Senior Organizations

Many organizations provide quality services to older adults. They also serve as a fountain of helpful information for those who care for seniors. Below is a list of organizations and companies that represent respectable resources for seniors and their caregivers.

Aging Organizations

• American Society on Aging: A site that is full of free information on aging. The American Society on Aging helps protect the quality of life of seniors. This is an excellent resource for seniors and caregivers. It is also an outstanding resource for community leaders and leaders of companies that help or provide services to seniors.
• Leadership Council on Aging Organization: A group of nonprofit companies that represents 70 nonprofit organizations. These organizations focus on national politics and serve as a voice for seniors.
• National Council on Aging: Is a powerful organization that pushes senior health agendas on a national level. This site offers valuable resources that help seniors stay healthy, secure, and independent.
• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging: This organization helps seniors find care in their area. It checks on the providers and cultivates a list of preferred providers that meet their guidelines. They are an advocate for seniors and play an active role in reducing elder abuse.
• AARP: This is a large organization with benefits that range from money-saving discounts to opportunities to buy insurance. They offer information on everything from choosing the right senior insurance to information on finances.

Senior Nonprofit Organizations

There are many non-profit organizations for seniors. Some of the bigger names are AARP and the National Council on Aging.

Nonprofit means that the company is not designed to make and retain a profit. They do make money and sell services and products. Their profit often becomes their next year’s budget.

Thousands of nonprofit companies offer senior services. They are both national companies and local companies. Rather than list a bunch of companies here, it is better to show you how to find what you need. If you are looking for care, start with a national organization such as AARP, which offers tools that help you find care in your local area. You can also use the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, which focuses on all of the organizations in the local setting from a national perspective. Many of the national organizations also screen or rate local companies that provide service to seniors. Topics to consider include:

• Finding care
• Finding resources that help keep seniors in their homes with a higher quality of living, dignity, and respect (such as food, medicines, etc.).
• Elder abuse and rights both on a person-by-person basis and as a voting group.
• National politics and senior rights

Many nonprofits focus just on seniors. Use the internet to help you find what you need, and then look for a national company to help screen the results.

Elder Rights Organizations

• National Center on Law and Elder Rights: A great resource that helps seniors with legal questions and services. They also assist with elder rights issues, information and services, and services that help people address changes as they age. Some services are free of charge, and others are community-based.
• Center for Advocacy for the Rights & Interest of the Elderly – CARIE: This is an organization that helps seniors by promoting laws and environments that support well-being, senior rights, and independence.
• Justice in Aging: This is a nonprofit organization. It works on the national level to advocate for seniors by fighting to improve their quality of life. Their goal is to make sure that seniors have access to affordable health care, economic security, and other issues that impact seniors of all income levels. They also focus on issues that affect those with low incomes.
• The National Council on Aging: In addition to all that the National Council on Aging does, they offer an Elder Justice Now Campaign. This campaign helps address physical, emotional, and financial abuse, including neglect.

There are also state agencies such as the Department of Justice in California, which handle elder abuse claims. Check with your state’s governmental agencies. They often have the power to help and provide the resources to help you find organizations that can.

Senior Volunteer Organizations

• Corporation for National & Community Services: runs the Senior Corps. This is an organization that helps seniors find volunteer positions on the local level. Their services include volunteer positions that help other seniors.
• Volunteer Match: This organization matches volunteers with causes that are important to the volunteer. This includes animal rights, advocacy for seniors, and community-based opportunities.
• Projects Abroad: This organization helps seniors find volunteer opportunities in foreign countries. These opportunities build upon the skills and work experience of retired and seniors.

Many organizations focus on seniors. Some are nonprofits, while others focus on the quality of life for seniors, and some focus on enriching the lives of older adults. They represent services from legal and advocacy to nutrition, health, and wellness. Whatever your need, there is an organization that can help.