Southern Maine Agency on Aging. That organization tackles nearly every facet of senior citizen life and issues, and one of the several information sheets I came away with provides a summary of their services. It might be a good idea to cut this article out and keep in handy (like on the refrigerator!) just in case you need a good reference.

Services offered in Cumberland and York counties:

Meals on Wheels and Senior Luncheons – Call 1-800-400-6325.

Healthy Aging and Living Well – Classes and self-help support including falls prevention and living with chronic illness. Contact Anne Murray at 396-6529.

Maine Senior Games – Competitive events for fun and fitness affiliated with National Senior Games. Open to athletes age 50-plus from all over Maine and the United States.

Senior News – To sign up for this free bi-monthly newspaper, contact Bonnie at 396-6526 or bcraig@smaaa.org.

Support Services and Coordination – Housekeeping, personal care, meal service, and emergency response for elderly residents of subsidized housing. Call 854-6808.

Truslow Adult Day Center – Therapeutic day program in Saco, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Contact Debra Thomas at 283-0166.

Volunteer opportunities to help seniors with bill paying, grocery shopping and home repairs. Volunteers visit isolated older adults. Through RSVP, match volunteers age 55-plus with jobs at other nonprofits. Contact Ken Murray at 396-6520.

For the following services, call 396-6500 or 1-800-427-7411 and ask for an Elder Advocate:

Information and referral – Free consultation and assistance with such things as locating housing, applying for benefits, health insurance counseling and linkages with social and health-care services. Staffed by licensed social workers who specialize in resources for older adults.

Health insurance counseling – Medicare specialists offer unbiased help with insurance options at no cost.

Caregiver support and assistance – Support groups, classes and one-on-one guidance for family caregivers of older people, those with dementia and elder kinship parents.

Partners in Caring – Support for families dealing with dementia

Senior Solutions Care Management – Help with long-term care planning and decisions. Senior Solutions offers many options for supporting families through the aging process. Cost is $85 per hour.

If you would like to know what programs you may be eligible for, such as the low-cost drug program through the state, food stamps, fuel assistance, MaineCare or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), call SMAA at 1-800-427-7411 and ask for a Benefit Checklist for Maine 2007. This handy information sheet covers all of these programs and more.