Free Guide to Services for Older Delawareans and Persons with Disabilities now available

The 2014-15 edition of the free Guide to Services for Older Delawareans and Persons with Disabilities is available in print or online through the Department of Health and Social Services Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities.

The 314-page guide, in English and Spanish versions, is filled with information on such topics as senior centers; home health agencies; caregiving resources; medical, dental and mental health services; emergency preparedness; financial assistance; housing options; government programs; transportation; volunteerism; hospice services; and much more.

“We need to connect the growing number of Delaware seniors and people with disabilities with resources that will keep them fully engaged in their communities,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “This guide provides ready access to those resources not only for individuals, but also for families caring for loved ones.”

By 2030, Delaware’s population of people age 60 and older is expected to reach more than 250,000, or more than one in four Delawareans. By that same year, the state also is projected to have the ninth-highest proportion of people 65 and older in the country. In 2011, almost 23 percent of adult Delawareans reported having a disability. As baby boomers age, the number of Delawareans with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions is expected to increase dramatically.

“What Delawareans want is to be able to age safely and with dignity in their homes and to remain connected to their communities,” DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf said. “This guide, along with the Aging and Disability Resource Center, offers a comprehensive resource for those in need of services for themselves or loved ones as they age or acquire a disability. For Delaware families, the guide can help them understand the many options available to them as they prepare for life changes, rather than be forced to make decisions in the midst of a crisis.”

Residents also are invited to access the Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center database at www.delawareadrc.com. The website has thousands of searchable listings, by county, for services for older adults and individuals with disabilities.

Copies of the guide are available at no cost, thanks to the support of the publication’s advertisers. To view or download the guide, go to www.dhss.delaware.gov/dsaapd or the Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center at www.DelawareADRC.com and click on the picture of the guide cover in English or Spanish.

To have a copy mailed, call the Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center at 800-223-9074 or email Delawareadrc@state.de.us. Up to three copies of the guide can be mailed to the same address. To arrange for pickup of the guide from one of DHSS’ distribution sites, call the Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center at 800-223-9074 or email Delawareadrc@state.de.us.

The guide can also be found at three offices statewide: in Newark, 256 Chapman Rd., Oxford Building; in New Castle,1901 N. DuPont Highway, Main Administration Building; and in Milford,18 N. Walnut St., as well as at other sites across the state.

The division is always seeking new distribution sites for the guide. Becoming a distribution site would require an organization to store boxes of the guide and accept requests from agencies and individuals seeking one or more copies from the site. Interested organizations should call Carol Barnett at 302-255-9364 or email Carol.Barnett@state.de.us.