by John Latimer | Lebanon Daily News

“Started in 1974, the Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging is in its 40th year of operation.

“During those years it expanded from a staff of 5 and a budget of $50,000 to a staff of 44 full and part-time employees and an operating budget of $3.4 million.

“Those numbers and many others were presented on Thursday by Administrator Carol Davies at the agency’s annual public hearing held at the Maple Street Senior Center in Lebanon, where the AAA offices are located.

“The agency’s services are needed in the county because 23 percent of its population, or nearly 31,000 residents, are 60 or older, Davies said. That compares to 21 percent statewide and 18 percent nationally.

“Of the county’s senior population, Davies said, 2,235 used the agency’s programs, and the goal is to increase it to 2,693 in 2014-14, which would represent about 8.7 percent of county seniors. Those numbers do not include the 2000 people who used the APPRISE Medicare counseling program and 11,000 people who called the agency, Davies noted.

“‘We are working to increase our reach into the community with the services we provide,’ she said.”

Click here to continue reading this Lebanon Daily News article.