Walk With Ease is an evidence-based exercise and health education program that was developed by the Arthritis Foundation. Whether you need relief from arthritis pain or just want to be active, the Walk With Ease program can help. If you can be on your feet for 10 minutes without increased pain, you can have success with Walk with Ease.

Walk with Ease can teach you how to safely make physical activity part of your everyday life.   The program offers support, information, and tools to help you succeed and is designed for people with arthritis and other chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

Each Walk With Ease workshop runs for a period of six to eight weeks and meets two to three times per week.  Each class lasts about an hour and is led by a trained instructor.

Walk With Ease will help you:

• Motivate yourself to get in great shape
• Walk safely and comfortably
• Improve your flexibility, strength, and stamina
• Reduce pain and feel great

A variety of health education and wellness topics are presented monthly at our local senior community centers.  As a part of these programs, free blood pressure screenings are often available for those in attendance.

Centers In Motion provides a wide variety of fun and interactive activities across our two-county region without being tied to any one specific building or location. Programming is  open to all adults who are 55 years of age and older. If you enjoy staying active, learning new things, and having a good time, then this is the group for you!

Part of our mission is to provide a very personal touch by organizing trips and programs that will interest you most! All activities are thoughtfully coordinated with the intention of promoting learning, socialization, and friendship.

Some Of Our Activities:
Technology Classes
Dinner Theatre
Painting
Jewelry Making
Holiday Parties
Shopping Trips
Train Rides
…and more!

Bingocize strategically combines the game of bingo, exercise, and/or health education. Groups of participants play Bingocize for 45-60 minute sessions consisting of exercises (range of motion, balance, muscle strengthening, and endurance exercises) and/or health education questions.

Care Management

A care manager will assist in identifying an older adult’s needs and help link them to local resources or agency services to meet those needs. A care plan is created to ensure the individual’s needs are met. The care manager will provide regular follow up through monitoring calls, visits, and annual reassessments.

Non-Congregate/ In Home Meal Service – Through our home delivered meal service, a hot meal is provided to older adults up to 5 days a week. Meals are delivered out of the local senior center by a group of volunteers. Meals may be appropriate when a person is homebound, unable to prepare their own meal, and has no supports who are able to provide a balanced daily meal. A brief personal assessment is completed to determine eligibility. Click here to view the October Menu.

Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)– An emergency response button may be available for older individuals who are a fall risk and are living alone. These buttons can be pressed to call for help in the event of a fall or other emergency situation.  The unit can be worn as a necklace or bracelet. The agency may pay towards the monthly fee of the unit, and cost-sharing will apply. A personal needs assessment will be completed to determine eligibility.

Personal Care (PC)– Assistance with hands on personal care needs which may include bathing, dressing,  grooming, and toileting. This service is income-based, and cost sharing will apply. A personal needs assessment will be completed to determine eligibility, and the individual’s request will be reviewed for approval by the care management team.

Home Support (HS)– Services provided may include laundry and shopping for up to two hours maximum a week. This service does not include housekeeping. The service is income based, and cost sharing will apply. A personal needs assessment will be completed to determine eligibility, and the individual’s request will be reviewed by the care management team.

Help is available on a cost sharing basis to reimburse caregivers for paid services, consumable supplies and home adaptations that relate to caregiving needs. The amount of reimbursement given will depend on the individual’s cost of care needs, the percentage of reimbursement that you qualify for (based on the household income of the person receiving care), and the amount of benefits available. Based on the cost sharing scale, a caregiver may be eligible for $200-$600 a month for supplies and up to $5,000 (lifetime benefit) for home adaptations or assistive devices. A personal needs assessment is completed with the older adult and the individual’s case will be reviewed for approval by the care management team. We do not pay family members to care for their loved ones.

Help is available on a cost sharing basis for individuals over 55 years of age who are providing care to a grandchild under age 18 or relative with a disability between ages 18-59. Through one of these categories, a caregiver may receive up to $600 per month for reimbursement for supplies and services necessary for raising their dependent grandchild or relative with a disability. A person can be reimbursed for things such as school supplies, recreational activities, certain personal products, personal care, and respite. A personal needs assessment is completed with the older adult caregiver, and the individual’s case will be reviewed for approval by the care management team.

The Adult Protective Services Department conducts investigations for abuse, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment of older adults. In the event that a case is substantiated and the investigator determines the person is at imminent risk of danger to person or property, a care plan is presented to the older adult to reduce any risk to themselves or their property. Anyone may make a report to the Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging, and a reporter’s information always remains confidential. There is a protective services staff person on call and available after hours and on holidays. The Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging also receives reports of individuals’ age 18-59 that may be in need of protective services, forwarding them to our investigating agency, Liberty Health Corporation.

What is Elder Abuse? Abuse is defined as an occurrence of one or more of the following acts:

• An infliction of injury, confinement, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish
• Deliberate neglect and withholding of goods or services which are necessary to maintain physical or mental health
• Sexual harassment, assault, or rape
• Coercion or threats of force
• Exploitation of an older adult’s resources which may result in monetary or personal loss

Individuals who are 18 years or older and are unable to live independently can consider Domiciliary Care (Dom Care) as an alternative to institutional living. Dom Care homes are a more comfortable, homelike living arrangement. The homes are private residences that house up to three consumers. The Dom Care provider opens their home to consumers, providing meals, laundry, and personal care to ensure that all of the consumer’s needs are met.  If the consumer meets the eligibility criteria, it is the responsibility of the Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging to work with a consumer to find a Dom Care home that is compatible to their needs, preferences, and interests.

The Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging is responsible for initial certification and annual inspections of all local Dom Care homes.

The Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging will accept referrals for completion of assessments to determine eligibility for any of the following criteria:

• Consumer is currently Medicaid eligible applying for nursing facility placement
• Consumer is currently in a nursing facility that becomes eligible for Medicaid
• Anyone requesting consideration for admission into a nursing facility
• Consumers who are applying for or already reside in a licensed facility (Personal Care Boarding Home or Dom Care) and need or have the SSI Supplement.

In most instances, consumers must have a physician complete a MA-51 form before the pre-admission assessment can be completed.