Arizona's Area Agencies on Aging, region by region

Start here

What an Area Agency on Aging actually is

Every state has Area Agencies on Aging. They exist because of the federal Older Americans Act, which sends money through each state to regional agencies that know their own communities. In Arizona, that money flows through the Department of Economic Security (DES), Division of Aging and Adult Services, which contracts with eight regional agencies. Some are nonprofits, some are part of a regional council of governments, and two serve tribal nations.

The agencies do not sell anything and they are not insurance. Think of them as the switchboard for aging services in your part of the state. A trained person listens to what is going on at home, checks what you may qualify for, and connects you with programs that are paid for, partly paid for, or simply worth knowing about.

For a family worried about bathing, that matters for three reasons. First, the agency may know of a local home repair or barrier-removal program that most people never hear about. Second, it can line up help that makes bathing safer right now, such as an in-home aide or caregiver respite, while you plan a bigger change. Third, it can tell you whether you should be applying for ALTCS, Arizona's Medicaid long-term care program, which can pay for some home modifications when a case manager puts them in the service plan.

Plain truth first: an Area Agency on Aging rarely pays for a walk-in tub. Where money for home changes exists, it is usually small, limited to people with low incomes, and aimed at basics like grab bars, ramps or a safer shower. It is still worth the call, because the agency can open doors you would not find on your own.

Services

What they can help with, as it relates to bathing

Each agency builds its own menu, so the exact programs differ from Mohave County to Santa Cruz County. These are the services that come up most when a bathroom has become hard to use.

The DES describes these as non-medical home and community based services delivered through the local agencies. Respite for family caregivers, for example, is generally limited to caregivers of someone who needs substantial help with at least two activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, and the caregiver's own risk is assessed as well.

Other routes

When the agency is not the right door

An Area Agency on Aging is one of several places to look, and for some families it is not the most direct. Here is how the main options line up in Arizona.

• Veterans: start with your VA primary care team. The VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant can help with medically needed bathroom changes when a VA physician prescribes them. Our VA and ALTCS funding guide covers the amounts and steps.
• People with low income who need nursing-home level care: ask AHCCCS about ALTCS. Home modifications can be covered when a case manager writes them into the service plan, and an accessible shower usually fits that policy better than a tub. Read how to ask ALTCS for a roll-in shower.
• People with Medicare: Original Medicare generally does not pay for bathroom remodels, walk-in tubs or grab bars. Check the Medicare equipment coverage page, and call your plan if you have Medicare Advantage.
• Family caregivers: the Arizona Caregiver Coalition runs a resource line at 888-737-7494 and has offered respite reimbursement in recent years. Ask what is available now.
• Taxes: some medically needed home changes can count as medical expenses. IRS Publication 502 explains the rules; talk with a tax professional before you count on it.