Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 - Winter 2019
News & Updates
Accepting Senior Citizen Award Nominations - County & State
Outstanding Senior Citizen - by County
The Agency is accepting nominations for Outstanding Senior Citizen for each of the nine counties in our region: Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Shelby. Show your appreciation to an older adult who goes above and beyond in your county by nominating them for a 2019 Outstanding Senior Citizen Award. Service in any field of endeavor should be considered. Deadline for all nominations is March 29. Awards are presented in all counties at May Senior Day events.
Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame
Since its inception, more than 450 older Ohioans have been inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. If you know someone who belongs among those ranks, the Ohio Department of Aging wants to hear from you. The hall honors current or long-time Ohio residents age 60 and older who have made and continue to make a lasting impact on their communities, their professions or their vocations. Deadline for nominations is Feb. 11.
Advisory Council
Paul Lindquist photo
A Tribute to Advisory Council Member
Paul D. Lindquist
The Agency's Advisory Council lost a good friend and senior advocate in Paul D. Lindquist who died Dec. 3, 2018. Mr. Lindquist represented Preble County on the Advisory Council for 8 years, and was honored as Preble County's Outstanding Senior Citizen in 2010. He held a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and worked 40 years as a farmer, and 33 years for the U.S. Air Force. He served as president of the Preble County Council on Aging and headed its AARP tax program. Paul was an active community member serving on multiple boards, participating in square and round dancing clubs, singing in church choirs, becoming a life master in bridge, and enjoying global adventures. He leaves behind his wife, Karen, five children, 16 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.
Megaphone pic
Darke, Logan, Preble County Representatives Sought
Help local seniors by representing your county on the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. Openings are available for Darke, Logan and Preble counties. The Advisory Council advises the Board of Trustees regarding administration of federal and state funds for services to people age 60 and older, and other issues impacting older adults and their caregivers. Click for a position description and an application . Click here for more details....
2019 Agency Meeting Schedule
The 2019 meetings of the Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 Board of Trustees and Advisory Council are scheduled for the fourth Wednesdays of January through October. The final 2019 Board and Council meetings will be December 11. There are no meetings in June, when the Annual Meeting is conducted. The Board of Trustees meets at the Agency in Dayton at 4:00 p.m. The Advisory Council meets at Spring Meade in Tipp City at 10:00 a.m.
McElroy Named Director for Ohio Department of Aging
Newly-elected Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed Ursel McElroy as new Director for the Department of Aging effective January 14. Her career began at the Franklin County Department of Jobs and Family Services and she was also a Case Management Supervisor for the Franklin County Office on Aging. McElroy served as the Chair of the Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services through 2008 and worked in the Office of the Ohio Attorney General for 10 years as the Deputy Director of Education and Policy where she managed the establishment of the Ohio Elder Justice Initiative. McElroy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, both from The Ohio State University. Her predecessor Beverly Laubert will return to serving as State Ombudsman.
Catholic Social Services Moves Northern Office
Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (CSS) administers the PASSPORT ( Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options & Resources Today) program i n Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble and Shelby counties. CSS recently moved to new offices:
100 South Main Avenue, Suite 101
Sidney, OH 45365.
Contact numbers remain the same at (937) 498-4593 or 833-289-0227.
Older Adults Among Ohio’s Increasing Homeless Population
A report on homelessness released by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) in late 2018 indicates steadily increasing numbers of Ohioans, particularly aging adults, young children, families, and special populations, turning to homelessness services since 2012.
" Revisiting the Silent Crisis " is the agency’s second report on homelessness and covers 2012 through 2017. It shows that 70,123 Ohioans received homelessness services in 2017, which is an increase of 20 percent since 2012. Read more...
Social Security Administration seal
Social Security, SSI Benefits Increase in January
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 67 million Americans increased 2.8 percent effective January 2019. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) begins with benefits payable to more than 62 million Social Security beneficiaries this month. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries began December 31, 2018.
New Year Brings Changes to Ohio's HOME Choice Program
Since 2008, the Ohio HOME Choice program has helped to transition eligible Ohioans from institutional settings to home and community-based settings, with services and support as needed. Established with federal Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, more than 12,500 Ohioans have utilized the HOME Choice program as of September 2018. Enrollment onto the federal MFP grant program ended December 31 but Ohio will offer the same services and supports through the state-funded Beyond the Grant program during the first six months of 2019. Read more...
Plan Ahead & Protect Yourself! Series for Seniors
A Column by Gary J. Weston, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc.
Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc., produces the Plan Ahead & Protect Yourself! Series for Seniors , a set of classes about legal rights, community legal resources, and ways for people to handle their own legal issues. Beginning with the spring issue, each Focus on Aging newsletter will feature an article by Gary J. Weston providing education and information about a topic from the series. Read more about the series...
Education & Events 
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Upcoming Training Workshops:
The Area Agency on Aging presents the following workshops for Social Work CEUs.

