Area Agency on Aging presents 2024 review: 177,000 home‑delivered meals and unique county case‑management program
August 07, 2025 | Dane County, Wisconsin
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At the Aug. 7 Health and Human Needs Committee meeting, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) provided its annual review of 2024 activity and described priorities in the 2025–2027 aging plan. Angela Velasquez, division administrator for Aging and Disability Services, and Diane Parseta, chair of the AAA Governing Board, led the presentation and fielded questions from supervisors.
Velasquez said the AAA’s plan for 2025–27 centers equity, uses data and was developed through extensive community engagement. Staff reported outreach that included interviews with community agencies, 31 focus groups and more than 300 interviews with older adults and providers representing BIPOC, LGBTQ, immigrant and under‑resourced populations. “This was actually the result of listening to the community,” Velasquez said.
The presentation highlighted service totals and funding for 2024. Key figures the AAA reported to the committee included approximately 120,000 Dane County residents age 60 and older; 99,450 congregate meals served to more than 5,300 older adults at 26 sites; and 177,192 home‑delivered meals to more than 2,500 participants. The AAA said its federally funded Part B supportive services allocation was about $365,500 in 2024 and that the Elder Benefits Specialist program helped 189 older adults recover approximately $1,140,000 in benefits.
Velasquez described a county‑funded long‑term case management program that the presentation characterized as unique in Wisconsin. “Most counties don’t — no other county in Wisconsin has a case management program,” she said, explaining that Dane County funds the work with county levy because Older Americans Act funds are limited. Staff reported 28,512 hours of case management delivered through roughly 40–43 contracted case managers in 2024.
The presentation also summarized prevention and mental‑health efforts and other targeted programs: evidence‑based fall‑prevention classes and chronic‑disease self‑management offerings (the AAA reported roughly $22,000 in prevention funding), an older‑adult mental health program that provides counseling where people are comfortable, and Safe at Home safety assessments funded with $50,000 to identify home hazards and connect residents to modifications and vendors.
Velasquez reviewed AAA funding sources and totals. For 2024 the AAA reported total revenue of $5,085,419, with about 47% coming from county levy (roughly $2.3 million), about 38% from federal/state Older Americans Act grants (roughly $1.95 million), nutrition donations of approximately $553,000 and $96,000 from meals sold to managed‑care organizations. The AAA said the federal Older Americans Act allocation uses federal population data and that Wisconsin’s state allocation formula now considers poverty, age, rural status and minority status.
Supervisors asked how programs are allocated and about access. Supervisor Welsh asked whether state and federal funds are formula driven; Velasquez said formulas differ by program and that recent state changes had modestly benefited Dane County. Supervisor Jackson asked about caregiver grants and whether assessments would be a barrier; Velasquez described the caregiver assessment as focused on caregiver needs and said awards (often $1,500–$2,000) are intended to relieve caregiving stress and are not burdensome to apply for.
Board chair Parseta and staff emphasized housing access and aging‑friendly planning as priorities. Parseta noted the AAA’s goal to participate in regional housing strategy discussions, including zoning changes that could increase shared living opportunities for older adults. Velasquez said the AAA will seek to ensure its voice is at tables addressing homelessness and housing accessibility for aging residents.
The committee did not take formal action on the presentation. Members thanked the AAA staff for the report and said they expect continued collaboration as the county advances housing strategy, homelessness responses and budget planning for human services.
Velasquez said the AAA’s plan for 2025–27 centers equity, uses data and was developed through extensive community engagement. Staff reported outreach that included interviews with community agencies, 31 focus groups and more than 300 interviews with older adults and providers representing BIPOC, LGBTQ, immigrant and under‑resourced populations. “This was actually the result of listening to the community,” Velasquez said.
The presentation highlighted service totals and funding for 2024. Key figures the AAA reported to the committee included approximately 120,000 Dane County residents age 60 and older; 99,450 congregate meals served to more than 5,300 older adults at 26 sites; and 177,192 home‑delivered meals to more than 2,500 participants. The AAA said its federally funded Part B supportive services allocation was about $365,500 in 2024 and that the Elder Benefits Specialist program helped 189 older adults recover approximately $1,140,000 in benefits.
Velasquez described a county‑funded long‑term case management program that the presentation characterized as unique in Wisconsin. “Most counties don’t — no other county in Wisconsin has a case management program,” she said, explaining that Dane County funds the work with county levy because Older Americans Act funds are limited. Staff reported 28,512 hours of case management delivered through roughly 40–43 contracted case managers in 2024.
The presentation also summarized prevention and mental‑health efforts and other targeted programs: evidence‑based fall‑prevention classes and chronic‑disease self‑management offerings (the AAA reported roughly $22,000 in prevention funding), an older‑adult mental health program that provides counseling where people are comfortable, and Safe at Home safety assessments funded with $50,000 to identify home hazards and connect residents to modifications and vendors.
Velasquez reviewed AAA funding sources and totals. For 2024 the AAA reported total revenue of $5,085,419, with about 47% coming from county levy (roughly $2.3 million), about 38% from federal/state Older Americans Act grants (roughly $1.95 million), nutrition donations of approximately $553,000 and $96,000 from meals sold to managed‑care organizations. The AAA said the federal Older Americans Act allocation uses federal population data and that Wisconsin’s state allocation formula now considers poverty, age, rural status and minority status.
Supervisors asked how programs are allocated and about access. Supervisor Welsh asked whether state and federal funds are formula driven; Velasquez said formulas differ by program and that recent state changes had modestly benefited Dane County. Supervisor Jackson asked about caregiver grants and whether assessments would be a barrier; Velasquez described the caregiver assessment as focused on caregiver needs and said awards (often $1,500–$2,000) are intended to relieve caregiving stress and are not burdensome to apply for.
Board chair Parseta and staff emphasized housing access and aging‑friendly planning as priorities. Parseta noted the AAA’s goal to participate in regional housing strategy discussions, including zoning changes that could increase shared living opportunities for older adults. Velasquez said the AAA will seek to ensure its voice is at tables addressing homelessness and housing accessibility for aging residents.
The committee did not take formal action on the presentation. Members thanked the AAA staff for the report and said they expect continued collaboration as the county advances housing strategy, homelessness responses and budget planning for human services.
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