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Learn how to plan for long-term care at COA's popular
Own Your Future workshop
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Medicare, Medicaid, estate planning, advance directives, power of attorney, nursing homes, in-home care, long-term care insurance... What do these confusing terms have in common? They are all essential pieces of the long-term care planning puzzle.
Council on Aging can help you put the puzzle together. Since 2010, our
Own Your Future
workshop has helped people plan for long-term care, protect their assets, and understand what living options and services are available to them as they age.
Click here for more information about our fall Own Your Future workshops:
September 20 & 27 in Green Township and September 24 in Lebanon. Registration required.
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Elderly Services renewal levy to be on November ballot
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A renewal of the Warren County tax levy that provides services to help seniors stay in their homes will be on the November ballot.
The 1.21-mill, five-year levy will be a flat renewal and will not increase taxes. The cost to homeowners for 2017 is anticipated to be $34.18 per $100,000 of property value – $1.40 less than they pay now. Read more...
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COA welcomes new board members
Council on Aging is overseen by a Board of Trustees and assisted by an Advisory Council. We are pleased to announce the newest members of the Board of Trustees. Read more...
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COA to help adults needing Specialized Recovery Services
Beginning later this year, COA will provide Specialized Recovery Services to adults with severe and persistent mental illness. This program, often called 1915i, is a Medicaid home and community-based service. Read more...
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New referral tools help professionals connect families to COA
Changes to COA's website and new outreach materials will make it easier for community organizations such as fire departments, health care providers and social service agencies to make referrals for COA’s in-home care services.
Read more...
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COA staffer wins research award
COA employee and Miami University PhD student, Philip Sauer, received the 2015 Colonial Services Research Award for his work with the Scripps Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program. He used video observation to study the program's impact on the well-being of people with dementia. The research r
esulted in a $700,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Medicaid to expand the program to 100 nursing facilities in Ohio. Read more...
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Older adults and people with certain health conditions can apply for help with summer cooling costs
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For low-income older adults and people with chronic health conditions, staying cool and comfortable during the summer months can have a significant impact on their health and well-being.
Help is available through Ohio's HEAP Summer Crisis Program. HEAP - the Home Energy Assistance Program - is a federally funded program designed to assist eligible Ohio residents with their utility bills. Click here to learn more...
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Your Health: Prevent Mosquito-Borne Illnesses this Summer
Mosquitoes are more than just summertime pests – many carry viruses and bacteria that can cause serious illness. Older adults are no more likely than younger people to be bitten by mosquitoes, but they are at higher risk for complications from mosquito-borne illnesses. You can minimize your risk by protecting yourself from mosquito bites and taking steps to control mosquitoes outside and inside your home.
Read more...
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Long-term Care Corner: Ohio Medicaid changes take effect Aug. 1
Big changes are coming Aug. 1 for older and disabled Ohioans who receive Medicaid benefits. That's when Ohio switches from a 209B Medicaid state to a 1634 Medicaid state. What does this mean? Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans must navigate a new system to qualify for or to keep Medicaid, including many nursing home residents who will be required to set up a legal trust. Read about the changes in this April
Akron Beacon Journal
article and recent Pro Seniors blog post.
Pro Seniors' Legal Hotline is available to answer your Medicaid questions, as well as other legal questions. The hotline is a free service for Ohio residents age 60 and older. Call Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to schedule a telephone appointment with an attorney.
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Help test app that keeps people with Alzheimer’s and dementia connected to loved ones
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Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are looking for volunteers to test an Apple IOS app called
HiLois!
, which is designed to support and engage people with Alzheimer’s, other cognitive impairments or anyone feeling distanced from the people in their lives. Read more...
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Aging & Disability Resource Network Updates
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Report highlights special legal needs of LGBT elders
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The intersection of poverty and discrimination creates an array of unique legal needs for older LGBT individuals. A new special report by Justice in Aging, produced in partnership with Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Elders (SAGE), offers an overview and practical tips for legal aid organizations seeking to serve this population. The Report, How Can Legal Services Better Meet the Needs of Low-Income LGBT Seniors? is accompanied by a short video that highlights the diversity of the LGBT community and the gaps in equality its members face as they age.
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New guide can help doctors reduce racial disparities in end of life care
A deep-seated mistrust of the healthcare system is one of many common culturally based anxieties that can make it challenging to treat minority patients at the end of life. African Americans and Hispanics are less likely to take advantage of advance care planning, but a new guide for these crucial discussions—nicknamed A REFLECTION—can help doctors address patients’ concerns, as they become more aware of their own cultural biases. The goal is to help reduce disparities in end-of-life care. Read more...
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Effective communication for effective care: talking with your older patient
Good communication is an important part of the healing process. Effective doctor-patient communication has many research-proven benefits. A new resource from the National Institute on Aging focuses on communicating with older patients and offers practical techniques and approaches that can help with diagnosis, promote treatment adherence, make more efficient use of clinicians' time, and increase patient and provider satisfaction. Read more...
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State releases draft health assessment
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The Governor’s Office of Health Transformation and the Ohio Department of Health recently released a draft of the
2016 state health assessment.
The assessment is a comprehensive and actionable picture of health and well-being in Ohio.
According to the report, many national rankings place Ohio in the bottom quartile of states for health, with Ohio’s performance on health outcomes actually declining over the past few decades. Ohio also has significant health disparities by race, income and geography, and spends more on health care than most other states.
Read more...
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Annual age-adjusted mortality rates for the leading causes of death, Ohio (2009 and 2014) and U.S. (2013), per 100,000 population
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Events & Learning Opportunities
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Visit the
Events
page on our website for a complete, up-to-date list of events for adults, caregivers and professionals. Unless otherwise noted, the events are NOT in any way affiliated with Council on Aging. Please use the links included with each event to get or request additional information.
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Butler County Social Services Expo
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If you work with, for or on behalf of Butler County families, you'll want to attend the 2016 Butler County Social Services Expo, 10am - 1pm, August 5 at Fairfield High School. The Expo features social service agencies, non-profits and other organizations that provide services for children, families, caregivers and individuals of all ages in Butler County. Over 70 agencies will be represented, including Council on Aging. Click here for more information or call (513) 887-3710.
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NASUAD I&R Center Webinar: Disability & Rehabilitation Resources
3-4pm, July 20, 2016
Webinar: Legal Planning Essentials for Persons with Dementia
3-4pm, July 20, 2016
Senior Day at the Ohio State Fair
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
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Volunteer Lawyers Project: Wills and Advance Planning Clinic
August 24, 2016
Living With Alzheimer's Disease: A Free Program Designed for Caregivers and Those They Love
August 27, 2016
Own Your Future Long-term Care Planning Workshop
September 20 & 27, September 24, 2016
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A roundup of recent headlines, news and commentaries that may be of interest to our readers.
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Council on Aging | (513) 721-1025 or (800) 252-0155 | www.help4seniors.org
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About Council on Aging
Council on Aging is a state-designated Area Agency on Aging, serving a 21-county region.
Our mission:
Enhance people's lives by assisting them to remain independent at home through a range of quality services. One call to COA links people to the wide variety of agencies, information and programs that serve older adults and people with disabilities.
Learn more about COA
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