Resources for Seniors in South Carolina

Options for older adults from northern Richland County through Sumter, Kershaw, and Clarendon Counties.

Welcome to our blog! We’ve compiled a list of resources around South Carolina, including Sumter, Kershaw, and the Central Midlands. If you have an aging loved one or need resources for yourself, check out the organizations below. If you want to keep up with who we’re working with, you can always find updates on our community resources page here.

Central Midlands Area Agency on Aging

The Central Midlands Council of Governments has an Area Agency on Aging (AAA). The Central Midlands AAA serves Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland Counties. They have programs and services to help with advance directives, long-term care, Medicare, and more.

Advance directives are a great way to record your preferences for your own health care in case of a medical crisis. Their team can provide you with the South Carolina Advance Directive forms. Also, their Long-Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for residents of long-term care facilities. They’ll help mediate and investigate complaints. In addition, the Central Midlands AAA can refer you to legal help. Seniors over the age of 60 can receive free assistance with elder law and housing issues, as well as public benefits and income.

Kershaw Council on Aging

The Kershaw Council on Aging (COA) supports senior wellness in Kershaw County. They deliver nutritious meals to seniors’ homes, in addition to serving meals at their senior centers. They have two senior centers:

• Bethune Center: 302 Norwood Street East, Bethune, SC 29009
• Camden Vitality Center: 906 Lyttleton Street, Camden, SC 29020

When you visit, you can enjoy community gardening, DrumFit classes, Silver Sneakers, groups, games, line dancing, bible study, art, and more.

Sumter, SC

• The Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments is located in Sumter. They have a variety of programs and services to support aging individuals. They offer insurance counseling for those enrolled in Medicare and other health insurance. They have a legal assistance services program and a long-term care ombudsman.
• Sumter Senior Services is a non-profit organization serving older adults. Their Shirley G. Baker Activity Center is located at 119 S Sumter Street, Sumter, SC 29150. They have another senior activity center in Sumter named the Delaine Community Center. Their third senior activity center, the Shiloh Community Center, is located in Lynchburg.
• The Sumter YMCA Senior Center is free for adults older than the age of 55. Interested participants should stop by the main facility at 510 Miller Road to register and get access. Every month, the senior center offers activities like trivia, wellness education, bowling, movies, and more.

South Carolina

• Hidden Wounds is serving veterans in Sumter, North Charleston, Columbia, Aiken, and Cayce. Their support groups are led by professionals trained in peer-to-peer and mental health first aid. Groups are organized by combat veterans, LEOs, and first responders.
• Home Again is a program of SC’s Medicaid Program, Healthy Connections. Home Again exists to assist skilled nursing facility and hospital residents. They’ll help residents transition back to their homes.
• The South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA) hosts free monthly trainings, legal clinics, wills clinics, job fairs, and more. GetCareSC is a program of the SCDOA. With this resource, you can locate service providers, such as those that assist with finances.

In-Home Care with Griswold

We’re Griswold Home Care for Sumter & Kershaw! We provide award-winning care in and around Northeast Columbia, Kershaw County, Sumter County, and Clarendon County. We’re trained in dementia care support, certified by Griswold’s Personalized Approach Training and Holistic Support (PATH) Program. We also provide respite care to support family Caregivers. If you need support around-the-clock, we can help with that too. We’d love to discuss how we can support your unique needs – give us a call today!