Nutritional Risks and Social Determinants of Health Impacting Seniors Today
 Tuesday, March 12, 9am-12:15pm
Speaker Bryan Petkoff, RD, LD
Aullwood Farm, 9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton
3.0 CEUs
$40

Understanding Medicaid Home & Community Services
Wednesday, May 1, 1-4:15pm
Speaker Allison Bielek, MS/AJS
Aullwood Farm, 9191 Frederick Pike, Dayton
3.0 CEUs
$40

Seating is limited. Early registration is recommended. Check our Agency website calendar for registration information and updates on upcoming training opportunities.
Miami Valley LGBT Horizons of Aging Summit
February 11-12, 2019, 9:30am-3:00pm
Sinclair Conference Center, Dayton
Up to 9.5 Social Work CEUs
Registration deadline is Feb. 1.

The 2-day conference begins with a screening of the film “Gen Silent” that chronicles the lives and travails of six older LGBT adults; and the movie’s producer, Stu Maddox, will be a keynote speaker. Breakout sessions will cover healthcare and social justice issues, including health disparities among sexual minority populations; intersectionality; dementia among LGBT older adults; understanding the needs of long-term HIV survivors; senior living options and affordable housing; transgender aging; end-of-life concerns; and more. Click here for additional information and registration.
o4a logo
o4a 2019 Advocacy Conference
March 19-20, 2019
Sheraton Capital Square, Columbus
Click here for information and registration. Deadline is March 4.
Healthy U Workshops
Healthy U workshops are offered throughout our nine counties to help people learn strategies to manage their chronic conditions and feel healthier. These six-week, interactive workshops are for adults with ongoing medical conditions and caregivers. Workshops specialize in living with:
  • Chronic Conditions
  • Chronic Pain
  • Diabetes
New workshops are scheduling now. Learn more about these evidence-based programs and see when upcoming workshops are scheduled near you.
Additional Resources
Free Tax Help Available
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. Click here to find more information and tools to locate volunteer help near you.
Homestead Exemption Information
The homestead exemption allows low-income senior citizens and permanently and totally disabled Ohioans to reduce their property tax bills by shielding some of their home's market value from taxation. The exact amount of savings varies from location to location, but overall qualified homeowners across Ohio saved an average of about $495 per taxpayer during the 2015 tax year. Read more for information from the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Caregivers' Corner: The life of a caregiver is multifaceted – there is love, caring, warmth, and joy. There is hurt, frustration, anger, and guilt. These contradictory emotions can be experienced in the same day and even in the same moment. Balancing these all within one’s heart can erode energy, confidence, sense of self, and even health. While it’s vital for caregivers to have respite time for themselves, that’s not always easy or possible for everyone. For caregivers who find themselves alone in the responsibility and stress of caregiving, click here for tips to help to regain inner strength, self-acceptance, peace, and more good days.
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Serving seniors and caregivers in Champaign, Clark, Darke,
 Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.
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