In between visits to client’s homes or nursing homes, helping reduce prescription medication costs, and all of the services TARCOG provides, the staff also spends time on community education through special presentations and participation in health fairs or others community events.
“It’s an important part of what we do to make sure people in the communities that we serve know that not only we are here to help but the different ways in which we can help,” said TARCOG’s Director of Aging Programs Sheila Dessau-Ivey.=
It’s so important, the agency is giving the outreach efforts a new name, TARCOG Cares. To streamline the process of what the agency participates in there is a new online form that can be filled out to make the request.
“In the past, different people throughout the agency have been contacted about different events and we’d like to make the process easier with all of the requests being directed to one person,” Sheila said.
In addition to the large events, Sheila said staff also participates in outreach events including presentations on specific topics to general information about what the agency offers.
“We receive a lot of invitations, and we try to make it to as many as possible,” she said.
Educating the community helps spread the word about TARCOG’s Area Agency on Aging programs helps because it helps those interested in services learn that the Aging and Disability Resource Center is the starting point for people in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties.
Sheila said this is where people start to gain access to information and assistance for older adults, individuals with disabilities and their caregivers by serving as an entry point to TARCOG programs and other resources in the five-county region. The number to call for more information on services is 256-830-0818.
Anyone who would like to request TARCOG participate in an event related to the aging population should go to www.tarcog.us and look for the Event Request link on the bottom on the home page, or under the About Us tab. It may also be found in the Contact Us section of the website.
TARCOG at the Jackson County Health Expo in January.