GREAT FALLS — As the partial federal government shutdown continues, Cascade County Aging Services says its programs for older adults remain fully-funded and operational.
Director Kim Thiel-Schaaf says the department receives funding through the Older Americans Act and the state of Montana, allowing programs like Meals on Wheels, homemaker and respite care, transportation assistance, and Medicare counseling to continue without interruption for the time being.
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Thiel-Schaaf says, “We help with SNAP applications, we help with the Medicaid waiver, and none of the federal shutdown, or anything has stopped that from happening.”
Cascade County’s Meals on Wheels program serves around 430 seniors across the area, delivering hot meals five days a week and frozen meals to those in more remote parts of the county, many of whom rely on both local and federal assistance such as SNAP benefits.
Thiel-Schaaf says her office received a number of calls early in the shutdown from seniors afraid they might lose access to food.
“It is scary for a lot of people right now,” she says. “We got a lot of calls from our active clients, especially on Meals on Wheels, that they were afraid they weren’t going to get their food. But we’ve done everything we can to reassure them and tell them that we’re going to make sure they get fed.”
Aging Services has kept an updated resource list since the COVID pandemic, helping staff quickly connect seniors with food, transportation, or other support if they run into trouble.
While many national programs have faced uncertainty, a federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration must use contingency funds to continue distributing SNAP benefits during the shutdown, a move aimed at preventing interruptions for millions of Americans who rely on the program.
Thiel-Schaaf says even if more seniors turn to local programs for help, her department is ready, saying, “We might actually get an uptick in calls. The issue becomes that I can’t put people on services unless they qualify, but we’ll do everything we can to help them navigate that.”
Despite uncertainty in Washington, Aging Services staff say their priority remains clear: keeping seniors fed, safe, and connected.
“We just want people to know that we’re here, we’re open, and we’ll make sure they’re taken care of,” Thiel-Schaaf said.
For those over 60 who may need assistance, Cascade County Aging Services encourages residents to call 406-454-6990 for information about Meals on Wheels, Medicare counseling, and other senior programs.
