Your Local Guide to Aging Well: Discovering Pima Council on Aging

Your Local Guide to Aging Well: Discovering Pima Council on Aging

Thursday
Eileen Lawless, MS, MSW, CPG
Hands holding a heart-shaped cutout of a family beside the PCOA logo.

Whether you're planning for your own aging, navigating a caregiving role, weighing short- or long-term care options, or simply exploring what healthy aging can look like, Pima County has a trusted resource for older adults and the people who care for them: Pima Council on Aging.

A common myth is that aging is mostly about decline. In reality, it comes with both challenges and opportunities, physically, socially, and emotionally. Aging touches all of us, whether we're helping a loved one through it or thinking about our own aging. Pima Council on Aging exists to support exactly that. I sat down with Lisa Reames and Deb Seng from Pima Council on Aging to talk about what help is out there and how natural it can be to turn to them at any point along the way.

Listen to the podcast now:

What Is an Area Agency on Aging?

Area Agencies on Aging exist because of a federal law called the Older Americans Act, passed in 1965. A 1973 amendment to that law created a nationwide network of local agencies, now more than 600 strong, so that no matter where you or a loved one live, whether that's Tucson, Boston, or a small town in rural Alaska, there's a local agency in place to help older adults stay independent and healthy. Each one looks a little different, shaped by its community's needs, but the mission is shared.

Pima Council on Aging is that agency here in Pima County, generally serving adults 60 and older, along with younger adults with physical disabilities and grandparents 55 and older raising grandchildren. It helps to know what's available locally, whether it's for our own aging or a loved one's. Pima Council on Aging is often the starting point. You might reach out if you:

  • Had a fall and want to feel safer at home
  • Need help with meals, laundry, or chores
  • Have questions about Medicare or Medicaid
  • Stopped driving and need help getting around
  • Are caring for a loved one and need a break

What Pima Council on Aging Offers

For almost 60 years, Pima Council on Aging has served older adults, family caregivers, and grandparents raising grandchildren. Their Helpline connects you with a real person who can point you to the right resource. Services include:

  • In-Home Support: home care, meal delivery, and case management
  • Aging Well: memory cafés, fitness classes, falls prevention, and community meals
  • Caregiving: support groups, training, respite care, and consultations
  • Healthcare & Benefits: Medicare counseling, legal help, and end-of-life planning

Why the Conversation Starts Here

Lisa and Deb share something that captures aging support well: Pima Council on Aging isn't a last resort; it's about prevention and planning, whether that's for your own aging or for family caregiving. Reaching out can be a natural step, not a final one. The interview covers respite and how the Pima Council on Aging team has come to see it differently than most people expect. It also touches on the Neighbors Care Alliance, a growing network of neighborhood groups across Pima County, and how Pima Council on Aging supports long-distance caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren too.

Adult and older adult caregiving consultations don't just point people to help here at the University of Arizona. Often, the right next step is a community partner like Pima Council on Aging. Caregiving research shows that isolation can limit caregivers' awareness of the support that's available to them (Schulz et al., 2020), which makes knowing about a resource like Pima Council on Aging, well before you need it, especially valuable.

And if none of this feels urgent yet, that's exactly why it's worth a few minutes now. Knowing Pima Council on Aging is there means one less thing to figure out later.

Every community in the country has its own Area Agency on Aging. Find yours through the Eldercare Locator, a free national service: