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
St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging Mission Statement
The Older Americans Act (OAA), a federal act enacted in 1965, established a national network of Area Agencies on Aging, which address issues that confront Older Americans. St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging (SLCOFA) is one of 59 Area Agencies on Aging in NYS and is an integral part of the Aging Network in New York. Our mission is to develop a service system specifically designed to best meet social and human needs of the elderly. SLCOFA targets those person 60 years old and older with the greatest social and economic needs; especially low-income minorities. SLCOFA strives to preserve the dignity, independence and security of older people and their families. Non-medical, cost-effective home and community-based services are developed and coordinated so that older citizens of St. Lawrence County may remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, avoiding costly institutionalization. In order to facilitate the implementation of the OAA, SLCOFA acts as an advocate on behalf of older individuals and develops innovative strategies for protecting the rights of vulnerable elderly.
PROGRAMS/EVENTS:
Caregiver Assessment
Do you provide unpaid care to a family member, friend, or neighbor who has an illness, disability, memory loss, or injury? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are a caregiver! Are you feeling overwhelmed, constantly worried, tired, sad, easily irritated, and/or extremely stressed? You are not alone and there is support available. If you would like to learn more about resources, tools, and supports available for caregivers, please answer the following questions to get connected to the right starting place.
- Are you over the age of 18 and caring for an older adult (age 60+)?
- Are you over the age of 18 caring for an individual (any age) with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder (e.g., dementia, traumatic brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, chronic traumatic encephalopathy)?
- Are you over the age of 55 and living with and caring for a child (not biological) under the age of 18?
- Are you over the age of 55 and living with and caring for an adult (can be a biological child) aged 18-59 with a disability?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you are eligible for the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). The goal of the NFCSP is to support family caregivers so they may continue to carry out their caregiving roles and responsibilities. The program can provide services such as caregiver counseling, information and assistance, caregiver training, respite care (a break from caregiving), and much more. If you would like to learn more about how this program can assist you, please contact:
St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging
80 St Hwy 310, Suite 7
Canton, NY 13617
(315) 386-4730
If you answered no to all the questions above, or you are not interested in learning about the resources available through the NFCSP, there is still help available to you through the Any Care Counts - New York (ACC-NY) Campaign which recognizes and supports the millions of unpaid caregivers across the state! Through ACC-NY you can discover your caregiver intensity score by taking the ARCHANGELS Caregiver Intensity Index (CII). It takes just 2 minutes to complete. You will find out whether you are “in the red," "yellow" or "green," and be connected to trusted resources.
Do you prefer to search resources on your own? Visit the NY Connects Resource Directory. NY Connects links individuals of all ages and their caregivers to long term services and supports and provides one stop access to free, objective, comprehensive information and assistance.
New York State LGBTQ+ Resource Guide
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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:
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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.
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HEAP Cooling Assistance Benefit: 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 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. For more information, please call the DSS HEAP unit at (315) 379-2303 or NY Connects at (315) 386-4730.
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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.
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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.
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 2024 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.
| Nutrition Site Location | Serving Time | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Brasher Falls, LBSH Housing, 32 Church Street | 11:30 am | 315-389-5100 |
| Canton, 37 Riverside Drive | 11:00 am | 315-386-2580 |
| DeKalb Junction, United Helpers, 26 Josephine St. *Temporarily Closed* | 11:00 pm | 315-347-3079 |
| Gouverneur Community Center, 4673 SH 58 | 11:00 pm | 315-287-2302 |
| Morristown, Fire Station, 200 Morris St. | 11:00 am | 315-375-6703 |
| Ogdensburg, Centennial Terrace, 202 Washington St. *Temporarily Closed* | 11:00 am | 315-393-9133 |
| Potsdam, Midtown Apartments, 28 Munson St. | 11:00 am | 315-265- 2870 |
| Star Lake, Clifton-Fine Community Center, 4208 SH 3 *Temporarily Closed* | 11:00 am | 315-848-2390 |
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.
