Georgia Division of Aging Services: What Your Area Agency on Aging Actually Does

The Georgia Division of Aging Services (DAS) controls the gateway to almost every public eldercare program in the state — but most families have never heard of it until a hospital social worker mentions it during a discharge meeting. Understanding how DAS, the Area Agencies on Aging, and the ADRC system connect saves weeks of phone calls to wrong numbers.

How the System Is Structured

Georgia's senior services run through three layers, each with a distinct role:

The Division of Aging Services (DAS) sits within the Department of Human Services and sets statewide policy for elder programs. DAS administers federal Older Americans Act funding, manages the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program waitlists, and establishes the clinical criteria for program eligibility. You don't contact DAS directly — they operate through the regional network below.

Twelve Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) divide Georgia into planning and service areas. Each AAA contracts with local providers to deliver meals, transportation, personal care, and other home-based supports in its assigned counties. The AAA is your actual point of contact for everything from Meals on Wheels enrollment to Medicaid waiver applications.

The Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) is the intake system that sits on top of the AAAs. When you call the ADRC number, a trained information specialist conducts a phone triage, identifies which programs you might qualify for, and routes you to the correct regional AAA for a formal assessment. This is Georgia's "No Wrong Door" entry point — one call is supposed to connect you to the right program regardless of which agency administers it.

What the AAA Can Actually Do for Your Family

Most families underestimate what their regional AAA provides. These are not just referral hotlines — they coordinate and fund direct services:

Options Counseling: A free, one-on-one session where a trained counselor maps your parent's situation, identifies all available programs (public and private), and helps you build a care plan. This is the single most valuable free service most families never use.

Older Americans Act Home Services: Homemaker assistance, personal care aide hours, and chore services funded through federal OAA grants. These don't require Medicaid eligibility — they're available to anyone sixty or older, prioritized by functional need and income. Hours are limited (typically five to fifteen per week) and waitlisted in most metro counties.

Nutrition Programs: Both congregate meals at senior centers and home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels) for homebound seniors. Funded through OAA Title III-C, available on a sliding-scale or voluntary-donation basis.

Caregiver Support: The National Family Caregiver Support Program provides respite care, support groups, supplemental services, and limited one-time grants for home modifications or assistive devices. Administered through your AAA.

Waiver Program Intake: The AAA is where you start the CCSP or SOURCE Medicaid waiver application. They conduct the in-home Determination of Need-Revised (DON-R) functional assessment that determines clinical eligibility and waitlist priority.

How to Find Your Regional AAA

Georgia's twelve AAAs are organized geographically. The major ones:

• Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): Serves Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties. The largest AAA in the state.
• Central Savannah River Area AAA: Serves the Augusta metro area and surrounding counties.
• Coastal Georgia AAA: Serves the Savannah area through the coast.
• Middle Georgia Regional Commission: Serves the Macon area.

To find yours, call the statewide ADRC line or visit the DAS website and use the county lookup tool. The ADRC specialist will transfer you to your regional AAA's intake coordinator.

What to Prepare Before Your First Call

The intake call goes faster and produces better results when you have:

• Your parent's monthly income sources and amounts (Social Security, pension, any other)
• A list of their current medications and diagnoses
• A realistic description of what they can and cannot do independently — bathing, dressing, cooking, managing medications, driving
• Whether they have a durable power of attorney or healthcare directive in place
• Their Medicare and any supplemental insurance information

The Georgia Home Care, Waivers & Support Guide includes a pre-call preparation worksheet that walks you through exactly what to document before contacting your AAA, plus a DON-R self-assessment so you know what to expect during the in-home evaluation.

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