COA's Summer 2019 Newsletter

Summer 2019

Join Our Team!

Are you looking for a career with a mission-driven organization where – no matter your position – your work will make a difference in the lives of others? At COA, our programs, services and team are dedicated to improving the quality of life and promoting independence for older adults and people with disabilities in our community.

We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the positions of supervisor, clinical analyst, licensed care manager and vice president of compliance.

Visit our website to explore these and other career opportunities with COA.

Free workshops help you understand, plan for long-term care needs

Do you have questions about long-term care planning – for yourself or a loved-one? Council on Aging will offer Own Your Future workshops this fall, for the 10th year in a row. Workshops help participants understand options for long-term care, what to expect from Medicare and Medicaid, and how to pay for care. Expert speakers cover topics including estate planning, strategies for paying for care, Medicare and Medicaid, advance directives and long-term care options.

Workshops are scheduled during September, October and November in Lebanon and Oakley. Registration is required.

More information

Volunteer with COA to bring independence and quality of life to area older adults and people with disabilities

As a non-profit organization serving more than 22,000 older adults and people with disabilities across southwestern Ohio, we rely on support from our staff, partners, supporters and people like you to raise awareness about Council on Aging’s programs and services. Our goal is to ensure that eligible individuals who need help do not go without. But we need your help.

COA is seeking volunteers to help us raise awareness about our programs and services. There are many ways you can get involved. Maybe you have a story to share about how Council on Aging helped your family? Perhaps you have a few hours to spare each month as a volunteer at a community event? Would you display a yard sign in support of a local senior services levy? There are many other ways you can help. If you’d like to get involved, please take a few minutes to complete our volunteer survey . Thank you!

Caregiving

Welcome to "COA for Caregivers," our new column dedicated to caregiving concerns and information

by Anna Goubeaux, RN, COA Caregiver Support Nurse

According to a 2015 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, about 34.2 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 and older in the previous 12 months. And, that number is growing as our population ages. In Hamilton County, for example, those age 60+ are projected to make up almost 27 percent of the population by 2030.

At COA, we see the effects of these tremendous numbers up close and personal every day as we work with caregivers who are giving so generously of themselves to care for our clients.

COA's ESP and caregiver support programs subject of TV feature

A new WCPO-TV video feature tells the story of COA clients Chandni, and her mother, who live in Cincinnati. Chandni discusses how COA programs – including the Caregiver Support Program – have helped her family care for and enjoy time with her mother, while also being able to tend to other responsibilities, including a career and children.

Watch the video

For working caregivers, summer doesn't mean fun in the sun

According to statistics provided by AAA, nearly 100 million Americans will take a summer vacation this year—that’s nearly four in every 10 adults in the United States. However, what this statistic doesn’t take into account is the number of adults whose vacation time is not one of fun and relaxation, but rather time spent fulfilling caregiving responsibilities for an elderly family member.

AARP study shows depth of family caregiver challenge

When AARP published its Home Alone report in 2012, it was the first comprehensive national look at how families were managing caregiving responsibilities. Seven years later, the organization has updated that foundational work with a new report, Home Alone Revisited , which seeks a deeper understanding of the experience of family caregivers.

Council on Aging News

Toni was a licensed social worker who worked in several programs during her 10 years with COA. She served COA with tremendous heart and dedication to our mission. Her dedication extended to the clients she served, by putting in relentless hours to ensure that their needs were met. She had a tremendous work ethic and was a great team player. She is greatly missed by all who knew her.

COA staff aid victims of Memorial Day tornadoes

For several months, staff in Council on Aging’s Specialized Recovery Services Program (SRSP) and Quality Improvement department had been working hard to ready more than 400 client cases for transfer to another organization by May 31.

Coming into the Memorial Day weekend and with just a few days left before the deadline, Jason Morgan, a COA quality analyst who led the transfer project, said the team had performed "exceptionally well" in making sure they were on track to meet the deadline. But then, in the late evening hours of Memorial Day, May 27, several tornadoes touched down in the Dayton area. SRSP staff, along with staff in COA’s Ohio Home Care Waiver (OHCW) program, suddenly found themselves in a crisis situation, on top of the looming deadline.

