Life Directions

Vista Maria, founded in 1883, is a nonprofit community-based organization that provides support programs and treatment services to women suffering from emotional trauma, mental disorders, substance abuse and physiological issues. The services offered by the organization include independent and assisted living, recovery programs, family and individual therapies, foster care, nutrition counseling, vocational training, and assistance with job placement. It offers special classes on personality development, communication skills, and educational assessment and planning. It also conducts workshops and seminars on topics, such as self-esteem, conflict resolution, anger management, goal setting and drug use prevention. Vista Maria is located in Dearborn Heights, Mich.

The Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, founded in 1974 and chartered as a corporation in 1980, provides services to senior citizens that empower them to live independantly. It coordinates and monitors all senior programs and services, serves as the focal point for leadership for regional planning on development services, provides advocacy when needed and grants funds to qualified, nonprofit, private or public agencies to operate services for older adults. One of its major areas of work is for Alzheimer's or dementia care. It also runs a free, statewide program designed to assist seniors and their families with long-term care decisions, where a trained and experienced professional visits seniors in their home, helps assess their needs, discusses available services, eligibility requirements, financial resources necessary and creates a plan of care.