Area Agencies on Aging in North Dakota

North Dakota has a single AAA, known as the North Dakota Aging Services Division, which covers the entire state.

Structure and Services

• North Dakota Aging Services Division manages and coordinates a range of services for older adults across the state. These services include helping seniors access programs such as meals, transportation, home care, and caregiver support.
• The AAA does not directly provide all services but works with local providers to make sure that seniors can get what they need, whether it’s a home-delivered meal or transportation to a doctor’s appointment.

Key Services Provided:

• Meals on Wheels and congregate meal programs
• Caregiver support services
• Transportation assistance
• Case management and help with accessing Medicaid and other programs
• Information and referrals for long-term care and aging services

State Oversight

• The North Dakota Department of Human Services oversees the AAA and ensures it aligns with both state and federal aging policies.

Comparison with Other States

Similarities:

• Like other states, North Dakota’s AAA follows the Older Americans Act to ensure that seniors receive services related to health, nutrition, and caregiver support.
• Other states, such as Minnesota and Oregon, also emphasize helping seniors stay in their homes (aging in place), which is the goal of North Dakota’s AAA.

Differences:

• Unlike larger states that have many AAAs (such as California with 28 or Texas with 28), North Dakota has only one AAA. This means the agency covers a much larger area, which can be a challenge in a state with a lot of rural regions.
• Other states with many AAAs often have agencies focusing on smaller regions or counties, making North Dakota’s approach more centralized and less dispersed.

Conclusion

North Dakota’s single AAA is tasked with coordinating aging services across the entire state. While its structure is more centralized than states with multiple AAAs, it still follows the same goals of helping older adults maintain their independence and age in place. This single-agency approach is necessary for serving North Dakota’s rural population, where fewer resources can be spread across many smaller regions.

List of Area Agencies on Aging in North Dakota