COA welcomes two new directors

Council on Aging recently welcomed two new team members – Teri Bunting and Judy Eschmann – who bring with them a wealth of professional experience in areas directly related to COA’s programs and services.

ESP annual reports show how program helps local elderly

More than 14,000 older adults in Butler, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren counties received services in 2018 that helped them remain independent in their homes, according to the newly released annual reports for each county’s Elderly Services Program (ESP).

HOME Choice program update

As we reported in October 2018, federal funding for the HOME Choice program ended and changes were being made so that this successful program would continue.

Beginning July 1, 2019, HOME Choice services are available through Ohio’s Medicaid wavier programs, which includes Ohio Home Care, MyCare Ohio and PASSPORT wavier programs, along with the Department of Developmental Disabilities Individual Options (IO) waiver.

Get to know COA's ESP manager

Jaimie Robinson took the helm of the Elderly Services Program in 2018. Get to know Jaimie, who is a self-professed "old soul" and a big fan of innovation, in her employee profile.

COA VP interview featured on ComSpark TV

Sharon Fusco, vice president of innovation and new business operations, discusses the digital transformation among the senior population, and how COA is adapting along with it, during an interview with ComSpark, an organization that conducts innovation tech summits in the region.

Watch the video.

Aging & Disability Resource Network Updates

Pro Seniors adds legal toolkits to website

According to Pro Seniors, a legal aid organization for seniors, thousands of Ohio seniors ignore their legal problems or simply give up trying to find a solution because they believe they cannot afford legal advice. To help, the organization launched a legal toolkits section on its website that provides self-help information for seniors to prepare needed legal documents.

Visit Pro Seniors' website to access the toolkits.

Two locals inducted into hall of fame

Congratulations to Dr. Doris Bergen of Hamilton, and Eileen Cooper Reed of Cincinnati, for their induction into the 2019 Class of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

Each year, the Ohio Department of Aging chooses several outstanding Ohioans age 60 and older to be inducted into the hall of fame.

News You Can Use

Some low-income senior homeowners may soon enjoy lower sewer bills

On July 1, the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) of Greater Cincinnati launched a Customer Assistance Program (CAP) that offers eligible low-income older adults a 25 percent discount on their sewer bills.

For program guidelines and information about how to apply, visit here .

Hot weather safety for seniors

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seniors are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses and injury.

Learn how to ensure the older adults in your life stay safe and healthy during the summer heat with the practical tips we provide on our website.

Read the article

HEAP Summer Crisis Program accepting applications

The Ohio Development Services Agency and Council on Aging will help income-eligible Ohioans stay cool during the hot summer months. The Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program (HEAP) provides eligible Ohioans assistance paying an electric bill or assistance paying for central air conditioning repairs. The program runs from July 1-August 31, 2019.

To learn more about the program and how to apply visit here .

Upcoming Events

Senior Day at the Ohio State Fair

Tuesday, July 30 is senior day at the Ohio State Fair. To celebrate, the Ohio Department of Aging will present the Well Beyond 60! EXPO. The event is free with fair admission, which is only $4 all day for visitors age 60 and older.

The EXPO will feature nearly 3,000 square feet of free health screenings, wellness demonstrations, and more provided by state and community partners. For ticket information, directions and a full fair schedule, visit the fair website.

Awareness, Appreciation and Celebration

National Adult Day Services Week, September 15-21

Adult day centers provide safe and social environments for older adults

For many caregivers, there is no time off from the responsibilities of caring for a loved one. But what is a caregiver to do when it’s necessary to leave their loved one and go to work outside of the home, or tend to other responsibilities? Thankfully, there are roughly 4,600 adult day services centers in the United States that provide a home away from home for hundreds of thousands of older adults on any given day.

Read the story

National Senior Center Month, September

Seniors centers... The key to aging well!

September is National Senior Center Month, and it is very fitting to have “The Key to Aging Well” as its theme. Senior centers are the perfect location for adults to learn and stay connected. According to a Harvard University study, two key findings for successful aging are social connections and staying mentally active.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the longest and most comprehensive examinations of aging ever conducted. Since the 1930s, researchers have studied 800 men and women from adolescence into old age to learn about behaviors that translate into happy and healthy longevity.