Office for the Aging

The Office for the Aging provides services and advocacy for County residents 60 years and older. Programs and services include: Nutrition Centers and Home Delivered Meals, NY Connects, Home Care Services,  Family Caregiver Support, Medical Transportation,  Legal Services, Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance, Health Promotion Classes, Computer Classes, Nutrition Education and Nutrition Counseling.

For more information, please call (315) 386-4730.

Office for the Aging Office Hours:  8 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Farmers Market Coupons will not be available until after July 1st!  The department will not receive them from the US Department of Ag and Markets until this date. We will put out a press release and distribution schedule as soon as we receive them.  Thank you for your patience!

Programs/Events/Meetings

• Please consider taking our Social & Recreational Programming Survey. This survey is a way for us to gather more information regarding activities that our population of 60+ individuals would be interested in participating in. We would love to hear your feedback!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Congregate Dining:  Please join us for congregate dining at any of our Nutrition Centers located in: Brasher, Canton, Gouverneur, Morristown and Potsdam. Home delivered meals also remain open. We also offer our Grab & Go program.  If you are an older adult in need of food, please call NY Connects at 315-386-4730.

• HEAP: If you or someone you know needs assistance paying for heat this winter, help is available. HEAP season opened on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 and operates through March 15, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. For questions regarding your HEAP application, please call the HEAP Unit at 315-379-2303. For information, check out https://www.ny.gov/helping-new-yorkers-keep-heat. 

  The 2022-2023 Cooling Assistance benefit opened May 1, 2023.

  If you are eligible, you may receive one Cooling Assistance benefit per applicant household for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner or a fan to help your home stay cool.

  In circumstances where an air conditioner cannot be safely installed, a fan will be provided.

  Only one air conditioner or fan, not to exceed $800 with installation for a window, portable air conditioner, or fan and not to exceed $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit, will be provided per applicant household. No additional HEAP cash benefits are available.

• Loan Closet: Did you know that our small community has not one, but two options for borrowing medical equipment? With these loan closets, you can borrow walkers, wheelchairs, commodes, shower chairs, and more for up to 30 days. Clarkson University in Potsdam and MILC in Massena currently both offer equipment through their loan closet program. Follow the links below

          Clarkson University- https://www.clarksonassistivetech.com/aeloancloset.html 

          MILC- http://milcinc.org/loan-closet/ 

• Elder Abuse Helpline for Concerned Persons: This is a confidential service that provides support and validation to individuals 18 years or older who are concerned about an older adult in New York State they suspect is experiencing abuse or exploitation. Help line specialists are experienced in the field of aging and family violence and can provide emotional support and physical safety planning, referrals, advocacy, and education of complex systems.

• Social Security Scams: Social Security will never call or email you. If you are unsure whether the call is a scam, hang up and do not give any personal information. 

• NEW 988 Suicide & Crisis Helpline available for all individuals! The 988 Helpline is a free service for anyone who is suicidal, experiencing a mental health or substance-use related crisis, or experiencing any kind of emotional distress. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions here. 

FACEBOOK

The OFA is now on FaceBook!  Find us and like our page at "St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging"

Senior Club Listing

View the 2022 Senior Club List here.

NYSOFA Home Page

Nutrition Program

Suggested voluntary contribution for individuals age 60 and older is $3 per meal.  There is a $5.00 Guest Fee for anyone under 60.  Contributions help support the program; however no eligible client is turned away due to inability or unwillingness to contribute.  We request a 24-hour reservation to eat at any meal site.  For further info, please call 315-386-4730.

For inquiries contact:   NY Connects at (315) 386-4730.  Current Home Delivered Meal routes serve Brasher, Canton, DeKalb, Hermon, Russell, Edwards, Star Lake, Gouverneur, Fowler, Hailesboro, Morristown, Hammond, Parishville, Potsdam, Norwood, Norfolk, Madrid, Waddington, Lisbon, Colton and South Colton.        

Looking to Volunteer?

Are you looking to be more involved in your community?  The Office for the Aging is looking for volunteers to help at any of the following sites:  Nutrition Centers, OFA Main Office and Classes.  Please call Danielle Durant at (315) 386-4730 or email the Office for the Aging to discuss volunteer opportunities.

EPIC: Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage

EPIC is a New York State sponsored prescription program for senior citizens who need help paying for their prescriptions.  EPIC works with Medicare Part D as a secondary payer.  New York State residents can apply if they are 65 or older, and have an annual income of $75,000 or less if single, or $100,000 or less if married.  For more information, go to  www.health.ny.gov/health_care/epic/

Find My Benefits

Use this link to see what benefits you may be eligible for!

https://www.benefitscheckup.org/find-my-benefits/

NY Connects

Your Link to Long Term Services and Supports is a free information and assistance service that is available to individuals of all ages and their families to help them make better decisions regarding their long term care needs. NY Connects will serve the elderly, adults and children with disabilities, regardless of their payer source. NY Connects is a trusted resource that provides impartial and unbiased information about Long Term services and supports in St. Lawrence County. Click on link for the Resource Directory.

Bridge to Wellness | The Health Initiative - St. Lawrence County (gethealthyslc.org)

Public Transportation

St. Lawrence NYSARC is the operator for the County's Public Transportation Service. For info, contact Rena Ryan at 315-386-2600.  

www.slcnypublictransit.com 

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