2012 Diana C. Jones Award Recipient
The North Ottawa County Council on Aging (NOCCOA) has enriched the lives of people age 60 and older since 1969. It believes that aging is not about decline, but transition. There can be a renewed sense of optimism in these transitions. As they like to say, it's all about being "Rewired, Not RetiredTM."
The agency offers a wide range of ways to learn, interact and exercise the mind, spirit and body. This past year, NOCCOA provided services for more than 40,000 older adults, whose ages ranged from 60 to104. The agency's vibrant activity center features more than 40 programs a month that reach 4,000 older adults. More than 80 percent of the agency's budget comes from the support of 12 municipalities and grants. Existing programs of the agency include:
- In-home social work assessments
- Durable medical equipment loans
- Emergency prescription assistance
- Emergency unmet needs
- Homemaking and personal care
Additional volunteer-driven services include:
- Personal visits
- Telephone reassurance
- Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program
- AARP Tax Assistance
- Medical appointment transportation
NOCCOA was selected in January 2012 to be the national pilot for a research-based initiative dedicated to reversing the frailty associated with aging. This project focuses on maximizing successful aging of lower-income older adults by challenging them physically, socially, spiritually and intellectually.
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