CICOA is a private, not-for-profit agency that helps seniors and people of any age with a disability remain comfortably and safely at home and out of institutional care. We do this by providing information, advocacy and support services for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. As one of 700 Area Agencies on Aging nationwide, CICOA is not a government agency, but oversees state and federal funds and private donations to provide:

• Information and assistance through the Aging & Disability Resource Center
• High-quality, in-home services, including no-cost and low-cost care for those eligible
• Meals & More home-delivered and congregate meals
• CareAware caregiver support services
• Way2Go transportation services and New Freedom vouchers
• Long-term care options counseling
• Home modifications
• Nursing home pre-admission screening
• Advocacy
• Senior center-based activities such as transportation, meals, recreation, education, health promotion, ombudsman and legal services

CICOA serves Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan and Shelby Counties in Central Indiana.

Are you someone who is:

• providing care and assistance for an older spouse, relative or friend?
• caring for a child with a disability?
• responsible for the care of an individual of any age diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related neurological disorder?
• 55+ years old and raising a grandchild age 18 or younger?

You are not alone!  Nearly one-third of the adults in this country are currently providing care, assistance and support for a loved one.

Caregiving is a familiar part of life for so many and can be richly rewarding. However, it usually also presents great challenges for the caregiver and can be extremely stressful, sometimes overwhelming, even in the best of circumstances.  Easy access to information, organization, and support is essential in any caregiving role, and CICOA is here to help meet that need.  CICOA's caregiver support service, CareAware, can help you get organized by providing critical information on a wealth of topics that you need to know about—or we can direct you to the right place for what you need.

Employee Spotlight

Advocate, broker, negotiator, manager, educator, analyst, problem-solver:  In a typical day, CICOA Care Manager Susan Wirthwein, MSW, LSW, fills each of these roles.

“I came to my career as a social worker later in life after having a personal experience with the healthcare system,” Susan says. “I saw that people need information and advocacy.  Now I do what it takes to help others navigate through that complex system. ”

“What it takes” begins with a compassionate heart and excellent organizational skills. On this particular day, Susan applies both to her morning paperwork and calls before setting out for an afternoon of client visits. Read more.

Donor Spotlight

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a donor to CICOA. My wife, Patricia, and I also are donors. Some 43 years ago, I landed at JFK Airport after crossing the Atlantic to my new home and country—the United States. From there, I flew to Indianapolis, and Indiana has been my home ever since. I praise God for all the opportunities and blessing he has bestowed on me including a beautiful wife, three daughters, a M.S. degree from Butler, a Ph.D. from Purdue, and a wonderful career at Lilly for more than 35 years.

All my life I wanted to honor my parents and my wife's parents in their old age. Pat and I were blessed to honor my parents who passed away in 1978 and 1984. Currently--and with help from CICOA--we are honoring Pat’s parents who are victims of Alzheimer’s disease.

Please allow me to share with you that we are called to help each other. We are called to tithe and to give alms. It is my humble opinion and judgment that generously donating to CICOA is a blessing. Read more.

Volunteer Spotlight

CICOA is always looking for opportunities to celebrate the lives of our older clients. Starting this year, we will be recognizing our clients who turn 100 years old by giving them a handmade lap quilt lovingly created by the Charity Chatters, a local quilting group.

Judy Oakley, CICOA volunteer coordinator, said, “CICOA was looking for a way to honor our clients who have reached this special milestone. The quilters were ready and willing to help.”

Dallas Reed, nationally known fiber artist, teacher and quilter, leads the group of about 12 quilters. Reed said the group was named the Charity Chatters because they enjoy “gabbing” as they quilt at their Tuesday evening meetings at the Indianapolis Senior Center. The volunteers range in age from 60 to 80 years old and produce the quilts in an assembly-line fashion, with individuals taking on various parts of the project. Two team members lay out the batting; another sews the quilt, while others provide the finishing stitches. Read more.