Know CICOA Before You Need Us

CICOA helps older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers find the information, services, and support they need to live with greater independence and dignity.

We provide and coordinate services related to nutrition, caregiving, home safety, care management, and other needs that make daily life safer and more manageable. Through our Aging & Disability Resource Center, we also help people understand their options and connect with trusted community resources.

You do not need to know exactly what kind of help you need before contacting CICOA. You also do not have to be in crisis, meet an income requirement, or qualify for a specific program to reach out. Our Aging & Disability Resource Center is available to anyone looking for trusted information, guidance, or a better understanding of the resources available.

You just need to know that CICOA is a great place to begin.

Who Is CICOA For?

CICOA is for older adults and people with disabilities, but our work reaches much further.

We are also a resource for:

• Adult children concerned about an aging parent
• Spouses caring for one another
• Family members who have unexpectedly become caregivers
• People recovering from an illness, injury, surgery, or hospital stay
• Long-distance caregivers coordinating support
• Healthcare professionals helping patients transition home
• Friends, neighbors, faith leaders, and employers trying to help
• Anyone who wants to understand available resources before a situation becomes urgent

The truth is that no one is immune from aging.

Many of us already have parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings, friends, or neighbors reaching a stage of life when a little extra help can make a meaningful difference. Some of us are already providing that help, even if we do not think of ourselves as caregivers.

Knowing CICOA can benefit you now as you support someone else. It can also benefit you later, when you are navigating changes in your own health, independence, or daily life.

CICOA may not be an organization you need today, but it is worth knowing today.

You Should Not Have to Figure It Out Alone

Aging, disability, and caregiving can bring difficult questions.

What help is available? What programs might someone qualify for? How can a person remain safely at home? Where can someone turn when daily responsibilities become harder to manage?

The answers are not always easy to find. People are often left navigating unfamiliar programs, eligibility requirements, providers, benefits, and care options while also managing work, family responsibilities, health concerns, and stress.

That is where CICOA can help.

Our team listens, helps people understand their options, and connects them with services and resources that may fit their circumstances. Sometimes the right solution is a CICOA program. Sometimes it is another trusted organization in the community.

Either way, people do not have to navigate the system alone.

CICOA’s Aging & Disability Resource Center has also earned Inform USA accreditation, reflecting our commitment to nationally recognized standards for quality information and referral services.

Know Where to Begin

One of the things we hear most often is, “I wish I had known about CICOA sooner.”

People often discover us only after caregiving has become overwhelming, a parent can no longer manage at home, or a sudden health change forces a family to make decisions quickly.

Just as people plan for retirement, healthcare, or financial security, it helps to plan for the changes that often come with aging, disability, or caregiving. Knowing where to turn for trusted information before a need arises can make all the difference when life changes unexpectedly.

It also gives you a trusted resource to share.

A friend may be worried about a parent. A coworker may be balancing work with caregiving. A neighbor may need help remaining safe and independent at home.

Share this article with someone who may benefit, post it on social media, or simply tell the people in your life what CICOA does.

The more people who know about CICOA, the better prepared our community will be to support older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers. Together, we can help more people remain independent, connected, and safe in the place they call home.

Know CICOA before you need us.

Visit cicoa.org to learn more or connect with CICOA’s Aging & Disability Resource Center.

Nate Huff

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