Seward County’s Aging Services office is working to reach more of the area’s 65-and-older population as it continues to grow.
Residents 65 and old are offered a wide range of services in Seward County, including meals at Milford, Seward and Utica senior centers, educational programs like the AARP collaboration on holiday fraud awareness, in-home services and health, nutrition and caregiver programs, and digital literacy programming offered collaboratively with Concordia University.
Seward County Aging Services Program Manager Alison Rook coordinates activities around the county.
Last year, the Milford Senior Center served 2,609 meals, logged 1,873 hours of open, service time, and served 113 total consumers. Seward’s served 7,817 meals, logged 1,968 hours, and reached 207 individuals. Utica’s served 2,922 meals, logged 637 hours, and reached 80 consumers.
In 2024, Seward County Aging Services and Aging Partners provided one or more services to 604 individuals, which is 19% of the 65-or-over population.
Seward County pays annual “dues” to the Aging Partners agency, which coordinates with state and federal funding sources to provide those services locally.
Jill Engel, Aging Partners aging and nutrition specialist, met with the Seward County Commissioners June 10 to present the organization’s annual report for Seward County and to seek a 2.5% increase in the county’s portion of their funding for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which the county will be putting together in the next few months.
Engel said the increase is tied to one thing – the portion of seniors in Seward County’s population.
“More people within Seward County will be seeking services in the coming years to keep their independence,” Engel said.
In 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 18.4% of Seward’s 17,769 residents were 65 or older. That is 3,269 people now, but population projections say the percentage of the population comprised by seniors will increase by 13% between now and 2040 as the last-born of the Baby Boomers reach retirement age.
Aging Partners is requesting $44,662 in dues from the county for administrative costs for the 2025-2026 budget. That is in addition to the $24,120 in county funds designated for senior services operations.
Aging Partners funds $58,320 for the senior services operations, $29,087 for Seward County Senior Center operations, and $6,263 for supportive services grants to county residents.
In total, the county’s portion is $68,782 and Aging Partners provides $134,993 from state and federal sources, which totals $203,775.
Aging Partner’s state and federal aging services programs, includes, but are not limited to, in-home service grants, nutrition counseling services, legal assistance, staff development and training, technological support and data governance and the senior centers.
County Commissioner Raegan Hain said she appreciated Aging Partners’ diligence and support for Rook, who is a one-person office for the county’s seniors.
“I continue to see need in the county and look forward to what we are able to provide,” Hain said.
No action was taken on the budget request at this time.
In other budget-related activity, the commissioners held a public hearing at which no one appeared to open the current Seward County 2024-25 fiscal year budget and amend the sheriff’s revenues, allowing forfeiture fund transfers to be added to the budget record. The commission voted unanimously to approve the amended budget.
In other action June 10, the county commissioners:
Approved the use of the courthouse lawn for a local author and artist event on June 18 from noon to 6 p.m., as requested by Kelley Limback of Chapters Books and Gifts.
Adopted a fee schedule for the Seward County Weed Board’s 10- and 15-day notices, calling for a $250 management fee per parcel and per filing, payment for spraying weeds at twice the rate a private applicator would charge, $2 per mile reimbursement for mileage and any other miscellaneous expenses related to control of noxious weeds on a property.
Approved implementation of advanced filtering software for county emails with Soarin’ Group.
Discussed the current surplus property policy pertaining to trade-in situations and some equipment that cannot be used by others related to inventory management.
Authorized the purchase of a new public transit van through the Nebraska Department of Transportation, for which the county’s share is $8,466.
Approved renewal of the county’s liability insurance plan through Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association with the current deductible level.
Approved human services agreements with Region V Services and Apace.
Approved placement of an antique vendor’s sign for a sale at the fairgrounds from July 2 to July 5.
