In an effort to better connect with the communities it serves and get residents the services they need, the Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) announced it will host open house events in 2024 beginning next month on May 16.
It will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the LMTAAA’s Chehalis location — 1651 S. Market Blvd. — according to an LMTAAA news release. Additional open house dates and locations will be announced later this year.
“Through open house events that meet communities where they are, we continue to foster a culture of caring,” LMTAAA Executive Director Nicole Kiddoo said. “As a champion of belonging and equity, we realize obtaining assistance begins with the empowerment of knowledge. Our open house events aim to remove barriers between resources and the people who often need them, but don’t know where to begin.”
The LMTAAA held its first open house last November in Olympia and welcomed approximately 100 attendees who found information on home health coordination, meal services, respite care, LGBTQ+ support and assistance with Medicare, Medicaid and more.
“Not only did I learn about the good work being done by this organization, I also learned about other work being done in the community to support our elders,” Debra Hatzialexiou, Washington state Department of Labor & Industries legal services program manager, said in the release. “The impact of this special event still lingers, and I’m grateful for the people who do this work.”
Founded in 1976, the LMTAAA is focused on assisting older adults, unpaid caregivers and adults with disabilities in the region.
The announcement of the 2024 open houses comes as data in Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties predicts a 5.7% increase in the need for regional home care services by 2027, and the number of adults 60 or older is expected to grow by 4.9% by then as well.
The LMTAAA is funded through the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services, the Aging and Long Term Support Administration, the federal Older Americans Act, the Administration for Community Living and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
For more information, visit https://www.lmtaaa.org/ or email LMTAAA Communications Manager Becca Frisch at becca.frisch@dshs.wa.gov.
