Office on Aging

 (423) 569-5972 |   email  |   8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. M-F

The state aging services departments coordinate area agencies on aging in most states. Area agencies on aging provide specific services under the Older American’s Act to help caregivers and older Americans in their geographic area. East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) is the Area Agency on Aging. It is responsible for planning, coordinating and monitoring various aging programs within the region.

They contract with local offices within the 16 counties they serve to provide services to the 60+ population of that area.

Two such contracts in Scott County are:

• Office on Aging (contract is with Scott County Government)
• Senior Center (contract is with Town of Oneida)

Jatolia McDowell is the director of Scott County Office on Aging.

The Town of Oneida has the contract with East Tennessee Human Resources to provide services in the Senior Center. The Center is operated through a unique partnership with Scott County Hospital, the Town of Oneida, and with the approval of the Scott County Senior Citizens & Friends Board to provide services to Senior Citizens through Senior Circle, Senior Center. Kathy Rose is the Director of Senior Circle, Senior Center. Shirley Terry is the Activities Coordinator and provides a wealth of skills in teaching crafts, games, etc.

Scott County Office on Aging is contracted to provide I & A (information & assistance), outreach, transportation, and assisted transportation, home visits, and some shopping assistance to individuals 60+ within Scott County. The Office on Aging contract does not provide Senior Center functions within the county.

However, Scott County is resourceful and assists community volunteers by providing an in-kind donation of two county owned buildings and paying for some of the utilities for those centers. Services provided by these centers include congregate meals and recreational activities.

The current operating Senior Citizens Centers are as follows:

The First District Senior Center is located at 11200 Baker Hwy., Pioneer. They meet on Thursdays for various activities and lunch. For more information call 423-663-3044.

The Third District Senior Center is located at 210 Court Street in Huntsville. This Center meets each Monday for lunch and various activities. For more information, please contact them at 663-2077

The Fifth District Senior Citizen’s Center meets at 24333 Scott Hwy., in Winfield on Tuesdays. Please call 423-569-5452 for more information about the services provided.

Community volunteers in each of these rural centers provide meals and some social activities. As they are not funded, they provide these services as volunteers of the community and with donations received from individuals who congregate for the meals. The donations received help cover the costs of the food and other expenses.

Senior Citizens Center is located at 102 South Main Street in Oneida. The Center serves meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for a small charge. They do offer other services. To find out about these, contact them by phone 423-569-5972 or watch your local newspapers for information.

Transportation

In April 2002, Scott County Office on Aging received a grant for a 15 passenger van through the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The county provided matching funds to apply for the grant. This has allowed the Office on Aging to offer a direct service on transportation within the county to transport individuals to the senior centers, doctors, etc. You must call in advance for this service as hours of operation are limited. Other transportation is available through the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency who provides transportation within the county and to areas other than Scott County.

Meals, Visits to the Homebound

Meals on Wheels does operate in Scott County. The number of meals they provide is not enough to cover the needs of the county to the extent needed. The rural area makes it even harder to get meals to people who need them. Again, Scott County is very innovative. Through a wonderful partnership, various businesses provide hot meals either free of charge or at a low cost to be delivered to the elderly homebound of the area. Scott County Hospital and Oneida Nursing Home are providing meals at this time. Winfield Grocery, Rainbow Restaurant and Scott County Jail have also helped in the past.

The Office on Aging Director coordinates the meals with the individuals and Meals on Wheels. The meals were delivered originally by volunteers. There were not enough volunteers willing to deliver and get the meals out 5 days a week across 3 and 4 routes throughout the county. At this time, the Office on Aging uses donations to pay mileage reimbursement to get these meals delivered. This keeps the meals going five days a week. The food is very beneficial to our homebound, but the visits of those caring people who carry the food is probably the best medicine any of them can receive. This effort is called FAITH (Feeding, Aiding, and Improving the Homebound). It is truly an effort of love because funding would not be possible if it were not for the innovative approach we have taken within the county to help provide this service.