Area Agency on Aging reports surge in protective-services cases, outlines senior supports

Lori Stanton Laney, administrator for the Area Agency on Aging, told the Northampton County Human Services Committee on March 5 that protective-services investigations have grown markedly and outlined several programs aimed at helping older residents.

Laney said the agency's protective-services caseload has increased from roughly 800 reported needs in 2018 to a projected about 2,400 this year. She said the most common referral reasons are financial exploitation (including bank-initiated reports and romance scams), neglect and self-neglect among people with dementia or other impairments.

The administrator reviewed the agency's emergency fuel program for residents 60 and older, which is administered to align with LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) eligibility and is funded in part through HUD-related grant money. Laney said the program provides about $780 in direct fuel assistance to qualifying older adults, with an additional $20 per case going to Project of Easton to handle paperwork.

She also reported on nutrition and community-access programs. In the 2025 season the agency distributed 2,469 farmer-market vouchers at $25 each that can be redeemed at participating local market stands; Laney said voucher amounts fell from $50 during ARPA-funded years to $25 in 2025 and the agency worked with the state to reallocate unused county vouchers to meet demand.

Laney described countywide senior-center operations: Northampton County has 11 senior centers under Pennsylvania Department of Aging regulations, four of which are run by contract partners rather than agency staff. Larger centers such as the Slate Belt Center and Park Plaza in Forks serve heavier daily volumes, while smaller centers have fewer visitors. Laney said she would provide attendance numbers on request.

On caregiver supports, Laney said the agency expanded programs for family caregivers and grandparents serving as primary caregivers. The grandparent reimbursement program provides up to $600 per month on a reimbursement basis for eligible expenses such as summer camp, after-school activities or school supplies; caregivers submit receipts for reimbursement. The agency also restarted caregiver support groups (grandparents: third Thursday, 9:15'0:30 a.m.; caregiver group: first Thursday, 2:15'0:30 p.m.).

Laney noted the agency's PA MEDI Medicare counseling service, run with volunteers who assist older adults during open enrollment, and described the assessment unit that conducts functional assessments for Medicaid or waiver eligibility and coordinates with nursing homes and an independent enrollment broker.

Committee members pressed for more data about service utilization. Commissioner Holland thanked Laney for the caregiver focus and asked for follow-up numbers; Laney said staff could provide attendance and related metrics. No formal action or vote was taken; the discussion closed with staff offering to supply the requested counts and financial context to the committee at a future meeting.

The agency's update also noted disaster-response work: DHS staff are supporting victims of a recent Hotel Hampton fire with caseworkers and coordination with the city and Red Cross.