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 Thoughts
from the Director:
Rick Hindman
Unified Long-Term Care Budget Process Moves Forward
I am grateful to members of Ohio's House of Representatives and Ohio Senate for their work to begin implementing a Unified Long Term Care Budget (ULTCB) through the state's biennial budget
process. While advocates have worked for many years toward achieving a unified long-term care system, the idea has gained supporters among legislators as Medicaid takes an ever-bigger
slice of Ohio's budget.
Currently Ohio spends almost 75 percent of its long-term care dollars on
nursing facilities and about 25 percent on home and community based services (HCBS). Ohio's
Business Roundtable (BRT) has noted that Ohio would realize a savings of $900 million a year in
Medicaid costs if we were able to achieve the national average on what the state spends for
HCBS versus institutional services.
Several provisions were made in the Budget Bill that will improve quality of life and save future dollars by strengthening the unified long-term care concept. The provisions include:
· Providing more options for long term care;
· Adding services to help people who want to remain in the community;
· Allowing Area Agencies on Aging to conduct
ongoing follow up with nursing home
residents who want to return to their homes and communities; and
· Eliminating state limits on enrollment in Assisted Living facilities.
The way we provide long- term care to our older adults and people with disabilities today is
fiscally unsustainable and does not meet the needs or desires of Ohioans it serves. The ULTCB is
a first step to offer more choice and to contain long-term care costs. The process uses the
existing care management system operated by Area Agencies on Aging and the aging network, a
system with 20 years' experience in providing long-term care management. Through the
concept of "no wrong door," the ULTCB informs individuals and families of their choices when
they need long-term care no matter where they enter the system. Improving delivery of long-term care services not only helps Ohio contain Medicaid costs as we prepare for a growing
population or residents who will need these services but it also frees the state to fulfill other
funding priorities.
I thank the Ohio legislature for moving our laws toward a Unified Long Term Care Budget through the Budget Bill.
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SAVE THE DATES:
June 4: DRIVE Refresher: Transporting Older and Disabled Passengers from 4-8p.m. at the Monroe County Public Transit -118 Home Avenue in Woodsfield.
June 15 - Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Wear Purple!
July 8, 15, 22, 29 & Sept. 2 - OSHIIP training Washington State Comm. College, 710 Colgate Dr, Rm BT102, Marietta
 Nov. 12: Annual Choices Expo in Marietta.
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Caregiver Resources Available
The following brochures are available to caregivers through the AAA8 office. Call 1-800-331-2644 for copies and additional resources.
- 50 Things Every Caregiver Should Know
- Caregiving: How to Get the Whole Family Involved
- Balancing Caregiving, Family & Work
- A Checklist for New Caregivers
- Caring for the Caregiver
- Stress & the Caregiver
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AAA8 Resources
- Executive Director: Misty Casto
- Assistant Executive Director & Area Agency on Aging Director: Rick Hindman
- Home Care Director: Jane Skeen, LSW
- Communications Director: Gwynn Clifford
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Home Health Provider Cooperative Incorporates
AAA8 and the Ohio Cooperative Development Center at OSU South Centers has been working with a variety of regional home healthcare provider representatives to form a working cooperative home health care cooperative. The providers focus is on common, critical and acceptable issues. In May, the work group voted to move forward and incorporate as a formal group. In June, they chose a name and interim officers.
The purpose statement of the group is "working together to benefit members with shared resources to strengthen the home health workforce".
The Home Healthcare Provider Co-op interim board will be led by: Mike Gordon of Fosterbridge (Interim President); Angie Robinson of Valley Home Care (Interim Vice Pres.) and Rebecca Jenei of Genesis Caregivers (Interim Secretary/Treasurer). The group plans to become a member of Benefits Unlimited, Inc. and Resource Alternative Procurement Co-op (RAP-C) Coops that will enable them to secure discounts and pricing breaks for benefits and other purchased goods. The Co-op has appointed it's first subcommittee which will draft the cooperative's By-Laws subcommittee.
Washington State Community College, Washington County Career Center and Tri-County Career Center have provided insight for the training aspect of the cooperative. WCCC has modified their STNA curriculum to provide a home health focus and have reduced the tuition by 50% to make the program more affordable.
