Aging & Independence Services

Posted in: Aging & Health

Improving the Quality of Life for Residents of All Ages and Abilities

The Issue

Today, 792,000 people age 60 or older live in metro Atlanta — that’s 1 in 6 of us.

By 2030, our older-adult population is expected to grow to 1.2 million, or about 1 in 4 of the region’s residents.

Most of us want to stay in our communities as we age, but we need easy access to transportation, services, and housing that is affordable and accessible for every stage of life.

This is where our work comes in.

Learn About What We Do

Our Mission and Who We Are

Atlanta Regional Commission’s Aging & Independence Services Group works to prepare the 10-county metropolitan area to address the future needs of our changing society while ensuring adequate services and support are available to individuals and their families living in our community today. See our annual report.

Chart - Aging Population in the 10-County Atlanta Region. Comparing year 2015 data with year 2030 projections

As the federally designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA), ARC receives funding through the federal Older Americans Act for much of the work performed by the agency’s Aging & Independence Services Group and partners within the counties of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale. Additional funding is provided by the federal Social Services Block Grant, Medicaid waiver programs, federal corporation for National and Community Service, and a range of state programs, along with a variety of public and private grants. We also provide services through public/private partnerships with health care providers and insurers and housing providers.

Visit Eldercare Locator to find other AAAs in the nation.

Connecting People to Services and Support Through Empowerline

Empowerline’s phone and online counselors link people with trusted community services — such as meals, transportation, resources to help care for a loved one, housing, assistance at home, and healthcare providers — to help them live their best lives.

Empowerline also helps to educate. Via our Empowerline website and social media and through community and professional outreach events, Empowerline provides crucial information about a variety of issues, from preparing for retirement, to Medicare and Medicaid help, to finding volunteer opportunities to remain socially engaged and plugged in.

If You’re a Pro, Consider EmpowerlinePro

Subscribing to EmpowerlinePro provides professionals access to Georgia’s most comprehensive database of aging, long-term care, and disabilities resources and providers.

We work with:

  • Nonprofits
  • Hospitals
  • Health Centers
  • Case Managers
Subscribe to EmpowerlinePRO

Maximizing Health & Independence

ARC’s Aging & Independence Services group awards federal, state, and local funding to metro Atlanta organizations that provide services to older people, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers, helping them lead healthier, more independent lives while avoiding costly institutional settings.

  • Managing Care
    ARC helps people navigate the complexity of their health and daily living needs through collaborative programs that help coordinate care.
  • Getting Around
    We all need reliable transportation in order to maintain a high quality of life. ARC supports programs to get older people to where they need to go and help them to live independently.
  • Delivering Meals
    For people who cannot leave their homes, having food and companionship delivered is invaluable.
  • Wellness Programs
    From managing chronic conditions to preventing a dangerous fall, these programs promote health of older adults and people caring for them.
  • Legal Assistance
    Older adults are at particular risk of financial exploitation. Legal assistance helps to protect their independence and security.
  • Providing Support to Caregivers
    More and more people find themselves in the role of caring for others. It can be rewarding, but also stressful. ARC helps fund programs that relieve some of that burden.

Planning Efforts to Help People Age in Place

ARC is dedicated to interdisciplinary plans to help people of all ages and abilities remain in their homes and communities.

ARC serves thousands of older people in metro Atlanta each year, but the demand remains great — and growing. ARC has developed a set of policy briefs that offer important information and context on key issues such as caregiving, transportation, and housing in metro Atlanta, as well as specific planning, policy, and programmatic solutions.

Our Lifelong Communities Partnership advocates for communities that support persons of all ages and abilities, especially considering the growing number of older people who call metro Atlanta home.

Helping People Stay Active & Engaged Through Volunteering and Senior Centers

RSVP VolunteerARC’s Aging & Independence Services Group is committed to providing new ways for older people to stay involved, give back, and meet new people. ARC allocates funding to help keep people nourished and engaged by providing meals and recreational activities at senior centers across the region.

Meanwhile, volunteers with metro Atlanta’s RSVP program provide free educational presentations, community events, and counseling for their fellow older adults — all geared to help them remain healthy, active, and independent.

Learn more about volunteering with RSVP.

A New Way of Thinking about Growing Older

As a regional provider of aging and disability services as well as a convener of government, partners, and residents, ARC strives to both reframe the way people think about aging in our region and engage others in this effort.

We invite you to reframe the way you think and talk about aging. Check out this evidence-based report from the Frameworks Institute, “Finding the Frame: An Empirical Approach to Reframing Aging and Ageism.” The report is based on extensive research on the how aging is understood in the U.S. The Institute has also created this helpful toolkit.

You Can Make a Difference, Too: Policy Briefs and Advocacy

ARC and our community partners serve thousands of older people in metro Atlanta each year, but the demand remains great — and growing. Learn even more about the issues affecting older people and those living with disabilities with these policy briefs. Ready to make a difference? Learn the A-B-Cs of advocating in your community.

Contacts in Aging & Independence Services

NOTICE: Gov. Brian Kemp has extended a public health emergency declaration and a statewide shelter-in-place order for older adults and medically fragile residents through June 12.

The Atlanta Regional Commission office at 229 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, is closed to the public until further notice. All employees are working remotely and conducting business operations. ARC employees can be contacted directly during normal business hours. However, if you need immediate assistance call 404-463-3100.

If you are seeking resources for older persons and individuals with disabilities, contact us at404-463-3333 or visit empowerline.org.

Learn more about impacted programs, meetings, and events as well as helpful resources for businesses and local governments…