidence-based health promotion programs such as Healthy Living with Chronic Disease, Chronic Pain, Diabetes, Caregiver Stress, and Fall Prevention. These classes provide information and resources to reduce injuries and improve management of chronic conditions, thus enhancing the health and lives of seniors and their caregivers.