Area Agency on Aging

The Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) is the designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for twenty-three communities in southeastern Massachusetts. The AAA service region includes the seventeen member communities of the Old Colony planning district and six additional communities that together make up the Old Colony AAA service region: Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, E. Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanson, Kingston, Hanover, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleborough, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, W. Bridgewater, Whitman.

As the designated Area Agency on Aging for this region, we are responsible for the establishment of a comprehensive, coordinated system of community-based supportive services for the elders in our region. To achieve this goal, the Agency administers grant funding authorized under the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965 as amended, “to help partner agencies supply services and information for older adults and those with disabilities.” Our region’s Information & Referral line through Old Colony Elder Services is: (508) 584-1561.

In addition to our other AAA responsibilities, we also administer the Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Ombudsman program for our region.

OCPC AAA Receives USAging AIA Award

August 7, 2025 No Comments

We are proud to share that the Old Colony Planning Council’s Area Agency on Aging (OCPC AAA) has been honored with a national Aging Innovations Award (AIA) from USAging for its work with the South Shore Elder Mental Health Consortium’s (SSEMHC) Integrated Internship Program. This award was presented at the USAging Conference in Chicago, where agency staff representing the top programs were invited to receive recognition. OCPC-AAA Administrator, David Klein proudly attended the event to represent our agency as well as the other members of the consortium. The next day David facilitated a presentation about the program at a session that included audience members from AAAs that spanned the country. As an innovative response to the behavioral health needs of older adults in our communities, the program brings Master of Social Work (MSW) students directly into our local senior centers as interns to complete their required field placement. The idea originated with local Council on Aging leaders Joanne Moore and Michelle Bratti, respectively from the towns of Duxbury and Plymouth. Their original goal was to bring licensed clinicians directly to our local Senior Centers and in doing so, eliminate or at least reduce any stigma that having discussions about one’s

Administration for Community Living (ACL)

OAA funding is allocated through the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA)

ACL allocates funding to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Area Agency on Aging (OCPC)

Through EOEA the federal funding is allocated to local Area Agencies on Aging such as OCPC.

Aging Service Access Point

Funding and coordination of regional Nutrition, Family Caregiver, and Information & Referral services are further allocated from OCPC to our Partner organization, Old Colony Elder Services.

WHAT WE DO

Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Ombudsman

The Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Ombudsman Programs are responsible for identifying, investigating and resolving issues related to the health, safety, welfare and rights of individual who living in long term care facilities. Our staff acts on behalf of residents of nursing homes, rest homes, and transitional care facilities in our region.

Senior Transportation Programs

The Old Colony Planning Council Area Agency on Aging is proud to work on behalf of the Councils on Aging in our region as an applicant for and administrator of a Volunteer Transportation Program (VTP) to assist them with ‘Enhanced Mobility of Seniors & Individuals with Disabilities.’

Area Agency on Aging Resources

Access important Area on Aging Resources such as local Councils on Aging (COA) and important contact details.

Local Older Americans Act (OAA) Funding

The Old Colony Planning Council Area Agency on Aging (OCPC-AAA) is now accepting pre-applications for funding requests under Title III of the Older Americans Act for federal fiscal year 2024 and federal fiscal year 2025 (the federal fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30).

Application: 2024-25 Combined RFP Guidance & Pre-Application

With input and guidance provided by the AAA Advisory Committee, the Area Agency on Aging establishes service priority areas for funding under a four-year Area Plan (see below). Under the current plan, OCPC-AAA distributes over $1,500,000 in Older Americans Act grant funding to community-based organizations who in turn carry out these services.

Areas Funded through local organizations include:

Minority Elder Outreach and Supportive Services
Personal Care Services
Services for Disabled Elders
Transportation
Legal Services
Emergency Assistance
Congregate and Home-Delivered Meals
Family Caregiver Support Services

AAA Area Plan

In keeping with the goals and objectives of the Older Americans Act (OAA), the primary functions and responsibilities of the OCPC’s Area Agency on Aging are to advocate on behalf of individuals age 60 and over in our region, to plan and to develop services, and to administer a wide variety of funds to public and private local providers for the provision of home and community-based support services.

The Area Plan of OCPC-AAA is a four-year plan describing the goals and objectives of the Agency, a description of existing programs, and conclusions from the Agency’s public outreach events held in the elder community.

Access the 2026-2029 Area Plan on Aging PDF

Access the 2024 Needs Assessment Survey Result

GET INVOLVED

Volunteer Ombudsman Program

Ombudsman volunteers visit an assigned nursing or rest home once a week, meeting with residents and working to resolve the issues affecting the quality of their care at the home.

Learn More