Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens is a private non-profit area agency on aging located in the rural area of Southwest Virginia and serves of the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Tazewell. Experts in aging since 1975, AASC has expanded services to serve nearly every sector of the age spectrum, from childhood to adulthood. AASC provides services to the community through one of their three divisions; aging, public transportation and PACE medical.

 

AASC’s mission statement: To advocate, plan, develop, implement and promote independence with a high quality of life for healthy aging that benefits individuals and families of all ages in a sustainable, livable community.

 

AASC operates a state-licensed, multi-service, on-site intergenerational day care center providing daily care that includes supervision, personal and social support. In addition, AASC operates Four County Transit — the public transit system — funded through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit.

 

AASC provides older and disabled adults with in-home care, home-delivered meals, transportation, emergency home repair, daycare, caregiver support, and care coordination along with many other programs developed specifically for seniors’ needs.

 

AASC operates AllCARE for Seniors, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, that serves individuals who are at least 55 years old, certified by the state to need nursing home care, and can live safely in the community with support. PACE is a long-term care solution for individuals who need help taking care of themselves at home. On average, a participant is 75 years old, has 10 medical conditions and is limited in approximately 5 activities of daily living.

 

The goal is to keep participants in their homes and provide a continuum of medical care and supportive services. Participants also receive value-added services from AASC such as care transitions, nutrition services, personal care and homemaker services, transportation and adult day center services that help prevent isolation and loneliness due to the shrinking number of family members available for support.

 

The following care and services are included in this program:

 

Adult day care that offers nursing; physical, occupational and recreational therapies; meals; nutritional counseling; social work and personal care;

 

Medical care provided by a PACE physician and/or mid-level providers familiar with history, needs and preferences of each participant;

 

Home health care and personal care; All necessary prescription drugs; Social services; Medical specialties such as audiology, dentistry, optometry, podiatry and speech therapy; Respite care; and Hospital and nursing home care when necessary.  

 

A PACE program expansion in 2022 now allows those services to be provided in the city of Bristol and the counties of Washington, Smyth, Wythe and Bland. PACE is a long-term care solution for individuals who need help taking care of themselves at home.

 

Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens owns and operates a senior living community adjacent to the central office in Cedar Bluff that provides housing for senior citizens aged 55 and older and adults 18 and older with disabilities. The Senior Living Community received the 2018 National Association of Area Agencies on Aging’s Aging Innovations Award in the Community Planning & Livable Communities category presented at the annual conference in Chicago and received the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Housing Award for Best Affordable Housing Development.  Several of the PACE participants now reside in the senior living community.

 

AASC has a main campus in Cedar Bluff, VA and has eight nutrition sites, three additional adult day care centers and a second medical center within the service area.  AASC will celebrate its 50^th anniversary in May, 2025.  Come join the creative, innovative team at AASC.