Serving the area with PRIDE since 1972

This month is my first official column as the Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7).  I am delighted to be on board in this role and excited about the future for our Agency and the services and programs we provide to our communities.

As a person who was born and raised in southern Ohio, and one who has worked in healthcare for the last 25 years, the AAA7 has always been familiar to me, or so I thought. It wasn’t until I became involved as a Board of Trustees member, then recently as the Executive Director, that I gained a clear understanding of what the AAA7 does.

The mission of the AAA7 is “Assisting individuals to maintain independence and personal choice by providing resource options and services.” Our vision is that “Our region will have access to available resources and services to provide older adults and at-risk populations choices in meeting their needs for health and well-being.”

That’s a rather tall order but is exactly what the AAA7 is doing. Our Agency provides a wide range of services and supports to our 10 counties, including: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton. In addition, the AAA7 helps to cover select services in other counties, including Athens, Clermont, Fayette, Hamilton, Hocking, Meigs and Pickaway. Services are provided through direct community services (directly provided by AAA7) and contracted community services (providers that are contracted by the AAA7 to deliver services).  

Over the next couple of months, I will be explaining our individual services, who is eligible and how to apply.  It is my personal mission to make sure everyone I encounter is aware of what we do at the AAA7 and how to receive services and know more about the resources provided right here in our local communities.  

Before diving into the amazing services we offer, I think it is important to note HOW we provide them. The answer to that is with our Core Values of PRIDE (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, Empathy) in our 190-plus employees.

When you walk into any of our three offices in Jackson, West Union or Wheelersburg, you will see signs posted reminding our team of our Mission, Vision, and to work with PRIDE through our Core Values. From the Resource Center to the receptionists, the Case Managers to our Supervisors, the AAA7 is rooted in these Core Values. That is what the organization was founded on, and we continue to build on today.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.