Eastern Area Agency on Aging Forced to Close on Fridays

Eastern Area Agency on Aging has made the difficult decision to close its doors every Friday, beginning April 5, 2013, due to recent budget cuts and the threat of sequestration.  This decision will impact means a reduction in staff hours and service delivery.

“We have no choice but to close on Fridays,” said Noelle Merrill, executive director of Eastern Area Agency on Aging. “We have looked at the budgets and simply cannot perform with the current numbers and while we troubled by the effect with will have on the community we serve, it is the best solution to preserve most of our services.”

Clients will be served Monday through Thursday in the main office by appointment. Home visits will be curtailed. The nutrition program will remain intact and continue to provide meals for seniors. Community Cafes that operate on Fridays will remain open and Meals on Wheels and 3D Catering will be unaffected.

Eastern Area Agency on Aging understands the difficulty this decision will have on some seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers. It is after much contemplation on every possible alternative that this decision was made.

“We have the best staff in the world and we are all pulling together to serve everyone who needs help within a 32-hour week,” added Merrill. “Unfortunately, as hard as we try to prevent it, this decision will probably present some hardship for our clientele across the 13,000 square miles we serve and for that we are truly sorry. We just don’t have any choice.”