50+ Lifestyles

Lifelong Links help Individuals Maintain Their Independence

By Peggy Dykes
Community Relations Director
Milestone’ Area Agency on Aging

Milestones Area Agency on Aging is pleased to announce the launch of LifeLong Links™, a statewide service for aging Iowans, Iowans with disabilities, veterans and their caregivers as they begin to plan for long-term independent living.

Administered by the Iowa Department on Aging, LifeLong Links is available to all Iowans who need home and community-based services, as well as their loved ones and professionals who work with aging and disability issues. LifeLong Links provides access to many of the state’s information and referral resources to help individuals learn which programs are available in their community and connect them with local or regional service providers.

“From the time we are very young, doing things on our own and caring for ourselves provides an enormous sense of self-worth – a feeling that grows, rather than diminishes, as we move through life,” explained Iowa Department on Aging Director Donna Harvey. “Maintaining independence at home or in a community of choice is one of the few things a person can control as other aspects of life change, so it’s important to make sure Iowans know how to access services that exist to help them live independently.”
Consumers may access LifeLong Links by visiting www. lifelonglinks.org, calling (866) 468-7887 or stopping by the local coordination center located at the Milestones’ office at 935 E. 53rd St., Davenport which serves Clinton, Muscatine and Scott counties. From there, individuals can request information about support services related to a specific topic (e.g., housing, health and medical services, caregiver assistance, nutrition, transportation, etc.) or complete an assessment to allow an information and referral specialist to evaluate the
situation and provide appropriate guidance.

Depending on the needs of the consumer, he or she also may be referred to a trained options counselor who can begin a person-centered, interactive planning process to help identify long-term support preferences and develop an individual action plan. The first step in making the right decisions is
having the needed information.

Peggy Dykes is Community Relations Director at Milestones Area Agncy on Aging. She can be reached at (563) 324-9085, ext. 212 or at pdykes@milestonesaaa.org.