The group currently includes the following members: Comfort Keepers, Holzer Extra Care, Genesis Care Givers, Interim Healthcare of SE Ohio, Noble County Home Health Agency, Valley Home Care Solutions and Fosterbridge. The co-op welcomes new members. The next scheduled meeting is on July 29 at 1:30 p.m. at the AAA8 office on Pike Street in Marietta. If you are interested in attending a meeting to learn more or to ask questions, you may contact Mindy Cayton at AAA8 1-800-331-2644. |
Washington County Hosts Healthy U Program
The AAA8 Healthy U program was hosted by the Carroll Senior Center in New Matamoras (Washington County). The club President is Marilyn Patterson. She did a great job recruiting and hosting the program.
The workshop began April 6 and ended May 11. The site included seniors' meals and participants enjoyed taking advantage of the lunch congregate meal program. There were between 15 and 20 people at each session.
Court Witschey, Cardiovascular Health Coordinator, Washington County Health Department was a co-trainer with Cathy Ash of AAA8. Both Witshcey and Ash are Master Trainers for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program.
 The "Healthy U" plan provides training about proven methods in managing chronic conditions such as heart disease, emphysema, hypertension and diabetes.
Program participants will meet for two hours each week for a six-week program. Things like how to eat well, how to manage emotions, ways to exercise or make fitness a priority, medication how-to's, and communicating with medical professionals are all part of the "Healthy U" series.
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Washington County Council on Aging Hosts FREE Medication Disposal Event
 AAA8 awarded a Title IIID grant to the Washington County Council on Aging for its Medication Management/Disposal Project. Funding purchased a medication disposal unit, supplies and outreach promotions. The program will provide a safe, portable and efficient method of disposal of unneeded and unwanted medications for senior citizens.
The Council will have its first event using this machine at the O'Neill Senior Center Parking Lot on June 24 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m..
Residents can dispose of any old, expired or unused medications. Bring your medicines in their original bottle to be crushed and disposed of safely. This is a great opportunity to clean out the cabinets of unneeded prescriptions - and its safer, helps protect the environment too. Sponsored by the Washington County Council on Aging.
Medication Facts
- 83% of older adults take one or more medications daily, and 30% take 8 or more daily.
- At least 40% of older adults do not follow prescription directions.
- 50% of all adverse medication reactions occur among older adults.
- Older patients average 2-3 serious medication errors per month.
- 28% of all older adult hospitalizations result from medication problems.
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Wear Purple in Honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15
Until the advent of initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence in the last quarter of the 20th century, abuse of the elderly remained a private matter, well hidden from public view.
Today, it is increasingly being seen as an important problem and one that is likely to grow as many countries experience rapidly aging populations. It is predicted that by the year 2025, the global population of those aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 542 million in 1995 to about 1.2 billion.
Providers are asked to wear something purple June 15 in honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Day. In addition, at 12:30 p.m. on June 15, The Area Agency on Aging is sponsoring a balloon lift off to draw attention to the serious issue of Elder Abuse. The lift off will take place in Marietta at the O'Neill Center's parking lot following lunch (about 12:30pm).
The key objective of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is to raise awareness of elder abuse (which encompasses neglect and mal- or mistreatment) throughout the world. To learn more, visit www.inpea.net. |
DTV Coupons Still Availble
The Federally supported DTV transition $40.00 Coupon Program will come to an end on June 12 when all remaining stations in the country are required to switch to digital signal transmission. For those that use some form of paid subscription TV service this program basically does not affect your ability of getting TV signals after June 12.
Keep in mind that every TV that you own that is not connected to a paid service will not be able to be used without a Converter Box. So TV's in guest rooms, basements, attics, garages, houseboats, campers, etc. that are not connected to some form of paid TV service will basically be useless without a Converter Box. It may also be necessary even with a Converter Box to upgrade rabbit ears to high gain rabbit ears, some older model analog antennas on roofs may need to be replaced with new digital antennas, or they may need to be rotated / adjusted and more accurately "pointed", and there may be a need to reposition TVs in other locations in a house in order to receive clear signals after June 12th.
Please past this important reminder along to interested parties so that people who have still not acted on obtaining the $40 coupon will be reminded that time is running out under the DTV $40 Coupon Program. The Stimulus Bill provided an additional $650,000,000 to the $40 Coupon Program and people who initially received coupons and did not act on them before they expired will be given a second chance to apply.
The URL for more information is: www.DTV2009.gov
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