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Summer 2024

Council on Aging News for Clinton County

Free home modifications help Wilmington widow safely navigate her home

Sharon is a long-time Wilmington resident who enjoys spending time with her children and granddaughters and participating in activities offered by her local senior center. At 80 years old, she appreciates being able to live in the condo she and her husband Roger purchased in 2007 after his congestive heart failure made it difficult to maintain their home. Free home modifications made through the Clinton County Older Adult Home Modification Program will help Sharon continue to age in place safely. Read the full story. 

Free professional development conference highlights opioid use and misuse among older adults


There's still time to register for our free professional development conference exploring the impact of opioid use on older adults. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, 8:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. at the Manor House in Mason. This conference will provide three clock hours of continuing education units for Ohio social workers and nurses. Click here to learn more

 

Registration closes Friday, August 30

Council on Aging Board Member Profile: Sarah Boehle, Clinton County 

Sarah Boehle, Ph.D., LNHA, LSW, has served on Council on Aging’s Board of Trustees for more than 12 years. She lives in Clinton County and spent 30 years of her career in long-term care administration before joining the faculty of Shawnee State University, where she taught in the health care administration program until retiring in 2023. Click here to read more.

Join an advisory council to help advocate for the needs of area older adults  

Council on Aging is seeking new members for advisory councils that represent the needs of older adults across its service area. Members of advisory councils give voice to older consumers of services, people with disabilities and others involved in the field of aging. Click here to learn more. 

Council on Aging sponsors 2024 Clinton County Farmers Market

Council on Aging is proud to be a sponsor of the popular Clinton County Farmers Market, held Saturdays, 8:30am – Noon at the Clinton County Court House Square. COA was the presenting sponsor for the market's Community Resource Day, July 27. Read more in the Outreach and Advocacy section below.

COA featured on Wake Up Wilmington

Several COA staff members who live and/or work in Clinton County were recent guests on Wake Up Wilmington. Click here to watch and learn about resources for county older adults and caregivers.

COA receives $10,000 grant from Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary and Council on Aging is honored to have been counted among 24 of the foundation’s long-standing partners to receive a $10,000 grant. As a partner of Duke Energy, we appreciate the organization’s commitment to helping us meet the needs of older adults in our community. 

HEAP summer program accepting applications 

From July 1 through Sept. 30, income-eligible Ohioans can receive assistance in paying their electric bill, purchasing an air conditioner or fan, or making repairs to their central air conditioning unit through the Ohio Department of Development’s Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program. Learn more 

There's still time to be part of this season's Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

The 2024 Ohio Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides low-income older adults $50 in benefits to use at participating farmers’ markets and roadside stands to purchase fresh, nutritious, unprepared locally grown fruits, vegetables, fresh cut herbs and honey.

 

Already enrolled and need help? For support with your SFMNP account, please contact the Ohio Homegrown Benefits Support Line at (614) 412-1729, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., or Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Recipients can request to have their email confirmation resent, reset passwords, or check their benefit balance. Participating farmers and markets can also call for support.


Want to enroll? Click here to learn more.

Get the news you need: Click the "Update Profile" link in the footer of this email to update your contact details and choose the county for which you would like to receive news and updates. For general COA news and updates, select the "COA General News" option.

In Other News

COA advocacy and innovation highlighted at national conference  

COA programs and advocacy were highlighted at the 2024 USAging Annual Tradeshow and Conference in July. The conference is the country’s largest gathering of local leaders in aging well at home. COA staff participated in a panel discussion to share learnings and outcomes from home52 Transportation, a specialized transportation model developed by COA subsidiary, home52. And, Director of Govt. Relations Nan Cahall shared how COA, along with the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging, was a leader in a successful statewide social media advocacy campaign aimed at increasing wages for home care workers.    

Planning is underway for the 2025 Forum on Aging 

Mark your calendars for March 4-5, 2025 for the 2025 Forum on Aging at the Sharonville Convention Center. The robust two-day conference provides up to 12 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for professionals in the field of aging, making it one of the most popular conferences for certified care managers, social workers, nurses, nursing home administrators and activity professionals in our region. Click here to learn more.

