ALLIANCE ON AGING INC

Programs

1. Health insurance counseling and advocacy program (hicap)the hicap program provides counseling and information on topics such as medicare, health insurance benefits, and long-term care insurance, to county residents. Hicap provides essential services to medicare beneficiaries, including the elderly and those on medicare due to a disability. Services include help navigating the medicare initial enrollment, claim process and with annual open enrollment decisions. Hicap counselors are trained and registered by the state of california department of aging. They conduct seminars and individual counseling sessions to help beneficiaries (of all ages) and/or their family member navigate the medicare system and its often, complex changes. Ten community educational seminars were presented throughout the county in fy24-25, on the subjects of medicare basics & medicare update 2025. Additionally, 1821 individuals received individual health insurance counseling and education resulting in an estimated $743,270 in insurance savings. Hicap responded to 1298 quick calls from the community about general medicare questions that didn't require additional assistance and 352 people attended a medicare…

   $358,981 spent
   29% of program spending

2. The ombudsman programthe ombudsman program is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents in long-term care. Ombudsman staff and volunteers advocate on behalf of the 2952 seniors and dependent adults residing in long-term care in monterey county, acting as spokespersons for those who are without family or friends to speak on their behalf, or who fear retaliation if they complain. Ombudsman's placement services benefit family members and caregivers searching for long-term care facility information and guidance for their loved ones. Ombudsman help place the senior in a safe living environment with the appropriate level of care required for optimum health as well as a positive social setting. In fy24-25, the ombudsman program opened 123 investigation cases, assisted 90 families with long term care placement guidance, provided information/assistance to 1596 individuals including care facility staff, and made 233 monitoring visits to county facilities. A total of 2042 units of service were provided.

   $311,062 spent
   25% of program spending

3. Senior peer counseling programthe senior peer counseling program offers emotional support through no-cost, individual home-based and group peer counseling sessions to seniors who are experiencing grief and depression due to loss, loneliness, isolation, and other stresses of aging and transitions in life. In fy24-25, senior peer counseling served 203 individuals by providing a grand total of 1645 hours of service. Fifteen wellness events were conducted reaching 211 attendees.

   $259,091 spent
   21% of program spending

4. Senior luncheon programthe senior luncheon program offers a monthly hot meal and socialization. In fy24-25, a total of 1003 hot lunches were served. A frequent feature of the meal is a bag of produce from the food bank.

   $17,302 spent
   1% of program spending

5. Tax counseling for the elderly programthe tax counseling for the elderly program has a tangible impact on moving seniors from crisis to stability by assisting with the filing of income tax returns and economic stimulus payments and helping seniors to obtain refunds. Every extra dollar these seniors receive impacts their ability to survive, especially now that many other public assistance programs, such as those detailed previously, have disappeared. In fy24-25, the program served 2223 individuals and helped secure $1,821,726 in refunds.

   $64,283 spent
   5% of program spending

6. Outreach and benefits checkup programthe aoa's outreach program travels throughout monterey county to inform and educate the general public, in particular seniors and their care partners, about services available to them through the alliance on aging as well as other area agency on aging-funded programs, e.g., meals on wheels, legal services for seniors, alzheimer's association. Outreach enables the alliance on aging to provide information, in english and spanish, to underserved seniors in remote areas of the county. The program also schedules "benefits checkup" appointments for low income seniors who may qualify for calfresh food assistance, home heating discounts, inexpensive cell phones, and other targeted benefits. In fy24-25, staff reached 6268 persons at local venues. Through benefits checkup appointments, the program assisted 2679 individuals and distributed 219 farmers market coupons to qualifying seniors.

   $140,626 spent
   11% of program spending

7. Transportation programthe transportation assistance program is designed to help seniors navigate a wide variety of transportation options including bus, taxi, uber, lyft, and door-to-door services. In fy24-25, 233 individuals were provided with information and training about the local transportation options. Another 172 were provided with one on one support with taxi voucher registration and 260 people received free bus passes. The program helps to reduce isolation for older adults.

   $98,378 spent
   8% of program spending

8. The hubthe hub is a centralized access point for healthy aging programs that promote wellness and social connections. In fy24-25, 4801 visited the hub and 211 particpated in a wellness class.

   $0 spent
   0% of program spending

9. Spiralsthe spirals consignment store offers local residents and tourists an upscale consignment and benefit store selling new and lightly used merchandise including clothing for men and women, accessories, furniture, art, books, and household goods.

   $0 spent
   0% of program spending

The 9 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,249,723.