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On June 21, 1976, older residents of Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties received something they'd never had before—a helping hand.
Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) was created on June 21st fifty years ago.
The idea behind support for older adults began with the Older Americans Act or OAA, for short. It was signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The act had a simple intent: help adults ages 60+ live with dignity and independence for as long as possible.
An amendment in 1973 formally established Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) across the country. Three years later, LMTAAA was set up to serve Planning and Service Area (PSA) #6, made up of Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties.
We are one of 13 AAAs in Washington state. This larger group is known as the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging which is often shortened to W4A.
From the 70s through the early 2000s, AAAs expanded to include programs for transportation, in-home care, adult daycare, nutrition, legal services, home repairs, prevention education, and more.
In that time, WA State’s addition of Medicaid waivers—starting with COPES (Community Options Program Entry System) in 1982 and RSW (Residential Support Waiver) in 2014—significantly expanded community-based supports for people with complex needs. This strengthened our role in service integration, policy advocacy, and capacity building. These waivers now support in-home services like environmental modifications, home-delivered meals, and much more.
In 2000, Family Caregiver Support Programs (FCSPs) were officially created when Congress passed a reauthorization (renewal) of the OAA. It was the first program dedicated entirely to helping the family and friends who help others without pay.
Three years later in 2003, Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) were launched nationwide to provide "no wrong door" assistance to older adults as well as adults living with disabilities. Then, in 2006, OAA amendments expanded eligibility (guidelines) to include grandparents and older relative caregivers raising children.
This year, we've added support for WA Cares to the services we offer our communities. LMTAAA was one of just two AAAs in the state to pilot the new long-term care insurance program earlier this year. The public launch is in July.
A big focus for us will be on strengthening our support to more isolated communities and to people with limited access to healthy nutrition.
In addition, we're connecting with our communities on a local level in whole new ways. We've become a regional coordinator for Dementia Friends. We're also partnering with local cities to help at-risk residents cope with extreme heat and smoke better.
These programs are just a few of the many ways we help. But they don't remember a name, notice when someone needs more than what they asked for, or have empathy for what is often the hardest moments of people's lives.
Our true impact is through our amazing staff. It's because of the extra mile they go for each other, and our communities, daily. As we journey into the next 50, we thank them for making us who we are today.
