Senior and Disability Services in Linn County: ADRC, In-Home Care, and Meals

Senior and Disability Services in Linn County, Oregon is a department of the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) and the federally recognized Area Agency on Aging for Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties. For older adults, people living with a disability, and the family members caring for them, nearly every program begins with one phone call to the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 541-967-8630. The Linn County office is at 1400 Queen Ave SE, Suite 201, Albany, OR 97322, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.¹

Start With the ADRC

The ADRC is the single entry point for anything SDS offers, and it is free regardless of income or age.² Certified staff explain what programs exist, screen you for eligibility, and refer you on to public or private services. You don’t need to know what you qualify for before you call.

Phone (Linn and Benton): 541-967-8630
Toll-free: 855-673-2372
TTY: 711
Email: ADRCmail@ocwcog.org
Online: ADRCofOregon.org

If you’re facing a bigger decision, like whether a parent can keep living at home, ask about Options Counseling. A counselor does an in-depth needs assessment, usually in your home, and writes a personalized action plan.³

Help Staying in Your Own Home

SDS coordinates several programs built around keeping people out of institutional care when possible.

Oregon Project Independence

Oregon Project Independence (OPI) is state-funded in-home help for people aged 60 and older who are not on Medicaid. People under 60 with a qualifying Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis may also qualify.⁴ Services include personal care, housekeeping, respite for caregivers, case management, home-delivered meals, adult day services, grocery shopping, and transportation help. Fees slide with income after medical deductions. Eligibility is set through an in-person assessment; call 541-967-8630 or 800-638-0510 to arrange one.

Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports

If you qualify for Medicaid, SDS case managers coordinate Long-Term Services and Supports, which can be delivered at home or in a care facility. The in-home version, OPI-M, covers personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, home-delivered meals, chore services, adult day services, assistive technology, and home modifications.⁵

Hiring Your Own Care Worker

People receiving in-home services through Medicaid or OPI can hire and supervise their own provider through the Consumer-Employed Provider program. The Employer Resource Connection, funded by the Oregon Home Care Commission, offers free training, template interview questions, sign-in sheets, performance evaluations, and safety checklists.⁶ For a local consultant, call the Oregon Home Care Commission at 877-867-0077.

Facility-Based Care Options

When living at home is no longer workable, SDS coordinates placements in three types of settings:

Adult Foster Homes: licensed single-family homes caring for up to five residents. OCWCOG is the local licensing authority and monitors compliance.⁷
Assisted Living and Residential Care Facilities: licensed settings for six or more people with access to registered nurses.
Skilled Nursing Facilities: 24-hour nursing care from state-certified nursing assistants and nurses.

Before a nursing facility admission, SDS conducts a pre-admission screening to confirm that level of care is actually needed, and works with residents who could move to a less restrictive setting.³

Food and Meals

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels delivers hot, balanced meals to older adults and adults with disabilities who have limited resources or can’t easily cook for themselves. The same program also runs congregate dining sites where seniors 60 and older, their spouses, and Native Americans 55 and older can share a midday meal.⁸ Linn County sites and their delivery areas are:⁹

Albany (Riverfront Community Center, 489 Water Ave NW): delivers to Albany and Tangent.
Brownsville (Brownsville Christian Church, 117 N Main St): delivers to Brownsville, Halsey, and Harrisburg.
Lebanon (Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St): delivers to Crabtree, Lebanon, Scio, and Sodaville.
Mill City (Presbyterian Church, 236 W Broadway): delivers to Gates, Lyons, and Mill City.
Sweet Home (Sweet Home Senior Center, 880 18th St): delivers to Foster, Holley, and Sweet Home.

SNAP

SDS staff can check whether you qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and walk you through the application. You must live in Oregon, meet income guidelines, and be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.⁵

Health Coverage: OHP and Medicare

For the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program, SDS staff can determine eligibility and help you enroll. OHP covers medical, dental, prescription, and behavioral health care at no cost to members.⁵

For Medicare, the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program offers free, confidential one-on-one counseling on Medicare Advantage, Medigap, drug coverage, and financial assistance.¹⁰ Monthly Medicare classes run across the three counties; register at 541-812-0849 or 541-574-2684. SHIBA’s statewide line is 800-722-4134.¹¹

Support for Family Caregivers

The Family Caregiver Support Program provides respite, supplemental services, training, and recognition for unpaid caregivers.³ It’s open to unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementia at any age, caregivers of adults over 60, caregivers of adults aged 18 to 59 with disabilities (when the caregiver is a parent or relative 55 or older), and relatives 55 or older raising a child 18 or younger who isn’t their own.⁵

For a day of respite, the Grace Center for Adult Day Services in Corvallis is the only certified adult day center serving Linn, Benton, Lincoln, Lane, and Polk Counties. It offers health monitoring, exercise, memory care, therapeutic activities, and post-rehab support, and accepts Medicaid, VA benefits, and long-term care insurance, with a scholarship program available.¹² Reach the center at 541-754-8417.

Reporting Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation

Adult Protective Services, housed within SDS, investigates reports involving seniors and adults with physical disabilities. The reportable categories are physical abuse, neglect, emotional and verbal abuse, financial exploitation, and sexual abuse.⁵ Anyone can make a report, and you don’t need proof.

Linn, Benton, Lincoln Counties: 541-924-8418
Oregon SAFELine (toll-free): 855-503-SAFE (7233)
Emergencies: 911

Transportation, Legal Aid, and Money Management

Cascades West Ride Line provides non-emergent medical transportation for Oregon Health Plan members in the three counties, covering rides to medical, dental, and counseling appointments. Depending on the trip, the service may provide bus tickets, mileage reimbursement for personal vehicle use, or food and lodging for approved overnight travel.¹³¹⁴ Book in advance by calling 866-724-2975 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Rides can be scheduled up to 90 days ahead, and first-time riders need to set up a client profile by phone.

Through Older Americans Act funding, OCWCOG contracts with Legal Aid Services of Oregon for up to 539 hours of free legal help a year for people 60 and older.³ Priority goes to residents of care facilities, Medicaid and SSI recipients, and people facing guardianship proceedings. Covered matters include income and benefits, health care access, housing, elder abuse, and age discrimination.¹⁵ You can book directly with Legal Aid or ask the ADRC for a referral.

For help managing federal benefit income, SDS runs a free Representative Payee service for seniors 60 and older or adults with disabilities in the tri-county area who have limited resources. The program handles Social Security, veteran benefits, and railroad retirement payments.⁵

1
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Contact Information
2
City of Harrisburg. Aging and Disability Resource Connection Brochure
3
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. 2021-2025 Area Plan Draft
4
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Oregon Project Independence Brochure
5
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Senior and Disability Services
6
Oregon Department of Human Services. Employer Resource Connection
7
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Adult Foster Homes
8
City of Albany. Senior Resources
9
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Meals on Wheels Meal Site Contact List
10
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Financial Coaching and Education
11
Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance. SHIBA Oregon
12
Samaritan Health Plans. Adult Day Services: A Valuable Local Resource
13
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. Cascades West Ride Line
14
InterCommunity Health Network. Transportation
15
Oregon Department of Human Services. Legal Assistance