• The Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging (SARCOA), Area Agency on Aging is the agency to turn to for help with concerns facing Senior adults of southeast Alabama. The Area Agency on Aging can assist Seniors in bringing together the resources needed to maintain their dignity and independence.

  SARCOA is a vibrant and dynamic organization continually seeking ways to better serve the rapidly growing Senior population through planning, coordinating and developing community levels of service. As the regional focal point for Senior services, SARCOA's focus today and everyday is to provide services which improve the quality of life and enhance the independence of the Seniors of our area.

SARCOA currently administers 38 Senior Centers in the seven county region. Over 5500 Senior citizens in our area received services through the Senior Centers in FY 2003.

The Senior Center or multi-purpose center provides a focal point in the community for Senior services. Besides providing a hot meal to participants, the Senior Center offers many education and recreation activities. It is especially important for providing socialization to many who might otherwise be isolated. In an effort to help Seniors adapt to new technology and have access to valuable information, each Senior Center has been provided with a computer with internet availability.

Most centers offer transportation programs for their participants, primarily for access to the center, delivery of meals, trips to shopping activities and recreation.

Congregate meals, those meals served in the center, provide a hot nutritious lunch for at least 20 seniors per day in each center. Individuals are rotated for meals in order for a greater number of Seniors to receive the benefits of the center. A minimum of 5 home-delivered meals are packaged in the center and delivered to homebound Seniors, providing a hot meal and a brief visit.

Senior Centers offer a variety of other services including educational programs, exercise, arts and crafts, quilting, woodworking, bingo, dominoes and many recreational activities. Each Senior Center is unique to its community and participants' needs and interests. The Senior Center staff and volunteers also provide telephone reassurance, friendly visiting and some homemaker services to community Seniors.

To be eligible to receive Senior Center services, a person must be 60 years or older or the spouse of an eligible Senior.