COA hiring LSWs and RNs

We are seeking licensed social workers and RNs for care management positions within several of our programs that support older adults to age in place. Additionally, we are seeking an experienced candidate for a budget analyst position in our Finance & Business Intelligence Department. We offer competitive benefits, flexibility in working remotely and a team-oriented, mission-driven work environment. Click here for all job descriptions and to apply.

COA staff highlight: Rose Holland

Working at Council on Aging is something special. COA staff member Rose, an administrative assistant who works with two of COA's departments, considers her colleagues as family.



Click here to read Rose's story.

Be a paid caregiver through Participant Directed Care

Are you a compassionate individual seeking a rewarding, flexible, high-demand career? Are you already caring for a loved one or are you aiming to kickstart your healthcare career while pursuing further education? Medicaid waiver clients need assistance from individual providers to help them remain independent at home. COA can help you get certified as a paid, in-home caregiver and connected with clients who need in-home care services. Click here for more information. 

Council on Aging connects with residents in

senior apartment buildings

Council on Aging (COA) staff have been visiting with residents and staff at low-income senior apartment buildings sharing information about available programs and services and resources that can have a positive impact on their health and quality of life.


Click here to read more and find out how COA can connect with you.

Outreach and Advocacy

COA in the community

COA serves five counties in southwestern Ohio. Our Outreach Bureau, made up of staff, board members and advisory council volunteers, shares information and provides education about COA through a variety of community-based activities. Click here to learn more. 

COA sponsors Resource Day at county farmers' market

Council on Aging Aging and Disability Resource Specialist, Jen Limle, talks with a Clinton County Farmers' Market shopper about services available for older adults and caregivers in the county. The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and the county's home repair grant were popular topics of discussion.


COA was the presenting sponsor for the market's Community Resource Day, July 27. 

COA and Clinton County Chamber partner to host office hours

Each Tuesday in August, the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce held office hours at Council on Aging's offices in Wilmington, 2333 Rombach Ave. The final Tuesday of the month, Aug. 27, was the chamber's Monthly Member Showcase. Both chamber and COA staff were on hand to share about our services, network and enjoy refreshments and a gift basket giveaway.

Gabriel's Angels celebrates 10th anniversary

Congratulations to Wilmington-based COA provider Gabriel's Angels Homecare LLC Homecare LLC on their 10th anniversary! COA Business Relations Partner Leah Webster attended the company's open house and a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August. Over the last 10 years, Gabriel's Angels has grown tremendously. Owner Mindy Johnson reports their partnership with COA has been instrumental in their mission to support and serve the older adult community in Clinton County.

Health and Wellness

Falls Prevention Week: Free COA workshops help prevent falls among older adults

A single fall can have a serious impact on an older adult's health and ability to remain independent. But falls are preventable.


Council on Aging offers free community-based health and wellness programs that can help prevent falls and improve participants' overall health and well-being.


Workshops are led by volunteers in the community, like Jeff Frauenknecht, who leads Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention workshops. Click here to read more of Jeff's story.


Click here to find a falls-focused workshop or to learn about other health and wellness workshops in COA's service area.


Sept. 23-27, 2024 is Falls Prevention Awareness Week. Click here for information about falls in Ohio, including a falls risk assessment and other tools and resources that can help prevent falls among older adults. 

Protect yourself from phone, text and email scams

Frauds and scams are everywhere - many aimed at older adults. Click here to learn from the Ohio Attorney General about common scam tactics and tips on how to NOT become a victim.

Tips to stay cool as summer comes to a close

Summer is hanging on in southwest Ohio. Perhaps more than any other group, older adults should pay special attention to heat waves and heat emergency warnings. To find out why and to learn strategies for staying cool, click here


Click here for tips from the Ohio Department of Aging.


Learn tips from National Institute on Aging by clicking here.

COA in the News

Council on Aging programs and staff were featured in these local news stories:


Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life for older adults, people with disabilities, their families and caregivers. We promote choice, independence, dignity and well-being through a range of services that help people remain in their homes for as long as possible.


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