What is an Area Agency on Aging?
An Area Agency on Aging, or AAA for short, is a local agency established to provide information about aging issues as they pertain to the needs of older persons and their families. Many AAAs also provide direct or contracted services to older persons. AAAs were created by the Federal Older American’s Act in the 1970s. There are 25 AAAs serving the state of Virginia and over 650 serving the needs of older persons nationwide and on Indian reservations. The goal of this agency’s network is to enable older persons to remain in their own homes and be active in their communities by providing vital information and cost effective community based services like those described on this site.

What is the Weatherization Program?
This program is designed to make your home more energy efficient. With standards set by the Virginia Department of Housing and Federal Department of Energy, your heating system is inspected for safety, air leaks are stopped and insulation is provided as required. In order to qualify you must meet income guidelines.
Is there a cost to the client? No, this is a free service for eligible participants.
How long is the waiting time for work to be done? 9-12 months.
How do I apply for assistance? Call the RAAA office  at (540) 371-3375 and ask for an application or download a  Weatherization Program Application from this website.
Can we replace a roof or replace windows?The scope of the work that can be done is determined by the housing inspector at the time the estimation is done on the home.

Do you offer nutrition programs?
Yes. RAAA provides a congregate (group) meal program at centers in the service area. See the Services section of this site to understand more about the program. Home delivered meals are also available to eligible individuals. RAAA recommends a contribution that is income-based on a sliding scale – please contribute what you can, it is greatly appreciated. Click here to view the guidelines.
Who is eligible to attend a meal center? Generally, anyone over 60 years of age can participate in the Congregate Meal Program which operates our six meal centers.

Who is eligible for Home Delivered Meals? Generally persons age 60 and over who are unable to prepare meals for themselves, unable to attend a meal center, and have no one to assist them with meal preparation may be eligible for this program.
How often are meals delivered? Seven or more frozen and/or liquid diet meals are delivered once a week.
If I am not home to receive my meals, what should I do? We ask that when you will not be home to receive your meals that you call the RAAA office at least a day in advance to reschedule your meal delivery. A missed delivery due to a failure to give the RAAA advance notice that you will not be home may delay delivery until your next scheduled delivery date.
Why does a UAI home assessment have to be done? The Uniform Assessment instrument is used to gather information for the determination of a client’s care needs and service eligibility. It is also used for planning and monitoring a client’s care across various agencies and long term care services. It is usually best to do the assessment in the client’s home.

What is a Long-Term Care Ombudsman? Please refer to the following brochure:
L-T Care Ombudsman Program.

Where can I find out more information about Long Term Care? Refer to the HELPFUL LINKS page on this site. Scroll to the section on Long-term care where you’ll find many helpful resources.

What is the Homemaker Program?
This program provides light housekeeping, essential shopping and small meal preparation.
Who is eligible for the Homemaker Program? Those who are frail, have disabilities and/or are at risk of premature institutional placement.
How often are services provided? Homemaker services are typically provided on a biweekly basis.
How much do homemaker services cost? The Agency on Aging does not charge for services, but accepts contributions. RAAA recommends a contribution that is income-based on a sliding scale – please contribute what you can, it is greatly appreciated. Click here to view the guidelines.

What is Title V/Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP)?
The Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP) provides part-time training of approximately twenty-five hours per week for low-income persons, aged fifty-five or older. Older workers receive training at a variety of community service agencies which may provide opportunities for specialized training, skill enhancement and job counseling. This program can provide a foot in the employment door. A participant must continue an active job search while part of SCSEP.
Are there qualifications that have to be met in order to be part of the program? Yes, you must meet both age (55 and older) and 125% of the poverty level income guideline.
Do I get paid? Yes. You are paid minimum wage.

Does RAAA provide transportation services?
Transportation is provided for persons enrolled in the RAAA Congregate Meal Program to provide access to agency meal centers and grocery shopping. Transportation is also available to medical appointments for a $2.00 round trip fee. For days of service and more information, please click on the Transportation Program brochure.  All transportation is wheel chair accessible.For additional resources on transportation services, please explore the Mobility Options site. One goal of Mobility Options is to help the public find information about existing programs or agencies that provide transportation services for seniors, people with disabilities and other individuals who find themselves transportation disadvantaged.

When can I expect the van to pick me up for the meal center? For the first day of transportation to a meal center we ask that you be ready to go by 8:30 in the morning. Once you have ridden the van a few times you will be able to estimate your approximate pick up time yourself. Please pay careful attention to announcements concerning transportation made at the Meal Center. Changes in routes and daily activity schedules may result in an occasional change in your pick up time.