Coordination of services with those offered by other agencies is very important and enables cooperating agencies to serve people more effectively, and with more efficient use of funds.  The Executive Director of Madison County Office for the Aging, Inc serves on advisory boards of other agencies that serve the elderly, and also reviews the annual plans of county agencies that provide services to the elderly.

These activities are intended to improve access to services, to expand services to meet current unmet needs, and to improve service coordination in order to reduce confusion, fragmentation or duplication.  The purpose of coordinated planning is to improve utilization and effectiveness of services.

Older people need a variety of services in their homes.  People are living longer, and are being released from hospitals earlier.  We are committed to target employment and service delivery to the elderly with the greatest social and economic need.

Madison County Office for the Aging, Inc. has grown and changed, but the dedication to quality service to the senior citizens of Madison County remains the same.  Our annual Public Hearing makes it possible for senior citizens to participate directly in the planning for needed services.  The Office always welcomes comments and suggestions for the Aging staff.

• To advocate on behalf of older person by monitoring, evaluating and commenting on all policies, programs and community actions which affect the elderly.
• To represent older residents' interests and concerns to public officials and others.
• To coordinate planning with other agencies and organizations to help promote new and expanded benefits and opportunities.
• Provide services to the county's older population.

In 1974, a Madison County resident concerned about the growing needs of older people organized a committee of other concerned citizens.  This group worked for two years to design programs that would meet these needs and to seek funds to establish such programs.

In 1977, the Madison County Office for the Aging was established and was sponsored by an out of county not-for-profit corporation.  In April of 1993, a new not-for-profit corporation was formed, the Madison County Office for the Aging, Inc, with a Board of Directors from Madison County.  The not-for-profit status of the office has made it eligible for both public and private funding sources to develop programs recognizing the needs of older person and their families.

The purpose of this agency has been, and continues to be: