FAQ: How PBRPC Empowers Seniors Through the Area Agency on Aging

Part of a network of 670 Area Agencies on Aging nationwide, AAAPB is dedicated to serving the needs of individuals age 60 and older who live in Andrews, Borden, Crane, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, and Winkler counties. Whether residents need advice about insurance benefits, support while caring for a loved one or home-delivered meals, AAAPB is here to help. 

AAPB offers a broad range of services, including: 

• Benefits counseling to help residents make informed decisions about insurance options, public benefits and entitlements. Benefits counselors can also provide intervention and advocacy when needed and have access to advice from lawyers who staff the Legal Hotline for Older Texans. 
• Care coordination to assess the needs of residents who have had a recent health crisis. Case managers can help with health maintenance, income support, personal assistance services, minor home modifications to support health and safety, income support, and more. 
• Information, referral, and assistance services to help residents identify senior centers in the Permian Basin, locate transportation, select older adult housing, and find opportunities for recreation and volunteering. 
• Nutrition support through regular congregate dining and home-delivered meals. The goal of the nutrition program is to reduce food insecurity and, with congregate meals, to promote social activities for older residents. 
• An Ombudsman program that trains and certifies volunteers who advocate for quality care in Texas’ long-term care facilities as well as investigating, negotiating, and mediating complaints when people who live in a facility cannot resolve a complaint on their own. 
• Transportation services through a network of senior centers. 
• Volunteer programs that provide fulfilling activities that recognize and employ older residents’ life experiences and interests. 

To qualify for care coordination, residents must have been hospitalized or experienced a health care crisis within the past 30 days, have a mild to moderate impairment or temporary severe pain, and be in great economic or social need. There is a particular emphasis on low-income individuals residing in rural areas. 

Yes. AAAPB offers senior centers in Andrews, Crane, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Howard, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, and Winkler counties. You can find a complete list of AAAPB senior centers here. 

The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature was created in 1985 and is composed of registered voters age 60 and older, elected to two-year terms by other older residents in their area. These legislators work to help older Texans better understand the issues facing their community, state, and nation; to help them be better prepared to serve their community; and to propose legislation to the Texas Legislature. 

Individuals who are 60 or older and registered voters in Texas can file for candidacy by completing a Candidate Information Form, a Candidate Petition with 25 signatures of eligible, registered voters who are at least 60 at the time of signing, and paying a $5 filing fee to the AAAPB. Find more information on the AAAPB website.