Indiana Area Agency on Aging: What They Do and How to Get Help

You've been told to "call your local Area Agency on Aging" — by the hospital social worker, by a website, by a well-meaning neighbor. But what does that actually mean? What can they do for your parent, and what falls outside their role in 2026?

What Indiana's AAAs Do Now

Indiana has 16 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) covering all 92 counties. They're funded through the Older Americans Act, Indiana state appropriations, and the FSSA Division of Aging. Their core role shifted significantly after Indiana restructured its Medicaid waiver system in 2024.

Before the restructuring, AAAs handled clinical intake assessments for the Aged and Disabled waiver. That role now belongs to Maximus, the state-contracted Level of Care Assessment Representative (LCAR). AAAs no longer determine whether your parent qualifies for Medicaid waiver services.

What AAAs still do:

• CHOICE program enrollment — Indiana's state-funded alternative to Medicaid waivers, with no income limit and an asset ceiling of $250,000. CHOICE funds homemaker services, home-delivered meals, home modifications, and transportation
• Options counseling — free, unbiased guidance on available community resources, care options, and benefit programs
• Older Americans Act services — Meals on Wheels, congregate meals, caregiver support programs, legal assistance referrals, and senior center activities
• Post-waiver case management — once your parent clears the PathWays waiver waitlist, the AAA helps develop the transition plan and connects them with local providers
• Medicare counseling (SHIP) — free help understanding Medicare coverage, Part D plans, and Medigap policies through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program

How to Find Your Local AAA

The fastest route: call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and give them your parent's county. They'll connect you with the right AAA.

Major regional AAAs include:

• CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions — Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, and Shelby counties (Indianapolis metro)
• Area 2 Agency on Aging — St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko counties (northern Indiana)
• LifeStream Services — Delaware, Blackford, Grant, Henry, Jay, and Randolph counties (east central)
• REAL Services — St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, Fulton, Kosciusko, Pulaski, Starke counties (Michiana)

The FSSA Division of Aging maintains the full list of all 16 AAAs with contact information on their website.

What AAAs Can't Do

Understanding the boundaries prevents wasted time:

• They cannot perform the Level of Care Assessment — that's Maximus (1-833-597-2777). You need Maximus to determine nursing facility level of care
• They cannot approve Medicaid eligibility — financial eligibility is determined by the Division of Family Resources (DFR)
• They cannot assign a Managed Care Entity — MCE enrollment (Anthem, Humana, or UnitedHealthcare) is handled through the state enrollment broker
• They cannot provide direct medical care — AAAs coordinate services, they don't deliver clinical care

When to Call the AAA vs. Other Agencies

Making the AAA Work for You

The AAA is the starting point, not the finish line. Their options counselors know the local provider landscape — which home care agencies have availability, which counties have CHOICE waitlists, and which community programs most families overlook.

For the full picture of how AAA services connect with Medicaid waivers, Miller Trusts, caregiver pay programs, and the PathWays for Aging enrollment process, the Indiana Home Care, Waivers & Support Guide maps the entire system step by step — so you know exactly who to call, in what order, and what to prepare before each conversation.

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