In this Issue: Forum on Aging, Caregiving, new COA nutrition programs, a new COA VP, and more...

WINTER 2020

Forum on Aging: Register now!

If you're a social worker, nurse or nursing home administrator, you don't want to miss the networking, learning and inspiration at our annual Forum on Aging, March 10-11, 2020 at the Sharonville Convention Center in Cincinnati.

Three keynotes, 16 workshops, 40 vendors and more than 400 of your colleagues will be waiting for you. And, you can earn up to 12 CEUs.

Last chance to become a Forum sponsor!

It's not too late to become a Forum on Aging sponsor. There are a few opportunities still available to make sure you're seen by the almost 500 professionals in the aging and disability field who attend the conference.

Click here for more info, or contact Amy Leonhardt at [email protected].

It's the new year... how about a new career?

Council on Aging is currently seeking professionals to fill a number of positions within our caring, mission-driven organization. If you are a licensed social worker or RN, consider one of our case manager positions. We also are looking for supervisors in various programs, IT professionals and a project manager who will oversee large projects that span multiple COA departments. If it's your New Year's resolution to make a positive career move, check out our open positions and apply online today!

Focus on Caregiving

Employers should take a "care census" in 2020

In its groundbreaking report, The Caring Company , the Harvard Business School began a national conversation about the far-reaching impact of caregiving on the U.S. workforce . The report noted that “employers do not measure and thus do not realize the extent to which employees are burdened by care [three out of four employees have caregiving responsibilities].” As a first step, the report urged businesses to conduct a regular “care census” to better understand the scope and impact of employees’ caregiving responsibilities. Read more...

Caregivers: Take care of yourselves!

Being a caregiver means giving of yourself daily to help your loved one live the best possible life. It means being the nurse, homemaker, cook, bill payer, handyman and banker, as well as filling many other positions. Read more...

Nutrition News & Notes

Fresh produce will be on the menu for local low-income seniors in 2020

With COA’s upcoming introduction of two new nutrition programs, local low-income seniors will have access to fresh produce grown right here in Ohio. Read more...

COA adapts meal programs to meet changing needs of clients and families

Council on Aging is making changes with our nutrition programs to better meet the needs of seniors and their families in our service area. The changes, in part, are the result of input we received through our community needs assessment in 2018. Through the assessment, COA heard that more support was needed for older adults who have been impacted by the state’s opioid crisis – specifically, support for grandparents who are raising grandchildren. COA staff were also seeing the need first hand. Read more...

Preventing dehydration in older adults

Fluids – specifically water – play an important role in our overall well-being. In fact, our bodies are 50 percent water, which needs to be replaced every day.

If your body has less water than it needs to function at its best, you could be dehydrated.

Aging & Disability Resource Network Updates

DON'T MISS THIS! Pro Seniors 2020 Consumer Protection/Fraud Forum, March 25

Pro Seniors' annual forum is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 4-6:30 pm, at Maple Knoll Village Auditorium. Attendees will hear from local experts from the Office of Ohio Attorney General, Social Security Administration, FBI and more. Social workers may earn 1.5 CEUs. For more event details, and registration info, visit the Pro Seniors website.

NCOA report highlights impact of opioid epidemic on older adults

The National Council on Aging has released a summary of its 2019 survey aimed at determining how the opioid epidemic is affecting older adults and the organizations in the aging network.

As you might imagine, the impacts are far-ranging, from more grandparents raising their grandchildren, to more health concerns among the elderly.

Download the full summary report here.

HEAP program still accepting applications for winter

While it's been a fairly mild winter so far, paying even lower heating bills can be a real challenge for low-income older adults and those with disabilities.

That's where the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help. Those who meet qualifications may still apply for assistance for their winter energy bills through March 31. See program and application details.

Social Security Administration offers free webinars for professionals

As a professional, you know the importance of Social Security (SS) and you also know that it can be confusing with all the updates and changes. To help keep on top of things, there are free webinars that highlight important SS topics. Be sure to take advantage of one (or more!) of these. Get the full schedule and registration links here .

Council on Aging News

COA's holiday wish list project results in generous donations and grateful clients

During the 2019 holiday season, Council on Aging launched for the first time a wish list on Amazon.com to help fulfill needs of a number of our clients. We are happy to report that participation was high, and that our clients received more than 200 gifts. Read more...

COA receives Outstanding Project in Aging award

In December, Council on Aging was honored to receive the Outstanding Project in the Field of Aging award from the Tristate chapter of the Association for Professionals in Aging. Read more...

COA welcomes new member to its senior leadership team

Council on Aging is thrilled to welcome Don Dickhaus, Vice President of Compliance and Business Services. He joined COA in July 2019, and oversees COA’s compliance, accounting, finance and business intelligence departments. Read more...

News You Can Use

What you need to know about Real ID

If you’ve been to your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles office to renew your driver’s license or state-issued ID in the past few years, you may have noticed some changes. You may have been asked to provide additional forms of identification and you may have been issued a paper license or ID while you waited for your actual license or card to arrive in the mail. Read more...

Census invitations will hit mailboxes in March

2020 is here, which means the census is just around the corner! In mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. Why is it vital that you are counted? Find out here...

US government launches FindTreatment.gov

More than 19 million American adults were reported to have a substance-use disorder in 2018. Connecting them with appropriate treatment is a critical step to combating the opioid crisis in America. The US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has launched FindTreatment.gov to help connect Americans looking for substance-abuse treatment with approximately 13,000 locations across the United States. Site visitors can access information on location, treatment options, payment and insurance information, as well as state licensed facilities.

Do you know a senior who "rocks"?

Pro Seniors is seeking nominations for its 2020 "Seniors Who Rock" award. According to Pro Seniors, "honorees are people who are at least 70 years old, and they are still active, working or volunteering and adding a value and vibrancy to our community. They are, in other words, inspirational." More information and a nomination form are available here .

Nomination deadline is February 14!

Awareness, Appreciation & Celebration

March is National Social Work Month

With this theme, the National Association of Social Workers honors the powerful, positive impact the social work profession has had on our society for generations, and also recognizes the important work that social workers from all generations are doing. We are lucky to have 119 social workers as part of the COA team. Some have decades of experience, and remember a time when all records were on paper, and there were not computers or mobile phones to help make their work more efficient. Some have many fewer years of experience, but no less enthusiasm for making our clients' lives better. We are lucky to have them all. Happy National Social Work Month!