A key program to help low-income seniors in Longmont meet a variety of financial needs — including housing — is being renewed after the city council last week approved an agreement with the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, or BCAAA.
The funding from BCAAA provides up to $50,000 for adults in Longmont 60 years old and older, as well as $2,500 for adult caregivers for any age of older persons, according to a city staff report to the city council.
Assistance is available for a variety of basic needs including electronic devices, mobility aids, dental procedures, hearing aids, housing assistance, nutrition support, personal care and eye care. Senior Services Resource Specialists meet with potential clients, assess needs and recommend funding based on eligible funding, the staff report states.
In the 2021/22 fiscal year, the funds from BCAAA served 69 individuals, Brandy Queen, acting manager of Senior Services, said via email.
The BCAAA funds are an important part of a group of financial options that Senior Services can offer to low-income seniors, Queen said.
“The need in our community is high, and we utilize a range of grant options to meet the needs for older adults with lower incomes in Longmont,” Queen said.
In 2021, she said, the city’s resource specialists and counselors assisted 210 individuals looking for caregiving assistance; 887 individuals who needed other information and referrals; 304 individuals who needed assistance with housing or financial paperwork, she said.
Getting and helping seniors keep their housing was a big priority last year, Queen said.
“We helped 45 individuals avoid eviction and 98 individuals obtain affordable housing,” she said.
