Barbara Wells has been coming to the Athens Senior Center nearly every day since her husband died nine years ago. She enjoys reading to the other members at the center, loves the hot lunches and even tried her hand as matchmaker for her grandson and the center’s activity director, Madison Curnutt.

The center is one of seven in Limestone County supported by the Limestone County Council on Aging. LCCOA operates out of the Athens Senior Center but is a department of the Limestone County Commission.

In addition to the centers, LCCOA offers a variety of services and resources. Seniors can turn to the center if they need a ride to the doctor or grocery store, homebound individuals receive a hot meal five days per week thanks to the meals-on-wheels program, and Medicaid and Medicare counseling is offered to those who need it.

During 2017, LCCOA staff and volunteers provided about 14,000 rides and $117,000 in meals. Those numbers are nearly double what they were two years ago, according to Curnutt.

“We are getting calls from people every day,” said Sabrina Bates, the program’s assistant director. “The population is aging, and we are finding more and more people who don’t have anyone to take care of them.”

Another issue they face is finances. Bates said a significant portion of the senior population in Limestone County often have to choose between their medication and eating.

A problem, she said, that LCCOA is trying to eliminate through their nutrition program and Medicaid and Medicare counseling.

From Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, the staff at LCCOA assists seniors in navigating the complexities of Medicare Part D, a federally-funded program that subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs and prescription drug insurance premiums.

“People need someone to help them figure out how to chose the right plan for them,” Bates said. “You would be surprised by how much money we have been able to save people by helping them compare plans and pharmacies.”

According to Susan McGrady, director of LLCOA, her office assisted 395 Limestone County seniors, saving them a total of $298,591 in prescriptions costs during 2017.

Meanwhile, Carla Sims, Senior Rx and State Health Insurance Assistance Program coordinator, helps people who do not have health insurance coverage or have exceeded their Part D contribution.

“People think that Medicare is going to cover everything, but it doesn’t,” she said. “I help people fill out paperwork to get the aid they need to pay for their medicine.”

The LCCOA has lots of plans for 2018. Their annual Poke Sallet Follies Fundraiser will take place in early March. On May 3, seniors will participate in a fun fest at Sharon Johnston Park in New Market, and in June, Curnutt is planning a countywide bingo tournament.

Because of continued growth, the COA staff will move their office into a county building they will share with Community Corrections at 503 S. Jefferson Street some time later this year.

For more information about the services available at the Athens Senior Center or through LCCOA, call 256-233-6412.