JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Members of the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability (SETAAAD) recently hosted a presentation regarding their program and its various services at Whitwell’s Orena Humphreys Public Library.
SETAAAD is based in nearby Chattanooga, where it encompasses 10 counties throughout the southeastern region of the state, including Marion County. According to Community Outreach Manager Drew Brandon, SETAAAD is set through Southeast Tennessee Development District’s, (SETD) SETCARES program. The program is one of three divisions under SETD, with it encompassing healthcare services throughout the area.
Brandon noted how all area agencies throughout the state were formed in 1973 under the Older American Act, a nationwide law which helped establish various agencies and healthcare programs for residents across the country. Agencies are spread apart into different corners of Tennessee, with each providing medical and transportation services to those in need of them. She explained how SETAAAD’s purpose is to help provide similar services throughout southeastern Tennessee, especially ensuring that those in need can live comfortably while being provided with their medical, nutritional, and transportation needs.
“Our mission at SETAAAD is to help older adults with disabilities live with dignity and choices in their house,” said Brandon.
The agency encompasses six different services to patients eligible for the program, such as caregiver support, nutrition, as well as health and wellness. According to Community Outreach Coordinator Theresa Jorgensen, those interested in applying for any of the agency’s services must reach out to the program’s Information and Assistance/Referral line to conduct and complete a screening regarding general eligibility before any services are officially provided.
During the presentation, Jorgensen mentioned how facilities such as the Whitwell Senior Center play a major role through the program’s Health & Wellness services. She explained how the center can provide beneficial opportunities in social activities, as well as various field trips to partake in. Additionally, senior centers serve as focal points for nutritional support, as meals are delivered to the senior center for those in need and under SETAAAD.
“The senior center here is where you would pick those meals up from,” explained Jorgensen.
Since its establishment in 1973, SETAAAD continues to provide various services to both those in need and who are eligible across the region. To contact the agency, call (423) 424-4256.